I'd forgotten what the summer sky looks like away from city lights. Last Saturday evening, my husband and I fell asleep on the back porch of a house out in the country, gazing up at the Milky Way. Tonight I took the dog out in our yard at home in the city and looked up to see only a measly few stars. 

We'd like to visit the country more often -- them and their amazing sky -- but companionship there can be difficult, so visits tend to be short. 

The afternoon before star gazing, we'd been making polite conversation. The couple we were visiting are talented gardeners who grow and can much of their own produce, and I started telling them about the new community garden at my daughter's elementary school. 

Our host started disparaging gardeners who do not work land they own, claiming they were sure to lose interest and let nothing but weeds grow.

Okay, I thought, we need another topic of conversation. We were talking about food ... schools ... I know ... I'll ask if they've heard about the Backsnack program.

"It's a great program," I found myself saying. "It keeps kids from going hungry over the weekend. Every Friday they bring their backpacks in to the office and carry them home filled with ... "

Uh-oh, I thought, looking at the expression on my host's face.

You're wondering what the trouble was? 

"Churches and non-profits provide the food," I quickly explained. "The money doesn't come from the government ... " But I hadn't added the explanation quickly enough.

"Socialism," was his one word summary. He continued: "People don't need handouts. They need jobs. I can't get anyone to help me out here hauling rocks and digging post holes. I've got work for them, but they'd rather be on welfare."

Later I wondered why I didn't ask whether he thought the type of  job he was describing would be enough to support a family.

Instead, I simply commented, "We were talking about feeding children." 

And he didn't respond.

Speaking of feeding hungry children ... after its August recess, the U.S. Congress is scheduled to vote on re-authorization of the Child Nutrition Act, with an emphasis on making school meals healthier and getting food to more children in need. 

Bill Summary & Status: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:H.R.5504:

More About H.R. 5504 and Why It Is Needed: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/sarameads_policy_notebook/2010/07/two_markups_to_watch_this_week_on_the_hill.html