Joyous Sounds

I'm awake in the wee hours of the morning. Sleep eludes me. Normally, I wouldn't be happy about this situation. But right now I'm thankful to be awake. There is a slow rumble of thunder and rain is dancing on the roof. These are joyous sounds to my ears and I'd be missing them if I were asleep. Even to hear the slurry sound of water as tires drive over it makes me happy. I love a good rain storm even when we're not in a drought. But I thank God, and am most grateful, for a rain storm when we are in a drought.

Thank you Lord!

Is It Just Me?

Is it just me or does anyone else get really excited when you're able to load the dishwasher to the point there is no more room? That feeling seriously ROCKS! (At least for me it does.) Here's why ~ for one thing, because I feel like I've accomplished a big household chore and secondly, because I feel like I'm doing my part (however tiny a part it may be) of helping the environment. I will wait a few days if I can to run the dishwasher until it's packed full. With that said, I really hate having to unload the dishwasher. Oh well, you can't win them all!

It's Snowing!!!

In Houston, Texas!!! We got our Christmas miracle early folks! I'm posting this real fast while the kiddo and I warm up. We're soaked after spending some time out in the snow. I just wanted to post these for your viewing pleasure ;)


Kiddo's name written in snow on a picnic table...


My baby's attempt at a snow angel...


For some reason I can't get these lyrics out of my head...

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

And now that Violet and I have warmed up with some good ole' hot chocolate, it's time to go outside and play some more!

Friday's Flowers: Sunkissed Poppies

I want to have these in my front yard someday!

More Storms But Pleanty of Beauty to Be Seen

This photo is of the parking garage at my husband's office. It was taken on Tuesday, the day after a massive storm hit our area, by one of my husband's co-workers (thanks Kevin!). We were pelted with another batch of storms on Thursday afternoon but nothing as severe as Monday's. Still, we don't need any more rain. The ground is soaking wet and there are areas that still have alot of standing water.

I was out and about running errands, getting ready for a week-long trip that Violet and I will be taking beginning on Saturday. While driving around I noticed several parks that were closed to the public due to high water. It's rather odd to look at a major lake of water and know that underneath it is a local dog park and there are benches under that water.

We were privileged to see several beautiful birds while out on our errand runs. There were several cattle egrets, great egrets, great blue herons and little blue herons enjoying the new digs, taking advantage of the extra water. (Sorry that the links don't take you directly to a photo of each bird but there is a list on the left of the page that has the birds listed, just click on the birds you wish to see and a photo will pop up. It's late and I'm really too tired to figure out how to correct this so please bear with me and don't let the extra step keep you from allowing yourself to see the beauty of these birds.)

Please pray for mine and Violet's flight on Saturday. We have a slight chance of rain that morning and I'd really prefer that we don't have to worry about rain. Violet and I are very excited to see my parents, Violet especially so. I have so much to do and have very little time to do it. So, if you don't see me for a while just know that I've not dropped off the face of the earth. I'm just taking a mini vacation with my daughter and my parents. Poor Gregg will only have Pepper, Flippy and Blue (our elderly cat, red beta fish and blue snail) to keep him company. I'm not too worried for Pepper not being fed on time because she will let Gregg know if her bowl is empty but I do worry about the fish. As usual when pets are involved, the Mommy ends up doing the bulk of feeding and cleaning. It's all good though. Other than cleaning the fish tank I rather enjoy having them here. Fish have a very soothing/calming effect on me and a soothed/calm Mom is a great mom!

Have a blessed and wonderful weekend and I hope to see you all back here sometime soon.

Love you guys!
Kimberly

Rain, Wind, and Hail

I wrote this post in the middle of the night last night while listening to an incredible storm. Sorry for the delayed post but I wanted you to know what we were going through last night. We lost power/internet/cable before I could post this. By the time everything was restored my brain was fried and I had finally crashed.

If you see a giant boat floating downstream it's a good possibility that it'll have me and my little family in it. The Houston area has been getting slammed with rain the past few weeks and I think we may be seeing the worst of it right now. The skies have opened up and the floodgates have kept them open! Several areas have flooded and we know a few families who are seriously praying that the water doesn't rise any higher (as we are praying for them). We're fortunate in that we're on high ground and that we have a huge drainage system (think canyon sized folks) just down the street. Still, I'm beginning to wonder if it has met it's limits. Only time will tell.

