tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31674027973975777642012-02-16T10:33:18.997-05:00Growing, Eating, and Living Sustainablysarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.comBlogger1301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-36230944276661889772009-05-07T14:38:00.007-04:002009-05-12T03:52:39.699-04:00

Rob and I went canoeing a few days ago. It's been a while, since he is always working these days. We both took a day off to go down the Santa Fe one last time before I leave town.Unfortunately, it had been so long since we used the canoe that some large ants had moved in. A lot of them. Into both the front and the back of the boat, or as Rob insists I call them, the "bow" and "stern." I want to

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-14598045224371120792009-05-07T14:29:00.004-04:002009-05-07T14:38:06.568-04:00

A bunch of friends and I went to the GRU Tree-mendous event a couple weeks ago. GRU is our local, community-owned utility, and once a year they give away two shrubs and trees away to anyone with a recent utility bill. People go nuts over this event. I'm not even kidding, you have to get there before dawn to ensure a good place in the line that forms before the gates open.When I got up it was

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-37111220460320692652009-04-21T11:14:00.002-04:002009-04-21T11:24:26.534-04:00

I haven't posted for a while because I've been trying to figure out what to do with this blog in both the short run and the long run.Short run: I got a job in Washington, D.C. and am moving there at the end of May. Plus, I'm going to be in Europe for half of May. My energy is pretty much completely focused on these two things right now and I doubt I will get around to blogging in the next month

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-44532237899962830822009-04-06T09:17:00.007-04:002009-04-06T11:50:08.671-04:00

I was going to post another recipe on Friday, but it was after 5 and I needed to go home and cook dinner for some friends. And today I don't have this recipe with me, so I'm going to wing it a little bit. I'll come back later and doublecheck the accuracy of what I write.Southwest Corn HashSource: The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without by Mollie KatzenNotesThis cookbook is great because

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-70702336688918941332009-04-03T16:58:00.008-04:002009-04-06T12:00:26.134-04:00

Okay, I'm sorry again I haven't written anything. In the gap, I've done some more vegetable gardening, resurrected some seemingly dead plants, went to the Kanapaha Spring Festival with Sally, went to the Spring Arts Festival with Robin, and took photos of none of it. Sometimes I just want to experience my life instead of blogging about it.To be honest, I have very mixed feelings about blogging.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-69688674120066067612009-03-19T22:44:00.000-04:002009-03-19T22:44:04.082-04:00

It is definitely spring. It's very warm and there is pollen everywhere. Last weekend was a great time to go fishing.I went out to Newnan's Lake with my friend Brandon, who has a canoe. I have never met anyone who likes to fish as much as Brandon. Here is his "I am so happy I am fishing" face.I really like to fish, and I love canoeing, so I was stoked.It was pretty much a perfect day, warm and

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-53620256513647699362009-03-18T14:23:00.000-04:002009-03-18T14:23:03.653-04:00

I bought a Christmas cactus at my department's student club annual holiday plant sale a couple of years ago. When I got it, it had multiple gorgeous fuschia blooms. Then it entered my house and slowly lost them all.Christmas cacti are trained when to bloom by growers. They need to have light only during the day for something like six weeks before they bloom. Well, mine's in my kitchen, and I

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-61653141673298884692009-03-18T09:45:00.003-04:002009-03-18T09:54:54.650-04:00

So it doesn't fit in with my blog's mission at all, but who can resist kitties and puppies? Everyone loves them, right?I recently got a cat. His name is Mr. Cheeks. He is very soft and cuddly and he sounds like a pigeon (seriously).My friend Mary recently got two of the sweetest kittens I have ever met.Emily's son got a puppy for Christmas. He's a lab, so he's already ginormous, but that doesn't

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-20042843780517280852009-03-17T16:32:00.010-04:002009-03-18T09:53:42.015-04:00

I have not really grown vegetables in the past year or so. Well, I've sort of tried ... but only in containers ... and then I don't water enough, and the plants are too far away from my hose ... it's just too complicated to grow things in containers.I've been wanting to grow some veggies in the ground, but I rent, and don't want to tear up all the grass, and I also don't think my landlady would

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-25871803404271835642009-03-17T14:03:00.004-04:002009-03-17T15:26:28.545-04:00

I went to NYC a couple of weeks ago to take a test (long story). I had a fantastic time with my friend Joel and his girlfriend, Susan. We ate lots of delicious food and I was able to enjoy many of the perks of a big city, which I have been missing, without the hassle, which I have not.Some of the highlights:Farmer's market in BrooklynAt the farmer's market, locally produced jams and honeys and

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-12050131739139923772009-03-12T19:14:00.002-04:002009-03-12T19:14:43.759-04:00

I've neglected you, blog, and I am sorry. I've got some ideas about things to post but am just running behind. Will try to get to them tomorrow.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-48276320780201223042009-03-02T13:25:00.003-05:002009-03-02T13:28:45.003-05:00

I was out of town for a bit again. Here's the latest news:1) My car's odometer has reached 177,777 miles! I was going to take a photo when it got to 7/10ths of a mile, so that it would read 177,777.7, but then I forgot and now it's way past. I have had my car almost twelve years.2) Between the drought and the constantly see-sawing temperature, I have killed almost all of my plants.I haven't done

