Reflection: July is the heart of "dog days," when crickets and locusts sing, black locust trees turn brown, and the farm pond scum expands and turns dark green. The year's high noon has arrived.

It is an intensely patriotic time of Independence Day celebrations and fire crackers, of barbecue scents and barking dogs, of family reunions and all-day picnics, of sun block and crowded swimming pools, and of evening cruises in convertibles and pickup trucks loaded with half-clad young folks. July is truly vacation time.

We pause. We eat too much of the wrong food --and we resolve to keep to better diets. It is the season of bush and pole beans, okra and tomatoes, summer squash, summer apples, plums of various types, early peaches, blackberries, and cucumbers that seem to get oversized overnight. Homegrown produce offers exquisite tastes not found in commercial varieties picked green and ripened by artificial means. July is the time of bluebells and milkweeds, of blooming ironweed and scarlet sage. In this hot, lazy month, all with common sense seek shade, except butterflies and hummingbirds busy in the blazing sun amid summer flowers.

July 2004 Reflections

July 1 Canada: A Good Neighbor

July 2 Half Year Review: Daily Examination

July 3 Bringing Good News

July 4 Declare Energy Independence

July 5 Care for our Heart

July 6 Living in an Age of Terrorism

July 7 Solar Photovoltaics

July 8 Lakes and Aquaculture

July 9 The Tourist and the Environment

July 10 Chestnut Memories: An Extended Wake

July 11 Good Samaritan: Our Neighbor

July 12 Eleven Reasons for Locally Grown Food

July 13 Champion Food Quality

July 14 Agribusiness

July 15 Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives

July 16 Water Fountains

July 17 Food Preserving Techniques

July 18 Martha & Mary

July 19 Potable Water and Chlorination

July 20 Rest and Action

July 21 Community Gardens

July 22 Use Storage Space Well

July 23 Solar Hot Water Systems

July 24 Global Warming: An Eco-Justice Issue?

July 25 A Green "Our Father"

July 26 The Waste Disposal Dilemma

July 27 "Affluenza" versus Simpler Living

July 28 Wildscape

July 29 Ozone: Friend or Foe?

July 30 The Garden -- A Study in Restoration

July 31 Ignatius of Loyola

July 1, 2004 Canada: A Good Neighbor

Independence. Today is Canada's Independence Day with much of

the same fanfare that will take place in the southern neighbor only

three days hence. We North Americans share the longest unguarded

border, and true fellowship in times of need. We do work together,

even though our past history took divergent paths. The U.S. was

unsuccessful in getting Canada to forsake the British Empire, and

it looks like there will be two nations for some time to come.

Even though we see differently about monarchs and ways of

governance, we can remain good friends and respect each other's

independence. However, with NAFTA and the mixed fruits of

interconnectedness, we wonder if we are already losing our economic

independence even while remaining politically distinct.

Looking North. I could not stand the Canadian winters any more

than many of their senior citizens do. It takes stamina to endure

cold weather and that seems to erode with the aging process. I

don't blame people who look for southern vacations or residences in

the winter southland. I must confess something more. I don't

think I could take the Canadian summer mosquitoes either. The

northern areas seem more prone to these then mid-America. All

things said, Canada is vast; it is blessed with grandeur; it is

scenic; and it is open country. These are characteristics which

few other countries have. And then there are the people. When we

venture north, we find that Canadians are the soul of hospitality.

They are so dependable, helpful, and they wish people well. If you

are lost, they regard it as their own problem. They may differ

among themselves, and so generalizations are unfair. Yes, a few

might be curt, but doesn't that apply to all of us on occasions?

Canadian migratory ways. We can't help but notice these good

neighbors, for they seem to love their cool and pleasant summers;

they faithfully trek back there on I-75 every spring. That is when

they abandon steamy Florida, the home to untold numbers of Ontario

and Quebec residents for a day less than half a year (maintaining

their home residence in Canada validates their health benefits).

Economic sense. I was inclined to fault the two-home people

and the motor-home travel by many northerners who commute each year

to and from Florida. In autumn all the Canadians and some of the

geese go south. Maybe there is a wisdom to it after all on both

groups' part. Let's trust them as good neighbors with good sense.

