How Much Would You Spend??

We're in the wrong profession. Anyone reading this post is in the wrong profession, trust me.



See this lovely tomato? How much would you pay for it?

$3? $4?

These organic, heirloom tomatoes, sold at a "Hole" Foods store, were....wait for it........wait.....

$5.99 a pound

The tomato was 2 pounds, hence the lovely tomato above was $12. $12!!!!!

That better be one heck of a great tomato!

But when you eat out of season, you pay for "forcing" the vegetable to ripen. Personally, I'll wait until the tomatoes are actually ripe and I'll know that they will taste even better than the one above. Don't get me wrong, I'd give plenty for a good ripe tomato and some s/p but the cheapskate in me doesn't want to pay $12 for it!

And I saw people purchasing the expensive tomatoes. One lady walked out of the store clutching a lovely Mr. Stripey like it was priceless. At those prices, it kinda was. So see, we're all in the wrong profession. We should start heirloom organic tomato farms and sell our crops at a high price!

(And yes, I pulled my camera out of my purse and made Matt hold the offending tomato while others in the store stared at me. Oh well, I'm used to be stared at oddly by others, wondering what in the world I'm doing. I am a former CP worker and a current teacher, after all! It's part and parcel of the gigs!)

Product testing: Soap Nuts

I tried soap nuts as an alternative to laundry detergent.

There were about 25 soap nuts per box. According to the box, each load needs about 5 nuts (to be placed in the bag provided) and you can get about 4-5 loads from each batch of nuts.

One slightly blurry soap nut. The nuts have this resin on them that isn't sticky but looks like it might be. They don't have any smell to them.

The bag provided for the nuts.

The soap nuts in action.

End result: They worked but I don't think I would get them again. I could get about 3 loads from each batch of soap nuts before they started falling apart and I would have to pick out bits of soap nut from the bottom of the washing machine or dryer. And this is a silly thing but my laundry didn't smell fresh. Yes, I know the "smell" is mostly chemicals but I missed it when I used the soap nuts. For me, they weren't my favorite. Now we're trying a different environmentally friendly laundry detergent.

New blog title

After some thought, I decided to change the direction of my blog. In reality, my life isn't interesting enough to blog about! I don't feel comfortable blogging about school life, and with it just being Hubby and I, there's not enough going on around here to be interesting. But, a personal goal I have is to be as green & Earth friendly as possible. I've been working at it but I think a blog might be a good place to share ideas and tips (either from me or from other sources)



So, without further ado, my new blog: Working to be Green, is created!



First tip: Reusing netted plastic bags (from onions or potatoes). Remove labels, fold into fourths, and tie into a loop using fishing line. And now you have a pot scrubber!
Courtesy of MaryJane's Farm

The wonder of our world

I'm in the process of reading Gorgeously Green and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It is also my inspiration for this post. That and Alaina's recent post on the same subject. Sorry Alaina, I don't mean to copy, it's just that I share your opinion on the matter and it has been weighing on my mind recently.

The author believes, and I agree, that one change can make a difference. So as we continue to use up our old light bulbs and replace them with CFLs, I try to remember to bring in bags when I go to the grocery store (why do I always remember in the dairy section? What is it about cheese that makes me think: I forgot my bags!), and we try to use as little water as possible (which means I stuff the washing machine with as much as I can get in there. There's always room for one more towel!) we are working to improve the environment.

However, just because we try to live green doesn't mean that we have to wear only hemp clothing! We can be pretty women too (sorry guys, this book is not really for you) I'm only on the second chapter but it's already helped me to realize that I have no idea what is in my makeup, lotion, shampoo or conditioner. I looked at many of the labels which start this way: water, glyercin, and continue to list chemicals that I can't pronounce. Does anyone know of eco-friendly shampoo, soap, etc, that would be readily accessible? Remember, I live ten miles from the middle of nowhere, so it will have to be pretty mainstream.

Something else that is recommended is to spend 1/2 hour with nature each day, even if it's weeding your flowers. So this morning, I woke up early and took a walk. The world is very new at 6:30 in the morning. I love that time of day except that it comes so early! I also re-remembered how beautiful our area is. It's not that I forget but more like I just recognize its beauty again. I walked along a country road and admired the lovely colors of tiger lilies, chicory, clover, and even the garlic mustard which added a nice yellow. Nature's bouquet, growing in a ditch. We move so fast anymore that we forget to enjoy what we have, whether it be nature or each other. I did laugh at a squirrel. He was about 50 feet in front me and kept running away from me as I walked closer. We did this for about 200 feet. I'm certain that I looked like a crazy woman walking along and laughing but come on, squirrels are funny!

Even if it is a squirrel running away from you or the simple beauty of wildflowers, it is our duty to protect this earth. We shouldn't think, "what can we get out of the earth" but rather "what can we do to help the earth while still enjoying our time on this planet." The earth is wonderful. Just think of all the different animals, plants, insects, and life that co-exist here. The beauty of a sunset or snowstorm. The season cycle with spring teeming with life, summer's bounty, fall's colors, and even winter's promise (and beauty, if you are me!) There is so much to enjoy and appreciate and yet we don't. We blast through hills to pave roads. We speed by nature to get to a jungle of concrete and asphalt. We irrigate our land to grow grass where it shouldn't grow. We trash the planet for our own selfish wants. And we complain about the smell from landfills. But, there is a cure. The other wonder of our planet is that it can heal itself. Much like our bodies, nature, if given enough time, can erase most of its scars. Have you ever not mowed a section of your yard for a period of time? What happens? The grass grows longer, bushes begin to grow, birds and rabbits move in. The same is true for our planet. It is not dead or dying. We are hurting it but we can stop. We just have to be aware of our actions and their consequences. So please, remember to turn off the light when you leave a room or turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth. If you don't recycle, try to begin. See if your community has a recycling program. If you don't, try to recycle at home. Find new uses for items that you would normally toss into the trash. Don't spray pesticides or herbicides on your yard: find homemade, eco-friendly ones. I found one yesterday for pests on plants which was soap, vinegar, and garlic.
We only have one planet and we need to care for it. Just remember, every little action can change the world!

Good luck!