"Gross." I shamefully admit that "gross" was the first word out of my mouth as I stepped out the door this morning to walk the darling Delilah, with temperatures already edging up towards the 90-degree mark before 9:00 a.m. I don't think I need to point this out to you, but "gross" is not very "joyful", and joyful is a thing this blog purports to be. Luckily, when we returned from our (much shorter than usual) dogwalk, there was a post waiting for me from one of my new favorite bloggers, JJ Begonia, with her usual magazine-worthy photography, and lo and behold, it was a post touting all of the things to love about summertime. Thank you, JJ Begonia: I needed an attitude adjustment today! So, without further ado, here's my own list of joyful things about summer:
1) Peaches and plums at their very juiciest (and very messiest).
2) Fresh tomatoes from our lovely Garden State. I didn't realize, until I grew them myself, that the leaves and stems of tomato plants smell even better than the tomatoes. Or that tomatoes should have a scent--because supermarket tomatoes fall dreadfully short in this respect. (Who knows how long ago they were picked and how many miles they've traveled?)
3) Butterflies taking a sip of our flower collection.
4) Kiddie pools for cooling off. (Before flipping over the pool yesterday when we were done "swimming" in it, we grabbed the watering cans and filled them up, then showered our thirsty plants.) And do be sure to drain the pool when you're done, even if it's just a couple of inches deep. I rescued a drowning chipmunk last summer...perhaps a story for another post!
5) Iced tea, ice cubes, fresh lemonade, limes.
6) Corn on the cob in August (again, from the Garden State).
7) Wild raspberries picked fresh off the bushes in the backyard. Can't get more local than that!
8) Fireworks and fireflies. Sparks big and small, both magical.
9) Gazpacho, ceviche, guacamole, frozen margaritas, and cold pasta salad. Not necessarily together. (Fresh guacamole couldn't be any easier: Just mash together avocados and add a juicy chopped tomato, plus a pinch or two of salt, a couple cloves of crushed garlic, and a squirt of fresh lime juice. Done and delicious!)
10) The exquisite refreshment of sitting in the shade and feeling a breeze. (See how I turned my whole view around? From gross to great in no time!)
Your turn: What's your favorite thing about summertime?Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.
"Who is rich? One who is satisfied with what he has."-- Ben Zoma
When I was a child, pretty typically for a middle-class American kid, the Christmas season was a very big deal. As soon as the holly wreath was hung on the front door, I'd be studiously poring through the Sears catalog (as thick as the fall issue of Vogue), composing my wish list for Santa, scribbling down all of the bright, shiny toys that were calling out my name. The list was always long and I certainly did not get everything I asked for, but I did get a fair share of it (also typically American, no?). An Easy-Bake Oven, Color Forms, a giant Barbie "beauty salon" (which consisted of just her head and neck, yet somehow, it was not grisly), on which I could apply sparkly blue eyeshadow and frosty pink lipstick, and curl her almost-realistic blonde hair. I always wanted the game Operation (otherwise known as "electrocuting the patient"?), but for some reason, it never made the cut. Instead, I got Ants in the Pants and Madame Alexander dolls. And I was quite satisfied--grateful, even. Until the next holiday or birthday rolled around, and an all-new wish list could be conjured up with a catalog.
As we grow older, a great many of us continue to keep a running wish list. Like squirrels hoarding nuts in October, we're on a crazed and continuous search for MORE. When does this hamster wheel of wanting and buying come to a halt? I'll tell you what has worked wonders for me: Just like I fast-forward through TV commercials, I avoid catalogs like the plague. I treat them like germ-covered, poison-ivy-ish things--touching them as little as possible on their way to the recycling center.
Getting yourself removed from catalog lists is a job in itself--I've officially opted out through Catalog Choice. It does work, but it's also more labor-intensive than I thought it would be, searching for and separately listing every single catalog I wanted to stop receiving. And, I'm sorry to have to break this news to you, but here it is: Junk mail will never stop vomiting into your mailbox. (Sorry, too graphic?) When you opt out of mailing lists, some catalogs will disappear for a year or so, but then, they will sneak back into your home, insidiously joining the other catalogs that never took a hiatus. (Sigh...)
So, here's my advice: Do not, for one second, open a catalog. I guarantee that you will find something in there that you will want, but most likely, do not need. (Remember the Thneed in The Lorax by Dr. Seuss?) And once you order something, you're right back in the database. Captured again.