It's 4 AM and we have severe rain, wind, and a batch of small pea-sized hail just hit. Violet woke up frightened because of the rain and hail hitting her window. I'm already awake, obviously, and am able to bring Violet into the living room with me and thankfully she falls back to sleep on the couch. I'm not exaggerating when I say this, I seriously believe we're getting more rain dumped on us than we got during hurricane Ike!

In the meantime I ask that you keep us, and by that I mean Houstonians and those in the surrounding areas, in your prayers. This is the strangest weather we're having down here. We know four families who have either had flooding in their homes or their cars have been flooded just from being parked in front of their homes. I think we're now hitting the twelve hour mark with this patch of storms and, if the lightening and thunder are any indication, it doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon.

Note: The rain lasted until after 5 AM, well over twelve hours when it first started. Gregg couldn't get to his office this morning due to massive street flooding and found the parking garage under his building is filled with water once he got there. We're anticipating more storms later this evening/afternoon and are keeping a close eye on radar.

Hurrican Ike Timeline

Hello folks! Our family is safe and is doing well. Thank for your prayers. They have meant the world to us. The past three days are a blur to me so please bear with me as I try to relay to you what life has been like for us down here in the Houston area. We live just West of Houston but still got a massive amount of bad weather. Here is the timeline I’ve managed to keep track of…

Thursday, September 11th, ~ Gregg came home from work sometime around 2 PM. His office closed up shop and everyone went to their homes to prepare for Hurricane Ike. We hit the local HEB and joined the masses that were already there. We filled our cart to the hilt with water and every non-perishable food item we could think of and find. It didn’t take long for us to reach our budgeted amount and we stopped.

Jugs were filled with water and placed in the freezer in hopes that they’d freeze before Ike hit. We also placed individual water bottles in the freezer thinking that they could be used to keep items cooled in the ice chest without buying actual ice. The remaining water bottles were placed in the fridge.

Friday Morning, September 12th ~ We spent the day cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning. I confess, I’m not made of Mrs. June Cleaver stuff and therefore am not the best homemaker but I try. Still, my level of cleanliness is not what it needs to be when you prepare for a hurricane. We did laundry galore because we were concerned we’d be without power for a while. Also, both tubs were given a through scrubbing and then filled with water in order to make sure we would have enough water for basic necessities, such as washing up and flushing a toilet. We had more than enough bottled water to get us through a few days and so that wasn’t a concern.

Friday, 3:00 PM ~ Gregg took Violet to the playground. We’re hoping that she will run off some of that energy and calm down.

Friday, 7:00 PM ~ The calm before the storm is eerie. The sky was breathtaking. Stunning really. I hope you enjoy the photos I managed to take.
The winds are starting to gust. The poor tree in front of our patio is getting a workout. Wind is blowing it to where it’s nearly horizontal at times. Thankfully, the tree is fairly young and should withstand the winds. We wonder though weather it’ll have any leaves left on it once this is all over.


Galveston is getting a beating. I pray that everyone left the island because this is going to get ugly. The water is already beating upon the Galveston Seawall. The waves crashing against it are amazing. We’ve seen reporters standing in front of the Seawall and the waves, when they crash upon it, are three to four times taller than the reporters standing in front of it.

Kemah’s Boardwalk is also taking a beating. We would frequent Kemah quite frequently when we lived closer to the area. It has some wonderful little shops and amazing restaurants. There has already been flooding in some areas. There is a giant Ferris wheel on the Boardwalk and I wonder if it’ll still be there when Ike leaves. Clear Lake, where we lived nearly a year ago, is also getting slammed. I’m worried about our old neighbors and our old place. We don’t live there anymore but I’ll always love it as we called it home for nearly 11 years.

Violet has been climbing the walls. My nerves are shot and I’m looking forward to opening a bottle of wine we bought while at the store yesterday. I’m exhausted from staying up most of the night last night watching the unending news reports on Ike. Then, after all the work we’ve done today you’d think I’d collapse wherever I’d land but that’s not gonna happen. I won’t settle down until the winds do.

Friday, 10:00 PM ~ Amazingly enough we still have power. We’re crossing our fingers and praying that we won’t lose it. But, as my Mom said, “It’s just a matter of time before you lose power.” I hope she’s wrong but I know she’s right.

Saturday, September 13th 2:00 AM ~ Ike has made landfall. The images we’ve seen so far are heartbreaking. Galveston has so much damage and the storm hasn’t even passed through yet. We are getting slammed with wind here in Katy. There are no words to adequately describe what the wind sounds like but it is powerful. It’s frightening sometimes, especially when it whips through the breezeway of our apartment complex. The sounds remind me of something you’d hear on a horror film. Amazingly enough we still have power but it’s not going to stay that way for much longer. There are over two million people who are without power now.

