tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38518277403610327472024-03-14T14:02:58.752-04:00Gift of Green"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises." --Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Spanish Poet and Playwright, 1600-1681Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.comBlogger337125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-10648611035447583132014-03-24T15:39:00.006-04:002014-03-24T15:39:59.182-04:00Getting Figgy With ItWhen I was three my parents took me to Italy to visit my grandfather. The only memory I have from that time, and what might be my earliest memory, is taking a bite from a fig, fresh off the tree.<br />
<br />
Today, that taste and the smell of fig leaves is my Madeleine.<br />
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About seven years ago or so I bought a TINY fig plant from our local public gardens. It is now a towering thing and this past summer it produced many delicious fruits.<br />
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It's been a rough winter for my little fig tree! I can't wait to see how it does this Spring! Do you have anything you're waiting to see pop?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMxIzESJbAi38WlWptzDhJdCyxyFzShc1GyYWaVfM96vjx3ZTvTsIISttk84kMVJ5mnaUZOjvZ0o1Nfo3z8biwqfQpSPNc9QT3bWkdC4CXySbPyqZsYSDGlL5LFrjjIfdSW6JWEqB7vU/s1600/photo-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMxIzESJbAi38WlWptzDhJdCyxyFzShc1GyYWaVfM96vjx3ZTvTsIISttk84kMVJ5mnaUZOjvZ0o1Nfo3z8biwqfQpSPNc9QT3bWkdC4CXySbPyqZsYSDGlL5LFrjjIfdSW6JWEqB7vU/s1600/photo-2.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fig Tree - March 23, 2014</td></tr>
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<br />Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-18424377781895506062014-03-16T12:36:00.005-04:002014-03-16T12:37:26.923-04:00Wicked WinterLike most of the country, we've had a wicked winter down here in region 7. Even tonight we are expecting 3 to 5 inches! Welcome Spring!<br />
<br />
One nice thing about delayed openings and days off from school is that the pace slows down a little bit and we've been feeling a lot less rushed. <br />
<br />
Still, we are waiting eagerly for Spring. The garden beds are ready and Green Husband has stacked the wood from the old silver maple that finally came to the end of its life.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhyPluwhOQHctfE_ylKtjAQ8KAw2EjPXV7CYTrlJdl-5UL920QHOQUP7gF_zkqkVkJd8UGzlsHjoxvDHFI9CAa-3IVAlD4A8e7BXZDZ0QZAKm7pZwVHFyx8uZ-uZRdd4zWJgb1W8Wnkg/s1600/DSC05499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhyPluwhOQHctfE_ylKtjAQ8KAw2EjPXV7CYTrlJdl-5UL920QHOQUP7gF_zkqkVkJd8UGzlsHjoxvDHFI9CAa-3IVAlD4A8e7BXZDZ0QZAKm7pZwVHFyx8uZ-uZRdd4zWJgb1W8Wnkg/s1600/DSC05499.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chopping wood warms you twice.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigR6F060HmSTWmrjN59JYLnb_Z504RqOa66AGvTjHdnE-R2Ol5KWvECmfe8cIFkr4WIi0G7Qw7nqBeq2xwuAOHc1wW9ot1rHkNzkMbqgpB55P6ee8yskAzB7G-yOCociv2klzbvn5TFRc/s1600/DSC05501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigR6F060HmSTWmrjN59JYLnb_Z504RqOa66AGvTjHdnE-R2Ol5KWvECmfe8cIFkr4WIi0G7Qw7nqBeq2xwuAOHc1wW9ot1rHkNzkMbqgpB55P6ee8yskAzB7G-yOCociv2klzbvn5TFRc/s1600/DSC05501.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberries will be our first crop.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikosyQKG8NdgJ0l8-3Ffp_JwDkIT0doTXGrCfkK0-V1TDy0S14w3HoKqZSddRfV4zAb1qrWUoIuvYWaCbFd7QoCgZoiqrOTvVru9JYLiO-rVBnSC_PryNcse3SjxbvKGl1L0jYouADCNM/s1600/DSC05502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikosyQKG8NdgJ0l8-3Ffp_JwDkIT0doTXGrCfkK0-V1TDy0S14w3HoKqZSddRfV4zAb1qrWUoIuvYWaCbFd7QoCgZoiqrOTvVru9JYLiO-rVBnSC_PryNcse3SjxbvKGl1L0jYouADCNM/s1600/DSC05502.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Smurfs survived, the Gnome did not.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QkgBTxgyvN2r5Q5yjDM5are-cIPuIG1zYvHruj7Oe6DC6Hm4JxpOzkx2MUtZbZtD5byp8NTXBMIfFKIi-iGUvkREKaGPsIwGY2BD1f8SWJ6uhhMy3N5Mbb9jMiAyoG0AVtJAbohAz3k/s1600/DSC05503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QkgBTxgyvN2r5Q5yjDM5are-cIPuIG1zYvHruj7Oe6DC6Hm4JxpOzkx2MUtZbZtD5byp8NTXBMIfFKIi-iGUvkREKaGPsIwGY2BD1f8SWJ6uhhMy3N5Mbb9jMiAyoG0AVtJAbohAz3k/s1600/DSC05503.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of birds in and out of these boxes. What's going on in there?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAibmVHqtpO4Sz2dCVQ5TCLMLPFw4A3fCyOHYfcJox5zRenciBAq0bF9o5X4sgugI5IblBOmgV252zAxyqWrN8paFHMyX6-lw88IWPDlH_4Pzzznx-09aPzKj4aSji7BdnIQ1GOIn6As/s1600/DSC05504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAibmVHqtpO4Sz2dCVQ5TCLMLPFw4A3fCyOHYfcJox5zRenciBAq0bF9o5X4sgugI5IblBOmgV252zAxyqWrN8paFHMyX6-lw88IWPDlH_4Pzzznx-09aPzKj4aSji7BdnIQ1GOIn6As/s1600/DSC05504.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting.</td></tr>
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<br />Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-65795665251644726472011-07-21T09:14:00.000-04:002011-07-21T09:14:09.148-04:00Bah. Best Intentions.Have you noticed? It's mid-July? I had promised a Clothesline Challenge this summer which then got, er, hung up, so to speak. Today we are staying cool inside the air-conditioned bliss of the house while temperatures soar to the hundreds (And Beyond!).<br />
<br />
