I hesitate to call this mission ‘mini’, as its scope is only small in terms of time required. As far as importance and impact, this act is huge. Life-saving, even.
A few months back I was contacted by a BA reader named Jen, regarding the issue of organ donation. Jen and her partner Ken are currently embarked on a 7,000 mile trike tour across the United States, to raise awareness for this important cause. And she shared with me their story:
“Our motivation for doing this comes through Jen’s 11 year old daughter Alexandria Kai Ballentine. In 1999 Alex and her mother (Jen) had a discussion concerning organ donation. Alex told Jen that if something happened to her she did not want her organs wasted if they could be given to someone that could use them. A very mature decision for one so young . . . a decision that became significant when just six months later Alex was hit by a car and killed while walking across the street. Jen honored her daughter’s wishes and donated Alex’s organs. This selfless act saved five lives and gave two others the gift of sight. It was the Ultimate Charity. This tour is in her memory.”
I was so moved by this, and immediately knew I had to share Jen’s journey with all of you. I am awed by her openness and by her strength, and I am humbled by her choice to move from tragedy into positive action. You can learn more about Jen and Ken’s grand adventure, here.
So this month, I urge all of you to join me in registering as an organ donor. I did it online, and it only took five minutes – five minutes that could save five lives. For more information please visit DonateLife.net
In the words of Jen,
“All of us have the power to save lives . . . Last year 28,000 lives were saved as a result of organ donation. You or someone you love may one day need a transplant . . . please don’t take your organs with you!”
So please, accept this mission. BONZAI!
The ‘Bed Rest Nest’ was where I spent the vast majority of Winter 2010.
AND HELLO SPRING!!!
This past Saturday, March 20th, was the vernal equinox that marks the first day of spring – and you better believe I was thinking of you guys on that day! I’m still technically on maternity leave, but I wanted to ‘come out of hibernation’, as it were, (how season-appropriate!) to acknowledge the passing of another winter. And to celebrate!
A very happy and very tired new mama, haha.
Here in Portland the first day of spring coincided with the first day of the 2010 Farmer’s Market. There was no way I was going to miss that! So we ventured forth – my husband, my son, my father, and I – for Waits’ very first outing (and first of *many* Farmer’s Markets, I’m sure)
And I know I’ve confessed to being a freaky autumn lover, but I gotta say: there’s nothing quite like a little sunny lovin’ after a long winter. So I’ve put together another love list, of things that make me excited for springtime!
My wee sunbather, the next generation of farm-fresh-food enthusiasts.
Why I <3 Spring
- BEING OUTSIDE! After 10 weeks of bed rest, birth, and then these quiet postpartum days, I’m so looking forward to getting out and being active!
- Walking my sweet boydogs. I’ve so missed my daily neighborhood meandering. Now I’ll be roving with the little one strapped to my chest, and it’ll feel so great to get back into shape!
- Garden Season! Oh, but of course. My plate is pretty full and I’ll have to scale back my ambitions this year, but that won’t stop me from getting my hands as dirty as possible. I’m planning a bigger and better patio herb garden, and I’ll be filling my planter boxes with tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes (lordy I’m ready for good tomatoes again!)
- Getting my vitamin D direct from the source.
- Backyard makeovers! While I may not be gardening as much this year, Damian and I have grand plans for a complete landscaping overhaul. It will be Damian’s next big project, and it’s going to be RAD.
- Sweet sexy sundresses. Unpacking my warm weather wardrobe, and hiding away all the coats and scarves. Bare legs and sandals and the delicious smell of sunscreen (which, to my mind, means grand adventures). Wearing light-as-air cotton, and glittery flip-flops, and . . . my son! =)
- Last Thursday, and First Thursday, and all the other magnificent art culture that Portland has to offer. My son and I will be making the rounds, to be sure.
- Foodie season! Oh man, I do love soups and hearty winter fare, but I’m so ready for FRESH veggies, RAW meals, and all the delicious VARIETY that we get this time of year. Asparagus, artichokes, berries (!!!), oh my. Can. Not. Wait.
- Making sun tea! With fresh mint, grown in my own yard.
- Nature. Playing at the river, hiking in the gorge, exploring the arboretum, and more more more!
- Green smoothies for breakfast. Eating really, really healthy.
- And mostly, taking the time to smell those fresh spring blooms, to slow down and really look around, to love on my new family, and to appreciate this incredible life!
‘Papa San’ calms his grandson. That’s my Dad – don’t we look so alike??
I hope that you’re all enjoying these first few kisses of springtime (or autumn’s invigorating chill, for those of you in the southern hemisphere). I’m going to go back into hiding now, and continue to enjoy these precious, once-in-a-lifetime first weeks, with my newborn firstborn.
