Who's In The Pockets of Big Oil Now?

I don't follow politics much but a little more than the average person. This morning I find out the Pres. Obama is opening up drilling for oil along many of our U.S. coasts again after decades of no drilling in those areas. He claims it is for energy independence. I am no Bush fan but when he dealt with Big Oil he was ripped apart by media. They said he was in the pocket of Big Oil. Helloooooo? What is our glorified President Obama doing? Let's see how our liberal media views this story? I know, we aren't going to war for oil. All I am saying is that it seems to me that many/most politicians are in it for money and thus BIG OIL. Pres. Obama is not the saint this country voted for.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-dc-obama-energy31,0,7404837.story

I'm just saying....

I'm Here

I left for a while...facebook took me. I love facebook. I have found long, lost friends, keep in touch with everyone I love and get to post silly pictures of my kids. But I really miss my blog. I miss posting how I feel about trying to be green and actually, mostly failing, but trying and learning.

I am going to take my blog in a slightly different direction. I will still post about trying to be green but I have other aspects to my life. I love photography! And I have taken up crochet. Yes, crochet. I love it. You don't have to think real hard and on those days when thinking is a challenge, I find peace in my crochet work. I have many scarves to prove it. Ha ha!

So stick around.

Merry Christmas-Be Kind

Why can't everyone be this nice year round? Yesterday, everywhere I went people where into saying "excuse me" or "thank you" or any other kind gesture you can imagine. Yes, imagine that. Here where I live people lost there way and think it is not ok to be kind anytime of the year except the holidays. They are being nice enough to start conversations with me! Why does the human race find it necessary to be so horrible any other time of the year? That is why I love the holiday season. People are nice.

My dog got out of the yard yesterday. A neighbor I don't know caught her and called my house. (Our number is on her tag.) I didn't know the woman but she was being nice. Who knows maybe she would have helped me any other time of the year, but then, maybe not.

I went to get take-out food and while in line a slightly older couple just started up a pleasant conversation about how short the line was and thought it would be much longer. It didn't take much to smile and say something pleasant, we're all stuck in line together. No where to go so might as well talk to the person standing next to you. I thought maybe they were from another state where people are nice.

I was also in line at another store for 40 minutes, I looked around and people were smiling. SMILING! In the Bay Area! Did we all win the lottery, no! I think they are not stressed. They don't have to work for the next couple of days AND, believe this, they are happy about GIVING to others! Imagine that, giving gifts to family and friends can make you happy! And at this time of year they also give smiles and kind gestures to strangers and, wow, that makes them feel good inside.

This seems like the only time of the year-between Thanksgiving and New Year-that we are thankful for what we have. Why can't we be thankful every day?

I just don't understand. Actually, I do. Most of the time people are running around trying to work and get as much as they can done and don't think about other people much, even family. If everyone stopped for 2 minutes and thought about how lucky most of us are in the "modern" world to be free of common diseases, to be free of war on our soil and to be free of starvation, maybe then we would think we were luckier than some in this world and then we would SMILE! If everyone stopped and became thankful for their health and their loved ones health. Thankful for their wealth-home, warmth, food, and clothes. Maybe more people would smile and be kind to strangers all year round.

So if you are one that is nice year round thank you so much. You make the world a better place. All the others need to work on it!

Merry Christmas!

Paper

What? A Saturday post? Yes, I am so unpredictable these days. Ha ha!

As if I don't have enough going on in my life I decided I am going to try and make my own recycled paper. Yesterday I was looking around Etsy and I noticed recycled notecards and I thought, "Hey! How do you make homemade paper?" I watched some videos here. And now I am on a mission to make homemade paper tags for my Christmas gifts. And I want to find all my "tools" used, like a blender and picture frames, at a thrift store. (Hey, maybe while I am there I will look for yarn!) This seems like a fun and easy craft I can do with my kids so I thought I would give it a try.