So far the summer had been wonderful, despite the high temperatures and my children's addiction to television. What brought them to this point? Well, an overly permissive mama is really to blame but a small creature also had something to do with it. One that need infinite patience to banish. One that makes mama throw up her hands and lets her children watch marathon amounts of television (on that first day, inparticular) all while appeasing them with candy. Can I give you a <a href="http://www.licehappens.com/">hint</a>? Remember my post <a href="http://giftofgreen.blogspot.com/2007/12/green-lice-twice-as-nice.html">here</a>?<br />
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What has been keeping you busy this summer?Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-62908136122439079842011-04-17T16:46:00.000-04:002011-04-17T16:46:59.221-04:00Spring Has Sprung in VirginiaToday, after a heavy rain the previous day, I put the first wavy petunias in the planter and window box. Spring Break has officially begun!<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for the <a href="http://giftofgreen.blogspot.com/2011/02/clothesline-challenge-2011.html">Clothesline Challenge 2011</a> beginning May 1st (my dryer truly needs a rest).<br />
<br />
On a very unrelated note... Any <a href="http://www.nbc.com/friday-night-lights/">Friday Night Lights</a> fans out there? For those of you without pay television, the fifth and final season has at last begun on NBC. I've already gone ahead and watched Season Five on DVD (don't worry...no spoilers here) and the final episode is just as sweet as southern tea.Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-88117265461364470182011-02-15T22:33:00.000-05:002011-02-15T22:33:25.147-05:00Green Chit ChatA big thank you so much to the three of you who have already signed up for this year's Clothesline Challenge!<br />
<br />
Robin from <a href="http://simplegreenorganichappy.com/">Simple.Green.Organic.Happy</a>, my very forgiving <a href="http://hausfraumelbourne.blogspot.com/">penpal</a> from Australia, and Willo from <a href="http://greengracious.blogspot.com/">Green Gracious</a> jumped right on board within hours of my posting. And the official challenge doesn't even start until May 1st!<br />
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This year I promise not to be as lazy and offer some more green giveaways. I'm teaming up with a blogger-soon-to-be-revealed who is quite fabric-crafty and who will no doubt have some clothesline-related doo-dads up her sleeve(s). <br />
<br />
As we get closer to spring, I always like to peruse the latest edition of Kids Garden News from <a href="http://kidsgardening.org/">kidsgardening.org</a>. Two items stood out:<br />
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If you are in the Grand Rapids/East Lansing area of the country, the <a href="http://ahs.org/youth_gardening/national_youth_garden_symposium.htm">19th Annual Children & Youth Gardening Symposium</a> will be held there towards the end of July. Many moons ago Green Husband presented at this conference and I tagged along. If they are offering garden tours this year, be sure to take advantage of this very inspiring opportunity.<br />
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Are you a teacher? In the mood for a lot of slaw? Know a third grade class who would like to raise some cabbages? Then check out <a href="http://www.bonnieplants.com/CabbageProgram/tabid/81/Default.aspx">Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program</a>. I mean, really, is there anything more that can be said about this...?<br />
<br />
And finally I leave you with a fitting and timely excerpt from a poem by <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/jane-kenyon">Jane Kenyon</a>, one of my favorite poets.<br />
<blockquote><i>The shadow of smoke rising from the chimney<br />
moves abruptly over the yard.<br />
The clothesline rises in the wind. One <br />
wooden pin is left, solitary as a finger;<br />
it, too, rises and falls. </i></blockquote><span style="font-size: x-small;">from "Bright Sun after Heavy Snow" by Jane Kenyon, from <em>The Boat of Quiet Hours</em>. © Graywolf Press, 1986.</span>Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-89360201791906810722011-02-09T21:56:00.000-05:002011-02-09T21:56:51.928-05:00Clothesline Challenge 2011!!!<div style="color: lime;">Yes, <a href="http://www.newseum.org/yesvirginia/">Virginia</a>, there will be a Clothesline Challenge 2011.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGz2DA8cX-0WDGhODB0q5mPPS0XxMbX0mC9GdweFgJucDUsSDRn6aArM6asCZlLdNN5jRObVZOxPBgwIys4d8pqDa380zafuH98TDaoXDGRmcyhBQn0mrEslTsSkCYG5jOFYEFmY-CTzM/s1600/050-Summer+2007+045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGz2DA8cX-0WDGhODB0q5mPPS0XxMbX0mC9GdweFgJucDUsSDRn6aArM6asCZlLdNN5jRObVZOxPBgwIys4d8pqDa380zafuH98TDaoXDGRmcyhBQn0mrEslTsSkCYG5jOFYEFmY-CTzM/s320/050-Summer+2007+045.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Newbies, read up on it <a href="http://giftofgreen.blogspot.com/2008/04/gift-of-greens-clothesline-challenge.html">here</a> and <a href="http://giftofgreen.blogspot.com/2009/03/get-ready-gog-clothesline-challenge.html">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Veterans, dust off your clothespins and find those lines buried under the snow.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gift of Green's Clothesline Challenge 2011 begins May 1st.</div>Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-5457136888137587622011-02-08T21:33:00.003-05:002011-02-08T21:40:04.564-05:00Boing!! Spring!Well, not really...and for those of you to the Mid-West to the Mid-Atlantic, I know that the notion of Spring is but a teasing whisper in your ear.<br />