The wind is slapping a small tree against our bedroom window. We’ve moved our mattress and are now camping out on the floor in our living room. I don’t know how Gregg manages to sleep but I’m thankful he is. I know that once daylight comes I’m going to crash. In the meantime, I’m keeping watch over my little family, ready to do things if I need to.

Saturday, 4:30 AM ~ We lost power. The electricity flickered on and off for the past two hours. It finally went out and hasn’t returned. We’ve now joined the masses of people who are without power. I wonder when it’ll come back on. Days, weeks? We’ll just have to wait and see. I’m already thinking of the drive to Little Rock and what we’ll take if we make the trip.

Violet woke up shortly after we lost power. Without her fans running in her room she was able to hear the winds outside. I snapped a glow-light stick and let her hold on to it. I am thanking God for His giving me the idea for this. The glow-light is a real source of comfort for our little girl. I told her it was a magic wand and that nothing can bother her while she has it. I’m making a note to buy a few more of these “magical” items to keep on stock for when we lose power again.

The rain is coming down in sheets and the wind is pushing it. I checked our front door and am so glad I did. Rain is being blown in our door. I put down several towels to soak up whatever makes it in. This will be all that I need to do thankfully.

Saturday, 9:00 AM ~ Pepper, our cat, fell in one of our tubs. Poor kitty, she was not expecting to find a tub full of water when she jumped on the tub’s side. She wasn’t completely soaked somehow; just her belly and legs were wet. But her ego sure did take a dousing. Pepper has been hiding under the couch ever since her little dip in the tub.

Power is still out. I’d be amazed if we get it back on anytime soon but I’m still praying. It’s hot and the humidity only makes it feel hotter than it is.
We’ve gotten some water from our neighbor’s place upstairs. It’s not much but we still need to report it. There is a line of water that is maybe an inch wide and four feet long above our patio door and window. That is the extent of any damage that we have. Gregg was smart and parked the car between two SUVs in the parking lot and it is just fine. We are extremely fortunate.

Saturday, 12:00 PM ~ I am absolutely AMAZED! Power was restored! Thank you Lord!!!

Saturday, 1:30 PM ~ I ventured outside and went to a gas station. We don’t have phone service right now and so I called our families to let them know we’re okay. I could hear the relief in their voices when they answered the phone. Hurricanes are difficult to ride out but they are torture for those who watch it on the news and are wondering how their loved ones are doing.

The roads have some debris but are relatively clean for what we’ve just been through. The gas stations that are open are overwhelmed with people gassing up their cars. Lines of cars are spilling out into the streets. The other place with a line out to the street is a local coffee shack, Java Joes. I wonder if people even know how to make their own coffee anymore?

We have several small trees that were blown down, uprooted, or broken on the grounds of the apartment complex. The maintence crews will have their hands full when they come back to work. As much as I long to be in a home of my own, I’m thankful we’re not having to do any clean-up right now.

Saturday, 5:00 PM (ish) ~ We lost power. Sigh. Just as Dorothy chants “There’s no place like home” in the Wizard of Oz, I start chanting… Please come back on. Please come back on. Please come back on. I went out again and called my parents. I found out that my family who lives in Lufkin and Pasadena, Texas are without power. Ike had a far reach.

Saturday, 7:00 PM (ish) ~ Power is restored! And no, I don’t think it’s a result of my wishful chant. We’re just very, very lucky.

Due to reports of water contamination we are boiling our water. We’re not sure how far the contamination reaches so we aren’t taking any chances. I spoke with a Constable while I was out earlier and he said it was safest to boil any water that we need for the following reasons… to consume, use for brushing our teeth and for washing and rinsing the dishes with. Boiling enough water for doing the dishes with is very time consuming.

Sunday, September 14th ~ Happy Birthday Gregg! What a way to spend your birthday, huh? You are an incredible man and Violet and I are blessed to be your family. We love you!

Sunday, 5:00 PM ~ The family and I went out for an excursion. After being cooped up in the house for two days we were starting to climb the walls and get on one another’s nerves. Fresh air was needed. The gas stations still have lines but seem to be faring better than they were yesterday. The reports of gas price gauging is not the case in our area, we saw several stations selling gas for $3.33 and up.

