Joyfully Green: 5 entries from August 2013

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Savoring the Last of Summer...Again

I'm off on an adventure this week, but wanted to leave you with something Joyfully Green to read while I'm away. Since many of you are new to this blog (and thank you so much for joining the party!), this is a post from late last summer (tweaked just a bit), but I feel exactly the same way as this summer draws to a close. How about you?

As a nature-lover, I'm so happy to be a lifelong resident of the Northeastern United States, because we experience all four seasons in relatively equal measure. I have some friends in Florida and California with young children who have never seen snow, except on TV or in movies. (My own children are incredulous.) Sure, there are some dark days in January when I wish it were about 20 degrees warmer, but for the most part, I relish the differences in the seasons.

Now, as summer is winding down and the kids are already back to school, I'm reminded of a classic book for children (and the young-at-heart) called Frederick by Leo Lionni, in which a little mouse gathers all his memories of the sunny days of summer so that he'll be able to warm his friends with poetic recollections in the winter. Quite simply, he thinks about what he'll miss about the season. So, here's what I will miss about summertime:

Fresh basil and tomatoes growing like wildfire on the porch.
The chatter of peep frogs at night.
The view from our living room window of a full hedge of Rose of Sharon...

Walking the dog without a jacket (for me and for the dog).
Star-gazing in the backyard without shivering.
Chipmunks and their mad dashes for the perfect treat or hiding place...

Studying insects up-close...

Speaking of studying insects up-close, there's a gorgeous hardcover book for children (but adults who love photography also will relish it) called Step Gently Out by Helen Frost, with stunning close-ups of insects by Rick Lieder. Now, I'm not a person who is squeamish about bugs, but even some friends of mine who are otherwise (hmmm...how shall we say it?) "unthrilled" about them found the photos in this book captivating. I like the message that it subtly imparts about not fearing insects (or being cruel to them), but instead being fascinated by them and seeking them out.

What else will I miss about summer?

Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner outdoors. (Snacks, too!)
Days that last until 8:30 p.m.
Italian Ices (lemon flavor) when you really need them and they hit the spot.
Reading a book while lounging barefoot in an Adirondack chair, toes skimming the cool grass...

Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
Triple-berry pie from Sun High Orchards.
Just picked corn-on-the-cob. (New Jersey prides itself on sweet corn and blueberries.)

I'll tell you one thing about summer that I definitely will NOT miss: Stinkhorn Mushrooms!

The Stinkhorn is in the running for the most vile fungus ever! With its brownish-black, sticky goop on the tip that attracts flies (which spread around the spores), they can sprout up from the ground to full height (about six inches) in about three hours (no lie--check out one of several time-lapse videos on YouTube).

To get rid of Stinkhorns, you've got to dig up their nasty white "eggs" (attached to the red stalk) and throw them out in sealed bags. Then you've got to dig around in the surrounding soil and search for the eggs that haven't "hatched" yet (and throw those out, too).

When these little devils first started appearing in our mulch after a heavy rainfall and I had no clue what they were, I googled "disgusting red mushroom with brown tip." Scores of photos of the offending plant immediately popped up, along with hilarious descriptions from other people vexed by them. I also discovered the Latin name of the Stinkhorn: Phallus Impudicus. I don't think I need to translate "phallus" for you, but "impudicus" means "shameless or immodest." (Ahem!) But since this blog is called Joyfully Green and not Disgusted by Gross Stuff, I'll get back to the things I really will miss:

This stage of our Japanese Maple trees, just as they switch from green to red...

Trees thick with lush, green leaves and dappled with golden light...

I'll miss Dairy Queens everywhere, Yogurt Land in Denville, and Taylor's Homemade Ice Cream in Chester (the latter two stay open in the colder months, but it's just not the same).

But most of all, I'll miss the long, lingering days with my children...

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Your turn: What was your favorite moment of the summer? Please share in the Comments section below.If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own.

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Posted on 08/28/2013 at 12:00 PM in books, BUGS!, family, flowers, nature, peacefulness, perspective, photography, summer, wildlife | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: New Jersey blueberries, Rose of Sharon, savoring summer, Stinkhorn image, Stinkhorn mushroom time-lapse video, summertime, the best of summer, the end of summer

Today's Task: Abandon Your To-Do List

I woke up yesterday morning with the familiar weight of my mental To-Do list--all of the naggy, pesky things that HAD to be accomplished before my head hit the pillow again that night. That's not even including the tasks I'd maniacally scribbled on my desk calendar and on my dry-erase board in the kitchen (because I'm "Old School" when it comes to my organizational tools). As I've already confessed in previous posts at this blog, I am a wretched relaxer. So, how did I face my personal mountain of tasks for Tuesday? Easy: I brazenly ignored it and packed up the car and the kids for a surprise trip to the beach.

