Five Part-Time Careers That Won't Take Over Normal Life

I've been looking into doing something else part-time. I'm a writer by trade and also work part-time with a fantastic retreat center doing their marketing work. While both are fulfilling, it's tricky to try to balance all that time in front of the computer with a little guy who wants my attention. So what kind of work could I do with kid in tow?

Enter Plan B.

I'm not exactly sure what Plan B is yet, only that it's lingering somewhere on my horizon, ready to come into my life in the near future. While brainstorming I came up with the following list. Maybe one or more will be helpful for you: you don't have to be a part-time working-at-home parent to reap the benefits of one of these side jobs. With the economy the way it is and the price of just about everything going up, many of us could use a little financial boost right about now.

Plan B: Part-Time Career Options

Vintage re-sale I had a small shop out of my house once that was fun--love, love, love thrifting and sniffing out the best possible deals, then cleaning up the merchandise and finding a lovely new home for it.

At-home bakery I love to bake: bread especially. Wouldn't it be fun to bake and sell bread and other healthy, homemade treats to share with people in your community?

Cut flower and herb business This seems like an easy one, once you get the plants up and growing. It's probably not a huge money maker, but might help pay a miscellaneous dental bill.

Dog walking/pet sitting Not sure if this is much of an option for me at present, but it would work out nicely for someone else who worked out of their home. Many full-time employees would love to know that Fido got some exercise and fresh air during the day, rather than staying cooped up in a crate or the guest room.

Teaching This is one I'm really interested in: I'd love to teach writing classes, mixed media art workshops or do-it-yourself type seminars. Or maybe even one on frugal living?

What are some of your ideas? Have you ever tried a part-time business and if so, what was it?

Hello. Again.

Erm, okay. I've heard of other bloggers taking a little hiatus. It's easy sometimes, to get caught up in other things and let the blog world disappear for a little while. But seriously: three years? That's a loooong time.

Hopefully when you found out I've had a baby during that time, moved, and have been dedicating much time and energy to my writing career, you'll cut me some slack.



Seriously? I've missed blogging terribly. But on the other hand, I've also been trying to scale back--particularly with technology. It's very easy to get swept up in the maelstorm of the high-tech world and forget things like, oh, real life.

Anyway, here I am, beginning again. Hope you'll join me as we look at ways to save money, do-it-yourself, and discover frugal and old-fashioned ways to add more joy, self-sufficiency and contentment into your life.

Aspiring Raw Foodie

I struck gold at the Salvation Army yesterday. Being more involved with raw foods lately, I've been wondering how "uncooks" get their foods perfectly sliced and grated. I came across this great 6-in-1 tool yesterday and snapped it up. I'm not usually a kitchen gadget kind of girl, but this will really save me time preparing yummy raw food meals.



I also made a delicious key-lime pie yesterday. It's raw, so that means dairy-free, sweetened only with raw honey, and full of good and healthy ingredients. Oh, and it tastes fantastic, too--rich, creamy sweet and delicious! If you're interested in raw foods but feel overwhelmed, I'd highly recommend "Raw Food Made Easy," by Jennifer Cornbleet. It's really basic and she give some great information and simple recipes. Plus, it's where the pie recipe came from, so you can make your very own!

Eat Well--Anywhere

In Mary Jane's Farm (June/July) I came across this interesting link to the Eat Well Guide. The guide assists you in finding fresh, local foods in whatever community you're visiting. Visit the website for a free online directory. The guide includes, "farmers' markets, CSA programs, partner organizations, water-conscious ratings, and vegetarian eateries."

Just in time for summer travels!

What keeps your green-self inspired?

I was so excited to learn that Hobby Farms magazine is starting this new mag, Urban Farm. As a farmgirl whose acreage is a little closer to a large city lot than a rural country farm, I'm truly psyched to see the first issue when it comes out in August.

Reading the preview of Urban Farm in the current edition of Hobby Farms magazine got me all tingly. It also reminded me what an important role magazines play in keeping me inspired. In my younger years, these magazines consisted of thick fashion and home decorating magazines. Then I realized how crappy reading these made me feel--I always felt like I did after waking up from one of those dreams where you are so thirsty and you keep drinking and drinking and never feeling like your thirst is quenched.

Now though, I find magazines like Mother Earth News, Grit, Countryside, Mary Jane's Farm, Back Home, and a few others keep me motivated and inspired to try to live greener and do more for myself and my family.