The grocery store we went to was picked over. There was hardly any fruit or meat left. There were no eggs, dairy, sandwich meats, or bread. Most of the soups, spaghetti sauces, and canned vegetables were gone as well. I snagged a couple of boxes of Tuna Helper to use with some of our tuna; Gregg will take the rest to work for his lunches. I was also fortunate enough to get two bottles of spaghetti. I anticipate the shelves being restocked in the morning but you never know. We’re going back as soon as we can drag ourselves out of bed. We need real food in the house, not junk food.

I was pleased to see that the store was putting out bags of ice. A lot of people don’t have electricity and therefore are relying on it to keep their perishables cold. This item is like gold right now in the Houston/Galveston areas. Stores can’t make it fast enough as people yank it up as soon as it’s put out.

Gregg’s office is going to be closed on Monday. Several windows were blown out on the building on the opposite side of where he works. Hopefully everything inside the building is safe and secure. His office is filled with a lot of important documents and land plots that are worth a ton of money. I know Gregg is not the only one who is concerned about water damage and thanking God that their windows were safe. Thankfully, Gregg has a job to return to in the next few days there are thousands who aren’t so lucky.

Hurricane Ike packed a powerful punch. Most people were prepared and those who were asked to evacuate did. There were the few who were determined to ride the storm out despite the mandatory evacuation notice. Which I don’t understand that term, here’s why; if it’s mandatory then that is supposed to mean that you HAVE to do something, right? We’ll obviously, in terms of an evacuation, mandatory is “if you feel like doing it”. Crazy, huh?

Well, it’s been a long few days. I’ve done my best to let you in on what life has been like here. We’re exhausted. If only there was a way to sleep for a few days. It may be a few days before I post here again. My brain is in need of some rest and relaxation. Until my next post, be safe and take care.

Frustrated!

I am SO frustrated right now! I might come across as heartless right now but here are the facts. There are some people who have not heeded the mandatory evacuation orders and are now stuck in their homes. They've been calling the authorities for help/rescue. Of course, authorities are risking their own lives to get to those who have asked for help. Yes, those in the public services are required to stay behind to help keep order but it bothers me that most people don't consider that they shouldn't have to risk their lives for your own stupidity.

We all have been watching hurricane Ike as it inches it's way along towards us. This storm is HUGE! One report was that Ike was as wide as the Gulf itself at one point. It should not be a surprise to folks that there would be flooding. Even the birds have the sense to take flight and are moving towards drier land. Today's photo was taken in the early hours of the evening so that's why it's so grainy but it gives you an idea of what is going on in our area. This photo does not show how many birds were looking for shelter last night. Imagine the movie "The Birds" and that is more like what I saw. Okay, not quite but it sure did seem like it.

Here We Go Again

[photo courtesy of Weather Underground]

Here we go again. There is another hurricane out in the Gulf. It looks like Ike is making a direct path towards the Houston/Galveston area. Each day Ike gains strength and the meteorologist anticipate it being a Category 4 hurricane by the time it makes landfall. Friday will be the day we'll know what Ike is going to do.

Thankfully people are taking this storm more seriously than the ones before. The stores are already restocking their supplies. The home improvement stores can't keep plywood in stock. People are waiting in lines while waiting for more plywood, some for three hours or more. The gas stations have been refilled and there is supposed to be enough gas for our city and those passing through.

This is all a bit surreal to me. This makes three hurricanes we've prepared for now this year alone. So far, the Houston/Galveston areas have been VERY lucky. Each storm that has threatened to make landfall in our backyard has turned east. I'm worried our luck has run out. We are due a big storm. Will Ike be the one? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, we're preparing.

The area we live in has been asked to "shelter-in-place". We're safe from the storm surge, it's the winds that will be a big problem for us. I heard on the news tonight that, if Ike is indeed a Cat. 4 storm, we could sustain 90 mph. + winds. So, we're planning on doing what our area has been asked to do, "sheltering-in-place" and praying for the best. Our backup plan is to evacuate if we lose power and it looks like it'll be off for a while. South Texas heat and humidity is NOT pleasant folks! I'm not sure where we'll go just yet. It depends upon how much damage is in our area. By that time, the roads will be cleared and alot of people will be heading back home to assess the damage to their property, at least that's what we think will happen. If we decide to stay at a hotel hopefully there will be rooms available. I've been looking for places that will accept cats and our pickings are few. We may be driving up to my parents (hope you're ready for us!).