There is something so scrumptiously decadent about playing hookey when the energy-draining tasks on your plate are overflowing. It's preposterous and irresponsible, but also bracingly invigorating to postpone "pick up paperwork at township office" and substitute "wriggle toes in warm, sugary sand." Instead of "call insurance company" (can we all collectively groan?), we opted to "make a splash" instead.

I'm not saying that bills can be ignored or postponed indefinitely, or that work and clients can always be shrugged off. But we don’t NEED to do many of the tasks on our ridiculously overflowing To-Do lists, and if you're at all like me, you might be giving yourself all sorts of false deadlines and responsibilities. Why exactly do you NEED to go school-shopping TODAY, when school doesn't start until the second week of September? Why do you NEED to sew the loose buttons back on your winter jacket TODAY when it's eighty-five degrees outside? Throw yourself a giant, juicy bone and delay the tasks that can indeed be delayed. Portion out the drudgery on your calendar so it's not all clumped together in one horrid week of BLECH. Sprinkle in a good deal of sweet stuff to cut the sour taste of chores.

The "sweet stuff" for me--the things that make me happiest and re-energize me the most--are my family (including our velvety-eared dog), immersing myself in nature, and what I call "meditative photography" (quietly searching for the "perfect" shot). When I mix the three: POW. Immense happiness. Photography is the one sure way that I can focus with laser-like precision on the moment at-hand and not mentally juggle my To-Do list for the next two weeks. I can, in 60's hippie-speak, "Be Here Now."

There was, however, one thing from my To-Do list yesterday that I absolutely, positively NEEDED to do: Buy dog food. Poor Delilah had pasta and dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets yesterday, which she gladly gobbled up without complaint--but she needed her "real" food. So, after a surprise trip to the ice cream stand (we were "too busy" eating our ice cream cones to get any photos there--isn't that the best kind of "busy"?), the kids and I headed off to the pet store. That's a place we love to visit (unlike, say, the township office) because we always take a little tour of the aisles where various animals are up for adoption. We laughed and laughed at the little white mice on their exercise wheel, furiously circling around each other on a non-stop trip to nowhere. Curiously enough, it reminded me of my silly To-Do list.

Reflect on this: What's your favorite way to give yourself a break when you're up to your eyeballs in nasty chores? Do you harness the restorative powers of nature? Exercise? Whip up some delicious food? Or do you slog on through the tasks?

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Posted on 08/21/2013 at 11:56 AM in beaches, family, fun, perspective, photography, priorities, simplify, summer, unplug | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: managing your to-do list, organization, simplify

"Busy Bees" and a Lesson in Patience

I am not exactly a "morning person" but I am absolutely a "breakfast person." Like Jerry Seinfeld, I could eat cereal for every meal, but usually I will expend slightly more effort to really kick off the morning flavorfully. (My current favorite is oatnut toast topped with chocolate hazelnut spread and fresh summer berries. Seriously, you must try this magical trio. I know it's not the healthiest, but it's in the running for Most Scrumptious!) This morning, however, while the scent of bread turning into toast wafted through the kitchen, I raised the window shade to see our gorgeously abundant Rose of Sharon hedge literally abuzz. The honeybees were out in full force, flitting in and out of the super-saturated pink blossoms. I hesitated--the toast smelled amazing and the fresh strawberries were calling my name--but I knew what I had to do. I headed out the door with my camera and my trusty, super-cheap macro lens, my favorite new toy.

The honeybees didn't seem to care that my breakfast was waiting for me inside. Clearly, they had their own agendas and they weren't going to grant me the favor of posing in the perfect posy so I could answer the call of my grumbling stomach. I set up shot after shot and waited for a bee to fly into the particular blossom I was focusing on.

No such luck. Either they chose blooms that were out of my frame, or they chose the least photogenic flowers that were dying on the vine. Sometimes, they'd meet me halfway and give me a rear view, possibly the equivalent of "mooning."

