May Day and Beltain

A former NP buddy and I visited a former Public Health Nurse from the Health Dept. days in Oroville. She has a delicious yard. You can always tell when someone loves the earth by how they walk you around the yard, discussing the plants-- those that are doing well, the history of the plants, fussing about those that aren't doing well or too aggressive. This is a borage...lovely isn't it?

 Chico had its May Day Rally at the Downtown Plaza Park, a zonked out guy on the stage. Rocio spoke about Immigrant Rights. She is just finishing her Masters degree. We spoke about the history and rights of workers and about the General Strike. We marched and chanted through downtown. Somebody later joked you had to be 65 to be there... that stung. I don't know what about activism is keeping people away in droves. KZFR, the Peace Center, the Environmental Center... all peopled by older people with just a sprinkling of youth.

Some of us later went to Walmart to picket. People were generally amenable. It was a comfortable day so people had their windows rolled down and I was saying Happy Workers Day to them as they went by... realizing the importance of the work of all of us. (I am so GLAD to be retired and out of the traces!)

 And in the mood of my annual fairytale columbine skimming over the foliage like exotic butterflies.

Winter plantings are mostly finished and a whole new slate of fields have opened up for the new cycle. It's Beltain. The seasons balance briefly and tilt toward longer days and hotter suns and summer crops.