In the meantime, I ask that those of you who don't live in this area to please pray for us. The hurricane is not the only thing we have to be cautious about. Alot of times these storms produce tornadoes that are just as dangerous as the hurricane. And, the winds can be devastating. When we evacuated three years ago due to Rita we went to Lufkin, Texas. The winds that hit that area were tremendous and the damage was unbelievable. My family who lives there were without electricity for a month (if my memory is correct). I'll never forget listening to giant oak and pine trees crack and landing on other people's homes in the middle of the night. Seeing an enormous tree uprooted is an image that sticks with you, especially if it's lying right in the middle of someone's home. My aunt K. was extremely blessed that she didn't have damage to her home. Her neighbor wasn't so lucky. So please pray. Pray that people will be smart and evacuate early. Pray that people will be safe. Pray that Ike fizzles out before making landfall. Please, just pray.


Note: There is conflicting news on Ike so we're not sure what category it is going to be. The consensus is that it will at least be a Cat. 3 and possibly a Cat. 4. A Cat. 3 hurricane will give us 75 mph. + winds and a Cat. 4 could have 90 mph. winds and up. There are new mandatory evacuation orders for Brazoria County, South and Southeast Harris Counties (Houston), and Galveston County that is now in effect. We are not in the evacuation plan.


Another Note: Gregg came home today shortly after noon. His office is closed tomorrow. Also, Violet's daycare is closed as well as all of the local schools. I found out that a huge Sam's Club in our area will be closed tomorrow and the rest of the weekend. The gas stations are starting to run out of gas and the lines at the stations that do have some are crazy long. We went to our local HEB, which is a huge store, and have stocked up on everything one could possibly need to ride out a hurricane... canned meats, peanut butter, cereal and granola bars, individual servings of fruit cups and applesauce, juice boxes, Gatorade, and water, water, water.

The flashlights had been picked off the shelves and so I'm considering ourselves very fortunate. I found some click lights and little head lamps (similar to these) that can be used for what we need. We will have plenty of light. I even bought a couple of glow sticks. I figured those would be useful as a nightlight, tie a string through the hole and hang it on Violet's door and she'll be set! Of course, we're praying that we won't need to use these items.

Please Pray

[photo courtesy of Weather Underground]

Please pray for all of us who live on the Gulf Coast. Gustav is making progress and is likely to hit landfall the first of next week. He keeps slowly shifting westward and now Houston is in it's cone of possibilities.

I am so thankful that we live in the Katy area now. Before, when we lived in the Clear Lake area of Houston, we were just minutes from the water. We fled the Houston area along with everyone else when Rita threatened us. I am convinced that had Rita hit us we wouldn't have had a home to return to. Still, being in Katy is not a guarantee that we won't be hit with hurricane force winds and flooding. We won't get the worst of it but we can still be hit hard.

So, we are preparing for the worst. Gregg is making sure the car's gas tank is topped off. We are putting together the necessary items we'll need if we can't evacuate. I'm gathering our "must take items"... photos, clean clothes, a few precious books that can't be replaced, Pepper's travel crate (with Pepper obviously in it when we leave), and charging the ever important portable dvd player. There is so much to think of and do before the first of the week. And here we were looking forward to a leisurely long weekend.

Hurricane Katrina and it's effects on New Orleans will forever be in the minds of people everywhere. But in the wake of that tragedy alot of people were looked over while in the midst of their own crisis. One of my closest friend's home was badly damaged in Rita (she lives in Beaumont with her family). Rita didn't pack the punch that Katrina did but she did do alot of damage. Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and areas of Texas were badly hit that year (not just New Orleans). So, while most of the focus is on New Orleans right now, please don't forget the rest of the Gulf Coast area in your prayers.

For those of you who live on the Gulf Coast, please be prepared for this storm. Don't wait until the last minute to figure out what you will do if Gustav heads your way, make a plan now. Let family and friends know in advance what your plans are (we might be heading your way Mom & Dad!). Stock up on the necessary items to ride out the storm, even if you are prepared to evacuate it's possible that weather/traffic will prohibit your leaving. Basically, I'm telling you to... Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. There is nothing wrong with being prepared for the worst. In fact, you want to be overly prepared than not enough.

Personally, I pray that Gustav will do the exact opposite of what the weather stations are predicting and fizzles out.

Dreaming

Wouldn't it be wonderful if someday we could buy organic, earth friendly products that don't have to be labeled as such? That everything would just be that way and we wouldn't have to read every detail on the labels to determine if the products are environmentally safe. Ahh, it doesn't hurt to dream. Maybe, hopefully, someday this dream will become a reality.

Just A Few More Tidbits...

