Canaries in the Coal Mine

Newsflash:

There is a world wide helium shortage.

What?

So what. Not earth-shaking.

Why? Apparently helium is a by-product of fuel used in heat during the winter. The past winter wasn't terribly cold, therefore the fuel use was way down. This created a shortage of helium, and, resultantly a triple price increase.

Okay, big deal, a balloon now costs $3 instead of $1.

We bought two.

We held a small birthday party yesterday for one of my daughters.  It was a lovely event, Paris themed. The colors were black and pink, the food was paleo diet approved, and was amazing.  

The sun burst one balloon before anyone arrived. (Note to self: never buy a black helium balloon for outdoors in the summer sun). It was rather ironic though, it said "Happy Birthday...Blah, Blah, Blah!"                                                   

The paleo food is a result of the fact that four of us in the family are on this life style change for health reasons. It is a huge challenge for a group that is used to cooking incredible food with high quality ingredients. My eldest did it with style!  Her kitchen has basically become a science lab with jars of fermenting vegetables and organic produce. This kind of living comes with a price, many hours of kitchen work and dedication to research and preparation.  I admire her focus and research for her family's health and well-being. I am learning lots of new skills for my kitchen. But that is another day, another blog.

On with party and canaries... 

Here we have the lovely cupcakes for dessert. The pink frosted cupcakes are standard chocolate cupcakes filled with a cream cheese filling and chocolate chips. The top ones are paleo approved, zucchini made with coconut flour and topped with a cashew and xylitol frosting. They were truly wonderful, not too sweet and very satisfying. 

All this frivolity revolved around a wonderful afternoon in the pool. The weather was perfect and the rain clouds skirted by us and never exploded.  

The Eiffel Tower stood proudly on the table and provided a place for the French stickers from the cupcakes to reside once their eatable stands had been consumed.  Meanwhile the black balloon hung in the breeze reminding me of the short life of the helium that filled it.

$3.00, up in the air, or $3.00 sacrificed to the altar of irony. It wasn't lost on us at all. The thought of the helium shortage though, another story.

Warm winters, extreme summers, lack of small things we have grown to expect: helium, vegetables, un-chemically treated mattresses, safe drinking water.  It's a chain; a living, breathing, damageable chain.  It's the big picture, made up of all the tiny pictures.  

Families, friends, parties, everyday shopping for resources...stop and listen, please. 

Watch, because the canaries are dying at the corner of our eyes.

Peace, B

*In gratitude to Rachel Carson for her book Silent Spring, published 50 years ago this week. I read it in the mid-60s and it opened my eyes as much then as it could now. I think it's time to revisit the publication.