Social Networking--Green Media?

Are you tweeting? Have you friended someone lately? Are you LinkedIn?

Social Networking. For some it's a fun, interesting way to stay connected to friends, family, and clients. For others it's a nightmare.

Regardless of how you feel personally about social networking, I believe it's here to stay in the business world.

Social networking is a pretty green way to market your business. No need for direct mailings and no traveling door to door to meet sales clients. No need to copy hundreds of pages of information about yourself and your business when you want to show potential customers your products or services--just direct them to your Web site, blog, Facebook or LinkedIn page.

But does social media help or hurt relationships in the long run? A friend once told me that social networking is sort of "pre-networking". It makes going to those scary mixers a little less intimidating. My sister was telling me last night that social networking helps her to feel more connected to our extended family members. It gives us a way to catch up with each other when we get together for those relatively infrequent family gatherings. When you generally see people twice a year, it provides some connection to cousins and aunts and uncles, and a way to start a conversation.

But is there a point when a good ole' fashioned phone call or visit on the front steps is seen as too much work when you can easily IM someone or direct a tweet to them online? Where do we draw the line between social networking and hermitism? Isn't there something to be said for the connection between people that needs to be seen face-to-face, or at least heard telephone to telephone?

What do you think? Is social networking a great tool to stay connected, or a hindrance on personal and professional relationships?

Paper or Cloth?

With the recent addition of a baby to our household, there have been certain things that we've let slide in the environmental arena. No, we haven't stopped recycling or started using paper towels exclusively again, but we do run our small dishwasher more than usual and our washing machine, too.

One thing I've always planned on doing when I had a baby, was to use cloth diapers. Statistics estimate that over 27 billion disposable diapers are thrown away in the United States alone. An article in Countryside Magazine this month by Dennis Evers, states that "Over 50 pounds of petroleum products, 300 pounds of wood and 20 pounds of chlorine are needed to produce disposable diapers for one baby each year."

Yikes.

We've struck a balance between cloth and disposable in our house, but I feel slightly guilty that I use the disposable at all. I know many women who are all-cloth diaper users and don't seem to have a problem with it. I like to use disposable at night and sometimes for longer day trips when I'm not sure how readily available a changing table or clean surface will be. However, for us right now this is a good balance. I really like the diapers from Seventh Generation--rarely a leak and they are chlorine-free. They also seem thinner somehow than other disposables which we received as gifts, so they transport really well.

In addition to cloth diapers, I had planned to use cloth diaper wipes exclusively. While I got some great ones from Green Mountain Diapers, I hadn't had time to make the diaper wipe spray until today. Here's a quick recipe I found online for some:

2 Tbl. olive oil

2 Tbl. baby wash (organic if possible)

2 Cups of cold water

Add all to spray bottle and shake before each use.

A good reminder

Inspiration and Motivation

This is the coolest thing ever. A solar shower that was just a few steps away an awesome yurt we stayed in on a trip to Maine a couple of summers ago. If you've never taken a solar shower, you've got to try it. It's like skinny dipping . . . for the more modest of us.

Building a solar shower in my backyard is on my "homestead dream list". Imagine a nice cool rinse in the outdoor shower after a hot afternoon spent fighting weeds?

There are a ton of other things on my list too, including building cold frames, expanding my flock of hens, planting blueberry and raspberry bushes, landscaping the front yard, expanding the vegetable garden, starting a strawberry bed, planting fruit and nut trees, raising angora or dairy goats, and much more.

Baby steps. Baby steps.

This is a hard time of the year for northern homesteaders, gardeners, and everyone else whose fingers are itching to smell fresh, green grass and feel the sun on their backs. I made a pact with myself that this year I wouldn't crack open a single seed catalog or start mapping out my garden expansion plans until March. I made it. (Barely!)

Of course, this hasn't stopped me from inhaling every magazine article I can find on homesteading, living off the grid, and "putting food by" (canning or drying for the next winter season.) Some of my favorite days are when my new Mother Earth News magazine appears in the mailbox. I also love my new subscription to Grit magazine (keep an eye out for a few of my upcoming articles in future issues of Grit!). On top of these two favorites are Mary Jane's Farm, Countryside, Hobby Farm and the new Hobby Farm Home which I just learned about.

And that's just the magazines! Then there are all the Web sites, blogs and online forums. Not to mention the great books I've found at the library and received for Christmas and birthday gifts. The inspiration is endless.