For those of you interested, I finally finished writing my [incredibly verbose - would you expect anything less? haha] Birth Story, which you can read here.
For the visually-minded, Waits has his very own microblog (maintained by Damian), here, with tons of photos and even a few words.
And finally, some thank you’s are in order.
A huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to Matt J, the L family, and Barbara B, for the generous contributions to my tip jar. You guys help to make all this possible, and I hope you know how much your support means to me.
A special THANK YOU to Katherine D, who sent me a Neti Pot off of my wishlist. I’m so excited to finally have one, and just in time for pollen season too. You rock!!!
And the sincerest of THANK YOUs to Jacquelyn, who sent me and my son a package of beautiful handmade bibs and burp cloths. These are amazing, I’m so impressed with your craft, and so incredibly touched at the sweet gesture. They are treasures, truly.
So thank you again, and thank you to all of you out there. You’re all my inspiration. I hope you’ll bear with me on my hiatus, and I hope to see you still here when I return!
Now, my dears, what are YOU looking forward to in the coming season?
Today is Monday, March 1st, and I know you’re expecting our next Triple M. However . . .
Well, frankly, I’m about to have a baby! And also, we just celebrated our 10th Mission (woo-hoo!) and ten in a row is quite an accomplishment. So, this month we’re taking a little hiatus. For me, you can call it maternity leave. For you guys, consider it a well earned reward for the many missions completed.
I am planning a ‘Mini Mission’ for later this month, so definitely stay tuned for that. It’s a real important one.
In the meantime, why not revisit one of the previous 10 MMMs? Perhaps there’s one you missed that you’d like to attempt anew? March is the month for freestylin’, so you can choose a prior mission OR come up with a brand new mission of your own! Here’s our master mission list:
1) Composting!
- With a how-to and follow-up here.
4) Sustainable Feminine Products!
- With a follow-up here. (and lots of great reader comments)
5) Changing Our Dietary Habits!
9) Shopping Exclusively Secondhand!
- With a follow-up here.
10) Saving Change to MAKE Change!
- With an explanation and information here.
So what do you think, my dear ones? Will you be taking the month off to recharge? Or will you be charging into one of our past adventures? Or, perhaps, will you be inventing your very own unique mission? (do share, if you do!!)
Me? I’ll be diligently working on ‘Operation: Dirty Diapers and Sleepless Nights’. I can’t wait!
Image from peta.org
‘Easy Vegan‘ is all about practicality. Sure, in an ideal world we’d prepare each meal at home, from organic fresh-from-the-field produce. But what about when you’re held up at work and get home *starving*, with no motivation to cook? And what about when you’re visiting Uncle Bob, in nowhere-ville, and there’s nothing fresh to eat? Or what about when you’ve got that ‘fast/greasy/naughty food’ itch that just really needs to be scratched? What then?
For times like those it’s good to know what’s worth grabbing – and what’s better left on the shelf. Hence, the ‘Easy Vegan‘ guide.
I recently received a small but exciting box in the mail – free nuts! (insert joke here) The nice folks at Sahale Snacks sent me their two vegan varieties to sample and review (see my Integrity Policy here, under ‘Give Me Stuff’). The cool thing about Sahale Snacks is that their nuts have been picked up by Starbucks! So, setting aside any thoughts on the coffee monolith, it’s great to know that wherever there’s a Starbucks (which, let’s face it, is *everywhere*), there’s also reliable vegan eats! (please do note there are 2 varieties that aren’t vegan – the Roasted Almonds with Honey and Sea Salt and the Barbecue Almonds with Mild Chipotle and Ranch)
Sahale Snacks: Soledad Almonds with Apple, Flax Seeds, Date, Balsamic Vinegar and Red Pepper
On the bag: “Influenced by the heat of the Mediterranean sun, this delectable snacking experience features almonds, apples, and flax seeds, tickled with date, balsamic vinegar, and cayenne.”
Our Thoughts: The ingredients sure sound like overkill, but the flavor is totally balanced and nothing overwhelms . Sweetness from the apples leads into a well-rounded and complex flavor profile. The aftertaste is just the tiniest bit of heat – a nice little kick!
Upon tasting, Damian’s eyes got real wide. “What?”, I asked, “do you like it?”. His response: “It’s just so . . . interesting!”
I agree. And we both gave our thumbs up. Would eat again!
Sahale Snacks: Cashews with Pomegranate and Vanilla
On the bag: “We think we’ve found the perfect combination of sublime flavors: pomegranate, vanilla, and cashews. Our whole cashews are teamed with pomegranate and apple, and balanced with pure vanilla beans. Our light glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness.”
