Thoughts from Alison that might at least entertain you!

One More Bloomin' Picture

I forgot to share this one earlier!  I think it must have been past blooming when we finally moved in last April.  I was surprised when I walked around the end of the house earlier and found this Forsythia in full bloom!

Things Are Growing

  Happy Tuesday to you, or Delivery Day as I like to call it.  (My workday when all the week's deliveries come to the club)  It's been mostly rainy, still a bit breezy, and chilly compared to our recent days in the 80s in Ann Arbor.  I, however, am not complaining!

I got home from work just a bit ago to find signs of growth and newness everywhere outside.  The daffodils at the top are from behind Prune Ridge.  They're just about done and gone now, but John got that picture a week or so ago.  Isn't he good?  We also have lovely white Irises growing in our little back-yard green space.  We use the term "green space" loosely since there isn't actually grass.  We do have green leaves on the little tree, green stems on the Irises and Daffodils, and green moss on most of the ground!

In front of the house, many of my perennials planted last spring are working their way back up!  The Hens and Chicks were never gone/dead/below ground, but they're showing great signs of vigor.  I have 4 hostas (3 planted by me last year, 1 giant was already here) and several other things springing up again, including our share of weeds of course.  You can see from the pictures - quite a bit of new mulch is needed since any amount of rain sends a mid-sized river coursing through the little beds.  Most of the mulch ends up in the common parking area eventually.  I suppose I also need to work on ways to possibly convince the mulch to stay closer to where I put it this year.

Last, but not least, we have this single token Tulip.  Happy Spring, Friends.  Be Well!

Spring, did I miss you?

So here we are...  summer in Michigan.  The calendar seems to indicate that we're not quite there yet, but 83 degrees?  Bright sun and hot summer wind?  Tulips and the Irises that just started blooming in back of Prune Ridge are wilting from heat.  I have sunglasses tan lines on my face - after about 15 minutes in the car!  I think I missed something...

But yes, it's Michigan.  There's always room for change, surprise, and even snow!  I'm enjoying the warmth while it's here, meanwhile the cats are spooked by today's rather aggressive wind.

Happy Spring, Friends!

Being Green

There's a new little icon link thing (a Widget in this fancy world of blogging!) on my blog...  It says "It's Easy Being Green" and will take you to the website for "One Million Acts of Green."  The project is run by Cisco, and their "about" information on the website says:

"In October 2008, Cisco launched One Million Acts of Green in Canada to show that individual, organizational, and community acts of green add up to something significant. Today, we’re asking everyone in the United States for an act of green. It can be small: install a low-flow showerhead, take public transportation instead of driving, use a refillable coffee cup. Or something bigger, like covering your roof in solar panels. One Million Acts of Green asks you to form a community, record your acts of green, and share your ideas to encourage others. It shows the power of people coming together and working toward meaningful goals—the power of the human network."

Typepad is donating to the project when their users offer the widget on our blogs, and it seemed like a simple thing to do!  I suspect more than a few of my readers might like to check out the Acts of Green website.  The link is to the left, just below my photo albums!  (Yes, it's green - with a tree - hard to miss!)

Maggie B in a tube

Arm Hole Is NOT For Your Head

I think I've written about this site before, but here you go.  This picture from The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks just made me laugh so hard I nearly spit water through my nose.  I should know better than to drink anything while reading the Quotes blog...  (And my blog platform seems to be misbehaving for the moment, curses on the smaller font!)

 

Deciding my Skin is Worth It

Hello Friends!  Apologies for my absence from the blog world of late...  I'm coming off quite a week at work (returning from last week's vacation), and still have work tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday night too.

I thought I'd share a few links and sites - some of which I've shared before (at least a year ago, maybe more!).  They're fresh in my mind after quite a bit of time spent pondering related topics during vacation week at Prune Ridge.

Quite some time ago I became a fan of Environmental Working Group.  A short-hand version of the statement on their front page sums up what they do: "Our team pores over government data, legal documents, scientific studies and our own laboratory tests to expose threats to your health and the environment, and to find solutions."  A sampling of topics you can find on their top page right now: Toxic Chemical in Kids' Bath Products, Free iPhone application Shopper's Guide to Pesticides, New Commercial Fishing Report... and the list goes on!  You will find news reports, research results, action items with links for contacting folks (the EPA, for example) about things you and EWG would like to see changed.

My favorite feature from EWG is their Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database.  This is a searchable database in which EWG rates the safety or hazard levels of the ingredients in more than 42,000 cosmetics and personal care products - makeup, skin care, hair care, deodorants, toothpastes...  everything!  You can also suggest or request products that aren't already reviewed for testing.  It is a fantastic resource.  I won't lie though - an initial search of many of the products I was using, even when I first discovered the database a year or two ago was a bit horrifying.  I took me a while to come around to changing things up, but here I go...

As of this past week, I have switched nearly all of the products I was using, and also reduced the number of things I'm using regularly.  I've chosen to go with mostly Burt's Bees products for both skin and hair.  I've landed on a number of things with very low hazards that I'm already familiar with, some I was already using, and some new things as well.  Relatively speaking, Burt's products offer much lower hazard levels than many other things on the market.  They're not the safest across the board, but I do appreciate that they are widely available in almost any market at this point.  I would also mention that I was even more inclined to support the work of this fine company after learning that friend from decades ago (Angela Woods, I and many other knew her as Kricket when we were young) was working for Burt's when she passed away about a year ago.  Burt's has a wonderful and touching tribute to her on their website.