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-34051560966666026402009-02-15T14:06:00.006-05:002009-02-15T23:51:55.617-05:00

I love quinoa. This ancient Latin American grain (pronounced keen-wah) is an utterly delicious complete protein. If you add a few other things, it's like the perfect meal eaten warm or cool, by itself or as a side dish. I usually make this on the weekend and eat it all week as a snack or for lunch.Ingredients2 cups quinoa3 radishes, diced1/3 can chickpeas (or if you use dried chickpeas, around 1/

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-5648888827201940262009-02-10T23:50:00.007-05:002009-02-11T12:26:08.753-05:00

Signs that "winter" (really, it's Florida, so winter is like a pimple on the face of the tropics) is almost over:1) Appearing robins. Every January, robins descend on North Florida on their way south, or north, or somewhere. When they show up, they flash their orange breasts all over town. These omnivores crawl over seemingly every bit of foliage and ground looking for grubs, berries, insects,

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-36981546413977153802009-02-09T16:14:00.002-05:002009-02-10T12:17:26.495-05:00

A couple weekends ago my friend Lauren and I went on a hike in the woods. We checked out Split Rock Conservation Area, which is just west of town near I-75. It's a bit odd, because even though this is a city park that is open to the public, there are no signs indicating where it is, there's nowhere to really park, and there are no facilities or maps available. I guess they don't really want

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-73275451257136801492009-02-09T09:57:00.007-05:002009-02-09T10:37:12.834-05:00

Farmer's markets are among my favorite things. Local produce, giving money to growers, vegetables that are still warm from the sun and smell like soil -- all good. Plus you can find many more varieties of veggies than are ever available in the store.Last weekend I went to one of the five local farmer's markets we have in Gainesville. This one is the largest, I think, and is out on 441 by the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-76790568373952807872009-01-12T16:22:00.006-05:002009-01-12T17:00:45.067-05:00

Georgia and I went for a walk on Payne's Prairie this weekend. It was a blustery, miserable day, but tons of people were walking the La Chua trail because of the cranes.Thousands of sandhill cranes have migrated down from northern parts to gather on the prairie (with native, non-migrating sandhills, which are a distinct but identical-looking subspecies) and eat insects, grubs, and frogs. They

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-83392128812951750652009-01-09T16:16:00.003-05:002009-01-09T16:20:31.930-05:00

Some sandhill cranes have been hanging out all week in the fields next to my work building. Here they are crossing the road.By the USDA greenhouses.They eyed us warily as we drove past them on our way to lunch.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-52564404573462444072009-01-05T11:01:00.009-05:002009-01-09T16:21:42.803-05:00

I went out to Emily's farm this weekend to do some fishin'. It was uber-dry, since we're several years into a drought. (I think we're thirty-some inches below normal.)That little pond in the background is the last wet area of a huge lake. John says it's a sinkhole that never dries up. That's where we caught a bunch of bottom feeders (catfish). People other than me ate them later.Also! Genuine

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-19458432333052342232009-01-02T19:47:00.003-05:002009-01-02T19:50:29.576-05:00

We've had amazing weather for weeks -- 80s and sunny as heck. I went with Kim on a bike ride on the Hawthorne Rail Trail the other day. It was so beautiful. I forgot my camera, but she brought her new iPhone (envy!), and sent me this photo. That dark blob on the right is my face. No one ever said phones have the best cameras in the world.I'm going to take some photos of my plants and try to start

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-43036058751948695782008-12-23T14:42:00.006-05:002008-12-23T15:17:53.577-05:00

I went fishing this weekend. My friend Brandon and I went to Prairie Creek, which is along the Hawthorne Rail Trail. It's a dark creek that drains Newnan's Lake.Actually, when I ride on the trail, this boardwalk is my turn-around point.I caught a fish!!! It was a large catfish. I was very excited.It doesn't look that big in this photo because Brandon has large feet. And it's flopping around.We

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-36413273675817371352008-12-12T09:43:00.009-05:002009-03-03T23:28:40.242-05:00

The other day Kim and I were walking to our building from the parking lot when I noticed this spoor. We knelt down and studied it, and then Kim took a photo.If you look carefully at it, you'll see lots of wiry fur. My hypothesis is that it's from a gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We've all seen them running in this vicinity (although I've said before I think they're red foxes; I vacillate

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-10451363297672894512008-12-12T09:34:00.002-05:002008-12-12T10:29:41.901-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I went for a walk with a friend in the Sweetwater Preserve right at the southern city limits of Gainesville. The 125-acre property was recently acquired by Alachua County Forever, our awesome county land conservation program that I volunteer with.We were going to walk on the trails, but as we stood looking at the creek I thought back to my childhood and thought maybe we

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-36787821409441345672008-12-11T22:18:00.000-05:002008-12-11T22:18:00.786-05:00

