A Green Fire

This garden is illegal has a great post about the lovely magnolia. Magnolias in Full Bloom

Go check it out.

April is almost over so it’s time for a new challenge.  Green Bean Dreams is having a great challenge.

She is challenging everyone to read one ecofocused book in May. You get to pick the book. I have not decided what book I am going to read yet for this challenge, but after I go to the local library and see what they have, I’ll decide. A book challenge is so perfect for me.

In the interest of balance, here is an interesting commentary that aired on NPR today. Please check it out.

Right to Tumble Dry addresses why we should tumble dry our clothes and shun the clothesline.

Growing up, we had a clothesline. All my cousins and friends had one. In fact, I really liked the one my cousins had, because it was in fact three lines close together. When all the clothes and linens were hung, you could walk between the sheets. They were damp and cool and it was a great way to briefly cool off while we were playing outside.

When I moved into my home, I always intended to put up a line, but somehow, I never got around to it. I knew using a clothesline to dry my clothes would cut down on my electric bill, but I never worked out the numbers. I have made the transition to line drying for a while though. I have been using my drying rack for several years, and I use my porch rail for my heavy clothes that won’t blow away. I think finally the time has come to put up a clothesline.

So today, I finally put up a line. It is so wonderful. I got the poles from my parents and I borrowed post hole diggers from my Dad. I dug both the holes myself, but I had to have a friend come over to help me set the last pole. It was so heavy. Here it is:

Here’s a closeup of the poles:

So now, as soon as it quits raining, I’ll hang out my first load of clothes. Next project, what to do with my obsolete dryer?

Here’s a video from the Sierra Club that shows you how to compost.

I have done pretty well so far. I think I will blow it at the end of the month however. My propane ran out, and I have a gas stove. My central AC unit died and I live in the deep south, in a trailer. A trailer is a big metal box. To live in a big metal box in the heat of the summer requires AC.

I am considering replacing my central unit and booking my propane in one fell swoop. This would be a huge expenditure and I am not doing it on a whim. The alternative is to wait to buy propane, and pay possibly twice as much for it when the cold comes again.

I could try to live the summer using just open windows and a ceiling fan. I think I would survive, but I wonder about my possessions. I have a lot of books and exposing them to a summer of heat and humidity seems like it would be hard on them.

Dilemma, dilemma.

There is a great article in the New York Times about the effects of too much TV viewing.

Two things in the article really stood out to me. Children who watch a lot of tv develop a “two-minute mind”. This means anything they have to think about, they don’t want to because they have developed a limited attention span. Children with a two minute mind are impatient and have trouble organizing their thoughts.

Also, children who view a lot of tv are much more likely to take up smoking. The article did not go into this fully, but I have some thoughts about it. Anyone who starts smoking knows how addictive it is, but, not just physically. Smoking is something you can do in two to five minutes. Smoking calms your mind if you are feeling jittery. Smoking “gives you time to think.” Smoking gives you something to do with your hands if you feel nervous and smoking gives you a reason to go outside if you are in a room or situation that you want an exit from.

For someone with a two minute mind, I can see how having a long conversation, being still for a long time, or being patient would be difficult. Smoking gives such a person a perfect crutch.

I know tv viewing and smoking are big issues with a lot more sides to them. It’s interesting to see how in this one way, they go together.

I first gave up TV when I went to college.  I knew I would have to study and do well to keep my scholarships, and I knew, for me, TV would be too distracting.  I didn’t manage to avoid TV all together.  There was a TV in the lounge area of each hall, and my parents still had a TV at their house.

When I got married, two years after graduation, I was lucky that my husband shared my views on TV and we didn’t have one for a while.  Finally, some friends gave us one, said take it or it’s going to the landfill.  Well, we took it, and we subscribed to a satellite service.

Before I knew it, I was hooked again.  I watched TV from the time I got home from work until I went to bed. I kept the service for a little while after my divorce, but not for long.

I had one more brief time of TV addiction after that, but when hurricane Katrina came through and took out my dish, I said goodbye again.  So far, I have managed to stay off the plug-in drug.

I know that most people could not imagine life without TV although I think now, more people would give it up before they would sacrifice their computer and Internet connection.  TV viewing sucks your time, sucks your attention, raises your panic and worry levels and desensitizes you to emotions.  People mimic what they see, and unfortunately, much of what is on TV is examples of behavior that no one should copy. 

Sure, as a culture, or a generation, we have stories of shows we liked, and episodes we remember fondly.  However, I realized TV gives you memories of things you watch.  I want memories of things I live.  How many memories do you have of things you did as a kid, or even as an adult? Memories that are completely seperate from TV viewing.  No having people over to watch a show, a game, a world event.  No talks at work about that amazing program you saw last night.   I love hearing stories from my grandparents life, and from my parents.  When I am old, I want to talk about things I did, not what shows I watched.

Since this is also a blog about living a green life, eliminating TV from my life saves electricity from all the hours it is not on. I have time to read, to cook, to garden, to email or call friends and family.  I go for walks in the woods behind my house, and I build things.

Not having TV for all these years has been wonderful for me.  I encourage everyone to reduce their viewing time.  I know not everyone can give it up, but if you can, it is worth it.

I woke up early Sunday and took full advantage of the pretty sunshine and cool temps.  I found an electric weed-eater in my shed and it still worked.  I also found two long extension cords and weed-eater string, so I was all set.  I “ate” the grass all around my trailer, the parking area, and the shed.

After that, I planned to mow, but the battery on the mower died. Oh well.

Instead, I framed out a raised bed.  I have these old concrete blocks that are left over from when my grandparents built their barn decades ago. They are not  what you normally think of when you think of a concrete block.  They are pale in color and smooth and shaped somewhat differently.  I had plenty of black plastic left over from when I had a decorative fish pond.  So, I put that down as a weed blocker. This week, or weekend, I will get dirt and plants!

I scouted out a new site in the side yard where I will be getting pine straw to mulch my plants after I plant them.

I made a compost bin too.  That was super easy.  I had dog wire left over from when I (with much help) built a dog pen.  So, I just made a big circle, wired it together and set it where I want the compost to be.

I know I will plant one tomato plant, and some herbs, but not sure what else.  If it was your personal garden, what veggie would you plant?

I have spent.

Yesterday I went to an Allotte make-up/skincare party.   I bought the anti-aging skin care package.

Sigh.

Every fall is a chance to learn and I did learn a lot.  I learned I should not go to these parties.  I learned I am most persuaded by a personal presentation, and by what my friends or family are doing. The hostess, (a friend of mine) has been using the products for two weeks and she “loves them”.  My sister bought the same kit that I did.

What put me over the edge though was the saleslady.  She had her presentation down to an informative comedy routine.  She was pretty, sincere and self deprecating.  Her sales pitch was full of personal examples, and each one was hysterical.  I am a total sucker for comedy, and this woman was my favorite kind of funny.  She had great delivery, great timing, and I was a total goner.

My sister booked a party.  I am not going.