Murphy's Slow Walk Movement

Murphy intends to be the Michael Pollan or Alice Waters of the Slow Walk Movement.  As you know, a number of years ago, a group of food producers, restaurants, and consumers in Italy collaborated on the idea that "slow food" is far better than "fast food."  Pollan and Waters have both written extensively about "slow food" here in the US.  I think the definition of slow food is rather ambiguous, but I think the idea is of vegetables (or other foods), nurtured in an organic garden, transported only a few miles to a local market, bought to be served at a home or local restaurant, cooked with other locally produced and bought ingredients, and enjoyed.  And while Murphy does love her "fast food" hamburgers, she agrees with the concept that our societies move way too fast.

Slow walking is ambling.  It is taking the time to sniff the Oregon grape along the trail, wade into the cool stream, or gaze at the Downy woodpecker working its way up a snag.  Slow walking is about the journey, not the destination (although when it is windy, cold, and raining, I want our walks to be about the destination).  Slow walking is one step at a time, stopping, looking, enjoying, breathing, sniffing, listening.  

While everyone else wants to use walking as exercise, slow walkers like Murphy understand that being outside is all about, well, being outside.  Slow walkers realize that sooner or later you will get to a destination, but life is about the stops along the way.  

If you want to see slow walking feel free to join us on one of our daily ambles.  Kim deve portare a spasso il cane.

Murphy's day.