Feel Trip

Well, 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.

Thanks to Jen, Joanie, Hausfrau (I received your latest package.  Mwaa!), and of course, EC 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.

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. 

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"?

Thanks again for stopping by and for your comments.  I love to read them ~ it's like hearing from a friend, which you are.

Amy

Where Am I?

Ah!  Good question!  I ask myself that on nearly a daily basis.  The fact that I am off work for the summer contributes to my confusion.  Is it Monday or Thursday?  The end of July or the beginning of August.  It's nice to lose track of time.

So this fall I start my third year as an elementary school librarian.  Hard to believe.  I still pinch myself to see if I've really landed that dream job. 

In two more weeks I will be done, done, done with the seven classes I've been taking (didn't I make it seem so simple?) that I needed to get my full teaching license.  No.  More.  Classes.  (After one more large project - grrr).

And what will I do with all this "spare" time?  It's so easy to over commit when you are starting the next phase, but I intend to concentrate on Pip and Sprout.  They'll both be in elementary school together - ah, bliss.  I will concentrate on that aforementioned dream job.  There are so many FUN things to do and plan.  Speaking of...do you have a question about books for children?  Ask the Librarian (that's me).  Leave a comment and I will answer your question in a future post.

And finally, oh Joanie save me, I'm about to craft again!  (I did make it on Crafty Crow, you know).  I'm starting here... 

And what about Green Husband you ask?  He's about to embark on his on little landscape design business and try his hand at being Stay-At-Home-Dad.  Yes, with the economy there's been a ripple effect, so there are some changes afoot.  "You have to throw a stone to get the pool to ripple."

And finally, finally, oh joy!  I finished Summer's Lease by John Mortimer.  It took me five. FIVE summers to finish it, but I did it and I've now netflixed the movie.  I urge you to try it.  It won't take you five summers to finish.

Sometimes You Just Gotta

sigh.

I miss.

It was the very first blog I read and her writing, her mod home, her daily dress, were little postly gems.

I have no reason for writing this; I guess it's like when you've reached the end of a darn good book series and you're in search of another one.

Tomorrow we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming and The Giveaway will be revealed.

Clothesline Challenge Bloggy Button is Here!

The Second Annual (and the first annual, for that matter) Clothesline Challenge would not happen without a lot of bloggy friends who are a lot more creative than I (myself? me?). A huge thank you across the pond to... Nini Makes! who designed this year's bloggy button.

Steal away!

[a href="http://giftofgreen.blogspot.com/2009/03/get-ready-gog-clothesline-challenge.html"][img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSirYBhmxMKnGr-K_rxttlnVMKFAxDbyyHg-a8nWbPqiluQQlOS4pyJdWMngFp4gF6PWmwYXF72B0NKXOMXlJ8wPf_48UgiWrnQ7d663LiN3jRUkzfoXymCKLNAsrK4EfHft6mEDS3_o/s400/GOG2009.jpg" alt="Gift of Green's Clothesline Challenge 2009"][/a]

(Replace these [ ] with these < > to make the button appear.)

Bloggy Button to Follow

I'm taking a brief break until Monday to enjoy the Easter holiday. When I return next week, the Clothesline Challenge 2009 Bloggy Button will be ready for you to steal!

Can't wait? Need a hint? Here's a clue...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Green Housekeeping

First of all, I know I said that I have given up crafting forever, but why oh why oh why can't I have enough talent to make these? The patterns are just mocking me with their cuteness. Maybe in my next life.

Second I have some catching up to do in the blogging buttons category - in both the receiving and the giving. Amanda from Yay! Pie! has presented me with a blogging button which I am happy to accept and to pass along as well. The "I Love You This Much" Award goes to three bloggy friends who always make my day (I am leaving out my favorites who Amanda already decorated - spreading the wealth):

Big Binder
Nini Makes
Fo.ne.tic.lee Speaking

I also received a second button from Look, Mom, Look, one of the very first of my bloggy friends. I am passing this award along to three bloggers who regularly take time to stop by and comment.

