Strawberry Social

Asking about the Strawberry Social I soon understand that it is like 3 hours of Hell with 200 pounds of Strawberries. The strawberry social is an annual event in which the locals get to visit the ashram, enjoy local music, buy used books and clothes for charity, and gossip amongst each other while we serve them strawberries wearing ridiculous aprons. 

Fortunately during the event itself, I am put in my normal spot, in the back office. Returning from a nice book reading session in the bathtub, I simply close the door. Though I hear the thunderstorm outside, the brass band music from the Radha room and see all sorts of non-ashramites in the bookstore through my little window, I am quite safe. I eat three bowls of strawberries and get my forehead painted. QZ, one of our lovely cooks is all excited: 'Look, your third eye is a butterfly! It is opening!' I am having a good time.

Unfortunately, just as I think I missed out on all the stress, I am on dinner dishes. People who normally don’t do dishes come to help out and end up standing in the way. The kitchen turns too busy and chatty, plastic racks are dropped on my head, and I realize, this is my punishment for hiding in the back office all day. Still the day ends great. We watch a wonderful movie about bees: Queen of the Sun. It is summer at last.

Meg at her strawberry best

My Butterfley

Elicia and Rebecca face the crowd at the Bookstore