A couple weekends ago I went for a walk on the Bolen Bluff trail in Payne's Prairie Preserve State Park with my friends Gabe and Amanda, their kids, and Gabe's mom. We were looking for wild horses.Where's Waldo?There were three -- two dark, one white -- and they grazed in the forest alongside the trail. Then they crossed the path about thirty feet in front of us. It was pretty cool! The horses

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-54556223194162318562008-12-10T13:00:00.005-05:002008-12-23T14:42:51.648-05:00

I'm late, but oh well.Thanksgiving was fun. Lots of people, good food, etc.I ate a lot of vegetables, but actually did not overeat. I only had one plate of food.(And a bowl.) I made white bean and leek cassoulet with baked-in biscuits. I screwed up the biscuits; me and dough do not get along. I'm not sure what a cassoulet is, except I think it's a type of stew. It was so-so. I probably won't make

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-32545964063927310732008-12-09T09:16:00.002-05:002008-12-09T09:16:46.062-05:00

I have photos from two weekends ago that I want to post. I just haven't had a chance yet. Tomorrow, perhaps.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-32511753914149046082008-11-26T15:40:00.004-05:002008-11-26T15:54:16.118-05:00

I have not abandoned ye olde blog. I will be taking photos again (first item of business: Thanksgiving dinner) and posting stuff soon, as Kim has replaced the missing shutter release button on my camera! Reader, that sassy crafter replaced it with a thumbtack! And it actually looks like the real thing. Amazing.In other news, Georgia saw a red fox (Vulpes vulpes fulva -- I like saying that ten

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-113071455420150042008-11-14T14:47:00.008-05:002008-11-14T15:18:43.781-05:00

The trip to Austin was fun.We ate lots of delicious Tex-Mex cuisine.We visited old friends. One of Rayne's friends collects, grows, and sells cacti and other succulents. He had multiple greenhouses filled with the most amazing plants! Of course, the only time I nearly tripped was in the cactus greenhouse.We wandered around some shopping areas. My favorite store was called Uncommon Objects, and

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-40389133531308713772008-10-29T10:30:00.003-04:002008-10-29T10:41:03.769-04:00

I just found out that I'm on the board of directors of a newly formed non-profit organization my friend Alex is starting in the Virgin Islands. That is, I knew I would be on the board of directors, but I just found out we are officially formed! It's pretty exciting. Alex is a master scuba diver, urban planner, and environmental scientist extraordinaire. She created the organization, Nautical

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-30126543644469635682008-10-09T14:26:00.006-04:002008-10-09T14:26:00.655-04:00

OK, I admit I'm only a little sorry summer is over. I was tired of sleeping in my living room -- especially because I recently bought new, soft sheets that I wanted to enjoy on my bed -- and there is nothing I despise more than roaches, which thrive in the heat and humidity. Plus I'm tired of wearing the same thing all the time and I want to start riding my bike to work more, which I refuse to do

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-18237340948931475882008-10-08T08:31:00.007-04:002008-10-08T10:05:32.503-04:00

This year I've noticed an unusual preponderance of hawks in Gainesville. Everywhere I go, it seems, I hear them screaming, or whatever it is called, or see them circling or perching. There's at least one hawk that lives near my house, at least one in my parents' neighborhood, and a couple in another neighborhood where I spend a lot of time.But the best hawk-watching is at work. I have a large

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-31589516813447522852008-09-08T11:06:00.002-04:002008-09-08T11:07:11.169-04:00

I think I finally managed to break my digital camera. The blog is on a hiatus until I win the lottery.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-43508289195686100172008-09-02T16:53:00.006-04:002008-09-08T16:08:23.469-04:00

Kim just showed me how to stitch a panorama together in Photoshop. If you click on it it gets bigger.In this photo I am standing with a "world famous" banana daquiri at some weird tourist trap called Mountaintop, which is, you guessed it, at the top of a mountain.That's Magen's Bay down below, and you can see the side bits of some hurricane (Gustav?) blowing quickly through in the background.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-88561865337354272792008-09-02T14:53:00.012-04:002008-09-05T13:32:47.664-04:00

I have returned from my trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands.I visited my friend Alex, who lives on St. Thomas. She is a scuba instructor and got me my open-water certification!Scuba diving is amazing. Breathing underwater and coming close to all of these otherwise inaccessible plants and animals is indescribably cool. We also went snorkeling about three different times, once after we took a kayak

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-7607152063749016152008-08-19T15:24:00.004-04:002008-08-19T15:32:57.669-04:00

Yesterday when I left work Tropical Storm Fay was blowing in.I left early to beat the rain.It looks bad, doesn't it?But the rain never came -- not until today, when it rained for about one hour. It looks like Fay is a big dud blowing in a disorganized fashion right past us. Which is good! I'm driving to Tampa tomorrow evening and I would rather not be caught in a bunch of blinding tropical storm

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-85667573777906231862008-08-18T10:22:00.004-04:002008-08-19T15:23:56.833-04:00

I have been avoiding posting because I haven't done anything outdoorsy lately and all I've been thinking about is my upcoming vacation to the Virgin Islands.I was supposed to fly out from Tampa on Wednesday.Tropical Storm Fay is on track to hit Tampa on Wednesday.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-74857641039751432112008-08-04T09:08:00.005-04:002008-08-07T15:45:57.154-04:00