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But do you know that feeling...? When you are *done* with Winter and all the fun it entails. We've loved the snowmen, the snow days, the cozy days drinking hot chocolate, but then, then, you get a whiff of Spring. Maybe the temperature is above forty degrees, even if just for a few hours. Or you hear a bird chirping outside your window. Or...The Seed Catalog Arrives.<br />
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That's where we are right now. The air felt warm, the bird sounded happy instead of pining, and the catalog just arrived.<br />
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So, of course, in the spirit of Spring, this blog needed refreshing AND I suddenly felt my husband needed this for Valentine's Day (from <a href="http://www.gardeners.com/">Gardener's Supply Company</a>):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDub0ckmhws9r6XLAZtTpkscHYv1Bjz0hveGc9h8K0ROb6SyMQB2FVwUFskZvpxrc_598gIPBzBIYaFltxYeItQgi5rlE8HqFSFguBaVMgBrtq42Wfvp4fwIlWDV_GByA97d-VaR-9MjA/s1600/36-499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDub0ckmhws9r6XLAZtTpkscHYv1Bjz0hveGc9h8K0ROb6SyMQB2FVwUFskZvpxrc_598gIPBzBIYaFltxYeItQgi5rlE8HqFSFguBaVMgBrtq42Wfvp4fwIlWDV_GByA97d-VaR-9MjA/s320/36-499.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">(The woman is not included)</div><br />
This year, I so resolve to break out my copy of <i><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots</span></i> <br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS2=1&npa=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=gifofgre-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0761110569" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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Most intriguing to me is <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">A Garden of Giants</span></span>! I would love for my children to be able to get lost in a maze of towering plants; to forget about the outside world for a while and to create their own surrounded by flowers.<br />
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And finally, a special thank you to <a href="http://ninimakes.typepad.com/">Nini Makes</a> who selected me personally (oh, I know it was luck of the draw, but how lucky I am!) to receive such a <a href="http://ninimakes.typepad.com/nini_makes/2011/01/a-giveaway-just-because.html">delightful pin cushion</a>! Thank you, Joanie!<br />
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Are you <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">dreaming</span> of Spring?Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-85578450557210937232011-01-18T17:35:00.000-05:002011-01-18T17:35:10.096-05:00Cliches and Secret Blogs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilo42clDbyxsnTxMRbSIlhLG4E81PNcX7fIoFa7Kni92IEguOK8Y0_wCOnhykJxjYWek5JvQLcka8QPl-AlSFzZkjh7aVA1A-Xrmr0z2gXtdIVUNU04ZK3TnPXGf4PP69U6oB7AOJZPx8/s1600/IMG_0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilo42clDbyxsnTxMRbSIlhLG4E81PNcX7fIoFa7Kni92IEguOK8Y0_wCOnhykJxjYWek5JvQLcka8QPl-AlSFzZkjh7aVA1A-Xrmr0z2gXtdIVUNU04ZK3TnPXGf4PP69U6oB7AOJZPx8/s320/IMG_0503.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>SOMEone at my place of employment is looking for my blog. She even attempted to shake down my kids (lightly, of course). She has a blog herself which I really enjoy. I'm not sure why I hesitate to share my blog with her - are my thoughts really that personal? Is your blog a Secret? To some or to everyone?<br />
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As I get older, I'm finding that I get a tad bit, shall I say, emotional at overworn, trite, hackneyed cliches (am I being redundent?). Such as:<br />
<br />
"We cannot control the wind, but we can adjust the sails."<br />
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or<br />
<br />
"Choose happiness."<br />
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What cliches have been catching you off guard lately?<br />
<br />
P.S. By the way, "<a href="http://house8810.com/Product.aspx?StockNumber=8001.00002">You're the Cream in my Coffee</a>" is a good one too.Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-17858781458727991482010-12-14T23:28:00.000-05:002010-12-14T23:28:21.962-05:00Favorite Things - (And Where Has the Time Gone?)When we last left this slacker blogger/pen pal/wife/mother, she had listed a number of her favorite things. Due to an unintentional cliff hanger, she made her many loyal readers wait and wait and wait for favorites 26-50.<br />
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Favorite Things<br />
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26 :: Magazines, including the now defunct <a href="http://www.parentdish.com/2009/10/05/conde-nast-bids-farewell-to-cookie-magazine/">Cookie</a><br />
27 :: Blogs, including the now defunct <a href="http://marytsao.blogspot.com/">Mom Writes</a><br />
28 :: <a href="http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3288">Cynthia Rylant</a><br />
29 :: Seeing "tacky" things as beautiful again through the eyes of my children (Over the top Christmas lights being just one example).<br />
30 :: Finding the last quarter you need for a soda from the machine at the bottom of your bag.<br />
31 :: The children's new fiction shelf at the public library.<br />
32 :: NYC. What is it about you?<br />
33 :: <a href="http://www.lostdogcafe.com/">Lost Dog </a><br />
34 :: <a href="http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/bronx-beat/55990">Bronx Beat</a><br />
35 :: Passover<br />
36 :: We are nearer to Spring than we were in September.<br />
37 :: The Sunday New York Times<br />
38 :: Outdoor pools<br />
39 :: Remembering Los Angeles<br />
40 :: Panera<br />
41 :: My unfinished book<br />
42 :: My father and I exchanging annotated "Nigerian money transfer" scam emails<br />
