Greener Goals and General Goals

Things that I hope to accomplish in the near future-

To Be Greener, I hope to:

• Collect rain water to reuse in the garden


• Expand the garden


• Use renewable energy, either through solar, geothermal units, or simply changing my electric company to one that uses renewable sources. You can choose!


• Use biodiesel in my car (it's a VW Golf TDI, but I really want a VW Passat Wagon TDI).


• Drive less, and don't be too afraid to put my girls on a bus for school. That's hard. :(


• Eat totally organic


• Raise our own hens for eggs, manure, and goats because they are so cute.


• Plant more trees.... and flowers.

In general, I hope to:

• Certify as a childbirth educator, and teach classes regularly


• Lose weight, and be healthy


• Have downstairs a completed Family Room...wait that should be my husband's goal!


• Build a solid stonewall in our backyard


• Learn how to knit, and sew (Home Ec didn't cut it)


• Have no debt (this goal should really be first).


• Be granted land for an animal sanctuary


• Follow my dreams

It's all easy enough...

Blessed Lammas

It is a Lammas, the traditional first harvest and a New Moon in Leo. Let's not forget the total solar eclipse. A perfect day to pick that big zucchini in my garden! I think I'll shread it and put it in my meatless balls for dinner tonight. My garden is doing pretty good. We have gotten cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers. The corn, eggplants, and squash are growing. My little pumpkin patch is not little anymore. They weren't kidding when they said pumpkins take up a lot of real estate! The vines are on my deck, under my deck, and in the pathway (where the dogs trample them). Live and learn right? Next year I'll plant them on the hill, so the vines can come down, I think that would look so cool. My girls love seeing things grow, it would be neat if we could pick a pumpkin from the backyard, then carve it.

My latest hobby.... making chocolate!

So my cousin Alison started making chocolate awhile back, and using the proceeds for Relay for Life. Well this year I starting helping her, and now I'm hooked! She sells the stuff at work, and I can't believe how much money we made already! It is messy, time consuming, but very fun and amazingly I don't even want to eat it. Thankfully, I'm not making potato chips though LOL!
She is starting to get special orders, and now I'm thinking business opportunity. I made a basket for a drawing held at the Relay this year, and many people bought tickets, and the winners were ecstatic to win it. We have received many compliments too. I feel so creative :)
It is so simple too, well unless we get intricate, which we sometimes do, and we end up with aching backs. I started a website, and I'll make little business cards. www.freewebs.com/aliandstacie

Hemp can save the world!

I just have to write about hemp. I won't get into how absurd it is that it is illegal, giving all the benefits that this world could reap from it. I wonder how many people know, or understand the history of hemp, cannabis sativa, in this country? Hemp, not to be confused with  marijuana. It's past has been virtually forgotten. It was once the foundation of our civilization's economy, only to be outlawed in the 20th century. To quote some great presidents:

"Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country."- Thomas Jeffereson

"Make the most you can of the hemp seed, and sow it everywhere."- George Washington

Some fun facts about hemp, taken from The Great Book of Hemp, by Rowan Robinson-

* Columbus's discovery of th New World was powered by hemp sails and rigging.

* The original drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written on hemp paper.

* Hemp was used for money in the Americas until the early 1800's.

* Hemp fiber was discovered in tombs dating from 8000 B.C.E.

* The United States government encouraged farmers to grow hemp to help win WWII.

* Hemp seed is nature's perfect food, packed with protein and essentail fatty acids.

* Over 100 medicines are made with hemp.

* Henry Ford built and powered a car with hemp.

