Another full day

Today, while Ellen was finishing up baking cookies for the Guilford Church Christmas Bazaar, I went to Keene, NH to a talk by Gus Spaeth, an environmental activist, founder of the World Resources Institute, adviser to Presidents Carter and Clinton and currently on the faculty at the Vermont Law School. John had invited me over for the talk, which was at Antioch New England University, where John works. It was a good talk, as far as it went. Pretty radical stuff actually - we just need a new political-economic system, one that is not committed to constant and perpetual growth of the GDP, one that is committed to the life of all species. That's all. If you want details, go to:

 http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/america-the-possible-a-manifesto

Gus Spaeth

It was great to be there with John. It was lovely to see the respect and affection his colleagues have for him at Antioch. We had lunch afterward - there is a really nice little cafe right there where they make very tasty vegetarian food. We took our food to John's "place" - the Herbarium, which he presides over - to eat and talk.  Then I came back home, helped schlepp cookies to the church, and helped to make cookie platters.

 

Our home was the scene of much cookie-making (and other things) in recent days!

Then we picked up a friend and she and Ellen went to a concert being given by Kitka, a women's choral group based in San Francisco.  They specialize in music from the Balkans. A very special group, singing a repertoire we are familiar with through River Singers. I went home - didn't have a ticket - got some things we forgot to take to the church, cleaned up a bit, came back to pick up Ellen and her friend and found them at intermission. Long concert! But another friend was leaving, gave me her ticket, and I got to hear the second half.

Kitka

Now we're are at the church finishing up our work for the bazaar tomorrow. Ellen is sewing up a pillow for a raffle, which gives me time to blog. And there is WiFi here! It is snowing hard outside. It's supposed to turn to freezing rain during the night and then rain tomorrow. I hope it doesn't cut down on attendance at the bazaar, and I also hope that it doesn't affect travel for the River Singers concert we are in tomorrow afternoon!

A little piece of River Singers featuring our friend Appollonaire William, from Rwanda

 The Dummerston Church Choir sings Sunday morning. Full days!!