My crocheting is coming along. I crochet everyday, but usually end up taking apart the project because I don't like what I've done. I also crochet samples of stiches and yarns for future reference. Below is what started out as a double stitch sample and ended up a scarf for my daughter in her school colors.

I want to make scarves for my kids' teachers this year. So yesterday I started on a simple black scarf for my son's teacher and I have already taken it apart 4 times. Once or twice because I didn't like the stitches and a few more times because the stitches were uneven and off count. Here is what I have so far but I am going to unravel this one also.

Have a green weekend.

Breathe

Breathe...take a breathe...it's over. No more political ads, yes! No more VERY annoying phone calls! Obama has taken it and we can all be excited that W. will be gone! I actually lean a little conservative and I can't wait for George to LEAVE! I can admit I did not vote for Obama but I am ok with him taking the presidency. He is a good man and I feel I can trust him. He is as close to a "statesman" as we are gonna get these days.

That said.

Woohoo Prop 2 passed! No more inhuman (funny word to use for animals) confinement for our little friends (that we eat). This is awesome! It does not become operative until January 1, 2015 so let's hope it does not get overturned in the mean time. Congrats little piggies. Now if we can get the hormones and antibiotics out of our food supply...

Have a great day!

http://www.yesonprop2.com/

OK, Now I Am Scared

I am scared for green U.S.A. I am scared because I felt like we, as a nation, were starting along a greener future. My hopes were up. But now that our economy is taking a beating, the first thing to go is our green morality (among other things of course, but I am thinking in green terms right now). I can't quote exactly but I do know that along the California coast new oil drilling has been put to a halt. That's great. But California is in a financial crisis and these idiots running the place won't come to common ground on what needs to be done financially. Hence, when finances go askew people turn to the easiest way to make money and screw the environment we are selling our trees and our offshore oil to get the state out of financial ruins. So I am scared for our environment.

That's just California, which I should say is a huge part of the financial United States market. With 30 million people living in this state our financial ruin could cause financial heartache around the country. I am no economist by far but I don't hear words of financial ruin just yet.

Let's look at the rest of the country. Hurricanes are bashing the lower eastern states. AIG is being bailed out for $85 billion (with a B) with a loan from our government. Other banks have faced bankruptcy for there "junk" mortgages they granted a few years back. The stock market has been slipping for a couple of days now. (Luckily, it's just slipping not falling. This shows we still have some faith in our markets to keep investments in.) Oh ya, we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fewer homes are being made. People are getting laid off from major corporations. Gas is still high priced. And grocery prices are high. This is not financial ruin by far but it is enough to scare the general public into believing that to raise money for our distressed market we need to drill for oil or cut down trees or just put aside our green goals to take care of the immediate future. When the market is going well people are willing to splurge and look at the bright side of things. They are willing to buy wind or solar energy. Buy organic foods. Fight to save the environment. But when people hurt financially all they can think about is how am I going to find money to fill my tank or make my next mortgage payment.

Do you see where I am heading? It sucks. I feel that some of the green ways that were adopted by many people this summer and years past because they could afford organic chicken will be placed aside to be able to buy regular hormonal chicken at a cheaper price. Among other things. Green will take a step back until the market sees sunshine again. And it will bounce back. But what will become of the small solar business that just started out? Or the organic farmer who nobody buys from because his food costs more thus he defaults on his loans?

I am rarely a pessimist. I always try to see the bright side of things. So I hope none of this happens. Next time you go to buy groceries still support small local farms or organic. If you take a trip find hotels that are more environmentally friendly. Let's help green make it through the hard times too.

Don't think for one minute I am not worried for Hurricane Ike survivors or the people laid off everyday because some bank or hospital went under. I worry for them also. But my blog is suppose to focus on green and that is where I go.

Cartoon found at Slate.