Carrie at It Matters to This One
Meg at Soup is not a Finger Food
Jenny at Roughly Speaking

The rules of this award are: SHARE THE LOVE!!! Share this award with all those blogs out there that you love. All the people who make you smile. All those that make you laugh. All those that make your day. All those that leave uplifting comments on your blog. **All I ask, is that you include a link to this post with the award and ask your recipient to do the same**

Gift of Green's Clothesline Challenge 2008 Bloggy Giveaway!

Okay, first of all...apologies for the delay. We are painting Sprout's room (using EcoSpec which I highly recommend) - therefore no Internet access. Don't ask.

Second, my clothesline collapsed. COLLAPSED, dear friends, collapsed. It was the retractable clothesline that we have in our backyard, and thankfully Green Husband was able to fix it and he set up a second clothesline while he was at it. This weekend we are doing beautifully about about 90%, but I will admit that last week, during the rains, I probably only made it about 30%. So much wet laundry...so little room. Did you check out Amalia's comments? She drys 100% of her clothes on a line from April through October. Fear of a major house fire is one motivating factor.

By now you're saying to yourself...get on with it, woman! Okay. The details on Gift of Green's first Clothesline Challenge 2008 giveaway. If you haven't already guessed, the prize is a beautiful peg bag handmade by the wonderful woman behind Nini Makes. Joanie sent two of these darling oil cloth peg bags: one that I could selfishly keep for myself (and I have used it ever day since its receipt) and the other to give away. Wasn't that absolutely lovely of her? Joanie also sent me an issue of The Green Parent which is such a wonderful magazine straight out of the UK (where Joanie lives). You should see some of the amazing little trinkets, fun shops, and wonderful websites this magazine features. My wish list increased exponentially after reading it (so much for anti-consumerism). This issue also featured a wonderful article, written by Joanie herself, on creating magnetic number and letter boards - adorable! Thank you, Joanie!

To enter this giveaway, you must join the challenge by indicating your line level in the comments. You will be added to the sidebar, and for those of you who are already listed on the sidebar, you are already entered. You need not comment again (unless you want to comment on how adorable the peg bag is...). Please leave your comment by midnight (Eastern U.S. time), Sunday, June 1st. And don't worry - I cannot guarantee that I will get your name onto the sidebar the same day you comment, but I know when you've left a comment and I will be sure you are added by the deadline. One winner will be picked randomly from those who have joined the challenge. And yes...I will ship internationally.

Pictures of my peg bag are forthcoming. We are painting so therefore no ability to upload pictures. Don't ask.

Confession

We don't pray at bedtime in our house, but last night as I tucked Sprout into bed he said, "I love my mommy. I love my daddy. I love [aka Pip]. I love [daycare provider] L. I love Bella [cat one]. I love Cinderalla [cat two]. I love my family. I love my bed. I love my house. I love my pillows." If that is not a prayer of thanks and gratitude, I don't know what is.

Lately I had been consumed by the Wanna-Haves, not the Wanna-Greenies. I think part of it comes from living in such an affluent area and having [seemingly] affluent friends. They've never made me feel inferior, of course! That's not what I mean. But in subtle ways I know that we are living slightly below their income level! I also had been suffering from a bad case of the dreaded Grass is Always Greener syndrome. I work part-time; I want to work more part-time. I live in this city; I want to live in that city. I want to get a new job; I want to be a SAHM. I painted the living room Beeswax; I want to paint it Celery. And on and on and on. I am, however, pleased to announce that I have never wished for different children or for a different husband. ;)

I speak about the Wanna-Haves and the GIAG in the past tense because lately these thoughts have almost entirely disappeared. Don't get me wrong - I still oogle over the Ikea catalog and the thought of complete and total SAHM-dom, health insurance be damned, does flicker across my brain, but I have spent a peaceful weekend, if not one marked by sadness, enjoying what I have been given.

Here are a few links that have inspired me this past week.

Sara Janssen's photo sets that show you don't have to have a lot of space, things, or money to make a beautiful home.