Further advice: Do not use catalogs as reading matter to "fill up" spare minutes, waiting for the water to boil or guests to arrive. Aren't there slews of real books you've been meaning to read? Have a stack of books at the ready, and have a conveniently placed recycling bin for the catalogs. If it's too tempting to take a quick peek at them, put the recycling bin in the garage and toss in the catalogs on the way back from the mailbox. Don't even give them a chance. Mentally opt-out. Free yourself of catalogs and you'll find your life richer--not just financially.
Your turn: How do you handle catalogs? Like hot potatoes, time-fillers, or pleasure-reading? Are you ever excited to receive a particular catalog? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.
Your turn: In the immortal words of Pat Benatar (I know, I know...I'm showing my age), "Hit me with your best shot!" Please link to your favorite photo in the Comments section below--the photo that fills you with beaming, giddy pride and makes all of your friends enviously say, "WOW! You took THAT?" If you're feeling a tad humble, submit one that simply makes you smile. (Fellow bloggers, this is your chance to plug your blog, so for goodness' sake, have at it!) If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.
Reader's Note: See the sidebar on the main page for some truly spectacular photography books.
(c) 2013 by Joy Sussman/JoyfullyGreen.com. All rights reserved. Photos and text digitally fingerprinted and protected by MyFreeCopyright.com. Site licensed by Creative Commons.
**************************************************************************************** - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/#sthash.p7quiij2.dpuf
Your turn: In the immortal words of Pat Benatar (I know, I know...I'm showing my age), "Hit me with your best shot!" Please link to your favorite photo in the Comments section below--the photo that fills you with beaming, giddy pride and makes all of your friends enviously say, "WOW! You took THAT?" If you're feeling a tad humble, submit one that simply makes you smile. (Fellow bloggers, this is your chance to plug your blog, so for goodness' sake, have at it!) If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.
Reader's Note: See the sidebar on the main page for some truly spectacular photography books.
(c) 2013 by Joy Sussman/JoyfullyGreen.com. All rights reserved. Photos and text digitally fingerprinted and protected by MyFreeCopyright.com. Site licensed by Creative Commons.
**************************************************************************************** - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/#sthash.p7quiij2.dpuf
I'm currently on the homestretch of a 15-day online photography course called "Everyday Magic" with Tammy Strobel of the blog Rowdy Kittens, and the course has been a daily confirmation of everything I believe in and love about photography: How it makes me so much more mindful of my surroundings; the pleasure in virtually stopping time with the click of a shutter button; how much expansive beauty, how much exquisite detail there is if I just open my eyes and really take notice. And of course, because you're here at Joyfully Green, I'd be remiss if I didn't add: How astoundingly amazing nature is.
I rediscovered that last point yesterday, as I headed out the door with my brand-new, super-cheap macro lens. The class assignment for the day was to capture some ultra-up-close shots, and at first glance, there didn't seem to be anything at all going on in my backyard. (Silly me!) Looked for spiders in the corners...nope, none today. Turned over a few leaves...nope, nothing there. Then--THEN!!!--as soon as I went over to the kids' sandbox and moved a shovel aside, a whole society sprang into action. Tiny little ants, each one no larger than the size of two pinheads, began a mad scramble, moving their larvae down into their hole to protect them from the giant who had just unceremoniously taken away their "roof." (Sorry, guys!) I was two inches away from them and it was extraordinary to watch them operate. I've seen many ants in my day, but I've never seen them this closely before. Those little dudes had their acts seriously together! Each of them knew its purpose and went about its business with an admirable steadfastness and truly cohesive teamwork. Of course, having gone through fourth grade science, I knew this about ants, but it's a whole other story actually witnessing it on a macro-lens level. I'm addicted to this special new thrill of discovering entirely hidden worlds residing in a sandbox, or between the blades of grass, or curled up on a twig. I can't wait to see what else I can uncover and discover!
As I said in Changing the Focus, when you make it a habit to walk around with a camera, you notice so much more. You appreciate more. Your idea of what makes a "good photo" changes, elevating the ordinary to the extraordinary. Whether it's with a macro lens, a fish-eye lens, a long-range or a wide-angle lens, all it takes to expand your world in new and unexpected directions is a twist and a click.