If they close down the Florida second home to avoid air

conditioning in summer and stay in the north, good. If they close

down the primary Canadian home due to heating costs in winter,

good. Heating and cooling fuel far exceed fuel consumption of a

moderate-sized auto during two one-thousand mile trips -- unless

they utilize their motorized second home for distance touring.

That type of travel at eight to ten miles to a gallon is poor

resource use. Just going back and forth is still less than heating

and cooling homes -- and that could prove to be practicing

conservation. And the more "stay-at-homes" continue to enjoy two

sets of pleasant weather each year.

July 2, 2004 Half Year Review: Daily Examination

Half spent. Yes, today begins the second 133 days of the year

2004. Where has the first half of the year gone? Let's be more

specific, where has life gone? We can't walk backward in history,

but rather we march into the future. New beginnings always give us

hope. Perhaps it is far better to plan each day for the morrow

than to plan for a year or longer periods of time. However, we do

have to plan ahead. We ought to be more precise about what is

immediately before us as well, lest we see the horizon clearly and

stumble on the rock in front of us.

Resolutions revisited. It may prove fruitful for us to return

to resolutions at special times. I say "may" because the half-year

mark could be a time of regret that what we wanted to do in January

has not come to full fruition. Okay, that is true, but that should

not make us overly stressed. We can always have the fresh start of

a new half-year. Why should our personal accounting be slave to

the total calendar year and to long-term reappraisals? That is

particularly true at the start of a long hot summer.

Regular reviews. Here's a solution to the longer-term

planning/unplanned impasse. We could break the examination up into

smaller segments which correspond to our planning. There are

general longer-term yearly or decade-wide goals; there are monthly

plans and weekly ones, as well as daily ones. Greater intensity of

examination should be directed to the more proximate goals. Daily

routine permits us to fear less and find more spiritual fruit in

keeping centered in our day's activities, the goals, the successes,

the feelings, the consolations, and the desolations of the day.

Informal, but scheduled. Formality refers to a rigid set

practice, routine, prayer formula, and posture. That could freeze

the daily examen into something that becomes oppressive, and then

becomes neglected for sheer lack of energy at the end of the day.

It would drain us of the last drop, and be especially hard on the

morning people who wax at sun-up and wane at sunset. It is enough

that the "examen" is the last thing we do, that it has a schedule

but not a certain time length, that it be prayerful, that it may be

mercifully short and clearly placed.

Blessing and stumbling. What was it we planned for the day as

the primary activity and event? Did it get done, and were we able

to become better people for it? Did things go wrong and what? Are

we sorry, and did we beg forgiveness for the stumbling? Are we

thankful for the blessings that we have had? It may be wise to go

back to the spiritual masters like St. Ignatius who saw this as a

prayer period and the most important of the day. It goes beyond

the Prayer of the Hours or the meditation prayer period, and

summarizes the day in a prayerful and meaningful manner but in a

private moment of grace. It puts a fitting end to the struggles of

the daylight hours, and prepares us for the promises of tomorrow

and all it will bring.

July 3, 2004 Bringing Good News

At that time the Lord appointed seventy two others whom he sent

ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

(Luke 10:1)

We accompany the disciples, called to spread the Good News. We

are to help in the healing of the Earth and its people, and to our

surprise, some success is made. And there seems to be a power

beyond ourselves which is at work in us.

Resource shortages, not over-abundance. We recognize that the

laborers are few, and still we labor on to the degree that we are

able -- going to places which could cause us to fear. God will

provide, but at times it is hard to see where the resources are

coming from and what the outcome will be. The reality test of Good

News is the shortage of time and resources needed for its spread.

Extend peace, not destructive fear. Our mission is not to

disturb others, but to bring them the Peace that only God can give.

Maybe we could frighten people into submission, but that is not

God's way and not the Christian thing to do. We could dwell only

on the vast problem of AIDS which is the largest pandemic ever to

hit the Earth's surface. In sub-Saharan Africa alone as of this

writing about 6,000 young people between 15 and 45 and 2,000

infants a day contract HIV, the precursor of AIDS. But the Good

News is that God loves us amid this epidemic or any other troubles.

And solutions can be found.

