Towards Sustainability

After my post the other day, I remembered that I had been planning on posting more on sustainability on this blog. It's an important topic in my life, as our planet cannot continue on the destructive path it is now pursuing.

Here are a few helpful links that I've discovered recently...

Towards a Culture of Sustainability

The Sustainability Institute

The Sustainability Kit

As always, Rhonda Jean at Down to Earth is a wonderful inspiration and has so many helpful links, posts, and of course, her forum. (Click on the chicken!)

I almost feel like there isn't much for me to say on the subject as Rhonda has probably said whatever I am trying to say, and done it much better. I really cannot wait until her book comes out sometime soon!

Sharing Felt-Art Again...

Okay, I know I mentioned Marie and her blog in my last post...

But you HAVE to pop over to her blog right now. You'll absolutely love it!

I mean... look at this! Right now, I  really want some of these to play with and sit on my desk and give me story ideas... aren't they just so adorable?

And the art she's made about the Christchurch disaster will touch your heart.
Look here... and then here...

On a less sombre note, here is what I want my child to look like if I ever have children of my own... (or if I have a girl...)

And here's what I want to look like.

If all these links don't convince you that her artwork is amazing, you're just a tough customer.

Honestly, she may be one of the most artistic people I've ever seen. I'm convinced she's a magical fairy godmother.

Need Inspiration?

If you need some artistic inspiration, for whatever reasons (papers, cleaning, chores, etc.)...

Visit the wonderfully creative and kind Marie for some light and love and beautiful felt-art from New Zealand. I think I'm in love with each piece I've seen of hers.

Or pop over to the Flutterby Patch!  I just discovered her whimsical world of dollies and North England. (Did I mention I'm an anglophile? Well, more a Commonwealth-phile...) Her post about Memory Lane and bygone childhood is absolutely lovely.

And of course, the amazing Jenny of Little Jenny Wren has long been one of my favourite bloggers, before I even began blogging nearly three years ago. Look at her Waldorf dolls, and her other lovely posts about life. :) Her dolls are works of art, and I can personally vouch for how wonderful they are, since I am the proud owner of one of her cushion dolls.

There are so many more, of course, but these three have been some of my favourites these past few days.

On My Mind...

Over at Down to Earth, she has a lovely Friday photo feature. I've been thinking about joining in for quite some time, but never have before...

But last week, when I went thrifting, I picked up two hardcase suitcases, for only $2.50 (£1.5). And don't you know, the smallest one is just perfect for carrying all the little things I need to school every day. And then I need just a small bag for a few books and my tea thermos, and I'm set. No more heavy backpacks that hurt my back, and no more stuffed book-bags that end up disfiguring my notebooks. :)

And yes, that's a new knitting project I'm planning on posting about here soon. Maybe by the time I get to that, I'll be finished with it!

Conserving Consumers

Okay, I know, the title is a contradiction of terms. But consumers can learn to conserve, can't they?

Apparently some people, according to this NY Times article, think so.

"Consumer spending has picked up, but for some Americans the recession has left something behind: a greater interest in making stuff last... 

...It is hardly the stuff of generations past, those stung by the Great Depression, who held onto antediluvian dishware and stored canned goods until rust formed on the lids. But for the moment, many citizens of a throwaway society are making fewer visits to the trash and recycling bins."

This makes me hopeful, just the littlest bit, that maybe my fellow Americans might slowly be learning than more isn't always better.

I've heard so many people, especially girls say, "if one is good, two is better." I'd like to change that.

If one is good, two is unnecessary.

Slowing Down

I have felt very run-down these last few weeks, and just haven't given myself the chance to stop. The pressure of work and classes, especially my English class, which is nearly finished, actually.

While I love the class and the work that goes with it, I will be very happy when we're finished in a few weeks. And I have a big project due in that on Tuesday next, just after a long paper due in Social Welfare the night before that.

Everyone at school seems to be getting sick these past few weeks as well, and this morning, I woke up with no voice and a swollen throat. Not quite the best way to wake up, but thankfully, I had no classes today. My boss had rescheduled me to come in on Friday anyways, so I didn't have the leave the house today.

