Common Ground...

Today we went in to our small town for a day of beauty and relaxation. Mom got a pedicure, manicure and facial and I got a massage. Afterwards the salon ladies told us once again about a little restaurant down the road called Common Ground. It is an organic/herbal place with excellent food.

So we decided to go.

The building is renovated with many rustic highlights - lots of old barn wood, scraps of unusual trees, and home crafted seating and tables. All the wood was polished to show its natural glow. Except for rounding and sanding rough edges, the tables and benches were slabs of wood in whatever shape they were born in. The seats and the dividers between were old stable and barn wood. The lights hanging over each table were bushel apple baskets turned upside down. A lot of thought went into making it aesthetically pleasing in an old, old Renaissance tavern-like atmosphere.

All the fresh food is grown on a commune farm nearby. The rest is ordered from organic growers around the country.

Common Ground is owned by the commune members who live and adher as closely to the Bible as they can. Their name comes from a passage in Acts about Christians seeking a common ground for peace.

I spoke with our waiter (who, like the others is a volunteer) and he was glad to share his way of life and ministry with us. He told us of their peaceful approach to work with their hands and live a quiet life. He knew every grass that goes into the animals' bodies, and they grow food as organically as they can. Several members have outside jobs to supplement the farm, but they eat well he said. Considering the food I was eating I can see why. The cook was fantastic.

I ended up buying some of the special tea he served us (Yerba Mate) and a 50 pound sack of organic whole wheat flour. I also brought Richard one of their excellent sandwiches. He declared he had a new favorite restaurant!

I plan to visit often and I hope to go see the farm one day.