What are some of your favorite homesteading or do-it-yourself resources? Where do you find inspiration?

NOFA How I Love Thee...

The Northeast Organic Farmers Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) is such an incredible organization. I just learned about them maybe a year ago and since that time have found so much great information about organic farming, farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), local food sources, classes, workshops, and more educational opportunities, all listed on their Web site.

This weekend is the annual Winter Conference and I'm SO excited to attend! I've been looking forward to it for months. My sister, Faith ,and my friend Renee and I are going together. The photo above is a shot from last year's conference which I attended with my Mom. Picture a long day of friendly, happy people, learning new things about gardening, farming, beekeeping, soap making, herbs, foraging, livestock care and more, combined with a great (mostly local food) potluck, and sprinkled with a resource area chock full of freebies and business displays and you've pretty much got the winter conference.

Fun!

This year I'm determined however, not to fall into the impatient, "I wish it was spring RIGHT NOW so I can start these outdoor repair and garden projects!" trap. I am trying to truly enjoy the winter months--no bugs, no sunburn, no sticky humidity, and lots of fresh, brisk air and fluffy snow. Spring will get here soon enough, and while winter is a great time to work on plans for next year's garden and read up on homesteading and other interesting things, I don't want to rush any of the seasons.

But of course, being around all those farmers and gardeners and being inspired by the cool workshops and resources will be challenging. Here's to my attempts to stay focused!

Making Changes

How do you make changes? Do you make them gradually, over a long period of time? Do you make them hastily and then fight with everything you've got to make them stick? How much information do you gather before you attempt to make a change? Do you do careful research or are you more a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type person?

I am someone who has a hard time making a decision, but once I've made up my mind that's usually the end of it. I don't like loose ends and "maybes". I like to know what to expect and what the final outcome might logically be for decisions that I make.

Expecting a baby has brought with it a whole slew of new decisions to be made. Some were, for me, no brainers. As someone who is passionate about recycling as much as possible and trying to waste as little as I can, I certainly didn't rush out to create a huge baby registry at some overpriced store. I'm not interested in stockpiling the nursery full of a bunch of stuff we'll probably never need. Yes, it took me months to create an alternative gift registry, and yes I've probably forgotten to include things that we will end up needing. But by putting time and thought into our registry, it will result in a more eco-friendly option for us.

Other things to consider when planning for a baby have ranged from minor, like which type of prefold cotton diaper do I want to use versus more involved, like will I choose to breastfeed? There are so many decisions to make.

One thing that I've learned is that while doing research on a subject is good, it can also paralyze you. Sometimes you need to shut out all the voices, advice, and information and be still. Think about what you truly want to do and why. And then choose to do that, no matter what others think and say about your decision.

My husband and I decided we'd rather have a big summer outdoor "eco-friendly, meet-the-baby" party, instead of a traditional baby shower. Some people don't seem to like the idea, others do. But instead of worrying about pleasing everyone (a habit that's very hard to break), I've decided to let go and just enjoy the parts of my decision that feel good and right to me.

How about you? What are some areas of your life in which you find it challenging to make a decision? And once you've made one, do you stick with it no matter what, or do you tend to change your mind?

Working in a Winter Wonderland

This morning I woke up to snow. A lot of snow. I think the storm that hit yesterday brought about eight inches to our area.

First, I cleared out the dog pen and around the table where the bird feeders are. Then I had breakfast and got ready for the day. Fully bundled up, I headed out to clear a path to the barn so I could feed and water the chickens. It was so beautiful out. The sun was shining and it made all the snow sparkle and shine. After I took care of the chickens, I thought "Hey, I might as well clear around my car." So I did that.

Then my neighbor came to clear my path to the mailbox (how sweet!). He told me he didn't think I would be able to get out of the driveway and offered to come clear the end of it once he finished his morning coffee. How many people have neighbors who are so nice? I thanked him profusely, and then started clearing the top of the driveway, working my way down. I took it slow--didn't want to pull anything in my back or hurt the baby.

As I worked I was reminded how much I love to be outside, moving and doing something productive. All I could hear was the birds and the rhythmic "swish" of my shovel as I tossed the snow to the side of the driveway. The sun was warm on my face, the sky was blue. I remembered in my old job how I would long for time away from my desk and the ringing phone. I wanted to go outside whenever I pleased. And now that I'm able to, I certainly don't take it for granted.