After I wrote my post "The Future of Grocery Shopping", I became curious who else is working on either charging for plastic grocery bags or banning them. Below is a list of cities and countries that are working on this issue...

*San Francisco, California ~ the first US city to ban plastic bags
*Seattle, Washington
*Los Angeles, California
*Boston, Massachusetts
*Oakland & Portland, Oregon
*Houston, Texas
*Ireland ~ began taxing bags in 2002, thus reducing plastic bag consumption by 90%
*Rwanda ~ banned plastic bags in 2005
*China
*Bangladesh
*Israel
*Canada
*western India
*Botswana
*Kenya
*Tanzania
*South Africa
*Taiwan
*Singapore
(It's sad that there are more countries who are making this change than there are US cities doing so.)

A few companies that have taken the initiative to switch from plastic/paper to reusable bags...

*Ikea ~ they charge for each bag that you use. Their "giant" bags are awesome! We have one that we're using as a cover for Violet's tricycle, protecting it from the rain while stored on our patio.
*Whole Foods ~ stopped using plastic bags as of Earth Day (April 22)
*Durango Natural Foods ~ a store I plan to stop by on our next trip to Colorado.
*Nature's Oasis Natural Foods Market ~ another must-stop in Colorado.
*Krogers, HEB, Randalls, Fiesta and even Wal-Mart are starting to sell their own reusable grocery bags in the hopes of encouraging more people to buy them.

A few important facts...
Plastic bags are made from polyethylene, a thermoplastic made from oil. We would reduce our foreign oil dependency by reducing the amount of plastic bags we make and use. China will save 37 million barrels of oil each year due to their ban on free plastic bags. Just imagine the difference it would make in the US if we did the same!

Just a few numbers to consider...
If we all just used one reusable bag we can save 6 plastic bags a week. That's 24 bags a month, which makes 288 bags a year, which turns into 22,176 bags in an average lifetime. If just 1 out of 5 people in our country did this, we would save 1,330,560,000,000 bags in our lifetime. Consumer bags consumed nationwide: 200 Billion (as of writing this post) and counting!

And let's not forget the plastic produce bags folks! These are just as dangerous to our environment as the plastic grocery bags. And, just as there are alternatives to the plastic grocery bags, there are alternatives to our usual plastic produce bags. You can purchase both of the pictured bags at reusable bags.com.

A great site to shop for reusable grocery bags is reusable bags.com (a new site I found). I'm particularly fond of the Super Strong Cotton Messenger Shopping Bag. I'm thinking that would make an awesome tote for our pool items, not to mention all the groceries it will hold.

Okay, now that I've given you even more information regarding plastic bags, I'll step off my soap box (for now).

The Future of Grocery Shopping

"We do not inherit the earth ~ we borrow it from our children."
Ancient Indian Proverb

Paper or Plastic? That is the question circulating around Houston lately. The answer is NEITHER. Starting in January 2009, Houston will be following San Francisco's example and will begin charging twenty cents for the conventional grocery plastic bag. This "disposable plastic bag tax" will not just be enforced at grocery stores, our local pharmacies and gas stations will also be included.

There are many who are upset about the new "tax". I guess the convenience of plastic bags is foremost in their minds. Also, it's hard to accept the idea of being taxed for an item that has been free to us since they were introduced. It can be expensive to acquire enough reusable, earth friendly, bags to carry a week's worth of groceries. (The average family shops for a week's supply of groceries.) But in the long run, reusable bags are better and their benefits outweigh the convenience of plastic bags.

One study estimates that it will take 1,000 years for a single bag to biodegrade, possibly even longer. Not to mention that the majority of conventional plastic bags do not make it to our landfills. They end up as litter on our streets, in our neighborhoods, and in our waterways. If you take a look at your surroundings when you're outside the likelihood that you'll see a plastic bag floating around is rather high.

Our wildlife is suffering from the conventional plastic grocery bags. Birds can eat pieces of the plastic and over time, after consuming enough of it, will literally starve to death. Their stomachs will be filled with the plastic and therefore they don't eat the food they need to survive. The same is true with our marine life. Sea turtles feast on jelly fish and often mistake a plastic bag for their meal of choice. Fish get caught in the bags that float in their habitat and will actually drown. This creates a cycle that affects the balance of the whole. Jelly fish survive on fish, sea turtles survive on the jelly fish, and so on. You hurt one, you end up hurting them all.