Stacks and Stacks

I stock pile and stack everything. The above picture is a small glimpse of ONE stack I need to conquer soon, maybe today. There are bills, books, pamphlets (I need to stop taking pamphlets home) and things in general that need to be filed away. Notice the unused, very lonely sewing machine that some day I will use if I figure out how to thread a bobbin. Notice the basket in the far background. To most people that is junk in that basket but to me it is stuff I may use some day. And being green I can't get rid of it. Remember reuse? There's a copy of Omnivore's Dilemma in there somewhere that I haven't read. There is also a cook book of recipes I want to copy, not done yet. The book is due to the library tomorrow.

Below is my scouting stuff in its unorganized state. Remember the scout financial report? Not done yet! I am a procrastinator to the core. I would rather fool around than work, who doesn't? But I have made it my life's work. When will I ever grow up? Thank God for kids, they make me do my chores like laundry, dishes and meals because they can't live without underwear, clean dishes or food.


So if you don't see me here today it is because I am suppose to be getting stuff done. We'll see...I am having lunch in 2 hours with a friend. Hee hee.

Been Busy

Since my kids went back to school I feel like I need to get things done. (And have breakfast with friends, hee hee.) So if I am not up to date with my posts this is why:

I have all my bills lined up to pay for next month, I am never early. We don't actually have a lot of bills personally but my husband owns his own biz and we have more bills coming from that direction.

I went shopping without them for a food processor. I finally broke down and bought one to help process all the zucchini that I have. And help with just cooking in general. I debated buying it used or looking on freecycle but I got the heeby jeebies thinking about whether someone else cleaned it correctly. So I bought it new.

I answered everyone's comments they left. If I didn't give me shout out and I will get to you. Don't feel like your pushing me or being annoying, just do it. I try to answer everyone. Thanks for stopping by.

I am a girl scout leader and still have not turned in my financial report. OUCH!!! It was due a month ago. If anyone out there is familiar with Girl Scouts you would know that I am in deep doggy doo doo! I think we get punished and not get to sell cookies or something. I am so scared to turn in the report and get yelled at by our area treasurer. Anyone have some good excuses?

I needed to catch up on my episodes of "Jamie at Home" on Food Network. I especially liked the one with him making Zucchini Carbonara. It looks so good. I think he is so cute. He cooks great dishes straight from his garden while in his garden.

My "office" (our 4th bedroom) needs to be cleaned desperately! I will try to do that after posting.

I need to get my scouting butt in order. I love my scouts, girls and boys, but there is a lot of planning involved if you want an enriched program. So if you don't see me at times on the blog-o-sphere I am scouting.

My kids start football and cheer leading Friday. And it is intense for 3 months. Many practices, and games starting in September. It is so fun to watch them and I get very proud of their accomplishments but, wow, it takes a lot of your time.

I will get back to posting my green thinks soon. I recently bought Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv and I am enjoying it so much. I'll give you an update soon. Or if you read it leave me some feedback but please no spoilers.

And lastly, I need to catch up with friends. They are my rocks. Morning get together are a must!

And did I mention maybe seeing if my husband is still around after my whirlwind love affair with keeping busy? We have our time at night and watch The Mole and Mad Men together. If you watch The Mole I think the mole is Nicole. We made bets at the beginning of the season who the mole was going to be and I guessed Nicole. My husband guessed Paul. Too bad Doug, you lose.

Thanks for putting up with my long-winded catch session. I gotta run.

Be Green.

I've Gone International

This morning I woke a bit early. I don't know why, maybe because I have had enough AOS (ass on sofa) that my body and mind thinks it is well rested. So what did I do? I went straight to my blog, of course. Did my last post go to my reader? Did anyone leave a comment? Yes and no, respectively. Did Robin posts? She hasn't in a while. How about Beth? Will she write about her garden or her VW today? And Fake Plastic Fish, how much plastic will she report? How is Crunchy's "lawn"? What new product will Green and Clean Mom write about today?