I got so caught up in my chore that I ended up finishing the whole driveway myself, before my neighbor came back outside!

What's funny to me, is that even though I love to work outdoors, there is always this resistance to the thought beforehand. If someone had said, "Boy, you need to get out there and clear the driveway," I would have been totally disgruntled and resistant. But because I went out thinking I'd just "do a little", it ended up being a real treat.

I came in with rosy cheeks, clean lungs, and a much more positive attitude.

Going Local

Localvore (also called locavore) eating is gaining popularity. If you aren't familiar with the term, it basically means eating foods grown as close to you, normally within 100 miles, as often as possible. There have been a lot of books written on the subject. One I would HIGHLY recommend is Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" Excellent book and very informative without being preachy.



I have to admit that eating locally is not something I do very well. In fact, my friend Renee recently mentioned in an email the importance of eating locally, and how if we continue to choose cheap foods from other countries, our own farmers will eventually be put out of business. Well, that got my attention. Though I try to buy organic foods at the grocery store, make food from scratch as much as possible, and frequent the local farmer's market in the summer, I do these things more for health than any else's well being.



I am especially guilty of this in the cold weather months. I LOVE tropical fruit in winter--bananas, mangoes, pineapple, dried papaya--love it, love it, love it. In fact, I'd have to say that it's what I eat most of, after the organic apples which are grown heaven knows where.

Strawberries, grapes, cherries, blueberries--the list goes on and on. And that's just the fruit! So, my friend's observation has really gotten me thinking. How could I incorporate more local foods into my diet, especially in the cold winter months? Is it really hopeless? Am I destined to a fate of dried local apple slices and potatoes for months on end?

I interviewed a wonderful woman named Robin a few months ago for an article I was working on. Robin heads up the Mad River Localvores here in Vermont. She is completely, utterly dedicated to this movement and shared with me that she and her husband are complete and total localvores, other than the spices that they cook with which come from non-local sources. When I asked how she survived the winters without lettuce, grapes and other warm weather produce, she told me that it's just something you get accustomed to. She said my reaction is typical (which made me feel only slightly better) and that it's really just about making different choices. Over time, it becomes second nature. As an added benefit, when you do get local foods like peas, greens and asparagus, you tend to appreciate them a lot more.

Maybe it's time to borrow "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" again from the library. It's definitely time to think about how I can grow, buy, and preserve more local foods for next year's cold winter months.

Ch-ch-cha-changes

I was just thinking this morning as I performed my morning "getting ready for the day" rituals how different they are now than in the past.

Like many things I thought could never change, my bathing rituals are certainly different from when I was in my teens and early 20's.

Here's an example of my past grooming practices:

Wash hair with chemical shampoo and condition (if necessary) with matching chemical conditioner. Use perfume-y (and probably toxic) yummy smelling bath gel. Shave legs with disposable razor and more perfume-y shaving gel. Apply scented lotion and/or powder/perfume after shower to seal in scent. (I read somewhere about "layering" scents in high school and did this for a long time). Don't forget to apply a lot of chemical anti-perspirant! Apply 2-3 products into hair while blow drying. Put on arsenal of conventional makeup with scary ingredients that I can't pronounce onto my face, after rubbing in a moisturizer full of still more ingredients I can't pronounce. Spray hair liberally with hairspray. Done!

Yikes.

Now my routine is a little different. I'm certainly not a full on crunchy yet. I still wear makeup. I still use some chemical products on my hair and face. But my routine has been cleaned up significantly since the ole' days.

Now my grooming routine looks something like this:

Wash hair (I still use non-natural shampoos as they all seem to make my hair as flat as a pancake--anyone have good suggestions?). Sometimes clarify hair by adding a little baking soda to shampoo to remove any residue. Soap up with natural soap fragranced with essential oils. Shave using shampoo or soap with razor that has replaceable cartridges. Apply almond oil to face and body after shower. This oil is GREAT, absorbs quickly and never leaves me feeling greasy. Or alternately, apply a natural body butter or add a drop or two of essential oil to almond oil for fragrance. Dust baking soda under arms in place of deodorant. Dry hair and add a little mousse or spray (again, I haven't been able to find good natural alternatives but am open to ideas!). Apply mineral makeup and traditional liner/mascara (suggestions for the best natural one you've used?). Done!

