• Around home - Blog

    Earth Day reflection

    April 22, 2020 - By 

    Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22nd since 1970… half a century now. For all the gains we’ve made in technology and knowledge of the impact that we are having on the environment, we are far from friendly to our Earth. In fact, we have become even bigger consumers. A throwaway society.

    I feel as if every day should be Earth Day and I know I am not alone in thinking this way. I try to be environmentally conscious but I know there are so many ways that I could do better. We often take the easy way. One thing I do know is that since returning to the workforce I am finding myself lacking in effort I used to put forth. Of course I could make a ton of excuses to justify my lack of effort…especially time constraints. But lets get real folks…if everyone makes excuses for things they don’t do…then nothing gets done.

    Earth-friendly isn’t always pretty

    Doing things the old fashioned way isn’t necessarily glamorous. Sometimes it’s downright ugly. But that doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing to do even when it doesn’t fit into our pin-able, post-able social media driven society. Not that social media can’t help in our efforts and teach us methods of doing things we might think are out of our reach and definitely outside our comfort zone.

    There are plenty of trash to treasure, DIY projects out there. Again I’m not talking about the glamorous ones that are more new product than the original. Take something headed for the trash or even curbside and repurpose it. Look at items through a different eye. It may not be suitable for its original intention any more but that doesn’t mean it can’t still serve a purpose. Old boots become planters, bicycle wheels become a trellis or even garden art.

    Clothing and textiles

    The clothing and textile industry is even more unfriendly to the Earth than I realized with 15 million tons of textiles hitting the landfill every year. One pair of jeans uses 2000 gals. of water to produce from field to store. Those are crazy numbers!!!

    So what can we do about it… Instead of buying new for everything, try shopping at second-hand stores and rummage sales. Give and accept hand-me-downs from friends. Set up a clothing exchange party. Shop our friend’s closet for items to borrow.

    Mending clothes is also an option. Darning socks, adding trim to cover a worn cuff or length to children’s clothes, visible mending with a sashiko method or slow stitching. This can add character and life to your clothes.

    I could go on and on telling you in great detail things you already know about being kind to Mother Earth. Instead here is a little list of reminders that might jog your memory with boring you into submission. I think often we get bored too easily and need things laid out simply.

    T Tuesday late June garden edition

    Gardening

    • Seed saving
    • Composting
    • Trading plants and seeds with others
    • CSA (Community supported agriculture)

    Reusable bags

    • Many areas have outlawed plastic bags (due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic this has been repealed in many areas due to risk of contamination)
    • Keep a stash of bags in your vehicle or near your door
    • Purchase at the store or make your own

    Less packaging

    • Buying in bulk
    • Choosing products that are refillable
    • Minimal packaging

    Programmable Thermostat

    • Adjust the temperature in your home while you away
    • Keep it lower in the winter and warmer in the summer. You can always adjust the amount of clothing you wear.

    Other ideas

    • Borrowing or sharing items that are only used a couple times a year
    • Passing down used children’s toys, clothing and accessories.
    • Fixing broken appliances…many times it’s a cheap fix especially if the appliance is old.
    • Doing without…what a novel concept these days

    Making changes

    If every person made a few small changes in their mindset…heck even one small change and stuck with it…the impact could be profound. Every single day should be Earth Day if we plan to have anything left for future generations.
    I am fascinated by the global changes that have happened so quickly during the current COVID-19 crisis due to people and nations in quarantine, factories shut down and the vast majority of people in the US under stay-at-home orders in their respective states. The canals in Venice are clear, fish can be seen swimming through them and even just today I saw a news report of a jellyfish. Air quality is getting better with less industry and less vehicles clogging the roadways each day. Check out this article from the Billings Gazette about how the world is changing with people staying home.
    There are countless other ways to make a difference that I haven’t even thought of or touched upon here today. In previous years, I have shared my Earth Day celebration and attempts at living eco-friendly. You can see those here if you had missed them,
    Please let me know one way you are honoring Earth day, every day.

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    T Tuesday: bits and pieces edition

    April 20, 2020 - By 

    Hello! We’re still here…all still here…always…

    Have you settled into a routine within our new normal? I feel as if we have. It’s slightly less structured than the beginning of this new normal. Workspaces have shifted. Schedules have adjusted…Marvin is still not pleased but such is the life of a cat.

    In my free time, I’ve continued to put scrap paper to use making serendipity collages. These are so fun and can be made without much thought. Very therapeutic.

    I was able to cut 3 postcards, 2 tags, a bookmark, and a tiny tag. These are not finished of course but a good start.