Live simply, not elaborately. Jesus instructs his disciples to

stay at one place and take what is provided. If we have to cart in

all of our dietary needs, then we are not living simply but act

like outsiders who refuse the local fare. To live simply is to

obey God's will to be among those who we bring the Good News. We

don't have to live on grasshoppers and honey as John the Baptist,

but we may have to make due with what is in the locality to eat.

Detachment, not attachment. Don't Stay when not Welcome. This

is an amazing admission of the evangelistic message, but has a

major truth to it. Find out if people want what we have to offer;

if not, go on to another place. I think some of the problem today

with use of resources in Church circles is that we spend too much

time with local comforts and "needs," and not enough looking

elsewhere to extending the Good News.

Don't take pride, even in success. This is a final admonition,

for it is worth much reflection. As we manifest the power of the

Spirit at work, we could forget that it is God's power, not our

own, at work. It's a caution to all of us who attempt to spread

the News, from small-scale homilists to television evangelists.

Egos love their own words and the power bestowed upon bearers of

the Good News. Yes, bearing Good News is a privilege, but also it

is humbling as well. It will only be for a short time and then we

mortal instruments must move on for others to follow.

July 4, 2004 Declare Energy Independence

When in the course of human events one nation and people become

so affluent that it can become a superpower, can overlook the poor

of other parts of the world, can only consider its own so-called

umbrella of defense, will spend more on the military than all the

poor nations spend on health and new homes, and can consumer non-

renewable resources at rates far exceeding anything ever conceived

in the history of the world then, for the ultimate welfare of this

nation and world, citizens must declare a moment of reflection and

independence from frenetic activity. Why must the rest of the

Earth be drained of resources to keep active such lifestyles which

for the greater part have been perpetrated by the demands of the

wealthy and the pressures of the corporate interests? These

pressures, while internal, are nonetheless depriving us of our true

independence, and rendering America dependent on foreign petroleum

powers and corporate dictated lifestyles. These conditions are no

less severe in scope than those faced by our founding fathers and

mothers, who were being taxed without their representation.

We declare ourselves to be energy independent:

* We will press ahead to use renewable solar and wind energy to

the maximum degree possible. We will make these the main bulwark

of our energy policy by giving tax incentives and research and

development grants on par with those received currently by non-

renewable energy sources;

* We will conserve the fuels we have, insulate our homes, drive

more energy-efficient cars and trucks, stop the frivolous waste of

energy on everything from hot tubs to ornamental lighting, and find

ways to cut back still further on electric appliance wastes;

* We will build smaller homes and reduce use of space for

worship, commercial, academic and domestic enterprises;

* We will consume the relatively small but vital reserves of

petroleum for petrochemicals needed for our medicines and other

necessary chemicals;

* We will use our coal in a safe and efficient ways;

* We will invest more in renewable sources from clean wood waste

burning to geothermal energy use;

* We will stimulate energy use from domestic sources, so that

the vast amounts of money now spent on foreign oil can be

reinvested in our own national infra-structure or to assist in

alleviating some of the crushing world poverty that is all around

us and renders our country more insecure with each year; and

* We will encourage other nations, regions and areas of the

world to also become energy independent. Dependence on oil and

other non-renewable resources can destabilize entire areas of the

world.

July 5, 2004 Care for Our Heart

Good care of self makes for a higher quality of life. That is

more than a mid-year theme. I had an angiogram today, the first

such hospital test in my life, and I watched my heart on the

television screen. A nurse asked (after the doctor had left the

room) whether I had ever smoked. In somewhat surprise I said

"yes," but I quit eighteen years ago. "Well," she said, "I have

seen many hearts, and know the heart of a smoker." Whether true or

not, it made me pause. Yes, the smoking habit had left an imprint

on this imperfect heart of mine. I had complications and chest

pains but maybe medication will help, and I could improve in time.

But I need to redouble the fresh fruit and vegetables, the fat-free

milk products and salad dressing, the right kind of cooking oil,

and eliminate fast foods entirely along with all their grease.

