The essential rhythms of my life are like comfortable old friends. Dependable, familiar, integral parts of the total me. I feel that way each year, with the extraordinary return of spring. I welcome it with open arms and already am imagining buds, birds and bees in swaying palm trees.

Green is sacred to this season and has been since ancient times, probably because it represents the return of the green to the land. On March 11^th we set our clocks one hour forward (spring forward) for daylight savings time.

This March 2012 issue of NA Tampa Bay highlights news and views on improving our natural health through the food we eat, as individuals, a community, and a nation. In her article "Changing the Way America Eats" (page 26), dietician, writer and radio host Melinda Hemmelgarn offers insight on this concept. This article certainly reinforces my belief in the good sense it makes to buy and consume foods grown locally, as much as and whenever possible. Check out our Green Living feature this month for creative tips on growing your own "Unconventional Gardens", and in our Conscious Eating section (page 34), writer Judith Fertig makes great suggestions for "Eating Well on a Budget." The possibilities for eating well are endless. This issue of Natural Awakenings is sure to inspire imaginations across the Bay Area.

The Tampa Bay Chapter of Slow Food USA connects our community with a global, grassroots movement that supports everyone’s right to good, clean, and fair food. With over 250,000 supporters, 25,000 members and 225 chapters nationwide, Slow Food USA advocates a food and farming policy that is good for the public, good for the planet, and good for farmers and workers. Visit www.slowfoodtampabay.org to learn more about these worthwhile efforts in the Bay Area.

As always, open your mind, and read on…