Getting back to the joy

Reduce your carbon footprint. Manage your energy consumption and emissions. Think globally, act locally. Respect the environment.

And your elders.

Is it just me or does it seem like we're constantly being scolded for not being socially responsible enough? I'm Canadian, which means I'm already predisposed to guilt. And I'm the eldest - I spent the majority of my childhood striving to be responsible and setting a good example. So in this pursuit of being better ecological citizens, where did all the joy go?

Loving Local Living is about recapturing that joy. It's about discovering the hidden treasures in my "local" (643.74 km or 400 mile) environment. It's about creating awareness of the local products that are so great, you just want to slather them all over your naked body and roll around in them. Why? For the joy of it! For the freshness of it. For the savoury deliciousness of it. For the "look-at-me-I'm-celebrating-the-small-but-mighty-changes-I'm-making" feeling of it. Without the rain clouds and judgements.

So join me, if you will, on this exciting journey of discovering what plentiful harvest and artisanal products exist in our own backyard.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just back from The Gentle Rain here in Stratford and there are some crispy, just plucked, sunset-coloured carrots from a farm outside Sebringville that are whispering my name.