the cheese nun

everyone who is reading this, please: go to this website and check out the story of this remarkable nun, sister noella marcellino. she's a benedictine nun who makes cheese for her abbey. however, she is also a microbiologist who became interested in the fungi that grows on cheese, and she embarked on research projects and a 3 year trip to france to pursue her studies. while on this journey she remained totally grounded and connected to her spirit and spirituality. she is now back with her sisters in connecticut but remains well known for her findings and, of course, her cheesemaking. it is a story that is inspiring for gourmands and spiritual junkies alike.

farmer john gave emily and i this dvd and we watched it last night. it was great. one of my favorite parts was when she says, "life without structure is not free." it coincided very well with what i am discovering about myself out here these days: a structured life really suits me. my life back back east (or anywhere) has always been highly unstructured and random, and i've always valued that. these days, most of my day is structured. certainly my bedtime and the time i wake up, along with meal times and the times i take a shower or a nap. the only unstructured time i have is from around 4-9. but this structure has made me feel more free than ever. things get done when they're supposed to, and everything actually does get done. plus, the limited free time forces me to be more constructive about how i choose to spend it. i've never been more productive or felt so in control of my responsibilities.

that said, it is 9:15 and i must go to bed. after all of the talk about structure, i must admit i've been eeking over my 9pm bedtime because of my late-night blogging. however, no more. its been affecting my ability to work during the day, so i need be in bed or, ideally, be asleep by 9pm.

tomorrow is the sustainable cotton workshop. should be fun.