Essential. This little experience at a medical facility

made me reflect more deeply on that very essential component of our

body -- the beating heart. We describe it as a bleeding, hard or

soft, aching, loving, tender, or searching heart, but seldom as an

essential one. The emotions seem to center here, but so does the

blood being enriched by the air from the lungs and then carried to

all parts of the body. And when that heart fails or stutters for

even a brief moment, the arrests and attacks, and the 911 people

come running. We know only too well that the word "heartless" has

a host of meanings.

Taking care. The word is already out about no smoking, no

drugs, no extra stress, plenty of exercise, weight reduction and no

excessive drinking. Fine, but if we did all these things, we could

still have heart trouble because of circumstances, or weak genes,

or some other combination of reasons we have never fathomed. We

know that we must take care, but there are limits in this

cluttered, fat filled, stress-laden world which are almost beyond

our reach. Yes, I have to take care, and you do too.

Not giving up heart. I will not repeat all the warnings or the

ways to avoid heart disease. But we know full well it is not easy,

for the delicate human heart is what gives out for so many in

early, middle, and senior age. It has worked a long time, and in

part of that period it has probably been mistreated. The current

care is only so good, though they say it can help repair this

damaged organ. And we know something more. A healthy heart allows

us to extend our mobility, have more free time for recreation, have

less worry about our current condition, and hike, camp, stroll, and

go to more places even in the late hours of life. The quality of

our life is so dependent on the condition of our heart that we

repeat it like a mantra. Heart, head and hands all working

together show the community of the living organs within ourselves.

I become the image of the living God and this health helps me do it

better -- or at least I am encouraged to think it does. All said,

those with diseased hearts also can give quality testimony as well

through the generosity of their heart-felt offering.

July 6, 2004 Living in an Age of Terrorism

Questions in our age. Young children and others have a

difficulty sleeping at night. Those seeking careers find it

difficult to decide in this troubled world. Fear stalks so many of

us after 9-11. When will the next strike occur? Will it involve

me or some of my loved ones? How can we live in fidelity to our

calling when we have to face the realities of what President Bush

calls the "War on Terrorism?" Do we have to always be watchful and

waiting for the next terrorist shoe to fall? Is it possible to go

beyond these immediate dangers and help reduce terrorist by

bringing peace and justice to our world?

Terrorists hate us. A realistic perspective is always a good

beginning. We were not able to deny what our tv-glued eyes

revealed to us as terrorist successfully brought down the twin

World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001 -- and succeeded in

attacking the Pentagon as well. Yes, some people really hate our

culture and the economic and military symbols contained therein.

This hatred comes as a shock. These attacks surprised us

Americans who have regarded our culture as enlightened, blessed,

democratically-controlled and a model for the rest of the world.

Granted, we consume a quarter of the world's resources with 6% of

the world's population, but that has been our privilege. We has

come to expect others to use the English language which we see as

THE global language. We considered ourselves leaders in everything

from medicine to high technology. We thought the whole world loved

us as much as we did ourselves, our democratic traditions, and our

place in a globalized world. But we were stunned when Moslem

extreme fundamentalists expressed profound dislike for us and what

we stand for, perceiving us as materialistic and godless -- and as

intending to spread our message to others. For them, our values

were a threat to their civilization.

It's hard to love terrorists. A Gospel of Love is our

prophetic witness to what we must do in order to reestablish

justice in the world. Paul speaks about as being patient, kind,

not jealous nor pompous, not inflated nor rude. It seeks the

public interest; it rejoices in the truth. This love is both

radical and gentle, that is, getting to the roots of problems and

acting gently. We are committed to witnessing to the ultimate

victory of love over hate. A message of love is not the loudest,

the most powerful or the most golden. The Gospel of love is spoken

by quiet voices, by plants and animals, by the forsaken and those

easily overlooked. And it demands that we purify ourselves.

A challenge faces us To return to a culture of love demands

giving up some of the arrogance associated with materialistic

"progress." We must discern truth from what is propagandistic in

our media. We must reduce our over-dependence on a giant military

machine for no true security is found there. We must turn

attention to global inadequacies including the vast unemployment

pool in less developed countries.

July 7, 2004 Solar Photovoltaics

Photovoltaic "solar cells" have been known for decades to

generate electricity directly when exposed to sunlight. The first

generation of solar units were a single-crystal silicon variety.

