None of Us Get Out of Here Alive

None of Us Get Out of Here Alive so what have we got to lose?  Just as I expected, the Republican politicians are scrambling around for the 2016 presidential nominee and trying to pay back election blood money by pushing the Keystone Pipeline potentially polluting its way through this country's food belt to 'better serve' and line the pockets of a handful of donor oil men. But, compared to last year in this country, 2014 ended and 2015 began pretty quiet and I must say even though this household is limping check to check all bills are paid and current. Thus, I've been mistakenly assuming our(?) politicians have been too distracted to harass 'WE, THE PEOPLE' much more until I heard on PBS radio yesterday  yet another news bit about them still having their eyes on cutting back on disability payments to the disabled.  Zsheesh!  What a bunch of bullies!  I can understand wanting to get more people back to work, including the disabled & the poor for 1) work is good for the soul and self esteem and 2) this means more tax money but, mo'money for whom and what?
I don't hear them offering to cut their salaries based more on actual time worked or cut back their expense accounts and catered lunches or even just letting go of their drivers and driving themselves around. Do you?  No, they are choosing the disabled.  Do any red flags pop up here for any of you living, breathing today?! Isn't it possible that this royal attitude is due to us, 'WE, THE PEOPLE' paying them way too much for the work they are actually doing to 'protect & serve' those of us who work so hard to pay their salaries, pay for their lavish expense accounts, pay for their tailor made suits, private jets & helicopters?  We are still fragments of a democracy and not a Roman empire yet; are we not?
Point in hand, I've been watching a friend of mine diagnosed with a developmental disability of mental retardation struggle through piles of paperwork sent to him 3 different times over the last few months from 3 different state locations asking him the same inapplicable questions over & over & over again.  Talk about waste of our tax money pushing paper.  Maybe its time we figure out a way to put our(?) politicians &  government employees and their cush lifestyles on a budget, huh?  You think that might alter their egos a bit?  Think we can do it?

Well, its been two years since I have blogged on our site.  During this time California went into a drought and temps reached all time highs making our 'Grow Our Own Gardens' agricultural program almost impossible and thus over the last two years we launched a new arts/income program called 'Cuddle Art'.  We now collect & make fabric remnants of all kinds, shapes and sizes.  We then sew, collage & hand paint them into tapestry/throw & pillow sets and ponchos for winter and caftan & sun dress/hat sets for summer.  We are selling retail out of a Little Rock, CA. tourist shop across from the infamous Charlie Brown's on Pearblossom Highway that 'you' will pass on your drive in-between L.A. and Las Vegas.  It's been an up & down experience especially with the economy trying to shake off the recession and not yet reaching the poorer areas of our society, but, we will have a catalog and shopping cart on healing gaia's web site the beginning of next year.  We're offering a beautiful and unique 'Designer Look at Poor Man's Prices' in South West, Tattoo, Country or Modern Art themes. We invite you to 'stay tuned' and shop with us a while.  If you buy from us online your purchase will be considered a donation and tax free  and comes with a tax exempt receipt......can't beat that, huh?  Love from all of us at healing gaia!.  V. Berding, president.    

Happy Holidays

We, like so many other voters, were pleasantly surprised by the election results. We're hoping, like you, to  relax alittle bit and watch things turn around, finally.  Despite the remaining partisan standoff in our congress, we're anticipating a better future economy, one in which businesses can and will be able to donate machinery to help create home gardens but right now, we need help buying firewood and are going to sell our tractor we previously offered to help with the tilling of your back yards.   It's the begninning of winter and spring is several months away....time enough to see where things fall.  Happy Holidays everybody!  We will be nestled warm and cozy by the fireside and wish you the same.  H.G.   

While They Argue, Let's Grow Our Own Food.

WE of Healing Gaia, went through all the difficulties of this 'Great Recession' including the death of our benefactor,  foreclosure, theft of the estate by his family and a move from the foothills of Angeles Forest to a downsize in the high desert valley flatlands of Lake Los Angeles.  Over this last year of looking at countless neighborhoods of desolate junked up back yards, including ours, we discovered that we settled on some of the richest farm soil in southern California.  What I call Lancaster's rural ghetto sits on top of what used to be a huge prehistoric glacial mountain lake and is now home to the reputed sweetest onions in the world.  Well, last summer we fired up the tractor ( the one real assest we walked away with), tilled up a quarter of our back acre, found opened bags of soil, composte, mulch & seed being given away by Lowes and Home Depot, made rich rows and planted seeds of vegetables and flowers in 104 degree daily sun heat.  Despite my pessimism, everything grew hardy and tall, full of fruit.  We've lived off  this garden all summer and still are getting tomatoes, peppers and squash. My point to this all is, when I just filled out my mail in voter ballot and considered the concern around GE commercially grown foods, I give big thanks to what we've named as our 'Victory Garden'.  When I hear my neighbor moan about having to stand in line at social services for food stamps because her husband got laid off, again, I give big thanks for our 'Victory Garden'.  When I open my freezer and see all the natural organic food in there for over this winter, I give big thanks for our 'Victory  Garden'.  But to take this one step further, I'm hoping to take our little tractor over to hundreds of neighborhood backyards and help them set up their very own 'Victory Gardens'.  Through all this political bull sh-t  about food stamps, while our politicians are arguing for "points" let's band together and grow our own food.  If we could do it smack dab in the middle of the desert, so can you!  We can continue this momentum of local farmers' markets that I'm sure youv'e noticed all around you and bring back the 60's concept of food coops.   If any of you agree with me, please respond and we will give more advice on how to prepare the soil (it doesn't take a rocket scientist) and better yet, if you're in the Lancaster/ Palmdale area, we'll even bring our tractor over and help till you a garden.  love, H.G.