Two amazing things happened this weekend but I don't have any photos.I went to St. Pete to visit my friend Sheila and her husband took us out in their boat. We chummed for sharks (just to look at, not to kill) and fished (I caught something!) but didn't see any sharks or any other really cool marine-dwelling wildlife -- ooh, except Nathan caught an ENORMOUS sting ray that must have weighed over

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-76487272838124988722008-07-28T12:04:00.006-04:002008-12-09T00:43:49.400-05:00

This weekend I went to St. Augustine Beach with some friends. I got sunburned. (Yes, I used sunscreen -- 30 SPF. It was very hot and bright.) We played in the waves like five-year-olds.Florida has the best beaches! After living in Seattle and L.A., I will never take our beaches for granted again.I haven't been feeling terribly inspired to write in this blog lately, but don't give up on me. I'm

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-29193222061621678532008-07-21T13:03:00.006-04:002008-07-21T13:53:12.579-04:00

I just discovered an awesome farm store in Micanopy called Mosswood Farm! I got some muslin reusable produce bags, to help reduce my plastic bag consumption more. They also sell all kinds of handmade and organic soaps, detergents, and the like, as well as local honey and homemade bread.OK, I admit it. My house has finally become unbearably hot. I started sleeping on the couch (the bedroom is

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-41897249728135608342008-07-14T11:38:00.017-04:002008-12-09T00:43:50.433-05:00

I went scalloping for the first time yesterday. It was really, really fun.We went to a boat ramp just south of Steinhatchee.The day promised to be beautiful as we motored out toward the Gulf of Mexico.The captain ran a tight ship. Here he gives the death stare to an unruly mate.Everyone was out scalloping! Apparently the Florida Bay Scallop comes from "out there" around now to hang out in the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-63210106540481209772008-07-09T09:22:00.007-04:002008-12-09T00:43:50.541-05:00

When I was growing up, I scheduled my summer activities around the rain; it rained every day almost exactly at 4 p.m. The past few years we've had a drought, though, and it either hasn't been raining during the summer or the rain has come at wonky times, I hypothesize because of climate change.*This summer, global warming notwithstanding, is the first one in five or ten years where the old

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-60592888871052721992008-07-08T13:34:00.003-04:002008-07-08T13:48:55.566-04:00

I'm not big into endorsing products or companies, but there's a new local store, Indigo, that's all about promoting "green solutions for a healthy home" (that's their tagline). I've only been there once, because I don't own a house and most of the stuff in the store is geared toward people who want to install bamboo floors or something.But I subscribe to their e-newsletter, and was stoked

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-28109018636662729502008-07-07T12:33:00.006-04:002008-12-09T00:43:52.111-05:00

This weekend I stayed at a friend's parents' house near Vero Beach. We arrived in late afternoon and spent the evening fishing and watching the sun go down over the Indian River from the dock in back of the house.The next day we went to the beach. We took a two-hour walk and picked up interesting shells and rocks.As I drove home Sunday, I entered a terrible storm.Up ahead was smooth sailing

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-31573816324223789162008-07-07T12:14:00.003-04:002008-07-07T12:18:30.044-04:00

For those who are curious, I still haven't turned on my A/C unit. I don't even know if it actually works. We've had a relatively cool summer thus far because of all the rain we've been getting, so that has helped. I find that living without A/C makes it easier for me to cope with the heat when it is bad.Also, despite a previous post, I haven't killed my plants. Again thanks to the rain, almost

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-24722137706589591942008-07-07T11:49:00.005-04:002008-07-07T13:50:28.576-04:00

I do not understand RSS feeds. I think they're silly. The last thing I need is another site, or interface, or whatever, to check every day. Send it to my e-mail!So! I finally figured out how to add a form for readers to subscribe to my blog via e-mail. This way you can have random -- really random -- distractions from working or whatever it is you're doing that is somehow even more onerous than

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-46566228777612322322008-07-07T11:32:00.004-04:002008-07-07T14:04:03.330-04:00

A few months back I found this awesome springs blog that links to news about Florida's springs, rivers, and other waters. It's a great way to keep up with what's going on all over the state, springs-wise. And you can even subscribe via e-mail -- a feature I'm adding to my site ASAP.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-3266175662484833182008-07-07T09:57:00.003-04:002008-12-09T00:43:53.117-05:00

Gainesville has its fireworks show July 3, for some reason. I love fireworks!!

