plage de temps

Plage de temps, or literally "beach of time," also is an expression for "a space of time for oneself to which one repairs on a daily or periodic basis" according to Mireille Guiliano---a concept that I thought about a great deal during the two weeks I combed the shoreline for green, brown, and bluey bits of sea glass to add to my collection (they represent to me the equivalent of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's shells in Gift from the Sea).

I am proud of myself for not only suggesting this vacation, this much-needed plage de temps, but also actually taking the time off as well. We didn't travel far---just the 10 miles from our home to the sea and back every day---and kept expenses low by packing picnics, with the occasional treat of a simple restaurant meal of grilled fish (done beachside here) and salad. OK, there also were regular stops at the ice cream kiosk as well, but it WAS a holiday. :-)

It would have been easy, though, to forgo the vacation entirely in the name of austerity, especially as my husband's job search and this era of economic uncertainty continue to drag on. But we both had worked so hard in the past year---everyone well deserved this break. As does everyone out there who has been affected by the stresses of the Great Recession.

Staycations and nearcations are great ways to promote plage de temps. You may not be fortunate as we are to live so close to a popular vacation spot, but there must be a park or recreational area within a similar distance to your house as well, perhaps even your own backyard, where you could enjoy a brief escape. After work today, I plan to start the weekend off right by soaking my feet in a washbasin while relaxing under the beach umbrella on our terrace. For as the waves lapped at my ankles last week, I learned that with a little effort and imagination, I can always have the sea with me.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

"a flower is an educated weed"

So says Luther Burbank. My husband and I often have "discussions" regarding what exactly is a flower versus a weed. To me, the distinction is almost always irrelevant---a purty flower is a purty flower. :-)

If the wind eventually dies down here---it's been whipping all day---this weekend is for green thumb activities. Tomatoes, chilies, basil, and dill need to be potted out, along with some eggplant and cilantro. I *do* so love this time of year!

"A garden is the best alternative therapy." ---Germaine Greer

"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."---Margaret Atwood

"To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves."---Mohandas K. Gandhi

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!

break for lunch

Tired of your usual cheese sandwich or reheated pasta for lunch? Then mosey over to Vegetarian Times and check out their 21-Day Lunch Challenge. And if you're not a vegetarian, don't be afraid: their recipe suggestions would tempt even my devout carnivore husband. :-) Besides, you all know these healthy vegetable-based dishes are better for you than another trip to the nearby greasy spoon or fast-food restaurant. So be brave, a little adventurous even, and sign up today---remember the countdown to beach season starts in just a few days!

Happy Thursday!

mogo

After months of watching our near-daily loaf from the local bread shop get smaller and smaller while being charged the same price, the husband decided enough and set out to make our own. And I must say his efforts (and sourdough starter) have been very successful!

This is just one way we are trying to MOGO, or add more good into our lives. As this article from Ode notes, we don't need to only eliminate elements from our lives (i.e., chemicals, kinds of foods, the latest gadgets), but rather we must remember to fill our lives with more good. The author suggests a gentle start, with just 10 minutes a day for 30 days of a new, positive activity---like sketching, reading, meditating, walking, gardening, reading to the kids, sending a quick note to friends, etc., etc., etc. With sooooo much negative in the world today, we ALL could use a bit more MOGO. :-)

Only two more days until the weekend, and only two more chapters left to edit on this (seemingly) never-ending book project! I am very grateful for the steady work, but I admit I am also looking forward to a mini-break. In my book, time trumps "stuff" almost always.

Have a great day, everyone!!!

saving the seas

Still looking for ideas on how to celebrate this year's Earth Day? Then head over to The Nature Conservancy and see their suggestions to help make our oceans and marine life happy and healthy. For example: "Did you know that half of the oxygen in the air is produced by plants in the sea and that oceans absorb about one-third of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions?" I did not know that!

There are also ideas for more responsible eating, gardening, and shopping---all which can affect the health of our seas---as well as information on what you can do to help the coral reefs. Only two more days until Earth Day, so check it out! :-)

earth week

Earth Day is not officially scheduled until later this week, but I've decided to honor this important day all week long. :-) It makes me sad that Earth Day is sometimes dismissed as a crunchy hippy granola event because other than death and taxes, this great planet is one of the few commonalities that we all share. And when we neglect a relationship, whether it be with a person or animal or plant or planet even, the result will never be a good one.

If you're not sure where to get started, Whole Living has 10 suggestions on how to make Earth Day 2010 meaningful. And for the knitters out there, Knitting Daily invites you to join their Knitting Green Challenge---lots of great project ideas!

More to come all this week!