Our Thoughts: Okay, I gotta admit I was skeptical at first. It was the vanilla that threw me. But wow, guys, these sort of blew my mind! Very sweet but also complex, I was reminded of the Pralines & Cream ice cream that was my favorite as a child. Such amazing flavors!
The only problem I have with these is my potential to eat the whole bag. NOM.
So guys, now that you’ve read the reviews, here’s the fun part: Sahale Snacks is giving out a gift pack just like I got, to one lucky Bonzai reader. You’ll receive both flavors of vegan nuts and maybe a little something extra as well. All you have to do is leave a comment here! I’ll use the random number generator to choose a winner later this week. Good luck!
Hello to the weekend!! Here we are once again, and that means it’s time for comments, critiques, thoughts, support, and suggestions.
So let me have it! How was your week? Have you been saving your change? Or starting to prep your garden? What have YOU been doing?!
As usual, the Feedback Forum will remain here at the top of the page all weekend, so if you’ve got an idea or a question or you just want to introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’, you can stop back by any time. This is your community, so get involved and have your say!
And if you feel so inclined, perhaps you could hop on over to the rikrak studio, and vote for Bonzai in the “thrifty-forward, sustainably-minded” category. Thanks guys, it’s much appreciated!
And have an amazing weekend, enjoying those last bits of winter!
A few days ago I was returning home from running some errands. I pulled my car into the driveway, glanced over towards the stairs, and just about did a double take. “WHAT THE -??!”
The bulbs are coming up. How is this happening already!? Where did the winter go? And didn’t the groundhog just say I had more time??
I know that those of you in the eastern US are getting your fair share of winter right about now (good luck guys!). But other parts of the country – and the northern hemisphere in general – is beginning the beautiful awakening process. Here in the PNW we’re getting amazing, early spring weather, and the sunshine sure is a sight for sore eyes (and vitamin D-deficient bodies!) And of course, I’m realizing it’s already time to start prepping this years garden – so exciting!
Unfortunately for me, my garden will have to be a bit more modest this time around (I am, after all, busy growing something else at the moment). But that doesn’t mean I won’t be farming in my own way. I’m a horticulturist at heart, and that will never change! (plus, I simply could not live without homegrown tomatoes)
In the meantime, I did a lot of leg work last year that all you new gardeners out there may find useful. Here’s a list of links to help you get started:
Are you guys as excited as I am for the coming seasonal shift? Outdoors! Sunshine! Dirt! Fresh veggies!!! So whether it’s an acre in the country or a window box in the city, dig out your trusty trowel guys – it’s farm time!
I’m so excited to announce that Bonzai Aphrodite has been nominated in the the rikrak studio’s Handmade Olympics! Somebody out there thought this little community was the greatest “thrifty-forward, sustainably-minded” out there in internetland! Thank you, whoever you are!
So I’m asking that you all pop on over there and check it out (and hopefully vote for me!) Bonzai is nominated in event six, or you can just click the button below to take you to the main page. I’d love your vote of course, but it’s also an opportunity to check out tons of other crafters and bloggers across the internet.
Thanks everyone, and thanks to the rikrak studio for hosting such an awesome celebration of diy culture!
See that? That’s how much I believe in my method. I actually, intentionally, poured wine all over my carpet. The things I do for this site!
So lets say this was an accidental spill. Red wine. Muddy tracks. Or . . . pet pee. First – and quickly – you’ll need to grab your rags and your vinegar spray bottle. Every green-cleaning household should have these on hand! Rags can easily be made out of an old towel or tee shirt. You can always recycle an old spray bottle, perhaps leftover from your ‘chemical’ cleaning days. Fill it with a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water.
1) Lay the rag down over the spill and using either your finger tips or the heel of your hand, blot the spill. DO NOT rub it in! Press *down* and let the rag soak up the spill. Rotate the rag so that a dry area covers the spill, and repeat. Like this:
2) Continue blotting until you’ve soaked up as much of the liquid as you can.
3) Take your vinegar and spray the area – liberally. Get it good and wet. Then let it sit for maybe 5-10 minutes.
4) Now you just need to soak it all up. The blot method will work again here, but you can scrub it if you want. Scrubbing can be pretty satisfying, ya know??
Your stain should be removed, though you may not be able to tell with the carpet still damp. Don’t worry – just check back on it the next day.
Now, if you’re concerned about odor (like with puppy piddle), the next day you can sprinkle the DRY spot – and only once it’s dry – with baking soda. Rub it in, let it hang out for a few hours, and then vacuum it out.
BONZAI!