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-31624454855050632752008-07-07T09:48:00.004-04:002008-07-07T14:06:11.071-04:00

No, it doesn't involve Jack Kevorkian.Some homeowners' associations forbid residents from drying laundry on a clothesline, because it's just so darn plebeian, I guess, to save energy while exposing the world to your wet clothing. But, according to the AP, some people are fighting back with what's being cleverly dubbed "the right to dry movement." And evidently some states are now passing laws

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-68314340369022413742008-07-03T08:04:00.005-04:002008-07-03T10:05:03.252-04:00

This morning I was riding my bike to work with a co-worker when my flip-flop slipped off my pedal on the downstroke. My foot went flying toward the back of the bike and got tangled somehow between the rear fender and spokes as I banged my crotchal region on the crossbar thingy. When my foot entered the wheel it was at the bottom of a revolution, but the wheel kept moving so my foot was dragged by

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-38129445398953357602008-06-30T10:25:00.006-04:002008-06-30T10:53:51.699-04:00

I subscribe to Brown & Caldwell's Water List, which is a weekly update of all things Florida water-related. I learn a lot from this free service. Today's most interesting (and disturbing) read: "Florida's Toilet," a new report by the Clean Water Network of Florida, that scarily details, as the subtitle promises, "How sewage discharges are fouling Florida’s Gulf of Mexico tributaries, estuaries

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-2807574708380866352008-06-26T11:06:00.010-04:002008-12-09T00:43:54.918-05:00

After we went swimming a couple of times in Manatee Springs, and ate lunch and read the paper, we decided to go canoeing. Right when we reached the car, though (to retrieve the canoe), the rain that had been sprinkling on us off and on since we had gotten to the park began pouring down in earnest. I've never really minded getting rained on (unless I'm stuck in an inner tube on the Ichetucknee

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-32578492282246785762008-06-26T10:10:00.008-04:002008-12-09T00:43:56.523-05:00

Because he's been helping another friend open a restaurant, I haven't seen my friend Rob in a while. So when he asked if I wanted to take Tuesday off to go canoeing, I of course said yes.Rob's on restaurant time, so we didn't leave Gainesville till around noon. Ominous skies.Well, whatever -- I got out of the office and got to go to a new spring, Manatee Springs in Levy County.It's a state park,

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-10731766671724381432008-06-19T12:38:00.008-04:002008-12-09T00:43:59.262-05:00

Now to the important stuff. Food and drink!We really enjoyed the fruit of Michigan's loins. I'll start with the tour we took; we went to two wineries and a cherry processing plant.The first winery was actually a sort of conglomerate of businesses. It was a CSA (a form of agriculture in which subscribers help purchase seed and get a weekly bag of seasonal, fresh produce), a bed & breakfast, a

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-68233726265910853422008-06-16T16:45:00.008-04:002008-12-09T00:43:59.857-05:00

I always forget how different the quality of the light is up north. But I can't really explain how. Our first day at the conference, we walked downtown to eat dinner. The walk was along a bay on Lake Michigan. It was gorgeous.It sprinkled as we walked along a canal.Then a rainbow came out. I haven't seen one of those in a while.Our hotel room was right on the bay. Kim and I watched the sun go

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-71773279407519049422008-06-16T16:40:00.002-04:002008-12-09T00:43:59.982-05:00

After many dry weeks, it started raining again. Hallelujah! One of the first storms yielded hundreds of rain lilies in my backyard.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-13289242237720444752008-06-13T11:20:00.002-04:002008-06-13T11:21:24.990-04:00

I neglected to mention that I was leaving town for a few days. I'm in Michigan at a conference until tomorrow, and will be back on Monday with some cool photos of Lake Michigan to post.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-4021904324975050892008-06-02T15:17:00.008-04:002008-12-09T00:44:00.847-05:00

Back to the Santa Fe Saturday for some kayaking with friends. It was a gorgeous day and when I jumped into the crisp water at Poe Springs my insides lit up with happiness. There's something to be said for feeling like there's nowhere in the world you'd rather be than where you are.Springs not located directly in a river follow the path of least resistance to the nearest river -- this is called a

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-9051652901727721682008-05-30T11:19:00.002-04:002008-12-09T00:44:00.989-05:00

Payne's Prairie is a 21,000-acre preserve just south of town. I sometimes go hiking/birdwatching along its trails. But the other day, I just drove through on a beautiful day.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-25381266016921351932008-05-30T10:48:00.004-04:002008-12-09T00:44:01.192-05:00

I went to a meeting Wednesday at the Poe Springs lodge. I love meetings where I can stare out huge picture windows at the trees and river when I need to daydream. At our break time, I went down to the riverbank and lay in the grass.Fish were jumping like crazy and I heard woodpeckers, a family of hawks, two barred owls, and countless songbirds. You can hear some of them in the short video below .

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-36610867182309354072008-05-30T10:34:00.004-04:002008-12-09T00:44:01.584-05:00

When I moved into my current residence, I brought with me a fabulous large outdoor table set. My neighbor enjoys it every day, and since our yard doesn't get hardly any shade -- the reason why I barely garden anymore (my plants keep dying from the sun) -- she decided to create an umbrella for the table.I saw her effort lying in the lawn the other day and asked her about it. She said it wasn't

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-78153438790643788142008-05-23T13:43:00.010-04:002008-12-09T00:44:01.947-05:00

This week has been all about catching up on various tasks at work and home. I won't bore you with work, but at home there have been a few small but pleasing developments.Garden. I moved all my plants (again) because they were still getting baked in the shady-ish site where I had placed them a few weeks ago. I'm beginning to wonder if most of them are permanently dead (sounds redundant, but you

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-54243493144359189572008-05-21T13:27:00.017-04:002008-12-09T00:44:05.687-05:00

I went to Boston and NYC to see friends for my birthday. Here is Boston from the plane.It was colder than I expected. It was mostly windy as all-get-out and varying degrees of rainy on more than a few of the days.But there were some truly beautiful moments, like this one at twilight by the wharf section (or whatever it is called) of Boston. The big red and white boat was a Puma boat about to

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-78588089927129956102008-05-09T13:22:00.003-04:002008-12-09T00:44:05.847-05:00

I'll be gone for the next week or two, as I am taking a vacation to celebrate my 30th birthday. I'll miss you, Florida!