There has been so much in the media in recent years about what we are putting on our faces and bodies. What was eye opening to me was a time when my grandmother, we called her Memere, was in the nursing home. She got pain patches to help her and my mother described how the patches worked. Basically, like the nicotine or birth control patches they are placed directly onto the patient's skin and are then absorbed into their blood stream!

Hello!

If medication can be applied onto the skin and absorbed, then where are all these lotions and oils and soaps and deodorants going?

If you have any interest in this at all, or even if you are a skeptic, you really should check out Skin Deep. This organization has a database of all all the ingredients in popular cosmetics and what their potential dangers are. It also gives the product a score of lowest to highest danger. Thank goodness I just found out that my chemical mascara is only a 1 (lowest danger) but I'm still going to keep searching for a good, natural alternative.

Tell me about you~have you made any changes to the products that you use over the years for health reasons? What do you think of all the research around toxic ingredients being found in cosmetics? Leave a comment and let me know what you think about all of this.

New Year, New Goals?

What are some of your goals for the new year? I prefer goals to resolutions--goals are something tangible that I can work toward in small steps, whereas resolutions sound so final. Either you are successful and complete your resolutions, or you fail. Goals can be tweaked over time and adjusted as you change and grow.

With that being said, there are a few goals that I want to keep working on in the year ahead. One is to do more for the environment. It's all fine and good to talk and write about how important making changes for the environment are, but sometimes it's easier to talk than walk if you know what I mean. For instance, I'm starting a new branch to my writing service, focused on environmental writing. For my new venture I'll need business cards and brochures. My first instinct, of course, is to get these as inexpensively as possible as long as they still look professional. I can get 250 business cards online for under $20, including the shipping. That's hard to beat. But then I started thinking--is that the message I want to send to my clients? Cheaper is better? Not exactly. So I started calling local printers to ask about recycled paper options (none). Then I went online and started researching recycled paper options and found several. After doing some price comparisons, I asked for samples from one company so that I can see and feel the four papers I have in mind. After I order the paper, I'll need to bring my PDF to a local printer for printing/folding/cutting. All of this will cost me a lot more time and money than if I had simply ordered the cheapo business cards online. BUT what positive effect will this decision have?

1) I'll be supporting a local print shop.

2) I'll be using 100% post consumer recycled paper.

3) (And possibly most importantly) I'll be living my values.

I don't want to be one of those people who laments the fate of the planet and doesn't do much to change it.

Here are some personal goals for the new year:

1) Hang my laundry on the inside line more. We recently added this indoor clothesline to my office. It can be taken down when I have visitors and clothes dries in about 8-9 hours.

2) Keep composting throughout the winter. This is something I've not been good with in the past. It's a trek to get to the compost bins in the snow but this year I'm going to do it as much as possible.

3) Keep buying used whenever possible. Recycling is great, but it still takes energy to transform something old into something new. A better option is to use something old if possible.

4) Fix things instead of throwing them away. My laundry basket's handle broke and I was wondering if I would have to recycle it. Then I decided to try to fix it instead, inspired after reading "The Tightwad Gazette". I used a drill and made a couple of holes and then wired a paperclip through to hold it together. Feels sturdy to me!

5) Find more like-minded friends, business acquaintances and others in my community to connect with. It's great to have so much information online regarding green living. I have my favorite blogs which I read regularly, and I read magazines like Mother Earth News, Grit, and Mary Jane's Farm for inspiration. But as wonderful as all of these resources are, there is nothing like talking with someone who's on the same page as you are. It makes you feel much less alone in your journey toward more sustainable living.

6) Eating real food. For the past couple of weeks I've been trying to incorporate a lot more fruits and vegetables into my diet, along with more natural sources of protein. I have noticed a big difference in how I feel--less moody, more balanced and more energetic. This is something I definitely want to continue in the new year.

7) Making home a homestead. I have a whole list of ideas I'd like to eventually incorporate to make our home and 3/4 acre a true "homestead". I'm going to be prioritizing my list soon, and hopefully will successfully complete at least three things on the list before next fall. At the top of my list for this year? Building raised beds for the garden, building a cold frame and planting berry bushes or strawberry plants.

These are just a few goals for the new year. I've got lots of others, but these top my list. What are some of yours? They don't have to be environmentally related, share them anyway!

Love the Planet? Recycle.

It's very easy to get caught up sometimes in the "big picture" behind the environment and global warming. It's easy say, to blame people who drive gas guzzlers and live in McMansions (even though there are only two people in the family), or to blame the huge corporations that spew toxic chemicals into the air and water near them. The people who don't recycle. The organizations which make junky products that break and end up in the trash sooner than later.

