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Saturday, July 23, 2011

Sharing the blooms, the vows and the blowout!

The little wisteria sprig we brought back from my aunt's yard in Pensacola last year has grown like crazy and has been blooming in our western Kentucky back yard since the first of July! 
I don't like to think of myself as a close-minded blockhead, but at 50, I do sometimes have trouble making changes stick. When it comes to being green, I fail as often as I succeed. When I fail at living green, most likely I'm failing at being frugal too. When I fail at being frugal, I'm failing to save money. *SIGH*
   Yeah, there's a reason for my whiny confession! I'm goaling to incorporate some green changes that I hope will make me THINK GREEN more often. Whether you join me or not, you're now my accountability partners, don'cha know!
   High time to ACT instead of just read about changing my life. A YES! Magazine article, 10 Ways to Change Your Life: Not Just Your Lightbulbs, has finally pushed me over the fence on two green changes. Witness here my solemn vows:
  1. Instead of serving all-veggie meals willy-nilly, I vow to join ranks with the Meatless Monday folks (like Jessica Simpson).
  2. Instead of simultaneously surfing/blogging while watching TV/movies, I vow to take a mini-"Eco-sabbath" for AT LEAST ONE uninterrupted 4-hour block of unplugged time per week...and work my way toward a 24-hour once weekly unplugathon. (Exceptions: fridge, freezer and air conditioner/heat pump.)
   Okay, baby steps, I know, but even baby steps can move you in the right direction, eh? Anybody else vowing any new baby steps lately? Feel free to share a link to your posts!
Had a blow-out in one of my dishwashing gloves--the right hand, as always. I'll save the still-good left hand glove and turn it inside out the next time a right hand glove gets a nick & needs replacing. Thanks to Amy Daczyzn's Tightwad Gazette for that little repurposing tip.

8 comments:

SillySimple said...

Love the idea of growing flowers from family. My family has a tea rose variety that came with the family on their way from Austria 100 years ago!

I found a book on creating an frugal sustainable seasonal kitchen-- check out my review of it here:
http://www.sillysimpleliving.com/2011/03/01/book-review-the-urban-pantry-tips-and-recipes-for-a-thrifty-sustainable-seasonal-kitchen/

Practical Parsimony said...

I don't do a meatless Monday because I leave off meat when I don't want it or don't have it cooked. Geee, that would require forethought...lol. Oh, yeah. That is what you are suggesting!

That is a pretty flower, but not a wisteria. Wisteria flowers are in a cluster, like a bunch of grapes. There are many tiny flowers in the cluster that hangs prettily and with the most wonderful fragrance. I have purple wisteria and white wisteria on three sides of my yard.

The only things plugged up in my house that would use phantom energy are the clocks I don't want to unplug. I would have to pull out the stove to unplug it. I would have to pull out furniture or climb under tables to unplug lamps, so I cannot do this one...my back says so. But, I can leave all the lamps and stove off for four hours, something that occurs regularly anyway. I didn't want to vacuum, so now I have an excuse...lol.

Practical Parsimony said...

Ooops, I looked at the flower enlarged. I see that the little flowers are all connected and that the bunch is hanging. If I could only see better...and hear better...and walk better.

{ T G L } said...

Those sound like small but all-important steps. Good for you and I wish you luck. Let us know how you find those changes.

Wow... Eco-Sabbath: I just learned a new term! Over the years, my husband and I built up disciplines of our own.
I do this for 25 hours each week and I can really recommend it. If anything, check out the 'Sabbath Manifesto' website. You might find it helpful.

I also do a 'reverse Meatless Monday' called 'Meat Friday'. My husband and I choose to NOT eat meat for 6 days a week and then treat ourselves to meat on Friday evening/Saturday lunch (leftovers) as part of our Sabbath celebrations. It's a great way to incorporate a higher degree of vegetarianism.

I wrote two posts on my blog about conscious eating and Sabbath rest. If you're interested, you can find them under the { S P I R I T } section of my blog.

Blessings,
This Good Life

Mary said...

I saw a repurposing tip awhile back. when your rubber gloves aren't good for anything else you can cut the fingers off and put them on a broom or mop and when you put them against the wall they won't slide down!

Anonymous said...

I just replaced my rubber gloves! I also break flip-flops, and save the good one in case I might break another pair with the opposite foot! We fast from meat (and my husband does a strict fast of bread/water) on wednesdays and fridays, following medjugorje apparitions. (I'm catholic, and Wednesday is the day Jesus was betrayed, and friday when he died).

Lynda said...

Your wisteria is very pretty...mine is blooming: again this season!

I have given up meat almost entirely...it just doesn't set well with me in my old age! I do a meatless Monday for the family. I also only buy local pasture raised meat...less of a carbon footprint. I plugged all of my electrics in power strips and I unplug the strips (one per room)every evening...even fridge and freezers...some rooms stay unplugged for weeks. I also try to take 3 days a week with no TV, Phones or computer...I have pissed off a few people, but I'm sure more relaxed!

Melinda said...

I don't think any steps are small steps, after all they all head in the green direction! Similarly, I don't believe in failures! They all help to show you ways in which you'd like to be different, so it's all good growth! :) Sounds like a good plan, can't wait to hear how it goes for you! :)

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