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-32038496193676439812008-05-08T14:16:00.008-04:002008-12-09T00:44:05.956-05:00

So I decided I'm going to try to get through this summer without turning on my A/C window unit. I lived without A/C of any kind for all three years of college (at UF), and I liked it. I've gotten soft in my old age and it's time to toughen up. (Plus I don't want to shell out the cash -- A/C is costly and right now my electricity bill is below $50 a month.)Today I went to the store and bought two

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-13498424424426715832008-05-08T10:27:00.012-04:002008-12-09T00:44:06.518-05:00

Tuesday my friend Jenn was in town from Seattle, so I took the day off and we went to Ichetucknee Springs State Park. The Ichetucknee River is a tributary of the Santa Fe, and it's spring-fed -- totally clear all year-round. It's an incomplete summer when I don't go down this river in a rented inner tube at least once. But I've never spent much time at the springhead, which is a series of

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-29036237212064386572008-05-05T11:07:00.005-04:002008-12-09T00:44:06.636-05:00

My neighbor and I went to Ginnie Springs (on the Santa Fe River) on Saturday. It was a gorgeous day. I alternated between swimming in one of the springs and lying in the sun (protected by sunscreen, of course). After I exited the water (72 degrees year-round), my skin would vibrate for twenty minutes. It might be one of the best feelings in the world. I think I'm going to try to go to one spring

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-29194422631099968492008-05-01T16:22:00.002-04:002008-05-01T16:23:01.698-04:00

I love comments. I don't always remember to respond, but I definitely read them. Sorry for my bad blog etiquette.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-89797612543642051842008-05-01T15:41:00.009-04:002008-12-09T00:44:08.420-05:00

So I write this radio show called "Gardening in a Minute." A lot of work goes into the show, which airs every weekday on NPR stations in about half the counties in the state (we're working on syndicating it throughout the rest of Florida).I've estimated that it takes about ninety minutes of my time (from writing to recording) to make each minute-long show, plus a lot of time on the part of our

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-82928477196671985342008-05-01T15:30:00.007-04:002008-12-09T00:44:08.645-05:00

Gainesville has a farmer's market every Wednesday in the downtown plaza from around 4 to 7. There's lots of fresh, organic, local produce; live music; jewelry; and hacky sack-playing. I often intend to go after work, but rarely make it for several reasons, most of which have to do with a word that starts with the letters "N-A-P."Kim and I carpooled to work yesterday, and decided to stop by the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-55397243594182366302008-04-28T12:01:00.006-04:002008-12-09T00:44:08.847-05:00

I actually have four bikes. This is my 1961 Schwinn American, which is like a carnival ride. I spent a lot of time restoring this one. I love my bikes.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-17019802601889166352008-04-28T11:59:00.003-04:002008-12-09T00:44:09.014-05:00

Another beautiful and relaxing weekend in St. Pete.I got sunburned.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-23810420741252299192008-04-28T11:30:00.005-04:002008-12-09T00:44:10.294-05:00

My friend Julie lives in Istanbul, where she's created an interactive art space. They do all kinds of cool collaborative projects there, one of which is called Virtual Chef. Someone in another country gives Julie a recipe, and she wanders all over town trying to find the ingredients.Then at an appointed time Julie talks on Skype (a free Internet phone service) with the person, who gives

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-43241147941342019682008-04-24T14:37:00.008-04:002008-05-05T12:10:03.131-04:00

A friend of mine is a documentary filmmaker here in town, and is making a film about students at a local high school who won a state culinary competition and are now going to California to compete in the national competition with Florida dishes that use local food. It's pretty exciting, and there's a fundraiser for his film coming up (see below).Locally Grown Films & Fundraiser: Monday, April

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-54256641130873760762008-04-24T10:27:00.005-04:002008-12-09T00:44:10.464-05:00

My neighbor's friend Krissy recently started a free store. It's pretty cool -- once a week she sits in the campus' Plaza of the Americas (in front of the liberal arts library) and collects and gives away stuff. Next week she's going to have a booth at the downtown farmer's market. I can't wait! I hope I find something good, like a velour jacket or really ugly sunglasses.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-14667259199153695262008-04-23T13:51:00.012-04:002008-12-09T00:44:11.811-05:00

Well, I did my part to save water, and this is the thanks I get. Here are some of the plants I've killed or severely injured in the past month or two.Swedish Ivy at work (almost impossible to kill; I worked hard for this one):Here's an African violet I just retrieved from the ICU (my mother's greenhouse). It's already looking half-dead. How do I do it? It's just a natural talent, I tell

