Dear Readers,

Behold, my friends, the spring is come. The Earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love. ~Sitting Bull

As we begin to welcome spring, my thoughts turn to the gardeners and farmers that have been busy at work planting the seeds that will yield marvelous bounty in the weeks and months to come. So much planning, labor and love goes into the work of growing fruits, vegetables and flowers and responsibly and ethically raising animals on a farm or in a backyard. I have a great deal of awe and respect for those that truly bring the farm to the table for us—to our homes, the markets/businesses we shop at, the restaurants we dine in, the schools our children attend. I recently joined Real Local RVA, a local organization dedicated to educating, supporting and raising awareness of the local food movement and choices in the Greater Richmond area. I love how hard our community is working to increase awareness about and access to local, sustainable, healthy food.

       The March/April issue has become our annual food issue—in it, you will find a feature article about the world’s healthiest cuisines as well as articles on spicing up healthy cooking and sprouts for pets—yes, even your pets can benefit from garden-fresh grub! Be sure to check out our special page, Healthy Food in RVA, with a list of places to visit where you can find locally sourced, sustainable, organic, gluten-free, vegetarian and/or vegan options for eating and shopping. Always try to buy fresh and local whenever you can!

       Healthy eating is an important component of healthy living, but we must also take care of our mind and our spirit. One way of doing that is to find quiet moments of stillness—space to breathe and just be. This poem by Lenore Horowitz reminded me of the importance of creating that space while conjuring up images of spring:

Savasana 
Between in and out
is a place I want to go.
So I listen and breathe,
feel the air ripple and shimmer
till I pause,
and a space opens,
and I open too,
like a flower,
knowing where it roots,
how its branches spread,
why its petals smell like lavender.
Then I flow past, 
rippling again,
with only scent of lavender
to hold me true.

Happy Spring and Happy Reading!

Warmly,

Jessica