43 :: <a href="http://www.explorefaith.org/oasis/poetry/otherwise.html">Otherwise</a>, because one day I know it will be.<br />
44 :: Surprisingly...outdoor recess duty.<br />
45 :: Homemade egg and cheese McMuffins<br />
46 :: When my husband brings me a cup of cookies and cream ice cream without me even asking.<br />
47 :: My new (used) minivan<br />
48 :: Seeing Brett play with the Vikings<br />
49 :: Googling<br />
50 :: <a href="http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2001/04/17">"Locking Yourself Out, Then Trying to Get Back In"</a><br />
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And you?Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-49982351408836550882010-10-24T15:06:00.001-04:002010-10-25T19:01:29.066-04:00Feel TripWell, Sprout came home from her first field trip with half of her chin skinned off. I asked her how her first time on a school bus was; she said, "Queasy." So, so much for feel trips. Too much feeling if you ask me.<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://www.thebigbinder.com/">Jen</a>, <a href="http://ninimakes.typepad.com/nini_makes/">Joanie</a>, <a href="http://hausfraumelbourne.blogspot.com/">Hausfrau</a> (I received your latest package. Mwaa!), and of course, <b>EC</b> for your comments on my 25 of 50. I'm sure I will have more to add as we head into my favorite time of year. Sprout's costume is complete. If you see an waifish looking red-head wandering around your neighborhood, don't worry: it's only that other Pip-pi.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DQJbaNGtJEh8_dRcYCu25CW8ornnY460BNiklaC-C6cfyBY6vlYnkIEOpSbss9clngxlxgjAWGceqCRK1x6OpU27svfYy1D_ku5UhWIVVeBIUn7W3enj6gEfcWyZefnpLnc6TyWQp-M/s1600/IMG_0667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DQJbaNGtJEh8_dRcYCu25CW8ornnY460BNiklaC-C6cfyBY6vlYnkIEOpSbss9clngxlxgjAWGceqCRK1x6OpU27svfYy1D_ku5UhWIVVeBIUn7W3enj6gEfcWyZefnpLnc6TyWQp-M/s320/IMG_0667.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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And finally, I am starting to seriously consider starting my own freelance writing company. I have had four or five articles published in the last year or so, and it's something I really enjoy. It's fun to think about a name, a website and putting pen to paper on all the ideas that have been percolating in my brain for so long. <br />
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Finally, Pip is hoping for a Nintendo DS for his 7th birthday. I told him if he raised the money, he could be my guest. I must say that the bed-making and vacuuming and putting shoes in order have been well worth the 50 cents to $1.00 he charges. Sprout has been waxing on and on about an American Doll. Somehow we received a catalog in the mail and QED. How do you handle "wish list" items? Ages? Money? Just saying "no"?<br />
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Thanks again for stopping by and for your comments. I love to read them ~ it's like hearing from a friend, which you are.<br />
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AmyGift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-7328385411711142902010-10-02T07:40:00.002-04:002010-10-02T16:17:18.145-04:00These are a few of my favorite (50) things<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mary Beth over at <a href="http://saltandchocolate.blogspot.com/">saltandchocolate</a> has come up with a few (also 50) of her favorite things. Here is my list in progress. What are some of your favorite things?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1) Apple picking. We go <a href="http://striblingorchard.com/default.aspx">here</a> to Stribling and recommend it if you're in Virginia.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2) When my husband calls me a fool but is laughing at the same time he's calling me a fool (so who's the fool?!). : )</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3) Starbucks coffee. There. I said it.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4) An organized desk, at home and at work.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5) Coming home with a few new clothes items for work, whether they be from Target or H&M.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6) Oogling over the make-your-own fabric at <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome">Spoonflower</a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7) The sometimes incredibly beautiful jewelery from... <a href="http://www.forever21.com/category.asp?catalog_name=FOREVER21&category_name=acc_jewelry&Page=1">Forever 21</a>.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8) My new <a href="http://hausfraumelbourne.blogspot.com/">penpal</a>. (We're talkin' pen, paper, stamp, customs, post office)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">9) My daughter who says things like, "Maybe if today is sparkly we'll have recess outside." when she first wakes up.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">10) My son who says things like, "I do not stand for rudeness."</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">11) <a href="http://www.nbc.com/friday-night-lights/">Friday Night Lights</a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">12) New potatoes tossed in olive oil and sea salt, then roasted.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">13) <a href="http://www.pandora.com/">Pandora</a> radio</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">14) Dreaming about living <a href="http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2010/09/leaving.html">someplace else.</a> I love it here, but it's fun to imagine too.