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-60999041288249231202008-04-22T09:44:00.006-04:002008-04-23T13:51:50.783-04:00

In honor of Earth Day, check out this quiz found in the Orlando Sentinel. It helps you calculate your carbon footprint in terms of fuel emissions. Mine is 15,286 lbs. per year. The average is over 45,000!!I took another quiz on my carbon footprint from the Nature Conservancy. By this reckoning, I contribute far more CO2 to the atmosphere -- 22 tons per year! That's still below the national

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-73546054616075893732008-04-16T10:48:00.003-04:002008-04-16T10:49:08.711-04:00

I don't know what's wrong with me lately, but I've been killing plants left and right. I've been severely neglecting my garden. I'll take photos soon to share my shame.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-30683943996683922582008-04-02T11:05:00.005-04:002008-12-09T00:44:12.128-05:00

This weekend I went to the Kanapaha Spring Garden Festival. But I forgot to take any photos (of the festival)! It was crazy -- about half the county was there, and there were plants everywhere. I'm not allowed to buy any plants, though, until I take care of the ones I have already (and have been neglecting).It was an overcast, cool day, and I spent it with people who mean a lot to me. There were

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-78506818808791491412008-04-02T09:39:00.006-04:002008-12-09T00:44:13.774-05:00

The Hawthorne Trail, a sixteen-mile rail trail, extends from Hawthorne to Gainesville. It's a state park created after the state bought the right-of-way from the railroad and paved it.I love the trail, and go through phases where I spend a lot of time biking it. In the past week -- now that it's still light when I leave work -- I've been on it three times.It's beautiful. There are many different

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-11551767586763509712008-03-25T13:46:00.007-04:002008-12-09T00:44:14.298-05:00

Despite the freak cold snap we're currently suffering through (the heat's broken in the office, and someone forgot to call facilities to repair it), signs of spring are everywhere.There are the luscious strawberries.The gorgeous redbuds.And, hey, my coral honeysuckle is blooming!And it's starting to cover my compost!

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-2495239312379544642008-03-20T11:25:00.011-04:002008-12-09T00:44:15.414-05:00

Yesterday I saw a lot of poo.I'm a member of a working group that looks at issues around the Lower Santa Fe River (which is actually where I went canoeing last week), and the head of the working group often arranges for us to take cool field trips to look at springs, sinkholes, and other water-related things.This time we went to the City of High Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant. High Springs is

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-3421145736889469942008-03-20T11:10:00.008-04:002008-12-09T00:44:16.283-05:00

Another runt-filled season in my veggie garden. I keep waiting for things to get bigger, but they just refuse.One of these days I am going to get some more media, toss this old media that I don't think is draining well, and plant some new seeds. Maybe this weekend!Here's my runt lettuce.Runt kale.Runt radishes.Runt corn that preferred my compost pile.It's the end of the season, so I guess I

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-35553532194635435392008-03-20T10:14:00.007-04:002008-12-09T00:44:17.299-05:00

I've been neglecting my gardening lately. But the landscape carries on without me.The rain lily I photographed last week died, but a new one sprouted right next to it.This is the time of year for spiderwort, another "weed" that I like.And it's everywhere! Dotting the yard and thriving at the edge of the vacant wooded lot behind my backyard.The camellia bush lost all its blooms in the past few

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-84309350773076825272008-03-14T23:23:00.009-04:002008-12-09T00:44:18.333-05:00

I've been absent because I've been busy, but not with all things sustainable.But Wednesday I took the day off work and went kayaking with my friend Rayne and her friend Caimee, who was visiting from North Carolina. We went down the Santa Fe River. It was BEAUTIFUL!! It was cool and perfectly sunny, with a little breeze that was a wee bit chilly.We saw:--tons of turtles (of course)--anhinga--two

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-53696366806420196582008-03-07T15:05:00.003-05:002008-12-09T00:44:18.497-05:00

I finally got a photo of Lake Alice. Purdy, ain't it?Sorry for the lame non-gardening posts. I might try to plant my spring veggie seeds this weekend. We'll see.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-91514212643546895812008-03-07T14:56:00.003-05:002008-12-09T00:44:18.859-05:00

It's been raining a lot lately, which is good for the plants and aquifer. The other day I was startled by the appearance of a bright-white beautiful flower in an otherwise boring lawn. Kim says it's a rain lily, Zephyranthes atamasca. I like it.Publish Post

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-2659170303294318802008-03-05T11:40:00.006-05:002008-12-09T00:44:19.167-05:00

I finally fertilized my plants.Otherwise I have been slacking.Here are my winter annuals. It's starting to warm up, so I don't know how much longer they're going to last. They keep getting bigger and adding blooms. I'll be sad to see them go.Some days after work I drive through campus to go to the gym, and when I do, I pass Lake Alice. It's always beautiful around that time of day, and I always

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-27189295567625445992008-02-25T22:55:00.004-05:002008-02-26T15:52:24.487-05:00