A beautiful traditional Swedish song, Uti Vaar Hage that I first learned about by reading Heart's Delight by Per Nilsson.

As always, my favorite poem "Locking Yourself Out, Then Trying to Get Back In" by Raymond Carver.

And finally, Mary Beth at Salt and Chocolate, who is suffering along with her son, who inspires me by being such a wonderful mother. Mary Beth, even in these hard times, as my mother says, "Treat yourself good". And to her friend Carrie, who will no doubt provide any ounce of solace that a person can offer at a time like this.

Lucky Thoughts

Not sure what's going on, but if Carrie asks me to keep Salt and Chocolate in my thoughts, I'm all over it. Will you?

Green Giveways Central

Because my average daily readership is about, um, forty, I have not exactly received oodles of offers to share as bloggy giveaways (Barefoot Books being one fabulous exception)...but why should you, my loyal readers, suffer?

Welcome to Green Bloggy Giveaway Roundup, a new service (that needs a catchier name - sounds like a weedkiller) that alerts you to the latest in green bloggy giveaways. Links to bloggers giving you an opportunity to win some green swag will be featured as links on the left...links will be removed when the giveaway is over. I figure it's a chance to try your luck at winning a new product or two that you otherwise can't afford (or can't even locate in your neck of the woods) and a great way to discover some new bloggers "leaning towards green" (which is why I will refrain from linking to specific product sites that are sponsoring contests).

Have a great Thursday and remember to compost all that leftover Halloween candy...AS IF!

Wednesday Greenings

I hope all of you had a spooktacular Halloween. I picked up poor Sprout from daycare with a fever, so she spent most of the evening relaxing on the couch and on me (is it wrong to kind of enjoy a bit of their mild illness simply because it means they will snuggle up to you for more than a half second; reminds me of their newborn days. Selfish, I know, but sometimes you just want to freeze them).

Then, just in time for Halloween, I received a sweet treat from The Not Quite Crunchy Parent - a blog that I enjoy reading immensely, particularly when it comes to providing posts and strategies for avoiding ye olde television and encouraging more creative play, and for her suggestion for kicking the Ziploc habit. Thank you, TNQCP!

In the paying it forward tradition, I would like to award this bloggy button to Nini Makes, a new blog that I am enjoying and one that is consistently full of sweet treats (and being based in the UK it's probably yummy scones or something with a lot of luscious cream).



Moving right along, you may have seen a comment from barrym (of the West Ireland barryms) asking what I meant by saying I live in planting zone 7. Well, barrym caught me in a bit of an error...it's not planting zone 7; it's plant hardiness zone 7, so I hope that clears things up for you, barrym. Just kidding. Here in the States and Canada (and I imagine in other places?) we use zones to describe temperature extremes in different areas of the country. Interestingly enough, I believe we are now technically as warm as plant hardiness zone 8. Scary, ain't it?

And finally for today, Pickel over at My Two Boys is having a non-toxic toy giveaway bonanza all through the month of November! The scavenger hunt element is over, but the giveaways have just begun! I'm curious...aren't you?

Green Joke redux...

Come on. The number of people, according to the google searches that are directing people to my site, searching for green jokes seems to be increasing exponentially. Doesn't anyone out there know a single green joke? I'll start:

How many Wanna Greenies does it take to change a CFL?

Write answer here: _________________________________

And just as an aside...it always astonishes me what posts interest you, my dear readers, and, conversely, the ones that you couldn't give a hoot about. For example, my field trip to the House of Sweden. Loved it, blogged it, posted pictures of it. Sound of crickets chirping. Meanwhile, I post a little tidbit about Whole Foods importing apples from New Zealand...you're all over it!

What's your take...do you find that when you post outside of your "niche" you get less interest from your regular readers?

And before I go silent for the rest of the day...here is a Super Fun, as my SIL would say, site chock full of ideas for those looking to eek out as much as they can from, say, empty tissue boxes. Plus it's a British site, so just the use of the words cheque book and crisp packets has me sold from the start.