You Can't Buy This

-- a terrible nightime shot of my fresh ingredients

My bike is laden over with the autumn fruits of France: A pumkin, walnuts, apples, fresh cream, and artisan bagette. Stopping on the side of the road talking to farmers, all but the bread and cream were thrust insistingly into my hands. This evening, I take their gifts and am eating au Royale! Cream of apple and pumpkin soup, with nutmeg and walnuts.  

Its so immensely fufiling eating like this-- there's no packaging, no trucks driving hundreds of kms, no middlemen at all! I've either seen the food's field, or shaken the hands of its tender. The food is fresh and filled with intention.  

You may have heared of the 100 mile diet-- a movement to eat more locally and seasonally. Well, I am eating the 10 metre diet! I have been eating from right beside my road. In Canada it was berries and salmon, in the US corn from the fields, in England, black berries and apples, here in France, mussels, crab, chestuts, and more. The last few days I have been picking up the left over potatoes from the harvest-- they are the ones the machine didn't catch, and they would be left for waste. Its amazing really, how much abundance is out there just waiting to be picked up!  

A curiously realization has thus struck me: I am beginning to discover a joy in having no money.  

I know-- that must sound strange.  

In my journey I have had moments with much money, and others with next to none. In the moments of nothing-- the most amazing and magical things happen. Because of the theft yesterday, I only have a few euros left for the next few days until my bank transfer completes. I used to really fear being broke, yet now, strangely enough, I am starting to take joy in it.  

I suppose if I had money, I would have loaded up at the super market. Right now for instance-- meeting local farmers and fishermen-- is exponentially more fun than shopping in the supermarket, and a fraction of the cost. Instead, I have stopped and talked to them, they've invited me into their homes, I've played with their children and we've been all blessed.  

I haven't asked for anything, but again, my bike bags are bulging over.  

You can't buy this.