1. Plant seeds for my spring garden. It's about that time; not sure yet what I'm going to plant).2. Fertilize my plants. They need it--I know it's not strictly organic, but a. I had rotten luck using fish guts last year, and we have a lot of raccoons rambling around our backyard, sometimes even in broad daylight; b. the fertilizer is only going in containers, so I don't fear it washing away

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-22212121262173628482008-02-25T11:39:00.005-05:002008-12-09T00:44:19.474-05:00

The weather has really been interesting lately. Friday the sky looked like this:And Sunday was like this:An 80-degree day. Go figure. I lay under the magnolia tree and took a nap. It was glorious.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-72563908561721794172008-02-21T14:31:00.006-05:002008-12-09T00:44:19.983-05:00

It's been wacky weather around here this winter--more than usual, even. The temperature, barometric pressure, and sunshine have been fluctuating wildly almost every day.The other day I was driving home when it looked like a violent storm was threatening. Someone is building these horrible condos near my workplace, and I despise them, but took a photo of them anyway because the light looked so

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-24818367847976597832008-02-19T10:54:00.005-05:002008-12-09T00:44:20.149-05:00

I invented a new recipe! This is a very exciting turn of events for me. I'm a pretty good cook, but can't just produce dishes out of thin air like some of my friends, e.g., Kim and Tia.It all started with the mystery novels I've been obsessed with for the past month. I've been reading all of Elizabeth George's oeuvre for the second or third time. The stories take place in England, and a passing

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-66443378005421219472008-02-18T16:16:00.027-05:002008-12-09T00:44:23.448-05:00

My mom's birthday was last month, and my dad and I got her a rain barrel. But we didn't have time to convert it from plain barrel to rain barrel until this weekend. Rain barrels are a great way to save water and money. You just capture some of the rain that falls on your roof and use it to water your plants. One inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof can produce 620 gallons of water that you

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-73089683606705191372008-02-18T12:17:00.005-05:002008-12-09T00:44:23.718-05:00

I cut some of the flowers off my geranium and dianthus for my living room.The vase is an old milk bottle I got from the flea market. It makes me think of Neely O'Hara stealing her neighbor's milk in Valley of the Dolls.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-57543507559249267442008-02-14T17:05:00.010-05:002008-02-19T10:49:05.425-05:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about getting rid of all the chemicals in my house. I have this book called The Natural Formula Book for Home and Yard (by Dan Wallace) and I've been looking through it to see if I can find something interesting to try, like homemade laundry detergent or whatever. But every homemade home cleaning solution in this book, it seems, includes bleach. So I figured, ok, I

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-82297859807657602552008-02-14T13:20:00.008-05:002008-12-09T00:44:23.838-05:00

It's Tom's birthday today. I almost made a funny comment here about his age, but I'm going to hold off, only because he's turning into a sensitive old man. Tomorrow it's open season, though!Georgia and I made him a card.I love my job. (Photo by Georgia.)

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-73231417071426195902008-02-14T13:02:00.010-05:002008-12-09T00:44:24.226-05:00

It's great that recycling has become so prevalent in the last ten or fifteen years, but the fact is that most of us don't know what, exactly, we're allowed to put in the orange and blue bins.For a while I put my opened mail envelopes and torn-up [paid] bills in the orange paper recycling bin, then I didn't because I read somewhere--probably the recycling informational materials that I had to hunt

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-89110161373962939272008-02-14T12:09:00.004-05:002008-12-09T00:44:24.416-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I love grocery shopping. Because of visiting family and a lack of cash flow, I didn't go grocery shopping for a couple of weeks. When I finally went, last Saturday, I went a little overboard.I'm at the critical point between having a lot of food I need to cook and having too much cooked food. So I use some produce, but then I have nowhere to put the tupperware with the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-77349192777197392222008-02-13T13:39:00.006-05:002008-12-09T00:44:24.746-05:00

This past Sunday I went to a friend's brunch with my duplex-mate/friend, Lani. It was the most perfect day ever, pretty much. It was somewhere in the 60s or 70s, breezy, and sunny, sunny, sunny. We sat on the porch and drank mimosas and ate homemade food and played Apples to Apples. Lani and I wore white summery dresses to complement the weather, which is very unlike both of us. It was that

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-84701394749143911082008-02-13T13:23:00.005-05:002008-12-09T00:44:25.079-05:00

The poor camellia tree. Right when it gets going with a full head of blooms, the temperature drops. Then all the gorgeous red flowers turn brown and fall off. Then it warms up again. And the camellias bloom...and it freezes...and the camellias turn brown and fall off.I got tired of the seesaw weather, with its endless variations on hot-cold, hot-cold, so I gave up trying to cover all my plants

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167402797397577764.post-66980496268858043502008-02-13T13:21:00.008-05:002008-12-09T00:44:25.702-05:00

In one of my planters, I took out the bits of remaining plant matter that clearly isn't salvageable and put these new Easter lily bulbs in (Emily got them for us from work). We'll see if they adapt to my "low-key" gardening style!Hanging strawberries: I don't know why I bother--the dang birds nibble little bits out of each strawberry before I get to it. But every now and again I get an unsullied

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04518004828791698416noreply@blogger.com1