It is encouraged that if you choose to use plastic bags that you would reuse them as much as possible. Some of the most common reuses for plastic bags are...
* trash can liners.
* for pet waste.
* packaging filler for when you mail items.
* book covers for school books (this takes some effort to do but there are those who use them for this purpose).
* and finally, recycling them at your local grocery store. (I'm sure there are other ways to reuse the bags but I can't think of them.)

I bought a great set of reusable grocery bags online when we moved to Katy. They are wonderful and can hold up to 40 pounds of groceries, per bag. I have a canvas tote bag that I carry on a regular basis and I love it. I personally feel that the canvas is sturdier and is easier to carry. I save the Lehman's bags for when I'm shopping for a week's worth of groceries and for holiday meals (a holiday meal can rack up enough items that you could have bought groceries for a week!). I found some great canvas bags online that I've got my eye on. They're just like the one I carry on a regular basis but look much more fashionable. (Hint, hint.)

It has taken me a while to get in the habit of using my reusable grocery bags. I would often forget them and then remember the bags after I was already at the store. I now leave them folded in a corner by our front door so I won't forget to take them with me. I even keep a few in the car for when we end up making a last minute stop at the grocery store. Gregg and I are terrible about forgetting something on our grocery list and have to stop by the store while we are out at another time. We are just now using our reusable bags consistently.

It feels good knowing I'm doing my part to help the environment. You don't have to be a "granola hippie" to take this simple step of living a greener lifestyle. Although, there's nothing wrong with being a "granola hippie". As I become more aware of what I can do to make this a better world for my daughter, and her future children, I become more "granola". I consider myself to be more "preppy" than anything but that doesn't mean I can't make a conscious effort to be more green in how my family and I live. All it takes is a few simple changes in our daily lifestyles to impact how things will look in the future.

[Photo courtesy of Bring Your Own Bag]

I'm in love! With Freecycle.org! I have managed to snag several great items through the freecycle program here in the Katy area. Today I got a box full of children's books for Violet. And by "box full" I'm talking about 30 books in great condition! There was also a smaller box of craft items that we'll put to good use as I come up with projects for Violet and I to do.

Freecyle is the brain child of Deron Beal. In 2003 Deron stated the Freecycle Network in Tucson, Arizona. Deron worked for a non-profit organization that provided recycling services for other nonprofit organizations and figured there had to be a better way of organizing this. The first Freecycle Network was organized with a handful of people and programs and has since...

... spread to over 75 countries, where there are thousands of local groups representing millions of of members -- people helping people and "changing the world one gift at a time." As a result, we are currently keeping over 300 tons a day out of landfills! This amounts to four times the height of Mt. Everest in the past year alone, when stacked in garbage trucks!

Through Freecycling I've gotten Violet a sweatshirt hooded jacket, some children's computer software programs, and the books and craft items I mentioned earlier just to name a few. A few of the items I've freecycled are diaper and formula coupons. I've even freecycled a package of pull ups! There has been furniture, computers, clothing, and so much more freecycled. I haven't snagged a big item but I feel like I've been pretty lucky thus far. Right now I'm hoping to get a toy chest that someone has posted.

Please check out the Freecycle Network site and see if you have one in your area. It's a great way to clean out your closets and not feel guilty about it. You'll be keeping items out of the landfills and helping someone in the process. Besides, who knows what you'll be able to snag.


Update: I didn't get the toy chest I was hoping to snag. Oh well, maybe another time.

The Feathered Marvel

There is a slight storm blowing around outside. Rain is gently falling and there is the occasional rumbling of thunder. The thunder that graces my senses is my favorite, a low rumble. The rumbling reminds me so much of the giant drums in an orchestra's percussion section. It truly is music to my ears.

As if the rain and thunder were not enough to enjoy there is a lovely little mocking bird serenading the storm. I've finally come to appreciate the mockingbird. They make the most lovely sounds and are able to mimic other birds. It's rather astonishing to think about actually. A male mockingbird can have anywhere from 50 to 200 different songs and has one of the loudest voices of all the different species of birds. Gregg and I can attest to how loud a mockingbird can actually sing since we had one perched outside our bedroom window for two years in our old home. We lost countless hours or sleep because of that bird and we began to hate the mockingbird because of it's schizophrenic hours.

Our new mockingbird neighbor though is very kind to us. He prefers a tree across the parking lot and never comes close to our windows. He sings at all hours of the day and night but it's considerate enough to keep its distance. I'm convinced that distance is tightly connected to how much a person enjoys and appreciates the mockingbird. The closer you are to one the more annoying it becomes. If there's a decent amount of distance, enough to soften the mockingbird's song, you are more likely to enjoy these feathered marvels.