One last bit if you already know or would like to consider Burt's Bees products: In the "old days," Burts was much more off the beaten path, and not mass marketed in your average store.  While I appreciate that I can pick up their products nearly anywhere at this point (Target, Meijer, Kroger... the list goes on), I know from talking to an owner at one local business that Burt's expansion in so many markets has presented challenges for the little guys!  The Peaceable Kingdom store on Main Street in Ann Arbor (an awesome local shop!) finds that they sometimes have trouble getting small stocks of Burt's items they used to carry.  If you know a local who carries something you can also get a big national, please consider checking the local store first when you need to buy!

And there you have what may be a long pointless yammer from me!

Happy Weekend, All.  Be Well and GO ENJOY THE SUN! 

Veggies

A few pictures to share!  I've been a bit absorbed for the last few days with 4 new collages.  I've added them to the Collage photo album also, but figured why not add a post too?!?  These 4 pieces (all together in the first photo, but they're separate collages) will all travel to the Saline Picture Frame Company in the next few days for Circle of Art 2009 to benefit Food Gatherers!

The idea started with the Red Pepper (which may also be interpreted as an apple, I'm afraid).  I settled on a collection of pieces after thinking about the challenge of textures for the others too.  Solo vegetables lent themselves nicely to collage work - at least the way I approach it.  These are each about 8"x8".

Enjoy.  I think I'll have a salad for dinner...

(All photos should open as a larger image if you click them.)

One More Reason I Don't Need A Wii

Every now and then, I find myself thinking ludicrously "Maybe we should get one of those fancy new-fangled game systems like the Wii!"  The only real reason for this is the interesting-sounding (I haven't actually seen or tried any of it) fitness software and games that they offer.  Maybe that would help me be more active?

Then, I find a game review like this one in The Blade today and realize that I'm insane:

"Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers for the Wii.  Based on the title, is there a need for game-play explanation?  You’re a bikini-clad anime girl who is on a mission to kill zombies.  That’s it.  If that sounds appealing, then this game is for you.  If that sounds like a lame attempt to get someone to buy the Bikini Zombie Slayers because, wow, the main character is an attractive and skimpily clad heroine who knows how to wield a sword — you would be correct. It is."

Happy Sunny Saturday, All!  Put down the game controller and get outside!

Ah, Vacation

So here I am, wide awake and sleepless while John is drifting off to sleep!  I tried, but my brain just wouldn't cooperate.  I worry about keeping him awake, so here I am. 

I'm actually considering collaging a bit, which I don't generally do in the middle of the night.  I started a new piece today... and it's just sitting there waiting for me.  Am I nuts?!?

So far on our vacation:  a couple games of Scrabble, a movie and some TV, many meals shared, quiche for breakfast at a new-found local coffee place, bought a new couch (!), and ran a few errands.  It doesn't sound like much as I list it, but it feels like a pretty full week.

Oh yes - AND, the sun was shining brightly on this lovely day!  It makes a return tomorrow, so they say.  Hello, Spring!  Happy late Thursday evening, All!

My Latest Silly Obsession

As of late, my most favorite silly diversion (and yes, waste of time) on TV is the BBC's Top Gear.  John and I get to watch it on BBC America, and if you are fortunate enough to have access to a channel that carries it - definitely check it out!

I'm not sure I've laughed as hard at anything in a long time as I did the episode we watched tonight!  I haven't found a good quality video link I can embed here, but have a link below.  If you have 9 minutes and 9 seconds, PLEASE watch it!  One of the hosts, Jeremy (there are 3 - all equally entertaining) decides that while the very awesome luxury Mercedes he's testing is pretty good, the interior leaves a lot to be desired.  In classic Top Gear Style, he decides to gut the inside and re-design it as he thinks a luxury car should be - in the style of his own home; the other two hosts (James and Richard) then give the redesigned car a test drive.  If you need a good 9 minutes of gut-busting laughter, watch this clip from the BBC Worldwide channel on YouTube.  There are countless other clips there as well.  Enjoy!

Happy Tuesday, All.  The sun is supposed to join us tomorrow in Michigan!

Bad Maggie B

I wish I had a song to go with that title.  You know - a catchy tune and funny story with a good beat to make you feel better about a stupid situation?

How is it that one annoying needy misbehaving cat can make me feel like an unfit parent?  Doesn't she know I'm on vacation and should be feeling happy and care-free?  Oh, Cat.

(AND, I can't even click the mouse fast enough to work my stupid malfunctioning blog platform!)

Happy Monday - may it bring a little sunshine to you!

Because It's Stuck In My Head, So Shall It Be Stuck In Yours!

Alright, this has been stuck in my head for a solid 2 days now, so here you go:  "Movin' Right Along" from The Muppet Movie.  This is the best quality video I could find online - seems to be a handheld video camera recording in front of a TV, but it's not terrible!  Enjoy...

Vacation Time!

And so The Reeds of Prune Ridge are very nearly on vacation!  John is working today, and I still have two nights of work ahead - but we both have a week off after that!  Time off is good, and time off with John is even better.

Happy holiday weekend to you if it's a holiday for you, and Happy Weekend to All!  Be Well in the World, Friends.

Our "other" pet - we call him Willard

(Picture quality less than perfect through 3 layers of sliding door, but there he is!)