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">15) Tons of thin blankets in winter instead of one big thick blanket. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">16) Flurries after dark.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">17) The sound of a snow plow at 5:00 in the morning and then tuning in for the school cancellations.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">18) Having a child come and tell me that they loved the book I recommended to them and that they finished it in two days or 1 day or 1 night under their covers with a flashlight.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">19) <a href="http://www.etsy.com/">Etsy</a>, especially <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/29991741/teen-and-grown-ups-brownie-newsboy-cap">hats</a> from here. Send her your head size and it's a perfect fit for fall. And <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/aCatsNest">cowls from Sweden</a>. You won't step outside without it.<br />
20) Thanksgiving foods.<br />
21) Nature in general.<br />
22) My girlfriends. They always have time for me.<br />
23) Decluttering.<br />
24) Turning 40.<br />
25) A full fridge and a full pantry. <br />
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</div>Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-54789081495442683882010-09-26T15:42:00.000-04:002010-09-26T15:42:21.792-04:00End of SeptemberI've just sent off a letter to the dear <a href="http://hausfraumelbourne.blogspot.com/">Hausfrau</a> - and it was so lovely to actually write a letter, in pen, fold it up, stuff it in a real, live envelope and send it off via the post! <br />
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My September checklist includes buying mums, decorate the front stoop, ordering holiday cards, and updating my address book. Are there any cards or cardstock you would recommend? Should I go with <a href="http://www.shopcardsandgifts.unicefusa.org/">Unicef</a> this year?<br />
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You will notice that exercise and healthy eating are not on the top of the list. I have joined Weight Watchers, and even though I only have about 10 pounds to lose, I am not succeeding. I just keep checking in with <a href="http://msbitchcakes.blogspot.com/">BitchCakes</a> for inspiration, but so far, no motivation.<br />
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I've just finished a great book for kids: <b><span style="color: #274e13;">The Strange Case of Origami Yoda</span></b>. It's quite hilarious and I recommend it for students in grades four and above. Happy reading!Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-51551069685684135862010-08-22T14:45:00.000-04:002010-08-22T14:45:23.698-04:00Ready for FallI never thought I'd say it, but I am ready for a <i><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">change of season</span></i>. Although work calls, it allows me to be uber-creative which is always fun. Even Pip and Sprout are ready for school. Sprout is entering kindergarten this year and joyfully announced to me to day, "I gonna learn EVERYTHING!" It's so exciting to see their enthusiasm for school, which up to this point has been a very positive experience. I'll keep my fingers crossed as Pip enters first grade.<br />
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It has been a difficult summer for outdoor activities. The heat was just not an inconvenience; it was dangerous. We spent brief amounts of time outside, but nothing like last summer. With September will come cooler weather, so hopefully we can make up for lost time!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywifpDNqYOXRQ3Ki6MUcG8KxR_TGrAaB__XCSIhn-Jhf7y5YCGbzK8slpwYkOeB4qOGa3RdCSp0qJKka1z7Z3IvtFOej1yieatsbPkxb69IUvW-RBooDguxW6lNUPV1l6cPxV1VHhTuU/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywifpDNqYOXRQ3Ki6MUcG8KxR_TGrAaB__XCSIhn-Jhf7y5YCGbzK8slpwYkOeB4qOGa3RdCSp0qJKka1z7Z3IvtFOej1yieatsbPkxb69IUvW-RBooDguxW6lNUPV1l6cPxV1VHhTuU/s320/IMG_0492.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Reflecting on Fall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>One thing I would like to accomplish is painting our living/everything room (we have one room in our house for "living" other than the kitchen). We have dark woods, which I love, but combined with our walls painted in <a href="https://www.sherwin-williams.com/visualizer/index.html#d=f;c=2988">Beeswax</a>, it makes for a gloomy, shadowy room when the sun rises late and sets well before we are ready to turn in - any suggestions?<br />
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I successfully made <a href="http://saltandchocolate.blogspot.com/2008/02/everyday-granola.html">Mary Beth's recipe</a> for Everyday Granola - it is totally yummy mixed in with Greek yogurt. I am looking forward to doing a lot more baking and cooking this year now that I have completed all of my classes (yippee!) and will have more time to spare. What recipes are you looking forward to making, now that it won't be painful to have a 400 degree oven on in the house? : )Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-982366310811880692010-08-20T09:06:00.000-04:002010-08-20T09:06:02.326-04:00Blasted Blarmy Heatwave!Well, I don't even know if Blarmy is a word, but that's the one I'm using to describe this continuing heatwave.<br />
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It's a Code Orange day today, meaning dangerous heat and humidity. According to my <a href="http://www.tbd.com/weather/">sources</a>, it is this year's 54th day of 90+ degree temperatures, which is very unusual for these parts (kind of like, um, this year's <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/02/snow_blizzard_midatlantic.html">blizzard</a>!) <br />