Photo is by Joe Wirtheim, victorygardenoftomorrow.com.

spring tarts

Man, words can't describe how amazingly good this asparagus/leek/red pepper cheesy/eggy tart is. I'm not tooting my own horn, by the way; the husband gets all the credit. If you are looking for recipe suggestions for your Easter brunch, I highly recommend a spring vegetable tart or quiche. Pair with a simple salad, and you have yourself a simple yet elegant meal. The inspiration for this tart came from La Cucina Italiana, here. For more seasonal ideas, just type "spring" in La Cucina Italiana's recipe search and be amazed how quickly you start salivating. :-)

While I'm on the subject of homecooking, do consider signing the petition English chef Jamie Oliver has on his web site. His stated mission:

The American Food Revolution needs to start now! If you care about your country and the health of its children please help us make a difference. We need your support to get people back in touch with food and keep cooking skills alive before it's too late. We want to make sure every kid gets good, fresh food at school. It's proven that real food promotes more effective learning. If you want better health for your kids the junk food must go.

If you support whole foods and want to see less sugar, fat, and salt in children's diets, sign up please! Gracias!

two coats in one for less than $5?!

I LOVE this idea---a reversible coat, two distinct collars, made from thrifted fleece throws, AND for less than $5! Wow.

Pattern details and more photos can be found at instructables.

sweater blanket

Wow, do I love this idea! ReadyMade (another one of my favorite sources for inspiration) has published instructions to make this gorgeous patchwork blanket using old sweaters and a bit of satin ribbon. Have I mentioned how much I love this idea? :-) Anytime an article is repurposed, recycled, reused gets the "thumbs up" from The Happy Recessionist, and when the end product is a beautiful warm winter blanket---and you know how much these cost retail---I make an appointment to scour our drawers and the local charity shop for sweaters looking for a second lease on life. I like the idea of mixing up basic knits with textured and cabled pieces, too. Obviously, the size can be played with as well, so the kids can have smaller versions of their own. ReadyMade DEFINITELY gets The Happy Recessionist seal of approval for this creative concept. :-)

Photo by Kate Lacey.

greening up the new year

A few years ago, we rented a cottage here for two weeks---two weeks without Internet but with this view to greet us each morning. :-) The vacation was one of the most relaxing I've ever had, the days being spent cooking, reading, hiking, and napping. We chose this holiday spot for several reasons beyond the obviously gorgeous setting. For one, pets are enthusiastically welcomed, so the fur bundles were able to make the trip with us. Additionally, we really liked the owners' mission and approach---from the restoration of the original buildings, the solar power, the on-site recycling and composting, the use of green cleaning products, and well as their support of the preservation of nature and the many local organic farmers and merchants. Our stay not only allowed us to chill out and relax, but also I returned home recharged and even more committed to a healthier lifestyle for me and the family.

re-nest recently published a round-up of the best green cleaning products out there. Many of the better-known brands are on the list, like 7th Generation and Mrs. Meyers, and readers have left good contributions as well. We use a lot of Ecover at our house, as well as inexpensive vinegar (fabric softener, floor cleaner), lemons (decalc, floor cleaner), and baking soda (sprinkled on carpets before vacuuming). Getting rid of the harsh chemicals contained in the cleaning products stored under the kitchen sink is just one easy way to start the year by doing something kind for yourself and your family.

And yes, after a couple jittery early days, we did manage to survive the two weeks of Internet deprivation. ;-)

new beginnings

“…to make an end is to make a beginning.”
— T.S. Eliot


And so for Nochevieja I decided to end the year by trying something new---make my own sushi rolls. Perhaps some of the crab and avocado pieces are a tad off center, but that didn't seem to bother anyone as everyone gave my first attempt at DIY sushi the big thumbs up. So good they were I think I may have found myself a new culinary hobby for 2010. :-) A belly full of sushi and this cute, thoroughly enjoyable New Year's Eve-themed movie made for the perfect, stay-at-home evening, topped with a little bubbly at midnight and sweet dreams of the many delights that await us in the next 365 days. Here's to new beginnings!

homemade holidays #1

Anyone else remember these? Collecting the stacks of Reader's Digests from your grandparents and lugging to Girl Scouts, Sunday School, arts & crafts class?

When I saw this photo on re-nest, I was instantly transported back to 1975 and could suddenly feel those matte printed pages between my Elmer's glue-tipped fingers.

If you've never made these fun magazine Christmas trees, the easy instructions can be found here. Any magazine will do, but needless to say, I'll be off hunting for Reader's Digests this weekend, when our decorating extravaganza begins. :-)

what i'm thankful for #5

The wonders of nature. I was about to pick off what I thought was a twig from my husband's sweatshirt before this little guy reared up and let his true identity be known. (He was returned to the outdoors safely, btw.)

what i'm thankful for #3

My hot water bottle, which helps take the chill out of the coldest nights of winter.

the right to hang

I know I try to keep a happy vibe on this site, but this article today made me angry, not to mention seriously wonder about people's priorities.