Besides the nutritional benefits of this plant, contemporary studies have shown it has potential to solve environmental problems like soil erosion, soil contamination, and deforestation.
I may be optimistic, but with our current environmental crisis I feel that it will once again become the source of enlightenment, and sustainer of human life. Everything happens for a reason, and I notice how being green is becoming mainstream (companies want to cash in no doubt). With new technology it is now possible to make anything from hemp that we now make from petroleum- including plastics, paint, and biomass energy. And isn't that exactly what we need right now? It is almost cool now to be environmentally conscious, and this is a good thing! There are some great people fighting to make it legal, Jack Herer being one of them, check his site out- http://www.jackherer.com/

I am so thankful that I can at least buy shelled hemp seeds to eat, even if they have to come from Canada. Being a vegetarian it is very important to have a source of protein, and the hemp seed is the most complete source of protein, or amino acids from a plant. More than milk, meat or eggs! It also contains several times more omega 3 essential fat than any fish. It is more digestible than soy, and contains about 47% oil, 86% of which is omega 3, 6 and 9.

So how do I eat shelled hemp seeds?
I eat them mostly for breakfast, when I really need energy. I put in on my english muffin over butter or cream cheese, or on my bagel, in my cereal, or in my yogurt. I also use them in my grilled cheese & tomato, in soup, in mashed potatoes, on top of salads, or just by the spoonful. They are small, and have a nutty flavor, sort of like a sunflower seed. I cannot rave enough about these little seeds! I was ordering Hemp Hearts (brand name), but I found another company where I can buy in bulk called Manitoba Harvest http://www.manitobaharvest.com/ They seem like a great company. I ordered 25 lbs of hemp seeds, and I also ordered some hemp flour which I haven't used before, and some hemp milk which I love.

Stacie

My Veggie Burger

My hubby is a big fan of my homemade veggie burgers. Though I don't really measure when I make them, and I often use what ever I have on hand here's the basic recipe:
~ 1 cup of TVP (texturized vegetable protein) rehydrated
~ chopped onion
~ chopped pepper
~ chopped carrots
~ chopped mushrooms
~ chopped pecans or walnuts (about a handful)
~ 1/2 cup hemp hearts
~ 1 egg
~ 3/4 cup bread crumbs
~ mozzerella (about a handful)
~ black pepper, garlic salt, and turmeric

Mix all ingredients, and form into patties, a loaf or balls!
Fry them in some olive oil, or bake them.

*sometimes I add black beans and corn with some Frank's hot sauce, instead of mushrooms and nuts.

Best served on a bulkie whole wheat roll with veganaise and sprouts (for me), or american cheese, lettuce and mayo (for hubby).

Being Green

I am not perfect, but I do the best I can with what I have and what I know. Here is what I currently do in my life or try to do, to walk gently on Our Mother Earth:

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ~Buy in bulk when possible- to save in packaging and trips to the store.~Use reusable bags at the grocery store- some stores actually pay you 5 cents for every bag you use!
• Buy used clothing at thrift stores, and give away clothing we no longer need. I could definitely work on doing this more often. http://www.freecycle.org/ is a great place to give and get items in your local community.
• Joined Greendimes stopping junk mail and saving trees. http://www.greendimes.com/
  
• Plant trees every year as a member of The Arbor Day Foundation
  
• Buy locally at Farmer's Market, and buy seasonal items at the grocery store.Our Farmer's Market is open from June-October here in CT.
  
• Buy organic foods whenever possible. Trying to stick with minimally processed and whole foods.
• Eat vegetarian, and organic dairy if at all. Agricultural farming is not only cruel, but is also one of the biggest contributors to Global Warming. It has proven difficult to eliminate dairy from my diet, but I am a work in progress.
  
• Compost leftover food scraps, yard scraps and other material.
• Organic gardening. Last year was my very first garden and we had great cucumbers and tomatoes all summer! I hope to make it bigger this year. We never use chemicals on our lawn.~I mow the lawn with the old fashioned push mower.
• Household cleaning products and health/beauty products we use are natural (baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, water), earth-friendly (no caustic chemicals), and cruelty-free (never tested on animals).
  
• Our appliances are energy-efficient. We installed a tankless water heater. I don't run the washer all in one day, but spread out the laundry throughout the week usually at night. I run the dishwasher only when full, and wash all the plastics by hand.
  