But blaming never gets one very far.

Instead, let's focus on what we can do--each and every one of us. I've compiled a teeny list below, taken from a recent article in Real Simple magazine. For a comprehensive list, follow this link. The articles are called "How to Recycle Anything", and are written by Natalie Ermann Russell. She did a great job on them and offers a huge array of recycling tidbits.

• Sneakers: Nike offers a "Reuse a Shoe" program where they make courts for kids to play on. If shoes are still in good condition, consider donating to your local thrift shop.
• Packing peanuts: With the holiday season upon us, we'll more than likely end up with some boxes filled with the puffy peanuts. These can be brought to UPS or Mail Boxes, Etc. stores for re-use.
• Recreational equipment: Bring to Play it Again Sports, drop off at a local thrift shop, or offer it up on Craigslist or Freecycle.

And lastly, think about pre-cycling. Pre-cycling is trying to buy things with the absolute lowest amount of waste possible. Think bulk food bins at the grocery store, going without plastic carrier bags that we all get far too many of, and trying to buy things in their most natural, plastic free form.

*Photo from US Government Photos

Maybe if we all got out in nature more often, we'd take better care of the planet.

This is a photo of the Grand Canyon, a place I have yet to visit though I've wanted to for years. In fact, I just got a book recently about a new book Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but one part that struck me is the phrase he coined, "nature deficit disorder". He is referring mostly to the fact that children spend so little time in nature. They are "plugged in" much of the time to one electronic device or another and when they aren't, they're being shuttled to and from organized sports and other activities.

Honestly, I think he's on to something. I remember spending hours outside when I was a kid. My mother had four children, so sometimes she would kick us out of the house to get the cleaning done! I remember creating imaginary houses within the thick tree trunks, boats out of fallen logs, and magical kingdoms on the little stream that would freeze over in winter. I learned a lot about the woods just by being in them. That old, wet wood peels apart exactly like turkey in flakes and chunks, the smell and taste of clover, the way the leaves turned "inside out" before it rains.

I haven't gotten that far into the book yet, but I wonder if Louv talks at all about adult nature deficit disorder. Because I think that like many problems and bad habits which children inherit, it's normally the adults setting the stage. If more parents were to take their children into the woods rather than to a weekend matinee or afternoon at the arcade, their curiosity about the natural world would be sure to increase.

Parents may wonder though, what to DO with their kids in the woods, especially if their own parents never spent time showing them the wonders of the natural world. Here are a few suggestions:

1) Go geocaching. This is a sort of nature treasure hunt--geocachers "plant" caches in different locations. Seekers must find the cache using only a GPS.

2) Go for a hike. It doesn't have to be long and arduous. Listings of quickie hikes and easy trails should be listed on your state's forest parks and recreation website.

3) Have a picnic. So what if it's cold? Bundle up and build a campfire in your backyard. Spread some blankets around the fire and enjoy a yummy meal together.

4) Garden.

5) Explore your local state or local wildlife refuges. These have some great walking/snowshoeing trails and normally lake or river access for canoeing.

6) Buy a used telescope and explore the stars and galaxies together.

7) Walk the dog.

8) Go on a family walk and clean litter off the roadside as you do it (don't forget gloves!).

9) Go Letterboxing. Similar to geocaching, only you stamp a small log book instead of finding a cache. Requires no GPS.

These are just a few ideas, I'm sure you can come up with a lot more of your own. The important thing is just to try to get out there--even if it's once a week. My bet is that the fresh air, movement, and connection to nature will have you wanting more in no time.

Fair Trade--Is it Really Too Expensive?

I just read an EXCELLENT article in Relevant Magazine, regarding fair trade items and why it costs more to buy them. A lot of times when people hear "fair trade" or "organic" they are immediately dismissive. "Oh, that's too expensive. It's just a lot of overpriced goods that aren't any better quality than any other products."

Weeeeellllllll, actually when one purchases organic or fair trade items, they usually are of better quality. More importantly, to me at least, is that I can buy these items with a clear conscience. Fair trade items guarantee that the folks making them get paid a fair wage and that they are working in decent conditions. Many, many times the reason we in the West are able to get such "cheap" items, be it food, textiles, or other merchandise, is because the people making the goods are are working basically as slaves.