We have not had a clothes dryer for eight years. In sunny weather, we hang our laundry outside among the posies (as you can see). In the winter and rainy weather, we use the three retractable lines we installed in our washroom. I don't miss having a dryer at all.

There also is the cost savings. The woman in the article says her family of five saves $83 a month by hanging their laundry outside. Not to mention the reduction of carbon emissions.

Our neighbors all hang their laundry as well. Nobody cares about the others' "unmentionables" on the line. We chat in the mornings while we put up the clothes. Laundry lines shouldn't be dividing communities; they should be bringing them together. When I grew up (not that long ago), there was a clothesline in every backyard. So how did this practical and eco-friendly bit of homecaring suddenly become "trailer trash"? As my wise grandmother would have said, "It boggles the mind."

P.S. Another laundry tip: use white vinegar in place of fabric softener, about 1/3 cup for an average load. Don't worry, your clothes will NOT smell of vinegar afterward. :-)

for the birds

Although I am not a fan of the plastic bottle, I do like whenever a creative idea emerges to give trash a new purpose in life. Like this handy gadget that allows you to turn a soda bottle into a bird feeder. Highlighted recently on one of my favorite web sites, unclutterer.com, the soda bottle bird feeder is currently on sale at amazon.com for $9.95. Check it out, before the first snow fall.

foto spot #16

Pretty glow from our solar-powered lantern, makes a perfect nightlight.

keeping warm without breaking the bank

The wind howling outside lets me know that the cold will soon descend upon us. I must admit, we enjoyed an extended warm-weather spell through October; but of course, all good things must end. That said, I love winter as much as any of the other seasons: I just don't like being cold.

Because of our climate, though, houses here are constructed primarily to keep cool in the summer. Which doesn't do us much good the other nine months of the year. Over time, we've grown accustomed to wearing wool hats indoors and rock-solid bricks of butter on February mornings. The temperature in our winter home may be cooler than what most Americans would find comfortable, but on the positive side, I haven't had a cold in two years---and that one I caught while traveling and visiting friends.

The folks over at re-nest.com have posted a list of 14 Ways to Keep Warm Without Turning the Heat On or Up, which I suggest everyone have a look at before the cold, crisp winds make their way to your parts. And if you haven't already, get yourself an "old-fashioned" hot water bottle. They are the best! And I'll let you in on one of my secrets: prepare the bottle about 15 to 20 minutes before bedtime. Wrap your pjs around the bottle and place between the bedsheets. There is nothing like slipping into toasty warm bedclothes on a cold winter night. :-)

*NaNoWriMo count: 7,461/50,000 words

more money in your holiday pocket

Recessions and layoffs can turn just about anyone into a Grinchy Scrooge, no doubt. But with careful planning and spending in the weeks leading up to the holidays, perhaps we can keep a few extra pennies in our pockets.

Real Simple (RS) magazine has offered 31 money-saving tips that seem worth following this month. And for those who are very sensibly not putting off their holiday shopping until the last minute, here is the RS list of 31 great gifts under $31. Follow along this month, and by December your gift buying will be sorted.

But before you make your first purchase, read through the RS holiday savings plan, which will help plan your budget, organize travel, and save on decorations and late-minute gifts. And as always, emphasis on the spirit of the season and spending time with loved ones can warm the hearts of all and create lifelong memories, too. :-)

NaNoWriMo count: 3,369/50,000 words

happy november!

November is writing month for me, as well as many other bloggers and writers. In addition to my other writing and editing work, the next thirty days will find 13,000+ people participating in National Blog Posting Month, or NaBloPoMo. Bloggers who sign up vow to post at least thirty times between now and December. Believe me, it sounds easier than the reality, especially as the holiday season kicks into gear in the latter half of the month!

The supercrazy writers not only sign up for NaBloPoMo but also the 50,000-word novel writing extravaganza known as NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. Close to 200,000 (!) word-mad people with stories to tell have started the writing marathon today. I've completed over 2500 words so far this afternoon and am feeling quite pleased with myself---just another 47, 452 words to go!

So there will be entries here every day of the week this month, not just the usual Monday through Friday postings, and I'll keep a tally of my NaNoWriMo word count here as well so you can track my progess---and reprimand me should I fall behind! :-)

Before I get back to my characters and their adventures, I have a superuseful and easy project for anyone who lives in a cold-weather climate and could benefit from some extra insulation around their windows. A friend just sent me this link with instructions for window quilts. What a fabulous idea! Several years ago we hung a heavy floor-length curtain inside our front door, which has helped tremendously with our energy efficiency, but until now I had not found a practical solution for our windows. Window quilts are the answer! I love when history repeats itself this way. :-D