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So what do you do on excessively hot days? The movies? The pool? A museum or two? Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-16522998884492801742010-08-18T10:53:00.000-04:002010-08-18T10:53:15.004-04:00The Television and Other "Issues"Pip and Sprout are "into" television these past couple of days, and I have to admit that I have given in to their requests more frequently than normal.<br />
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Maybe because I know that in just a couple of weeks it will be back to our school daze routine: no television during the week and bedtime right at 8:00. But I still feel guilty about not "engaging" with them every minute of the weeks we have left. Am I too selfish, too lazy, or what? Why is it that I forget about all the things we *do* do together (our vacation to the farm, the beach, trips to the park, collecting the acorns now falling, exercising our hermit crabs, going to the pool, having playdates, trips to the craft store, reading books on the front stoop, checking out books at the library) and remember only my "failings"? Sigh. <br />
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Some days I feel like the kids when Pip says, "This is the best day ever." Other times I feel a little less than a Good Mom when Sprout says, "If you died Mom, we'd still have Dad. That would be okay because he's awesomer. He throws us in the pool and jumps of the diving board with us." Need I remind you, dear daughter, that I have been the ONLY mom at the pool who has gone off the diving board. Hurumph. And never mind that dead part.<br />
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Do you ever have these feelings - television-related or not? Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-67584928042321132912010-08-14T19:23:00.000-04:002010-08-14T19:23:49.547-04:00Book Review: My Teenage WerewolfWhen I was contacted by Viking Press, offering me a free review copy of <a href="http://www.myteenagewerewolf.com/" style="color: #741b47;"><b>My Teenage Werewolf</b> </a>(disclosure, disclosure, blah, blah, blah), I responded immediately with a "Yes!" Probably because my then four year old daughter (she has since turned 12...I mean, five), had just slammed her bedroom door on me or rolled her eyes at me or told me: "You don't know STUFF, MOM!" (Four...FOUR!), I thought to myself that even though I don't have a teenage werewolf right now, I can tell one day I will.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbiZu04E8iaFNeLIK4CB2ywjSuwaYieiaxM40jJrSLOHPA51QPkhuJVzxOkXbbj41ZCTL6zq2hzfF0efykKKyRvJqknxopvGq7dixuYk2OucNgmxczsfDDtACI3yWSQTXaP49oziwjUg/s1600/book-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbiZu04E8iaFNeLIK4CB2ywjSuwaYieiaxM40jJrSLOHPA51QPkhuJVzxOkXbbj41ZCTL6zq2hzfF0efykKKyRvJqknxopvGq7dixuYk2OucNgmxczsfDDtACI3yWSQTXaP49oziwjUg/s200/book-cover.jpg" width="132" /></a>Then, though, as I waited for my copy, I began to regret my enthusiasm. I had just finished two classes and had enough of behavior and classroom management with a twist of brain-based learning strategies. Why oh why had I set myself up for another academic read, I thought?<br />
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Then I received the book and couldn't put it down. True, author Lauren Kessler takes us along on her pre-book research ride, covering her delving into developmental stages and myelin-forming studies and theories, but really this is a memoir of the 18 months she followed her 12 year-old daughter, Lizzie. It is also, of course (how could it not be) a self-reflective piece, the author motivated by her own cold relationship with her mother that she wishes not to repeat. This roller coaster ride of emotion ends on a high(er) note, and we almost wish for a "sequel" to see how Lizzie is getting along. We are rooting for her (and mom) all along.<br />
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Because I have an older friend with whom I spent many a coffee date going over the hurt and heartbreak and small victories of mothering teenage girls, I knew that so much of what Lauren writes about is true. And there were so many small moments in the book that I have meant to internalize and that I feel I can touch upon when loving my daughter at any age. <br />
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One of these points had to do with power, and how giving your child some power, something to make them feel that they are not powerless all...day...long...is important in building their self-confidence and self-identity (these are my words, not hers, but this is what I took from the book).<br />
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Second, was something that has certainly stuck with me - an arm around the shoulder is more beneficial to a child than a finger in their face. So true.<br />
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And finally, the third point that I remember from the book is that boys usually have a rite of passage, a passing of the torch if you will, with their fathers that involves something physical. The day they beat their dad at hoops, or a race, or hit the ball farther. Girls don't have these same rites of passage, and if they do, it usually involves beauty. I intend, when the time comes, to provide a different sort of rite of passage for my daughter that involves strength and courage.<br />