That's right. In the middle of the week, I got to stay at home, work on papers and drink tea. It wasn't a complete break, but it was still nice. And slow. I miss days like this, and I want more like it. I don't like it when my life feels like a train rushing headlong into a wreck.

And just for kicks, I tried out a new scone recipe. I've been trying quite a few of those recently, and either I like the taste and dislike the texture of the dough, or I like the texture and the taste is just not right. Today was no different; the texture was the best I'd ever made, while the taste was more like a cross between sour-milk biscuits and dinner rolls. Edible, but not scones. Anyone have a good recipe they'd like to share?

I'd love more days spent quietly at home, with the time to try out kitchen or craft adventures. But alas, my schooling schedule isn't quite so amenable to that. Perhaps next semester shall fair better, I hope.

For now, I'm off to sleep before early morning classes strike at me again, and I delve into the world of literary analysis on the lyrics of... Mumford & Sons? Oh yes, I do love my English class...

Yon Forest

I looked up some English folk songs today...



I want a lute...

Tea Is Best Shared

Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage. ~ Catherine Douzel

I know nothing of who this Catherine Douzel is, or why she is considered an authority about whatever it is that she is famous for, but I cannot agree more with her quote. Also, when I search for her online, all I find is this quote, so it may be that this is indeed the reason she is famous.

I suppose many people who know me have suspected, or known, that I love tea. I can hardly drink coffee these days, so tea has taken over my life. Now, I am lost if I don't have a thermos of hot tea with me at school. And if I'm at home and my teapot is empty, I am quite forlorn.

We had a kettle; we let it leak:

Our not repairing it made it worse.

We haven't had any tea for a week...

The bottom is out of the Universe. 

~ Rudyard Kipling

On Tuesday, I went thrifting, which is ever so much fun. A friend went with me for a bit, and we had a blast. However, she had to leave a bit sooner than I, and much before I made the loveliest discovery.

Of course I got it. But as I already had a teapot, I felt ever just the tiniest bit guilty. I mean, at home, we have a fancy teapot (from Russia), a white elephant teapot, an old yellow and blue teapot, and then a Chinese teapot. And my blue one - Saminda - that I got when I was in NY.

When I talked with my friend Kaitlyn that night, she mentioned that she also didn't drink coffee, although her whole family did. I asked if she liked tea, and she said that she did, but didn't drink very often because she didn't have her own teapot.

Now, Kaitlyn's quite happily settled with my thrifted teapot. I suppose I ought to go thrifting with her more often, and next time, we'll both bring along a thermos of tea.

Late-Night Cocoa

On Tuesday, I ended up having to stay in town for just about forever it seemed. Well, not exactly true, but Mum needed me to drive her home when she got off work, which was close to midnight.

So I crashed at a late-night diner and drank hot cocoa and wrote letters with an antique dip-pen and crimson ink. Lovely, yes?

I felt rather like Cassandra Mortmain from I Capture The Castle, only I had no sheepdog on a leash to warm my feet. And it was quite a bit colder out than I believe August in London would be...

And even the waitress told me that I looked just like a heroine from an some sort of English romance. I appreciated the thought. And the extra fill-ups on cocoa as I spent quite a long time there.

A Most Unusual Valentine's

Today is a day I dread. I hate things that have been overly commercialized, and commercializing love is reprehensible to me.

Also, we planned on my office hosting an open house/informational display at work. We'd never done anything like this before, and a lot of the paper-work and set up was riding on my shoulders. And my supervisor has been out of the office the last week and a half due to her son getting married. Most inconvenient timing. However, my fears were assuaged and all went exceedingly well and everyone was happy. Including me. 

But I hadn't escaped life yet.

Student Union was passing out flowers and trying to encourage people to give them to others. I quickly selected a white rose and gave it to my friend Kaitlyn. Who gave me a lovely pink rose in return.

After I got off work, I was gifted, by various others, over twenty more roses. Sweet, yet completely embarrassing to then walk into one's classroom holding an over-the-top bouquet. My teacher gave me a complete tease during class, which thankfully got out early.

Now for tea, music and going to bed before I have to get to class again early in the morning!

Happy Anniversary!

Obviously, not of the blog.

Nope! It's my parents' 23 wedding anniversary today!

Congratulations to one of the loveliest married couples I know....