Monday Morning Musings

A recent discussion on FaceBook about factory farming was quite interesting and author/artist  Zinta Aistars shared a link to a blog – The Animal Lovers Dilemma – that offers a reasoned look at both sides of the issue. The blog piece was written by Elizabeth Vandeventer of Davis Creek Farm, Nelson County, Virginia.  She holds a PhD in Anthropology from Univ. of North Carolina. When I read the article, this paragraph really made sense:

I was a vegetarian myself for ten years. During that time, I traveled a lot and saw many different aspects of food production that constantly forced me to reassess my assumptions about eating. I learned that my food choices as a vegetarian were not as ethically superior as I had assumed, and ultimately I relearned a lesson from my childhood: in nature, everything becomes food. Roaming the woods and pastures on a dairy farm, I saw baby birds become snakes, snakes become hawks, calves become vultures, cows become people, and all life eventually becomes dirt. Surrounded by nature, I saw life fold into death and death fold back into life and I learned not to fear it.

So goes the natural progression that farmers have been so aware of since the beginning of time, and animals have given humans sustenance since the beginning of time. What has changed is humanity’s attitudes toward the animals that feed us. For centuries, many cultures honored and blessed the animals before slaughter, and prior to slaughter the animals were raised in comfort. Today there are too many cases of inhumane practices at slaughterhouses, as well as the deplorable conditions in which animals live on factory farms.

Okay, end of rant and on to something a lot more uplifting. If you read the review of Mr. Boardwalk on my blog yesterday, you’ve probably guessed that I’ve become quite a fan of the work of Louis Greenstein, and I am so glad I clicked over to check out the play he wrote with Kate Ferber, celebrating the music of Laura Nyro

Here is a brief introduction to this terrific one-woman show performed by Ms. Ferber

More information about the show can be found on the ONE CHILD BORN: The Music of Laura Nyro website. I would love to bring this to East Texas and our Bowery Stage at the Winnsboro Center For the Arts, but I haven’t been brave enough to click to get pricing for staging the show.

Speaking of the art center – see how nicely I segued into this? I am working with the Young Players on the Nite of Comedy, our annual comedy revue and inprov show, and we are having a blast. It is so much fun to work with kids and help them dig deep into their creativity.

And finally, this from the comic strip, Pickles:

Earl walks into the living room where Opal is sitting on the couch sewing. She looks up at him and asks, “Earl, how many days in a row have you been wearing those pants?”

“I don’t know. Who’s counting?”

Opal says, “Isn’t it about time to put them in the laundry basket?”

“The way I see it, shirts, socks and underwear need washing.” Earl checks his pants. “Pants don’t unless you spill something on them.”

Opel stands, “Stay there. I’ll get the ketchup.”

Be honest, that made you chuckle, right?