Agonyzer’s Neighborhood

Almond blossoms

I have a really amazing friend in California, she's an artist and also a practicioner of Ayurvedic medicine. When she lived here she gave me some shards of wisdom. Like drinking hot water with lemon in the morning.

Now I've become intrigued by the practice on a deeper level. I know that the practice is from India or South Asia. And they emphasize yoga.

I was reminded by Aubrey about my seasonal habits. I change my environment as the seasons change. I put away my beach photos and put out photos of old snow-covered barns in Vermont. I bust out my maroon fleece pajamas. Blankets get draped over chairs. It is very much like the moon cycles, it's quite a feminine aspect.It's quite a mystery, thought.

It's a mystery to me, though, why I have these cravings. It's not as though it's always warmer in March than it is in November. I have to wonder if humans evolved with the agrarian cycles. Or if it's even more primitive.

So I was pleased to hear that part of Ayurvedic medicine is to encourage people to tune into these seasonal cycles. They also encourage a gluten-free diet. Yay!

Java

Here is my Greenwashing report for the week, I'm using someone else's blog because it's so brilliant. Triple Pundit has a Greenwashing Archive. There's some really funny stories in there. Like the new food labelling project called "Smart Choices".

Their goal is to point to products that are healthy for us. Among their certified cereals? Fruit Loops and Cocoa Crispies. Yeah, take that before your marathon!

And the new Republican stance on CO2: more of it will actually benefit life on Earth! Yes, you can buy back those SUVs now.

On a more practical note, here are 5 ways to green your coffee!  :)

Brew Your Own: Eliminate your need for disposable cups and save money in the process by making your own coffee at home- hot or iced.  Even better, take the Good Earth Coffee “Brew at Home” Pledge and Good Earth will donate $1 to The Trust for Public Land, a non-profit that works to conserve parks, gardens, and natural places.

Buy Organic, Shade Grown, and/or Fair Trade: Organic coffee is grown without the use of pesticides; shade grown coffee is grown without unnecessary clearing of rainforest, which disrupts bird habitats (shade grown is also sometimes referred to as “Bird-Friendly”); and Fair Trade refers to the practice of providing fair wages and conditions for workers.  Ideally, choose a coffee that meets all three standards.

Drongo cuckoo

Invest in a Reusable Filter: At this point, I hate buying any product intended for one-time use.  Although paper filters can be composted, there is still an environmental cost associated with their production.  (Also, I just think the coffee tastes better run through a reusable filter.)

Use a Thermos: Rather than leaving the coffeemaker on “warm”, making multiple pots, or reheating in the microwave, conserve energy by making a day’s worth of coffee and pouring it into a vacuum-sealed thermos.  This will ensure that you have a constant supply of hot coffee to keep you going all day.

Compost the Coffee Grounds: Finally, make sure your grounds make it into the compost bin.  Or, during the growing season, sprinkle the grounds over flower and vegetable beds as a nitrogen-rich mulch.

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I'm spending the rest of the day in my pajamas, don't tell anyone I'm home! We overdid it yesterday, painting the house and raking leaves. 20 bags worth from our meager acreage.

Then I jogged at the Lake this morning. Cold but lovely anyway. I ran into 7 teenagers trying to harass an animal and I had to talk with them. I'll elaborate tomorrow. Sigh.

People never guess that I'm a huge supporter of free will. Wiccans say do whatever you like, as long as it causes no harm. Yet animals are so often used as entertainment for bored children I guess tormenting them is now seen as perfectly acceptable.

Oh well, have some snacks! (Not sure what that is in the picture but it looks yummy).

Smoothie

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We visited the Berkshires this weekend, it was lovely. We grabbed some lattes, looked for hiking clothes and ate at a small-town pub after.  The region is more mountainous and forested than our region, the Valley.

We drove past an incredible home. It was white with silver shutters, and it was traditional yet semi-modern. I wish I knew the name of house styles so I could have identified it.  

We have a creative artist neighbor who does sidewalk chalk art every day. One guy calls it "The Gallery" because we all see her fabulous drawings when we walk to the breakfast place on weekends. I'm looking forward to having more artistic space on our new property.

People in the Berkshires live a much more cozy lifestyle, the forests are right outside their windows, along with the rushing river and mountains. Fireplaces and faux-fur hiking boots in mudrooms are the norm.

I found a cool example of a modern home, south-facing windows, in Natural-Home Magazine. It's a Zen Ranch Colorado Straw Bale Home. I'd love a place like this!

Tea4

We shopped for hiking boots this weekend, I overheard the funniest conversation. A woman and her mom were trying on some clothes, lamented that the sizes were all wrong.

"These clothes aren't made for American women. (Looks at label) See? 'Made in India'. Women over there are made differently. That's why all our jobs are gone, because the were all sent over there".

I had to laugh. Haven't we gotten a grip on a global economy yet? When will we get with the program? Other countries have a prospering population, universal health care. Other nations are united to solve climate change issues. Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands allow gay marriage.