• The family uses clothe napkins, but I also use recycled paper towels.
  
• Line dry clothes instead of using a dryer when able.
• Energy efficient lightbulbs are in every socket, and I am a light nazi when it comes to shutting off when not in use.
  
• We also unplug everything we are not using- toaster, coffepot, radio, computer, microwave (which isn't used often).
  
• I use a Diva Cup for my menses, and it is so much better than pads or tampons, and on those days when my flow isn't enough to justify it, I use hemp reusable pads.
• My VW Golf tdi gets about 46 mpg. but would love to run some biodiesel.
  

Things that I want to work on or improve are:

• More thrift store, less Walmart.
• Eliminating dairy or as much dairy as possible, or at least using organic (local) sources.
• Drink microbrews instead of imported beer, and local wine....this shouldn't be too hard!
• We'd also like to install an alternative energy source like solar, wind, or geothermal units. I'm happy that my husband is on the same page, and we are doing the best we can and being great models for our daughters.

Remember to Think Globally, Act Locally. Do the best you can and with good intentions. Your Mother will thank you. :) If anyone has ideas to share, or questions just let me know!
Stacie.

Favorite Quotes

I wanted to have a list of my favorite quotes and sayings posted somewhere.

peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. - unknown

Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers, strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength. - Barbara Katz-Rothman

We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong. - Laura Stavoe Harm

A strong woman knows she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows it is in the journey where she will become strong. - unknown

Be the change you want to see in the world. - Mahatma Gandhi

The problem with the world is that we draw the circle of our family too small. - Mother Teresa

Nothing can dim the light which shines from within. - Maya Angelou

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. - Albert Einstein

The way a woman gives birth and the kind of care given to her point as sharply as an arrowhead to the key values in a culture. - Sheila Kitzinger

We won't have a society if we destroy the environment. - Margret Mead

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has. - Margret Mead

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. - Jimi Hendrix

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction. is the first and only object of good government. - Thomas Jefferson

I believe that to meet the challenges of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. Each of us must learn to work not just for oneself, one's own family or nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace. - Dalai Lama

Here's all you have to know about men and women: women are crazy, men are stupid. And the main reason women are crazy is that men are stupid - George Carlin

Well behaved women rarely make history. - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

As long as people believe in absurdities, they will continue to commit atrocities. - Voltaire

Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true. - Buddha

Meanderings

I can't believe I'm blogging.... I don't have the time and I need to be doing other things! But they say journaling is good, and I have a hard time keeping things on a page if it isn't neat enough. Maybe this will help? We'll see... ( I love the dot dot dot thing by the way, and will probably do it often).

I consider my life to be on a path that can change without notice. Well more like having no path at all, and just going with the flow. And as I go about my wonderful life I do what most people do.......I stumble. I mess up, I say something I shouldn't, I do something I regret, and I act a fool sometimes, but there are days where I just want to stay under the covers and cry. I am upset about the current state of my relationship with my 6 year-old daughter. She called me 'stupid
mother' this morning. *gasp* But it was time to go, and she got out of the car without saying "Bye"! :( Now that's a first, and I am really sad about it.

She is my mirror, and she shows me what I do not wish to see... how I need to change. But I just go with the flow, right? So why is it that we struggle with little things like getting ready in the morning? Everything seems a chore from choosing what to eat, what to wear, brushing hair, and leaving the house without taking a fit? Is it the age? Is it payback for the way I acted at her age? I don't remember being 6, but I am pretty sure I didn't have the attitude she has been giving me! Maybe we should rethink about her taking the bus? We are just too paranoid about her being on a bus with older kids, and a driver we don't know.


Change, I guess is what is needed. I need to learn how to whistle Dixie like my husband, and greet the day with total thankfullness that I can live another day of earthly bliss. It would help if I could wake up early enough, so that I don't have that 'rushed' feeling. So tomorrow I think I will get up with my husband, and greet the day with a big smile. Let's see if my daughter follows suit, or if she still hates me.