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My Teenage Werewolf is a riveting read, made all the more poignant by the fact that someday, G-d willing, my daughter and I will be at this same threshold. I hope we will cross it holding hands together...Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-15881471335028368102010-08-13T11:51:00.000-04:002010-08-13T11:51:39.796-04:00Today is Chilly & A Couple Pictures from the Farm<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymSgbYF_bt1eeyBjYtwgsd_4P3-PR87s1G_f3XKoZl43YshkiRQXoYSQtpWQd3rpAKrodWrXNedSQPboxqzm6D4D0k6Qlfp7saOXGID_cgYzUyanRrxUTSTRl3tAhTPeRhX7IdjN9fsw/s1600/IMG_0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymSgbYF_bt1eeyBjYtwgsd_4P3-PR87s1G_f3XKoZl43YshkiRQXoYSQtpWQd3rpAKrodWrXNedSQPboxqzm6D4D0k6Qlfp7saOXGID_cgYzUyanRrxUTSTRl3tAhTPeRhX7IdjN9fsw/s400/IMG_0503.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kiss of the Sun for Pardon</td></tr>
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My gosh, the temperature must have dropped at least 20 degrees. It's overcast and rainy, which after days of sun, high temperatures, and humidity, I call cozy.<br />
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Could it be that summer is winding down? Here are a few posts I have planned for <a href="http://twitter.com/giftofgreen">Gift of Green</a> this week:<br />
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Checking in with <a href="http://saltandchocolate.blogspot.com/">SaltandChocolate</a>. She always has good ideas for transitioning to/from work between the seasons.<br />
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A review of <a href="http://www.myteenagewerewolf.com/">My Teenage Werewolf</a> by Lauren Kessler. If you have daughters you'll want to read this, what I call, memoir of the author's daughter's middle school years.<br />
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Do you have any Teenage Werewolves at your house? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_4nutXBwgvJL38igFNd23VzPT2bF-wgnvL7GKtN0T857b7Qu5EMWwnRLm1qAncU3T2fLl0VB_QnQx1F79RQuIiKoV9-fuVN19eqSggUxXovlEXdPROZAt8lLQ-NrpMly8lqZlnk-QXI/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_4nutXBwgvJL38igFNd23VzPT2bF-wgnvL7GKtN0T857b7Qu5EMWwnRLm1qAncU3T2fLl0VB_QnQx1F79RQuIiKoV9-fuVN19eqSggUxXovlEXdPROZAt8lLQ-NrpMly8lqZlnk-QXI/s640/IMG_0489.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Welcoming Path</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-64448883474833620392010-08-11T22:14:00.000-04:002010-08-11T22:14:03.822-04:00We Went to the Beach...And I forgot to take pictures. But that's a good sign, isn't it?<br />
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When we returned from our vacation our fridge was dead.<br />
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Until our new one arrives, what are your favorite recipes that do not require refrigerated ingredients? And remember...no leftovers, please.Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-60229344754387177312010-08-05T20:58:00.000-04:002010-08-05T20:58:42.228-04:00We Were There<div style="color: #b45f06; text-align: center;">in all this greenness, just yesterday. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI0iIcpnVfo5e0Atb1K5TOnQupdFtqvbsvhX9NuP5_LYwP8eVbei1yhgV5KFoVVMRiG5WS0QwfzJPX6kblszT5j1UJzyTNa3R1rBVLvvPrgGpxboyB7KNMkn2e57-Ufk61Gds0IOqhMM/s1600/IMG_0490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI0iIcpnVfo5e0Atb1K5TOnQupdFtqvbsvhX9NuP5_LYwP8eVbei1yhgV5KFoVVMRiG5WS0QwfzJPX6kblszT5j1UJzyTNa3R1rBVLvvPrgGpxboyB7KNMkn2e57-Ufk61Gds0IOqhMM/s640/IMG_0490.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Afternoon on the Farm</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI0iIcpnVfo5e0Atb1K5TOnQupdFtqvbsvhX9NuP5_LYwP8eVbei1yhgV5KFoVVMRiG5WS0QwfzJPX6kblszT5j1UJzyTNa3R1rBVLvvPrgGpxboyB7KNMkn2e57-Ufk61Gds0IOqhMM/s1600/IMG_0490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI0iIcpnVfo5e0Atb1K5TOnQupdFtqvbsvhX9NuP5_LYwP8eVbei1yhgV5KFoVVMRiG5WS0QwfzJPX6kblszT5j1UJzyTNa3R1rBVLvvPrgGpxboyB7KNMkn2e57-Ufk61Gds0IOqhMM/s1600/IMG_0490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-90665185977595474992010-08-02T14:45:00.000-04:002010-08-02T14:45:05.975-04:00Join Sew, Mama, Sew's back to school sew-fest!I've recently discovered (or maybe re-discovered) the fabulous site <a href="http://www.sewmamasew.com/"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Sew, Mama, Sew</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">!</span></a> Join them (and me) for a month of fabulous tutorials, pattern give-aways, and ideas for getting back into the swing of school...even if it's just the school of life!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0PZXWr_S2AkDPpvjlopxtAC-lB2HJQe53glFWlNjI80mwl8WArFZsXLaBKfF1nml0_3bfNEr2GsxSEG-I9waYJi2BxS1e4pRbm133dUIq0qojGY4ooEUVgc-q18t2YhIDdI4DQ3WXwg/s1600/smsbacktoschool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0PZXWr_S2AkDPpvjlopxtAC-lB2HJQe53glFWlNjI80mwl8WArFZsXLaBKfF1nml0_3bfNEr2GsxSEG-I9waYJi2BxS1e4pRbm133dUIq0qojGY4ooEUVgc-q18t2YhIDdI4DQ3WXwg/s320/smsbacktoschool.jpg" /></a></div>Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-24252454293552819582010-08-01T10:45:00.000-04:002010-08-01T10:45:28.358-04:00Bring Back my Mailbox!I live in a fairly urban area and I realized today that there aren't any mailboxes within walking distance of my house! I just hopped in the car in search of one. Any mailbox request hotlines, United States Post Office?<br />