As far as organics go, there is another two-fold benefit. Not only are you not putting potentially harmful chemicals into your body, but organic farming is much, much better for the earth and environment. Organic farmers also tend to treat their animals more humanely, and to take better care of their land and farms.

Sometimes in the U.S. I feel we have a "see no evil" mentality. Just because we can't SEE what people in under developed countries go through to produce us with our cheap goods, doesn't mean we shouldn't care about what's going on. It's our responsibility to find out where our goods are coming from and decide if we want to support a company that enslaves children or has horrible working conditions for its employees. I would bet you a million dollars that no company which utilizes these types of practices is going to stand up and tell you the truth about it for our convenience. We have to become socially responsible detectives and do a little digging on our own.

With that being said, there is a true and understandable concern regarding the price of some of these items. Believe me, I'm as cheap as the next tightwad. I rarely buy something if it's not on sale and more often try to make do with something else entirely if I'm in a very thrifty mood. I also buy a lot of used items. Thrift shops are some of my favorite haunts and a great place to get some of my favorite brands of clothes (Liz Claiborne, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic) for just a few bucks. I don't really "believe" in labels, but there is something to be said for the quality and fit of certain items. However, buying used is a fairly guilt-free indulgence.

The article in Relevant also quoted J. Matthew Sleeth, the author of my much loved, "Serve God, Save the Planet" book, who (I'm paraphrasing here) says that if cost is an issue, then we should consume less and still spend our money on the more expensive fair trade and organic items. Hmm.

Consume less. Imagine that.

I'm considering doing a fair trade/organic challenge for a period of time. I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Little Cabin in the Big Woods

It's amazing the things you think you can't live without that you really don't need. My husband I and stayed in this adorable little cabin for a few days during our fall vacation last week. It was so peaceful. I've always wanted to go on a fall vacation and I was certainly not disappointed. There were hardly any people at the campground, though even if there had been our cabin was so secluded from the rest of the grounds that we probably wouldn't have heard them anyway. It was tiny (very, very small) but it had the basics. Running water (cold only), a cooking stove, a small fridge, pots, pans, dishes, utensils, a bed and a little dining table. It didn't have a bathroom but there was one nearby, just a short walk away. And there wasn't any heat so it did get a little chilly at night, but the cook stove helped keep things fairly warm after dinner.

I read a lot, and we napped, walked our dog, Peeka, talked and took pictures. It was so restful: No telephone, no email, no TV, no commitments. We actually talked about that--how rested we felt by only the second day. Time moved so slowly and it was lovely.

We tried to keep the vacation mentality going once we got home as we had a few days left to relax, but it's much, much harder here. The television went on. I had to check my work email account. We had to run some errands. I needed to make a few phone calls and a batch of thank you muffins for my Mom and sister who took care of the pets who remained here at home. The telephone started ringing, the lawn needed raking, the dishes had to be washed.

I can't help thinking though, that there must be a way to bring that peaceful cabin-in-the-woods feeling into our lives on a more regular basis. I noticed that even my thoughts, which had become slow as molasses in the woods, have returned to their jumpy, "don't-forget-to-do-that" ways. While we were away, my mind slowed down enough that I was thinking of only one thing at a time. I had time to really notice things like the gorgeous shades of the leaves, the smell of the neighbor's wood stove, the warmth of the little propane cooking stove, the sound of my breath and my heartbeat.

And those are basics that I want to focus on more. Less rushing, more savoring. Less stuff, more enjoyment. Less media, more time for what's important, for what's real. This post at Zen Habits sums it up really well.

So with that, I'm logging off of the computer and taking some time to study the leaves right outside my window. It won't be long before they are gone and all I'll have left will be the pictures.

How can I recycle this???

I try to recycle. But sometimes it's hard to find a place to recycle certain things. For instance, I have this broken 7-in-1 blender/chopper/smoothie maker/food processor that's been sitting in my basement for years because it's missing one little, tiny part. I contacted the company several times, but unfortunately, they aren't making this particular unit anymore. I refuse to just throw it in the garbage though--there must be some way to recycle it. Perhaps into a lovely smoothie- maker planter?

For all of you who have those pesky items sitting around gathering dust in your
garage/attic/basement or closet, I have a great site to share with you: "How Can I Recycle This?" is a fabulous blog which will give you a thousand (or at least one or two) ideas of what to do with things which you can't recycle traditionally, but hate to throw in the landfill.