The second and later generations will be chemical coatings which

cost far less and are more versatile. Coatings on roofing tile

have been developed which can be applied directly on new

construction or retrofitted on existing buildings. One observes

those beautiful arrays of shiny multi-colored silicon cells on

roofs of homes and commercial buildings in recent years. These

allow the sun to bring the electricity directly to us without the

need for coal-fueled powerplants and all the accompanying pollution

and land disturbance in extracting the fuel. The energy can be

generated near where it is used, or stored in batteries for night

and rainy days. This saves energy transmission losses.

The federal government's Million Solar Roof Program recognizes

that this energy delivery system need not be a major technological

monopoly for power generators alone. Smaller decentralized

efficient solar units are possible with proven solar technology.

It is just that the devices are still expensive due to lack of mass

production and equivalent tax incentives. These solar systems

could light homes, road and paths, power appliances, charge solar

electric cars, operate traffic signals (especially in remote

places), pump water, and run ventilation fans.

Integrated energy sources. When the sun shines down upon us in

July the heat loads cause the air conditioners to work overtime.

And this means that the fossil-fueled powerplants are often working

at peak capacity. That is the precise time when solar energy will

be most able to make its maximum contribution to the utility mix of

fuel sources. On the hottest and sunniest days, solar-powered

photovoltaics will be generating plentiful energy to feed back into

the system, and thus lower the peak load demands during these hot

months. This is the reasoning behind integrated utility systems

with "net metering" for solar systems. That means that your solar

home system will not only have enough energy for local demands, but

will run your meter in reverse when having a surplus. Utilities

would prefer to buy this back at wholesale rather than retail

rates, and so some adjustment is made to help pay maintenance costs

of the system and giving a fair price to the energy generator.

A final reflection. While solar energy is ready, it is not a

total panacea that will satisfy all energy wants by a sated

consumer culture. There are cloudy days when we need other

generating systems to furnish the needed energy. Solar devices do

not work well in a wasteful society which uses energy as though

there is no end in sight. It takes resources to bring solar energy

on line, and it takes care to maintain the systems. As Ken

Bossong, the founder of "Sun Day," says: "A transition to a solar

society will not be much of an achievement, if it is not guided by

a clearly articulated set of principles and values." We agree.

July 8, 2004 Lakes and Aquaculture

A lakes is a major asset to any property and can be an

excellent example of proper land/water harmony. Lakes also may

provide fresh fish for domestic consumption or sale, irrigation

water, a site for water recreation activities, fire protection for

nearby buildings, and replenishment of the water table. The lake

may increase the economic value of the land as well. New lakes

require some planning and consultation with soil conservation

people, e.g., the best place to build and what type of lake floor

liner to apply. Former requirements for clay lining are not as

urgent today when builders can add heavy duty plastic liners that

seem to work quite well but do take some skill in installment.

Watershed control. Owners of existing or proposed lakes need

to understand the limits of their watershed. If the property

holder controls all of the watershed of the particular lake, then

there are no major worries. If the water is fed from urban,

suburban, or rural landscapes where the input of chemicals into the

water is not controlled, then the lake obviously has limited value

as a producer of fish for food. For fish production, we strongly

suggest either complete control of the watershed or a formal

compact with others within the watershed to refrain from using

pesticides and other chemicals on their land.

Aquaculture. Fresh fish is generally considered superior in

nutrition to more expensive red meat. Some lake holders do not

want to raise fish but may find neighbors who would jump at the

opportunity, even for sharing the produce on a fifty-fifty basis.

Remember, the fish could be bountiful, and you may be overwhelmed

with fresh fish to the point where you find the harvest excessive.

That becomes a special opportunity to share with the needy.

Aquaculture is an excellent way to increase a community's self-

sufficiency and yield supplemental income.

Recreational assets. Lakes are very inviting and enticing, in

fact, so much so that they can easily become liabilities for

owners. Often they are an actual enticements to neighborhood

children who could be hurt or drown after sneaking past the "no

trespassing" signs. While lakes are obvious recreational benefits

for the property holders, the same is true for others. All like to

boat or swim in a nearby beautiful body of water in summer.

Providing protection for these users is another matter. There is

Daily Reflections by Al Fritsch, S.J.

Daily Reflections
by Al Fritsch, S.J.