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On a bright note, I used these to stamp my letters:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00NNnQZTqG5vpo47c6tq-DnIiu2hDaEAdyYnoZbvvNBcNIJLZyzqADSO_KYjM6gkmnLyQYl_QH3aWmPrnznAf5RKlNEYR79tDYHoS976T2Ux4hz050_mhOmQbYgMuo-Ny_OxAUk0XlJc/s1600/usps_stamps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00NNnQZTqG5vpo47c6tq-DnIiu2hDaEAdyYnoZbvvNBcNIJLZyzqADSO_KYjM6gkmnLyQYl_QH3aWmPrnznAf5RKlNEYR79tDYHoS976T2Ux4hz050_mhOmQbYgMuo-Ny_OxAUk0XlJc/s400/usps_stamps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snail Mail Love</td></tr>
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There is something nice about snail mail.Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-87809443838476236762010-07-31T21:27:00.000-04:002010-07-31T21:27:33.676-04:00Message in a BottleFound -- message to me written by my four year-old daughter: Di Your Hair.<br />
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Hmm...any recommendations for an eco-friendly hair dye?Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-51673967933985694522010-07-30T22:37:00.000-04:002010-07-30T22:37:38.239-04:00I Heart Spoonflower<div style="color: #bf9000;"><b>Even though I don't really consider myself crafty (although see <a href="http://giftofgreen.blogspot.com/2009/07/countdown-sticks-how-many-days-till.html">here</a> and <a href="http://giftofgreen.blogspot.com/2009/07/de-crafto-craft.html">here</a>), I am fascinated by fabric as so many of you are...</b></div><br />
Have you visited, therefore, <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome">Spoonflower</a>? I suggest you have a paper bag next to you as you peruse this site - you may hyperventilate at all the yummy choices. You may design and print your own fabric, or, lucky us, we may benefit from the designs of others. What will it be? <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/275624">Cheater Quilt</a>? <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/281431">Retro Travel</a>? Or this pattern for a wrap skirt, <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/126020">all in one yard</a>! Betcha can't order just one!<br />
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Follow <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">Spoonflower</span></b></span> at http://twitter.com/spoonflowerGift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-65362387578325741192010-07-28T11:41:00.000-04:002010-07-28T11:41:27.669-04:00Chit & Chat: Blog buttons & Other greenerySee that adorable little Email button over there on the right =====> ? The one that looks like it was custom made for this wanna-greenie's blog? Well, in fact, that button plus my adorable follow me on twitter bird (http://twitter.com/giftofgreen) were courtesy of <a href="http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.com/2010/06/more-email-buttons-for-your-blog.html">Just Something I Made</a>! Yes, courtesy! And you can be the recipient of this same courtesy, courtesy of...well, you get the idea. Thanks too to designmom.com for pointing me in that direction.<br />
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So I am digging in to a nonfiction book I was sent to review (first of all, I love getting packages from publishers in New York City - I picture somewhere high above Madison Avenue ~or wherever~ someone delicately packaging up my book amid the hub bub of a publishing house. The package winding its way through the building, emerging on the street, and being sent straight to me. When I open that package with the fancy address, a little puff of NYC comes out of it, along with the book.), and moms of tweens, teens and pre-tweens, take note... <a href="http://www.myteenagewerewolf.com/">It looks like a good one</a> available August 9th in stores. Stay tuned.<br />
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Other than that, we are staying cool, eagerly awaiting our bi-weekly delivery from <a href="https://www.washingtonsgreengrocer.com/">Washington's Green Grocer</a>. Salads unite!<br />
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I leave you with a fascinating and hypnotizing video that I first learned about, again, through designmom.com. Happy dreams!<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2_HXUhShhmY&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2_HXUhShhmY&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851827740361032747.post-29010213898914263642010-07-27T17:22:00.000-04:002010-07-27T17:22:44.699-04:00Cape Cod ChallengeFor almost ten years now we have lived in a modest Cape Cod style home from the 1950s. We were fortunate that the house was "move in ready" and aside from a coat of paint or two, we could begin living in our home right away. Now, ten years later, the house is beginning to show wear and tear. Even though our budget is next to nothing, the time has come to start both preventative maintenance and some minor renovations to keep our house looking up to snuff.<br />
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Do any of you live in a 1950s style Cape Cod house? If you do, you know the challenges. The front door opens right onto the living room. Our tiny kitchenette features a small table for four as there is no dining room. <br />
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I'm trying to find some inspiration for designing small spaces from places like <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/">Apartment Therapy</a> and <a href="http://lovinglivingsmall.blogspot.com/">Loving Living Small</a>. I'll be posting pictures soon and perhaps you could weigh in on a new color scheme for our living/dining/watching-tv-room.<br />
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Do you have any ideas for small spaces or small places?Gift of Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13843779880769352257noreply@blogger.com1