www.etsy.com/shop/simpleandgreen

This afternoon the three of us got dirty planting some tomato and basil.

And harvesting a big bunch of lettuce.

If that isn’t enough green!

We decided to put our free green table to use producing some art.  I broke out some good paper, paints, pastels, etc.

Activities… Alexander being chased by Coco while swinging on the “Tarzan swing”…

and creations… chocolate covered coconut eggs!

I planted grass in the “Lake Morey” area of our front yard and the lake proceeded to form.  But the grass has taken root anyway!

I have been working on my Simple and Green site at Etsy.com.  I am working on getting consistent with my creating.  I have tons of ideas–just have to execute them.  Stay tuned for that!

We had a family outing to the aquarium.  (thanks Grandy and Pop) We got to see some great things we didn’t see last time.  Especially the octopus but no photography was allowed. 

Despite the kids and dogs in the yard, we have had some spring blooms.  I am so cheered by that!  Various daffodils, yellow tulips, grape hyacinth, bleeding heart, and camellia blooms. YAY!

We did have an emergency.  Kate’s buddy Heather had to get 9 stitched because of this rock that Alexander and his friend Kenny dug up!

Spent the spring break week dog sitting Lily.  She’s part of our pack

Now it’s on to the end of the school year frenzy!

Soccer games, dance recitals, and school events. 

A long anticipated pedestrian bridge across several lanes of traffic join the park path on each side.  Countless walkers, joggers, and bikers have been confused and endangered while trying to connect the path across this intersection.  Now, it’s smooth sailing.

My walking companions, Elaine, Rachel, Coco, and Shadow, were all impressed with the new adventurous route.

We may not ever be able to walk in our neighborhood sidewalks again!

Thanks Parks and Planning!

Several years ago I saw some crafts in a museum store that seemed to be made from recycled paper.  I have wanted to make something similar ever since.

This is the result:  a trivet.

I tore out pages of an old fashion magazine and folded them until they were slender strips.  Winding over itself and securing with hot glue.  Adding the next piece.  Glue.  Until the circle grew large “enough”.  Then I cut out a bit of felt from my stash and glued that to the bottom.  Rimmed the edge with some ribbon.

And voila!  One less magazine in the recycle bin.  One less product bought.

I paired it with some bamboo cooking spoons and wrapped it in a kitchen cloth.  One fabulous birthday gift for a dear friend!

Green pledge cards formed "Earth"

Our Elementary School has been recognized as a “Green School” by our state.  So Earth Day is a big deal.  We have undertaken many projects in and around the grounds to help conserve energy and preserve the environment.  There was an “ampitheatre” installed on the hill to keep the ground from eroding.  There have been trees and bushes planted.  The electricity usage has been cut by changing out light bulbs and turning off lights and computers when not in use.  There are recycling bins for paper throughout the school and for bottles, cans, and containers in the cafeteria.  There has been a switch to compostable paper products for PTA events and annual stream clean-ups nearby.

Today Kate’s class presented a play: “The Great Kapok Tree”.  She was a narrator.  The students also shared pledges of ways they could help the Earth at home with their families.  Some students read recycling essays and  played music too!  “This Land is Your Land”

I hate that.

I guess it’s because I am a rebel at heart and don’t want to conform to what everyone else is doing…  I also don’t do well with keeping New Year’s resolutions and therefore see no point in making them!  And, for the record, I HAVE reflected and set goals this year.  Remember this post?

It felt good to do it then and it feels good now since I am freed to focus on doing them now.  I have a sense of success to start the new year  because accomplishing this list has begun.

One of the goals is to create everyday.  It is becoming easy since I learned to knit.  I constantly have a project going.  For Christmas I ended up knitting 3 scarves, 4 hats, and about 15 washcloths.  I also made several other gifts including my first batch of soap!  I kept only one bar for myself, it’s great, and I look forward to making more.  I also made a set of dinner napkins and printed some photos for dollar frames.  I wrapped many of the gifts in sheet music (from a book Rich had tossed to out recycle) and ribbons rescued from the thrift store.   Creatively using what I had and making what I could.  Very gratifying.

Here’s to all of you who are setting goals.  I hope your time of self reflection is productive and excites you into 2010!

And This:

You do this:

Bake sweet potatoes

and cranberry bread

and cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving!

The end result is a much more energy efficient house this winter AND a tax credit!

I am Thankful for new windows.

For some reason this year, I was all about Halloween.  I usually put up the spider web and that’s about it.  This year, I reinvented / recycled a bunch of stuff.  I made a mini grave yard from cardboard and paint I already had around the house.   A few ghosts from an old sheet, some stuffing, and a sharpie. The kids’ costumes are all from the thrift store for no more than $5 ea.  I made James’ mustache (felt) and Kate’s parasol (from an old lampshade).

I also decided to spend some serious time carving a pumpkin. (I got the stencil from WWF.)  The kids each carved a pumpkin too.

For dinner we had a fabulous soup I made up using a bunch of the produce from our farmer Ray.  Potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, and a bacon seasoning mix.  Yummy!

The neighbors and friends gathered around 6:30 and they were off.  The rain held off to a slight drizzle so that didn’t stop the excitement.  I sat on my front step with a glass of wine, my knitting, and wearing a “Black Eyed Pea” costume (thanks mom).  The treats were flowing!

I think we have enough candy to last for months– and that’s AFTER I ate more than my share!

Really.

I am getting better and have been knitting alot.  It is now the best way I know to pass those hours in the dance studio!  It is there that the conversations and questions are most curious.

With great excitment: “What are you making?”

“A wash cloth.”

“Oh…”  Deflated and confused looks face me.

I launch into an explanation of a friend who gave me one (thanks Amy),  the cotton yarn, the softness, and the fact that my kids love them.   That usually makes them see that MAYBE it could be good.  I am truly an oddball huh?  Don’t answer that!

SO.  Here is it just a few months later and I have met many who can knit and many who can’t and a few who would like to learn.  Enter Maria.  She has mastered crocheting but never learned knitting. Last week  I, me, who has been knitting all of 5 months, showed her how to knit!  This week she was waiting for me to come in.  She had knitted a bit, and had some questions!  Crazy!  I only had to show her a few times.  She’s a quick study!

Meanwhile, I have been using You Tube again.  This time for something called the Magic Loop which allows you to knit in a circle using only the circular needles and not any dpns (double pointed needles–whatever they are!)  It’s hard.  But I am convinced that I can get good at it with more practice.  I have started a little something as a gift–assuming it comes out right!