This will hardly be a "News Flash" to my family, but I'm not the most patient person in the world. So, it's really, reeeeeally hard for me to wait until summer (July 14, to be exact) to start up the next session of my online photography course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Here's where you come in...
I've been mulling over the idea of offering a short and sweet, 5-day e-course in May on how to take delicious food photographs. Even though it would be short and sweet for you, it still would involve a good deal of work on my end, so I'd like your thoughts before I bite off more than I can chew. (Oh, the puns!) Would you be interested in learning how to photograph your culinary creations in super-appetizing, highly artistic ways? Do you have friends or family who might like to take that course?
Kindly let me know, either in the comments section below or by email at [email protected]. You don't have to commit to anything right now; I just want to gauge the general interest level before I proceed.
Thanks--and I hope you have a most delicious week!
Before I introduce you to some wise words for the weekend, I wanted to let you know that I'm hard at work planning my next photography e-course. The first course, which ended last Friday, was filled with wonderful students who spoiled me silly with their enthusiasm for learning and sweet appreciation. I can't wait to teach more of you some of the things I've learned about photography, so stay tuned in the weeks ahead for details! Okay, on to different lessons altogether...
When do you choose convenience over being environmentally responsible? I think we all have certain areas where we could be a deeper shade of green, but it's not always easy, affordable, or even desirable for us to give up some die-hard conveniences. Here are five "trouble zones" in which convenience often battles it out with earth-friendliness--along with some suggestions to tip the balance in favor of the planet:
1. Parties. Can we all just agree right now that the worst part of parties is the clean-up? Is it any wonder that those plastic red cups (which I jokingly refer to as "The Evil Red Cups" due to their propensity to wind up on lawns and in gutters) have become a permanent staple at parties? But when you really think about how long the detritus of your parties hangs around on the planet, it's not that hard to switch to "the green party." Just run an extra load or two through the dishwasher on the day after. And use machine-washable cloth napkins--they're much more festive anyway! (If you can't give up The Evil Red Cups, at least give them a quick rinse and recycle them.)
2. Lunchbox meals. Sure, it's a hassle to pack lunchboxes on mornings when you're begging the kids to get dressed faster so you're not careening to the bus stop. But those squeezable, plastic, one-time-use lunch items and juice boxes will last longer than ten thousand lunchtimes. (That's just a guestimate.) To ease the morning frenzy: On the night before, pack lunches in dishwasher-friendly containers and fill thermoses for the fridge. (The super-cute lunch and snack packs pictured below are from my super-green friend, Jennifer Larsen, and are available in her Etsy shop.)
3. Traveling. Those mini-bottles of shampoo and conditioner have become the norm for air travel due to security restrictions. Is it bothersome to pour your hair products into reusable travel-size containers? Sure! Is it less bothersome than the air and water pollution created by the manufacture of all those little plastic bottles? Why yes, I believe it is! Get a small funnel at the store to simplify the job of pouring liquids from big containers into small ones.
4. Shopping. Many countries (and now, some U.S. cities) have started charging customers for plastic grocery bags or banning them altogether. I used to feel like a "green freak" for carrying my own canvas bags, but last week, the woman in front of me at the check-out actually apologized for using the store's plastic grocery bags. "I've gotta remember my canvas bags next time," she said sheepishly. (I call that "Progress.")
5. Diapers. I briefly thought about cloth diapers when my two children were babies, and by "briefly", I mean "for about an hour each." Babies go through a LOT of yucky diapers. (If I'm remembering correctly, I think it was--at minimum--five per day). I kidded myself that the disposables were just as "good", due to all of the hot water and detergent needed to clean the cloth ones. But let's face it: Disposable diapers are bad news for the planet because of the excruciatingly huge number of them going to landfills--and the fact that they aren't going anywhere. If I had to do it all over again, I wish I could tell you with certainty that I would choose cloth diapers. But if I'm being completely honest, I don't know if I would do it any differently.
We all draw our own lines in the sand for what we will and won't do in the name of green-ness. I'm not proud of it, but I drew the line at diapers.
Where do you draw your green lines? Be honest--let's hear it!
I've never featured another photographer's work on my blog before, but just for today, I'm making an exception. My new photographer friend, Sheila Klein-Weckman, sent me this lovely image of a Dogwood blossom in her back yard. She wrote in her note, "Dogwood bushes help with erosion. I would much rather see a bush than a fence." (Agreed!) Although Sheila is going through a challenging time, I was so moved that she is still finding the simple and quiet beauty in each day, and sharing it with others. Thank you, Sheila, for your kind gift.
The older I get, the more I think about the connections I've made through the years--personally, professionally, with nature, with photography, with the people who are still in my life, and with the people I knew for too short a time. The following posts are all about making meaningful connections. I loved them and I hope you do, too! (If you stop by to comment on these posts, please tell the writers I sent you their way.)
From Tales from a Happy House (because storytime is my current favorite time of day--or rather, night--and these photos capture the moment perfectly): Night Light.
From Life with the Crew (oh my goodness, that baby and that bunny--how sweet are they?): Reconnecting With Nature.
And lastly, it might seem odd to include one of my own posts, but I couldn't have an edition about connections and not include my very first post on this blog, the true story of my deep connection to the woods of my childhood, and more importantly, to my father, who shaped the person I am today: Beyond the Back Yard. I hope you like it.
I am not an advocate for buying more stuff--far from it. But lately, as I keep reaching for the same items in my kitchen, I've been thinking about how these items (all purchased within the last two years) have radically simplified my life, especially at mealtimes. The bonus is they've also made my life a little greener. How many of these items are you using to simplify your mealtimes?