I've decided that the mockingbird is alot like a musical chameleon. It is able to change its song as quickly as the thought strikes. It only has to choose which song it wants to sing, what other bird it wants to mimic. Did you know that a mockingbird can even mimic the sound of a car alarm? I don't know why that surprises me but it does. Considering that mockingbirds are very comfortable in suburban areas it makes sense that it would learn to mimic the sounds that surround it.

Going Granola

As the mother of a three year old girl, I've become more aware of how we treat our environment. I wouldn't go as far to say that I've gone all "granola", not that there's anything wrong with that (my om age to Seinfeld), but I am steadily heading that direction. We started recycling our paper products about a year ago and have just started collecting our soda cans for recycling. I know, we're behind on all of this but hey, we're making progress in the right direction. We're also taking our own eco-friendly bags to the grocery store with us. I'm feeling mighty proud of myself for making these steps to protect our environment. And just in case you missed how proud of myself I'm feeling, picture me patting myself on the shoulder. There, that should do it.

I ventured out to the grocery store tonight, Sunday, something I rarely do on the weekends. I even took Violet with me, I was feeling brave. And as I predicted, it was extremely busy there. After braving the store, and fighting the tempest of Violet's emotions, we were finally ready to check out. As I proudly handed the cashier my bags she told me that it made her happy to see customers bring their own in. Then, as the bags were being loaded with all the groceries, someone commented on a few of my bags, wondering where I got them. I told them that they could find them online here... http://www.lehmans.com/ . If you've not heard of Lehman's then I encourage you to check out their site. They have some great products and they do everything they can to make sure you have 100% customer satisfaction. BTW, the bags I mentioned earlier, you can find them in the eco-friendly goods section.

Fluorescent Lamps & Mercury

I just did a little research on fluorescent lighting and I'm a little confused. The consensus is that fluorescent lights are better for the environment yet they contain mercury. And we all know that mercury is bad for the environment, right? So, my question is... which is correct? You choose.

From Environmental Health, Thurston County Public Health & Social Services Department www.co.thurston.wa.us/health

"Fluorescent lights contain mercury and per Washington State regulations, are classified as hazardous waste and cannot be disposed of in the garbage."

MERCURY POLLUTION
"Mercury is a highly toxic element that does not break down. Each year, broken fluorescent lamps release an estimated 500 pounds of mercury in Washington. Workers may be exposed to elevated levels of mercury in the vicinity of newly broken lamps."

"Mercury in the atmosphere eventually becomes deposited on the ground and in water. A recent Department of Ecology study found elevated mercury levels in bass from 70% of lakes sampled in Washington..."

And, before you think I'm only showing you the argument against fluorescent
lights...

"Fluorescent lamps are still a good environmental and economic choice because they are energy efficient ― using one-quarter the energy of incandescent lamps and lasting up to ten times longer. Reducing energy cuts down on power plant emissions of mercury and other emissions that contribute to global climate change, acid rain, and smog."

Finally, here's the kicker for me..

What to Do if You Break a Lamp
"If a lamp is broken, carefully sweep it up—not vacuum—all of the glass fragments and any powder. Place the broken pieces in a plastic bag and wipe the area with a damp paper towel. Put the used towel in the plastic bag as well and then place in a 5-gallon bucket or container with a lid. Ventilate the area well."

As a mother, and a concerned citizen, I get worried when research can cancel out it's findings of the "next great thing" with findings that it's hazardous to your health. I want to make the world a better place for my child (excuse the "save the world pun") but I also want to be an informed consumer, considering all the pros and cons of a particular item that not only affects my health but the health of others.

Some red flags that concern me regarding fluorescent lighting are... (A.) they contain mercury and mercury doesn't break down in the environment. And (B.) when you have to go through such strict measures to clean up a broken light bulb shows me that it's not as good as it's hyped up to be.

I know that the government and certain environmentally conscious groups are heavily pushing fluorescent lighting. Much of the public is buying the arguments being presented to us regarding how good fluorescent lights are for the environment. I'll admit that I was one of those misguided by all the information presented until I did some research of my own.

And so that is exactly what I'm asking you to do... research this on your own and make the decision for yourself and your family. Don't just blindly follow what you are being told, even what I've just shared with you. Be an informed consumer. Know what you are bringing into your household and the risks that go along with it. Our health and the future health of our children depends upon the choices we make today.