The White House has a blog, a Twitter account; we knew it couldn't be long before they got a flickr account. There are some incredible photos in their photostream by official White House photographer Pete Souza that give some insight into the non-verbal expressions of what our president and those close to him are experiencing. Check it out when you have some time to browse...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse
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29 April 2009
25 April 2009
Our Green Life
It's Earth Month again. April is a great time to rethink our habits and attitudes toward the planet, and to share ideas about what we're doing to make a difference with our friends and neighbors. Our green journey started a while ago, but this year we've made a bigger commitment than ever to live a life that respects Creation. Here are a few of the habits we're forming:
Cultivate a Garden
We live in a two-bedroom townhome with no usable yard space, so we knew we'd have to get creative if we wanted to be a part of the 1 million gardens springing up around the US. Before Spring had even arrived, we picked up a copy of the Bountiful Container.
We learned what kinds of fruits and veg could thrive in a pot, bought a load of organic seeds from Seeds of Change, and set out to build a garden. So far we've harvested a bounty of herbs, salad greens, strawberries, and edamame, and we have three varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and spring onions on the way. Other than some draining issues with a few of our pots, the plants are thriving in their little controlled worlds. We do fertilize, but with organic fertilizer made from bone meal and other stuff that smells awful. Chester loves it.
Turn the power all the way off.
For Vance's birthday, I got him a stack of books and two mystery boxes. Inside those boxes were two Belkin Conserve power strips. Many of our former power-sucking electronics (including our monster CRT television) are plugged into the white wonders, and rather than continuing to run up our electric bill while we're not there to enjoy it, they get completely cut off.
Go organic.
I made the switch to organic meats two years ago and I've been trying to increase the local, sustainable, and/or organic foods in other parts of my diet ever since. I jokingly add that organic food is "all the fat and calories, none of the poison" but it's only a half-joke. Organic foods reduce the toxins we put into our own bodies while reducing farm pollution and supporting small farms where the growers and ranchers have a personal commitment to quality and sustainability. It's one of the healthiest and tastiest ways we can respect the planet.
Recycle.
Like a lot of Americans, we don't have curbside recycling. But with the help of Whole Foods and programs like Gimme 5, we are still able to participate in the reduction in landfill waste. Plus, it means fewer trips to the dumpster to drop of our other household garbage.
What are you doing to live a life that cares for Creation?
18 April 2009
Our Portland Vacation: An idea(log)
This summer Vance and I are headed to Portland, OR for a week. Call it a belated one-year anniversary rendezvous. Here are the first ten ideas (mostly food-related) I have for things we should do while we're there:
1. Eat lunch at Tábor food cart. From a truck that looks like a gypsy cart, Czech specialties like fried eggplant on ciabatta, slathered with paprika spread and horse-radish. Stark St. near S.W. Fifth Ave.; schnitzelwich.com
2. Grab breakfast at Moxie Rx. Lighter-than-air buckwheat waffles, buttery biscuits, salads, smoothies, and juice drinks. N. Mississippi Ave. at N. Shaver St. moxierx.com
Photo: John Clark
3. Eat lunch at Garden State food cart. Farm-to-table Italian-style chickpea polenta sandwiches, divine arancine (fried risotto balls), and a meatball hero to make an Italian mama proud. Next to 7875 S.E. 13th Ave. gardenstatecart.com
4. Eat lunch at Tastebud. At their store and at four farmers’ markets, these folks make chewy, smoky pizza with toppings like asparagus, shallots, and dandelion marmalade. tastebudfarm.com
5. Visit the ecru paperie. I visited this place when I went to Portland for the first time. Paperies are one of my little indulgences; it's like a little art gallery for people who see art in everyday things. 1215 NW 11th Ave. ecrupaper.com
6. Visit Bridgeport's Brewpub. Bridgeport is Oregon's oldest craft brewery. Maybe we'll stop by when we spend a day in the Pearl district. bridgeportbrew.com
7. Spend an hour at Powell's City of Books. Powells is the holy grail of bookstores. I stumbled into it while I was (purposely) lost in Portland over two years ago and it was like I opened the door to a magic wonderland. powells.com
8. Drink a latte at Stumptown. This one probably should have been #1. But these are not in any particular order. I spent parts of at least 4 of my days in Portland in the Stumptown coffeehouse. Their coffee is hands-down the best I've ever had. This one is not optional. stumptowncoffee.com
9. Do the wednesday Lunch Buffet at Horn of Africa. I found this idea in the Not For Tourists guide to Portland and it looks amazing. Plenty of food I can eat and even more food Vance will love. Nom. And just in case they take it down, here's a coupon with no expiration date. Mother would be so proud. ;) hornofafrica.net
10. Do breakfast at the Tin Shed. This one's also from the NFT Guide. From their website, "we pride ourselves on providing only the freshest, most wholesome products. Our beef, chicken and eggs are all free-range. Our coffee is organic, shade-grown and blended to our specifications right here in Portland. Our dairy products are packed locally using no growth-hormones, the salmon is wild...you get the picture. And when you are done, we compost 100% of our left-overs. Because its not just the destination, but the journey." You know I'm there. tinshedgardencafe.com
Thanks to Sunset.com for providing inspiration!
November 2009
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What I'm Reading
Rose Marie Nichols McGee: McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container
Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible FlowersElisabeth Elliot: Let Me Be a Woman
"In order to learn what it means to be a woman, we must start with the One who made her."Raymond Arsenault: Freedom Riders
1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice (Pivotal Moments in American History)James W. Sire: Habits of the Mind
Intellectual Life as A Christian Calling