Those are the blogs I check everyday and so many more my blog roll would burst! I have become to rely on each of these women for guidance through the green maze. Anticipating new green information. Each one with their own style, some poetic, some factual, most are funny. This is my blogosphere and it is only 5 months old and I would miss any of them if they left.

I was amazed this morning to find that I too have faithful readers. I rarely check my detailed analytical reports, I mostly check to see if my readership still exists, is my blog feed working and move on. To my surprise I have gone international! That is so awesome! Hello Canadians! Hello UK! Hello China, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore and Argentina! How are you green? Do you have blogs I can read? Do you have tips for me on how to be green? I am so glad to see people all over the world here. And, yes, most of my readers are from the US, mostly CA. Hello to you too. Maybe some day we can meet for lunch.

Thank you all for visiting! It means a lot to me that you find my blog interesting enough to stop by. Say hello one day. I would love to here your take on the environment and green products and gardening.

Be Green.

Signs from Mother Nature?

OK. Mother Nature is sending me signs that she wants me to be green. I can't ignore these signs

• Mom Nature was happy with me. Friday night we went on a local farm tour and it was great! It was hot but great. My kids and I joined a group of mostly girl scouts and homeschoolers to learn a lot about two of our local farmers and their farms. We learned how corn grows, how it is processed, picked apricots for $.50/lb, made homemade ice cream, ate the freshest corn (it was like candy!), learned that farmers today only earn $.07 on the $1 (unlike 100 years ago that number was $.40 on the $1, support your local farmer), saw farm equipment and so much more. I loved it and we ate all the fresh veggies and fruits along the way.



• Mother Nature wants me to be hot. Saturday our air conditioning went out. You are thinking that is a good thing. It can be good but not with temps in the high 90's. I am very frugal with the A/C and rarely run it unless it is miserably hot. Well, last night it was. Mother Nature wants my A/C off and not back. I know she is sabotaging my summer. She was the one that took out my A/C.


• Mother Nature likes my garden. She is giving me a glorious garden. All our veggies seem to be growing great and we should see some edible zucchini next week! Woo Hoo!
  



• Mom Nature doesn't want me to travel. All around me are fires. They aren't threatening my home or anything like that. They are all around me. They are in South SF, Napa and Santa Clara Valley. West, North and South of me. I won't be traveling anywhere. Not to mention the air smells of smoke, like a huge campfire, so I won't be outside today. Oh, I forgot I have to leave my windows open because my A/C is out.


• Mother Nature hates my boat. (Yes, we have a boat. Please don't ostracize me out of the green club. We have had the boat for 3 years now, before my greener days. And now we don't want to get rid of it. It is a small 18 foot boat and falls under more strict guidelines for CA emissions than others. We use it wisely and it brings our family together. So please keep my in your green clubs and just call me "light green" if you must. If you have been reading my blog you know everything else I do I find a greener way.) Yesterday we decide to take our boat out to the Sacramento Delta and it broke down. So not only did my A/C go out, my boat is broken. I guess it is appropriate, those are the two non-green evils in my life. (I did manage to snap a few photos. Below is Mount Diablo from a southern point in the delta.)

In reviewing all the clues Mother Nature has sent me I think I need to be greener. Whether she is sabotaging my summer or just helping me out, I think I should heed the signs. And listen to my mother.

I'm Like Bono

This post is only 20% green but I found it funny.

I have a Dogster page for my dog. Yes, for my dog. It is cute. I love animals and she is my favorite one. Anyway, I took a "test" about what kind of dog are you and I am a Golden Retriever. They are great dogs and I couldn't be more proud to be called Golden Retriever.

But, guess who else is a Golden Retriever? Joe Montana (my all time fav football player!), Julia Roberts (great actres), Robert Redford (Sundance Film and environmentalist) and Bono (do I even need to tell you his accomplishments?). I am in awesome company!! Can you tell I am excited?

So the only green part of my post was mentioning Redford and Bono. I think it could still qualify as green.