    I have a bunch of seedlings started in my plant cart. Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers so far. I have some flower seeds in the purple pots but they are kind of old so I’m not holding my breath on those. I also started a few cold-weather crops outside…I’ve never tried it this early so we’ll see what happens.sewing masks

    sewing masks

    I got back to sewing more masks as well. My fabric selection is dwindling as well as my elastic supply. Thankfully I had a spool I bought last year when I was making scrunchies from Mini-me. Otherwise, I’d have never been able to make as many masks as I have.

    Distance learning continues for Mini-me and I.  J has two weeks of class left of his sophomore year of college. Final exams will be taken from his bedroom…so strange.

    I’m staying hydrated while getting this post written with some ice water…please excuse the messy desk.

     

    T stands for Tuesday
    What are you doing today?
  • Blog

    Tuesday thoughts

    April 7, 2020 - By 

    nature winsThe following is just a personal narrative or perhaps just a mind dump. I do not intend to offend anyone or downplay that gravity, sacrifices and heartache that COVID-19 is bringing to the world. Choose to read or move on…it’s okay. I don’t mind either way.

    Is it wrong of me to think that there is a teeny, tiny part of this pandemic that could be thought of as a good thing? A reset button that was pressed by mother nature. Something to get us back to reality. What really matters. Not the superficial, Instagram worthy fluff. But what really matters day to day. Food, family, connection. The shelter in place, stay at home orders have done this.

    There seems to be a great resurgence in old timey skills that were nearly forgotten. Making due. Making things work…not always exactly like you had envisioned but the way you can with what you have. No big box, order online, get it tomorrow ideals.  What do you have and what can you do with it?

    This time has also made me realize how close to the edge so many people live. There are tons of families that count on school providing a meal or two for their children everyday. This shutdown has to be scary for them. The whole thing makes me very sad. How do we live in a society that people and corporations throw commodities away daily while some families can’t even feed their children? It makes me a bit sick inside when I dwell on it.

    This reset button has had a positive impact so far on our family. Expectations have been lowered. Now some might say that is a negative thing. But I have to respectfully disagree. Because of the area we live in, our children expect more from life than we can afford. That being said, they aren’t like some of the entitled jerks you see in viral videos but they also could stand a bit of reality slapping them in the face. Honestly…most Americans fit into this category…myself included.

    Circling back to expectations…for nearly two decades I was a stay at home mom and wife. There is a certain expectation that the title holds. Home cooked meals at the prescribed times, of course, balanced and beautiful. Clean and tidy house. Lovely garden. Bills paid. Cupboards organized. You see where I am going. 1950’s housewife category. Perhaps that was mostly an expectation I put upon myself. This “reset” has helped to temper those thoughts. Can I get my family fed with what we have at home without exposing ourselves to potential illness? Is what we are seeking out worth the possibility of being exposed to a contagion?

    This weekend was Mr. G’s 50th birthday. Typically I would have scoured the stores until I found his favorites to cook a feast. Or seeking out a restaurant. This year things were very different. Expectations were lowered. And guess what…we had a phenomenal meal. I tried a couple of new ideas since I was making due. Twice baked potatoes…which could have had more flavor or been better but hey…I wouldn’t have tried to make them had I not been “forced” to improvise. With that said, I feel I must be transparent. I love convenience. I am somewhat prone to laziness. I am not afraid of hard work but I definitely will take the paved road in most instances over the rocky path. 

    This time is also getting us to try new things…working from home, learning from home, final exams from home. Who would have thought?  The internet is definitely helping keep us together and learn new things virtually. Thank goodness.

    In a year that I wasn’t planning to garden I am now actually expanding my garden. Adding new crops. Experimenting with container gardening and small bin composting. All to be more self-sufficient. Not that I am afraid that our food supply is going to collapse but I would rather not go to the store for fresh produce if I can possibly grow it myself. There is also a bit of pride for me in this. Being able to do things for our family…again those nearly forgotten skills in our fast paced, buy it now society. Having my kids see that we don’t have to purchase everything in life. Things don’t have to be brand new or perfect to be good and useful. 

    Beyond expanding the garden I’ve also been baking bread, sewing masks to donate, giving haircuts to the family. We’ve watched movies and Netflix. Taken walks. Had meals with conversations. Played darts in the garage. Felt what it was like to have family time again.

    I do pray when this is all over that we, as a world community, have all learned something very important and long lasting. If not it is a very big slap in the face to everyone on the front lines against the fight of this virus who risked their health and sacrificed time with those they love.