If you walk around with a camera, you start to change your perspective about what makes a good picture. You notice more. You appreciate more. Even the littlest things can hold your interest. And that can change your Big Picture about what's important to you and what you should be focusing on. T - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2012/07/changing-the-focus.html#sthash.evrbYtJ6.dpuf
If you walk around with a camera, you start to change your perspective about what makes a good picture. You notice more. You appreciate more. Even the littlest things can hold your interest. And that can change your Big Picture about what's important to you and what you should be focusing on. T - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2012/07/changing-the-focus.html#sthash.evrbYtJ6.dpuf
Remember how in the movie American Beauty, the teenager at the end is seeing the wonder and artfulness in a plastic bag dancing around in the wind? Well, from a green standpoint, I wouldn't say that I'd be particularly thrilled to see a plastic bag blowing around loose, but I could see the point: looking for the beauty in the everyday. If you walk around with a camera, you start to change your perspective about what makes a good picture. You notice more. You appreciate more. Even the littlest things can hold your interest. And that can change your Big Picture about what's important to you and what you should be focusing on. That's different for each person, but I'm betting--for most people, anyway--it will have nothing at all to do with Q-Tips. - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2012/07/changing-the-focus.html#sthash.evrbYtJ6.dpuf
Remember how in the movie American Beauty, the teenager at the end is seeing the wonder and artfulness in a plastic bag dancing around in the wind? Well, from a green standpoint, I wouldn't say that I'd be particularly thrilled to see a plastic bag blowing around loose, but I could see the point: looking for the beauty in the everyday. If you walk around with a camera, you start to change your perspective about what makes a good picture. You notice more. You appreciate more. Even the littlest things can hold your interest. And that can change your Big Picture about what's important to you and what you should be focusing on. That's different for each person, but I'm betting--for most people, anyway--it will have nothing at all to do with Q-Tips. - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2012/07/changing-the-focus.html#sthash.evrbYtJ6.dpuf
Just like in the Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears a Who!, I've come to realize that there are all of these little microsystems at work that I never noticed before, and all of these little details to see, if I only open my eyes and look for them.
For three seasons out of the year, I try to spend as many mealtimes as possible out on the porch, and if the weather isn't good, then I eat indoors with a view of the back yard. I've found that my children somehow argue less when they're outdoors. Once they're done eating, they find things to play with on the porch, or they go out into the back yard for a little exploring, or they want to play in the driveway with some chalk or their bikes.
Richard Louv, in his insightful book entitledLast Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, includes some key studies about how important it is to have a view of nature, to really engage with our environment, and how essential it is to be able to disconnect from technology on a regular basis--and that doesn't just pertain to children.
I wouldn't be honest if I said that I never check The Huffington Post anymore, or that I'm immune to reading tidbits about the TomKat divorce (because...just wow!), but I try to allot the time to it that it deserves. Minimal. There's a whole wide world out there, and I want to be more mindful about what I'm focusing on.
Remember how in the movie American Beauty, the teenager at the end is seeing the wonder and artfulness in a plastic bag dancing around in the wind? Well, from a green standpoint, I wouldn't say that I'd be particularly thrilled to see a plastic bag blowing around loose, but I could see the point: looking for the beauty in the everyday. If you walk around with a camera, you start to change your perspective about what makes a good picture. You notice more. You appreciate more. Even the littlest things can hold your interest. And that can change your Big Picture about what's important to you and what you should be focusing on. That's different for each person, but I'm betting--for most people, anyway--it will have nothing at all to do with Q-Tips.
- See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2012/07/changing-the-focus.html#sthash.evrbYtJ6.dpuf
Just like in the Dr. Seuss book, Horton Hears a Who!, I've come to realize that there are all of these little microsystems at work that I never noticed before, and all of these little details to see, if I only open my eyes and look for them.
For three seasons out of the year, I try to spend as many mealtimes as possible out on the porch, and if the weather isn't good, then I eat indoors with a view of the back yard. I've found that my children somehow argue less when they're outdoors. Once they're done eating, they find things to play with on the porch, or they go out into the back yard for a little exploring, or they want to play in the driveway with some chalk or their bikes.
Richard Louv, in his insightful book entitledLast Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, includes some key studies about how important it is to have a view of nature, to really engage with our environment, and how essential it is to be able to disconnect from technology on a regular basis--and that doesn't just pertain to children.
I wouldn't be honest if I said that I never check The Huffington Post anymore, or that I'm immune to reading tidbits about the TomKat divorce (because...just wow!), but I try to allot the time to it that it deserves. Minimal. There's a whole wide world out there, and I want to be more mindful about what I'm focusing on.
Remember how in the movie American Beauty, the teenager at the end is seeing the wonder and artfulness in a plastic bag dancing around in the wind? Well, from a green standpoint, I wouldn't say that I'd be particularly thrilled to see a plastic bag blowing around loose, but I could see the point: looking for the beauty in the everyday. If you walk around with a camera, you start to change your perspective about what makes a good picture. You notice more. You appreciate more. Even the littlest things can hold your interest. And that can change your Big Picture about what's important to you and what you should be focusing on. That's different for each person, but I'm betting--for most people, anyway--it will have nothing at all to do with Q-Tips.