I have to admit: Those shots interested me, too. I hadn't realized, until I was three inches away from honeybees this morning, that their little ruffled backs tremble in excitement while they drink the pollen. I guess they really enjoy their breakfasts, too.

When I first headed outside, I had intended to snap a few photos of the bees for ten minutes, tops. Again, the bees had an altogether different agenda for me. An hour flew by, and 92 photos later, this little guy (or gal) appeared:

He stopped what he was doing, wiggling his antenna in my direction, as we seemed to study the "otherness" of each other. He posed quite patiently for six frames before buzzing off. (Thank you, kind sir!)

When I finally made it back inside to my (slightly stale) toast, I had a memory of many years ago as a child, watching a TV special with Jane Goodall and the wild chimpanzees. After years of research and preparation, she traveled to their jungle, nestled herself among the trees, and waited. And waited. And waited some more, until one fine day, the chimpanzees finally acknowledged her, cautiously crept close to her, and allowed her into their intensely private world. I am no Jane Goodall, but today, I received the reward of patiently putting myself on other creatures' agendas and learning what would happen. The busy bees taught me all about slowing down, and made me ask myself, "What's the rush?" As it turned out, breakfast could wait. There were other things to savor.

Your turn: Are you habitually a "busy bee" or do you regularly take time to smell the roses? What's the most recent thing in nature/wildlife that you've studied? Please share in the Comments section below (feel free to link to your photos or blogs). If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own.

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Reader's Note: I encourage you to read "What's Killing the Bees?" (from Treehugger.com via Time magazine) and "Keep Off The Grass: Experts Sound Off on the Dangers of Lawn Pesticides" (from me); both posts are linked below.

Posted on 08/14/2013 at 02:26 PM in BUGS!, flowers, focus, macro, mindfulness, nature, perspective, photography, priorities, simplify | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: chimpanzees, honeybees, Jane Goodall, lawn pesticides, macro photography, pollen, Rose of Sharon, taking time to appreciate nature, what's killing the honeybees?

The Roadmap to Fewer (and Greener) Vacation Souvenirs

Okay, let's just file this True Story under "Over-Indulgent Parents": I know a mom who took her two children on a surprise trip to Disney World, but bought all of their Disney stuffed animals, "mouse ears", and princess costumes before the trip (secretly packing an extra suitcase), because she knew the same toys would be marked up inside the theme park and she didn't want to disappoint the kids by saying "no" to the souvenirs. I know she meant well, but it would seem (to me, anyway) that the plane tickets, the hotel room, the rental car and the gas, three restaurant meals and snacks each day for two parents and two kids, and a week's worth of park admission tickets to Disney World (have you seen those Disney ticket prices lately?) are more than enough of a gift to the kids, without throwing in a suitcase full of souvenirs that were probably all made in China.

Why do we buy souvenirs, anyway? Do we buy them to prove an experience happened, fearful we'll forget it if we don't have physical evidence of the place that we visited? Do we buy them to show off a fabulous vacation to our envious friends? Are we hoping to sprinkle a little of the vacation magic into our "real lives" which are not nearly as relaxing or glamorous as our getaways? Especially in America, where the standard vacation is two weeks off at the start of a job, perhaps we are trying to stave off the hunger for the next vacation by savoring a little taste of the last one? Do we buy souvenirs for the kids just because we want to avoid the whining and begging? (I've found one way to avert this last problem: I tell my kids that the toys live at the store. They don't question it, because what child wants to take someone away from his or her rightful home? Works for me!)

Generally, I am not a fan of giftshops, especially the ones that you have to walk through to exit the tourist attraction (seriously, what evil genius invented those?). However, if you're on the sentimental side like I am, sometimes you really do want to take home a little something special from the trip. (The key word there is "special", so you can skip the plastic snowglobes, nerve-rattling noise-makers, and polyester T-shirts.) Here are a few ideas for greener souvenirs, none of them made in China, and all of them more meaningful:

Keep a trip journal--online or traditional spiral-bound. Even better, have your kids write some entries.
Make a sketch. Or have your kids draw or paint a picture of your family on the trip. Frame it or just hang it with a magnet on the fridge.
Take photos, and lots of them--it's so easy in the digital age to snap away. You can (and should) edit ruthlessly later. Let your kids snap some photos--their viewpoints are priceless. Plus, how else are you going to get pictures of yourself on the vacation?
Free from the beach: The "perfect" stone; some pretty shells; a handful of pure white sand to keep in a recyled glass jar, labeled with the beach it's from.
Ask the waiter if you can have a recipe from the chef (or at least the gist of it) and recreate the dish at home.
Have a "Recollection Night" before you go. See below...