1. Small colander. No, it doesn't have to be a gorgeous, fire-engine red like the one pictured above, but it certainly livens up the room (and has made it into about 5,000 of my photographs). I use this mini-colander every single day to rinse off fruits and vegetables (healthy points!), and it's small enough so it fits right into the top rack of the dishwasher. No paper towels necessary for drying off the produce.
2. Custard cups. (There's that fire-engine red again!) I use these little stoneware cups for countless things, none of them involving custard. I break eggs into them so it's easier to fish out the shells. I use them at parties for dips or sauces. I save leftovers in them (they come with lids). I serve yogurt or applesauce in them to the kids, because we all know "the foods can't touch each other!" And I don't want to use those plastic segmented plates for kids anymore--ever since the dangers of BPA made the news, I'm just waiting for the next report on which plastic is toxic to our systems. These stoneware cups avoid the plastic issue altogether.
3. Cookie cutters. It's fun to bake with the kids (and it keeps them focused on a positive activity instead of arguing about who owns that meaningless yellow pencil on the floor). Baking our own cookies cuts down on processed snacks (we know exactly what's in our cookies--mostly organic ingredients), as well as cutting out "the middle men" of manufacturing, packaging, and shipping. Better still, if we bake them on weekends, the lunchbox snacks are all taken care of for the week ahead. (Yes, we include the aforementioned fruits in the lunchboxes, too.)
4. Natural Choices Orange 100. One 32-oz. bottle is going on Year 2 in our house. We need just a few drops mixed with water (one little ounce for every gallon) in a spray bottle and--presto!--the counters are clean, shiny, and smell like oranges. What's not to like? (No, I'm not getting any money for plugging it--I just love it!)
5. Dinner bell. I don't know if it's more like "Downton Abbey" or Pavlov's dogs, but I do know it's a lot easier to summon the kids to dinnertime by ringing a pretty bell than screaming at the top of my lungs like a maniac with a house on fire. We had a dinner bell like this in my childhood home, but since it went missing decades ago, I got this antique school bell on eBay for about $10. (Plus, it's greener to buy antiques--old, well-loved things--instead of brand-new stuff that's most likely made in China.) Saved by the bell, indeed!
Lilacs are my favorite flowers on earth--that fragrance! Those colors! Last year, I filled up our yard with as many lilac bushes as I could manage, and now, I'm just waiting for them to bloom again. Waiting...waiting...
What flowers are you most looking forward to seeing when the warmer weather (eventually) gets here?
If you've been following this blog for a little while now, you know that I like to group my "Joyful Reads for the Weekend" into neat little categories so that you (and I) can find them if the urge strikes to re-read an item at a later date. This week, however, I have a random group of lovely pieces for you, each one in its own little category of joy...
I'm half-way through teaching my first photography e-course (and loving it--such a sweet and inspiring group of students!), so this next item really tickled me. It isn't a read, it's a video--a thoroughly charming video--explaining what it was like before our cameras were part of our phones: Film Photography Explained to Kids.
Last Wednesday, I wrote about 5 Things to Cut Loose for a Simpler Life and I'm happy to say that I'm still on the simplicity kick! Here are five more things to consider ditching:
1. Plastic bags. Not only are plastic bags a pain in the neck for the planet, but they also have a way of exploding out of your kitchen drawers and closets, building up like a runaway snowball on its way to an avalanche. So, take that gigantic heap of flimsy bags to your local grocery store and put it in their plastic bag recycling bin, buy a few canvas bags, keep them in the front seat of your car, and just say no to the plastic bags for good.
2. Magazines. As somebody who used to be addicted to new magazines, I can tell you with 100% confidence that my life has gotten much easier by just borrowing them from the library. No more dusty stacks spilling all over the floor to contend with, and passing along copies of magazines instead of buying them is like the ride-sharing equivalent of commuting.
3. Coupons. Unless the coupon is for a dollar or more (few are!), skip them altogether. Is it really worth your time, kitchen drawers, and wallet space to cut out coupons for ten cents off? Don't you forget to use them anyway? Just sign up for a savings card at your supermarket and be done with the coupons.
4. Big-box store memberships. If you have the admirable self-control to walk into a store like Costco or Sam's Club and pick up only the 50-lb. bag of cat litter that you went in for, then by all means, keep your membership. It's very green to buy in bulk and cut down on packaging. The problem arises when these stores lure you into buying things you do not need at all, filling up your house like a hoarder on speed. Do you really need a mega-box of stuffing mix? Five hundred pens at once? A gallon of pepper? Simplify your life by buying just a little more than you'll really need until the next shopping trip at the (regular-sized) store. Remember: It's not a bargain if you don't need it.
5. Salon hair color. I used to have my hair lightened at salons, and my goodness, how I wish I could get back all of those two-hour chunks of time that I spent with my hair wrapped in tin foil, looking like an extra from "Lost in Space." Yes, I squeezed in some magazine-reading time in the chair, but now that I'm coloring my hair at home, the whole process is done in less than a half hour--a half hour while I'm doing more important things than reading about who's dating whom in the entertainment world.
Are you 5 for 5 yet? What have you cut out of your life to simplify it?
This week, when it seems like you're churning through your tasks, take a few moments to just gaze out a window, take deep and restorative breaths, and be thankful for a room with a view.
Photo taken at Edith Wharton's house, The Mount, in Lenox, MA, in February 2014.