- See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/2012/07/changing-the-focus.html#sthash.evrbYtJ6.dpuf
Because I'm allergic to the idea of using stock photos for my blog (I humbly consider myself a photographer as well as a writer), I've taken many, many photos over the last year, and only a small portion of them have ended up on this blog (because I'm also a tough editor). The photograph in this post is probably my favorite photo ever (of the ones I've taken) because it illustrates two things I dearly love (my daughter and a forest) in a fairy-tale-ish landscape. As with the ants--actually, much more so, due to the fleeting nature of time--I'm so happy I captured this split-second moment.
Your turn: In the immortal words of Pat Benatar (I know, I know...I'm showing my age), "Hit me with your best shot!" Please link to your favorite photo in the Comments section below--the photo that fills you with beaming, giddy pride and makes all of your friends enviously say, "WOW! You took THAT?" If you're feeling a tad humble, submit one that simply makes you smile. (Fellow bloggers, this is your chance to plug your blog, so for goodness' sake, have at it!) If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.
Reader's Note: See the sidebar on the main page for some truly spectacular photography books.
The funny thing about spiders is that they are nowhere to be found when you want to take a picture of one, but when you least expect it..."SPIDER!!!!!!!!!!!!" Having said that, for you insect experts out there, I am fully aware that the photo above is NOT of a spider. I managed to find a few dead ones outside on the swingset, but alas, they were not photogenic, so this little cicada helped me out today by being a willing stand-in. (Yep, the cicadas are back! And much quieter than I remember...)
But, back to my topic. I've forgotten huge chunks of what I learned in college (sorry, professors--decades ticking away will do that sort of thing), but I do remember learning (somewhere between the Nike of Samothrace and Red Dwarf Stars) about Buddhism in Religion 101. Specifically, I remember a parable about the Hindu prince (Siddhartha Guatama) who later became the Buddha, wandering one day in his fields and realizing while glancing down--with horror--that just by walking along, merrily minding his own business, he had unwittingly squashed hundreds upon hundreds of ants with each step. And so he set out to be more mindful of his surroundings and to cause less suffering to all living things. I'm not a Buddhist, but I do try to embrace those two tenets in my daily life--both tenets of environmentalism as well.
This line of thinking has led me to many a "spider rescue" in my house. I've become somewhat of a pro at it, almost on auto-pilot. When one of my children yells to me, "MOM!!! SPIIIIIII-DERRRRRR!!!" (usually from the farthest region of the house while I am occupied with something complicated that requires intense concentration), I drop everything, grab an empty cup and a stiff piece of junk mail (no shortage of those, despite "opting out"), head to the scene of the crime, and scoot the little bugger inside of the cup, roofed by the junk mail, hurrying it down the stairs and out onto the front bushes, to live the rest of its spidery life in peace outside...or until we meet again inside. (Some of these guys are both crafty and persistent.)
It's important to me to teach my kids not to kill things if at all possible, so when they freak out (as kids are wont to do) about some creepy-crawlers scurrying around in the shower or dangling from their windowsill, I try to remind them that we are a lot bigger than they are (even my six-year-old who still complains that she's growing much too sloooooooowly), and that the critters are just trying to go about their day, living their life (wisdom from my husband that I wrote about in my coyote encounter post).
I don't want to make myself out to be as pure in thought and action as the Buddha (far from it!), because I do draw the line. I can't stand it when houseflies are buzzing about, landing on every piece of fruit in sight and leaving their nasty fly poops behind. (Sorry, I know it's indelicate of me to mention fly poops.) I've become what my son calls "The Fly Ninja": I can kill a housefly with astounding precision in one laser-like swat. I'm sorry, PETA, but yes, I do kill houseflies. Mosquitoes and ticks also should seek mercy elsewhere. Other insects, though, are given a First Class ticket to a second chance. Use it well, guys!
Sometimes, I surprise even myself with what I am willing to rescue. The other evening, a moth made its way in through the front door while I was on the way out. It fluttered up to the ceiling light and then onto the wall. Usually, I hate moths, due to their penchant for sweater-eating. But, luckily for this particular moth, I felt a flicker of mercifulness. I got the cup and the junk mail letter, and then set it free again out the front door. I have to admit: It looked strangely beautiful as it fluttered off into the night.
How about you? Do you tolerate creepy-crawlers or go Ninja-style on them? Where do you draw the line on what you will and won't tolerate for critters?Please share in the Comments section below (now powered by CommentLuv for easier use). If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.
Reader's Note: See the sidebar on the main page for "Green Books for Children"--Step Gently Out by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder is a wonderful, super-up-close look at insects--and it's not just for kids.