On the final night of our life-changing, two-week trip to Israel last year, my mother-in-law gathered our extended family--all eleven of us--in one of our hotel rooms and passed out a little informal survey, asking things like "What was your favorite meal on the trip?", "What was the most exciting thing you did?", "What did you learn about the country?", and "What was the funniest moment of the vacation?" Truth be told, the idea seemed a little corny at first, but you know what? It was so much fun to go around the circle and collectively remember our thoroughly amazing trip. Mental mementos: They're free, 100% green, perfect for sharing, and best of all, they don't take up any suitcase space!

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Your turn: What's your favorite souvenir from a vacation--and was it purchased, created, or found? Are you able to avoid the magnetic pull of the souvenir shop? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own.

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Your turn: Is the balance between your work and your personal life out of whack? Or do you keep your priorities in check when it's within your control to do so? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer and you can leave a comment at the original post.

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Posted on 08/08/2013 at 11:54 AM in family, fun, gifts, minimalism, non-consumerism | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: green souvenirs, green vacation, mementos, money-saving tips, souvenirs, summer trips, summer vacation ideas, Walt Disney World vacation

My Blog or My Life: The Slippery Slope of Balancing Work and Family

"My family knows that if I haven't published two blog posts that week, they need to get dinner for themselves."

That's a quote from a blogger I admire, but it made me cringe when I read it. I won't say who said it because--knowing her values from what I've read of her fine work--she was probably quoted out of context. I subscribe to her blog and I understand the thought process behind the quote: Blogging is her business and she makes it a priority. We all have work we need to do, and limits to set in order to complete it.

However, this "Blog vs. Family" stuff is something I've been mightily struggling with during the past year (my first blogiversary passed in July). I just attended one of the biggest blogging conferences (BlogHer '13 in Chicago) and one of the session instructors said when she first started out, she was posting two or three times per day. Not per week. Per day. The attendees audibly groaned. I guess if she were blogging for The White House or CNN, it would make more sense to me, but her blog was about makeup. How much "BREAKING NEWS!!!" is there about makeup? Sheesh! It exhausts me just thinking about it.

I don't know which Blog Gods and Goddesses decided that it was the Golden Rule to post at least twice a week, but I finally realized that it was making me crazy and taking me away from positive time with my family (let alone other commitments and the ever-growing Laundry Mountain). So, SEO be damned, I cut down to posting once a week, or twice if I'm really on fire. During school vacations, camp breaks, and their ilk, there will be fewer posts here. And I've learned to be okay with that.

I don't want to write just for the sake of writing stuff--chatter and nonsense. I want to write something that's important to me and worthwhile for you to read. I want to be proud of it. Moreover, I want my family to be proud of it. And they can't be proud of it or happy about this blog if it's work that continuously takes me away from meaningful time with them. As Ree Drummond, another speaker at BlogHer '13 said, "You can do it all, but it won't tickle." Rachel Wolf, a blogger at Clean (one of my favorite sites), keeps a sticky note right on her computer monitor that reads: "Your life is out there, not in here." A constant reminder to herself of what's truly important.

One of the categories you'll find listed at this site is "Unplug & Simplify" (and this post, not coincidentally, will be filed under it). I feel like I'd be hypocritical if I were typing away on the computer all the time while my family was off living their lives without me. My blog is important to me, but it's not the most important thing. Far from it.

Your turn: Is the balance between your work and your personal life out of whack? Please share in the comments section below. If you're reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer and you can leave a comment at the original post.

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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.

Reader's Note: Still need to chill out this summer? Check out my exclusive interview with Antarctica photographer Tatiana Botton, featuring some of the coolest photographs ever (literally).

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*************************************************************************************** - See more at: http://www.joyfullygreen.com/#sthash.g1rr606D.dpufYour turn: How do you balance work with your personal life? Do you find yourself overwhelmed by your work commitments, or are you able to keep it all in check? Please share in the Comments section below.Your turn: How do you balance work and family? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by work commitments and feel guilty about it taking time away from your personal life? Please share in the Comments section below (now powered by CommentLuv for ease of 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.