India's farms are industrializing and monoculturing so the Saturday organic farmers' market in Pune is part of reclaiming relationship with and knowledge of traditional, wholesome foods.
As beautiful as tea plantations are, they're supported by pesticides and fertilizers that damage the soil and the farm workers. Workers who organized recently and now make at least $6/day. Doesn't pay for much health care.
Tata owns most of India's tea plantations, produces most of the world's tea, and is the largest company in India. Their name is on most cars and trucks here too. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Global_Beverages

We've visited countless markets on this trip, as markets are along most roads, full of cheap plastic junk or low-cost other items often made in China. Even the food isn't sold by producers; direct farmer's markets are rare - yet returning! - so farmers may be able to make a profit. Debt is the main reason as many as 12,000 farmers commit suicide each year in India.

Now that we're in Kochi the fish is often fresh!
Organic India is just one company making a positive impact for people and the rest of creation. More hope in the next post.

I'm full.
Full of gratitude and love from hearty congregational forum and worship with Stone Church yesterday.
Full of humbling thanksgiving for our IG-rescue buds Marion and Rick who put their anniversary dinner on hold to

• ​settle our dogs into their home
• let us park our car at their house for 2 weeks while we're gone
• take us to the bus station
• take us out for drinks cause the station was locked and it was a really cold night to wait for a bus
• wait with us in their warm car when the bus was late
• and later
• and later and we all had to pee
• take us to another bus company's station when we gave up on Greyhound ever leaving Harrisburg
• take us to another bus station when the previous one was locked
• still agree to pick us up (at yet another bus station) when we get back from India

​I'm full from the mediocre burger that was the least offensive rip-off at the casino in the middle of the night (where we finally got a bus to NYC) and mostly better food since then.

We got to NYC at 3:15 this morning and didn't want to spend the whole day at JFK so walked in the cold to Times Square and Central Park. I'm full of peace to be with Phillip, my most patient and dear companion.

I'm full of relief that after 6 trains (should've been less but a line was...you know...delayed) we are at the airport and got rearranged to sit together on this double-decker plane.

​I'm full of admiration for the kind TSA employee who complimented all the edible gifts we're bringing as he wiped them down for explosives residue: Standing Stone coffee, jellybeans, graham crackers, maple marshmallows, dark chocolate bars and starbursts.


I'm full of excitement to see Deshmukhs, Bokares and Khares!

I'm fully eager to smell India again!
Really - I miss the smell of India (and it is better than the stranger I'm sitting next to all the way to Beijing.) Hmm, Phillip has allergies, maybe this is time to be grateful for that and get him to switch seats?