There's an exceptional article in the Boston Globe this week called Why Fundamentalism will fail.

In Christianity, the fastest-growing wing of the church is the Pentecostal/Charismatic wave...accounting for one in every four Christians. One writer has called them “main street mystics.” Among Muslims, it is the gentle but ecstatic Sufi version that is growing fastest, not the suicide bomber cults. All these movements...represent a fatal threat to fundamentalism.

Throws

I'm encouraged to hear this. Because while the far right-wing may be making a lot of noise, they are clearly in the minority. They've even caused some Republicans to switch parties - and I'm a huge supporter of the Working Party. 

I don't think it's about being the loudest, I do think it's about forming communities.  

With raspberry too

As we all know, real change takes time. News reports are saying today that the single-payer health care plan is off the table. The real news is, it's a very hot topic. It has energy. Thousands of grassroots organizations and nurses are supporting the idea.

Bernie Sanders is introductiong S703 to Healh Care Reform.

Please write to the White House and support Universal Health Care for the 37 to 47 million Americans without insurance. It will save us money! And tell them we want the bill delayed if it doesn't have one.

Hot drinks

I'm still trying to minimize our posessions. Even my email box was horribly clogged. I had 124 emails on my private account. Most of them were from nonprofits. During grad school I did a newsletter signup frenzy. I must have been lonely or something!

I unsubscribed to almost all of them. Wow! What a difference. Our house is also filled with things we can't seem to say no to. Gifts from family, my mom sends me boxes of junk.

Last night I made a list of things I want vs things I need.

Need: Clothing, food, shelter. Medicine and cleaning products. Safety items (phone, flashlight)

That doesn't sound like a lot until you remember that clothing alone is shoes, shirts, fall coats, winter coats, boots, gloves, jogging clothes, agh!

Want: Art and supplies, amenities, furniture, books, cat toys, modest decor, some electronics. Girly things.

That is still a lot of stuff, and it doesn't even include sentimental things. Very hard to choose. On a somewhat unrelated note, I love this clothing site called Prana. They make great yoga clothes and they are partnered with Conservation Alliance, a wonderful nonprofit.

And they don't brag about stuff. I love that.

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Green-tea-shaded

Going to my favorite semi-local market today. Finding products that aren't wasteful gives me a raging migraine. Companies brag about all sorts of things that are weak or completely meaningless. Like "made from sustainable materials". Says who? Oh yeah, the company who makes the product.

Fortunately, the Federal Trade Commission has finally decided to step in. ABC news had a good story on the matter. As they point out in the story, a few good labels exist already. Terrachoice mentions Ecologo and Green Seal.

Here's a quick and dirty eco-guide:

** Items that will be tossed in days or weeks are wasteful, period. The "biodegradeable" label is not regulated by law. Packaging should be minimal.

**Plastic is evil. The end. Try glass or metal.

**As our beloved Alton Brown says, we don't like Unitaskers. If you buy a glass bottle of milk, or whatever, think of ways you can Reuse the item. Put candies in it as a Christmas gift. That way you'll also avoid gift wrap for the holiday.

**Paper can be biodegradeable, but habitat loss and deforestation are, in my opinion, the most serious environmental problem these days. Buy used furniture, use a cloth bag. Be happy and dance.  

Which looks cooler, a Dunkin Donuts styrofoam cup, or these?

Smoothie

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Had a lovely 1st of November walk in town last night. I had a latte to go in a reuseable mug that was black cat themed and on sale Post-Halloween. Folks were outdoors chatting. Ladies were in their pretty Fall jackets and long skirts.

I'm sort of in grad-school limbo, job searching. But I'm still super busy somehow. I'm in kind of a strange frantic mode. So I enjoy my town visits. Our area is unashamedly liberal. The bookstores have bumperstickers about goddesses and yoga, growing local and Earth conservation. And grassroots organizations.

I strolled around the local bookstore. I need a datebook and I have a list of fiction books to buy. Along with our other new-home features I think I'm going to need a study with tons of bookshelves. I have stacks of journals and sketchbooks.

I'm experimenting with other forms of art and I'm using stuff around the house like buttons. I might start a scrapbook. J thinks I should begin a comic strip. That sure would give me an excuse to spend a fortune at the local art supply store. I should go back to the cafe / bookstore and ponder all this.

I wish all you guys could join me! :)

Empty journals

Flower

I've been doing really well with my diet, and I've been sleeping better. Endorphin highs are great. I went jogging at my Lake on Saturday. The weather was amazing. It was humid and the sky was dark. 

The rain cooled off my skin. Raindrops pattered on the orange and scarlet leaves that were carpeting the ground. The whole Lake was eerily quiet. Odd birds singing, and a pair of blue jays chasing each other!

Ring-billed gulls gather by the dozens this time of year, and I saw one that had a bright-green tag on its wing. Now I have to look up whom I call to report banded birds.

Running really clears my head. I'm able to solve problems while I jog.

Lovely weekend all around.