spring has sprung

Here it is.. proof that spring has finally sprung up here in the forest.  It is glorious.  But WOW it sure took it's sweet time getting here.  

So here it is, for all of you who gave me a hard time about living in perpetual winter.. 

Proof of life in the forest.  Yes, that's a wild strawberry plant.  Don't be jealous.

There is no more hiding from all the work to be done.  The time is now.

Hmmm... let's build rock towers instead.

Tuesday Reading

I came across this image on the newly reconstructed Pure Green Blog yesterday.  It made me giggle.. hope it does the same for you.  Love the chubby boxer half way down the line.  

"we have to stop cutting trees, this is getting serious"

If you have never read the Pure Green Blog, or Pure Green Living Magazine you should give them a try!  They have a team of people that do terrific work on the blog and magazine.. I find them to be a great source of information and inspiration.  And the sites are both really pretty.. and as anyone who knows me will tell you, I am all about the pretty.

Standard Magazine

Here's a lovely little magazine for you to browse this rainy Thursday..

Standard Magazine is a magazine in which green and sustainable are the "standard"

One of my favorite finds in there is the Etsy shop Housing Authority.  Isn't this chair fabulous?

Add caption

Enjoy!

happy mama's day

Wishing a wonderful day to all you wonderful mamas.  May your day be sunny and your children be quiet.  Happy Mother's day.

It will be gone before you know it. 

The fingerprints on the wall appear higher and higher. 

Then suddenly they disappear. - Dorothy Evslin

good morning

In honour of another beautiful morning in the forest.. here is a fantastic video.  Take the time to watch it, it will make you smile.  Promise.

heartsy

I just stumbled upon a fantastic new coupon site!  You all know Groupon I am sure... well this is the same setup, only for handmade goodness via Etsy!  

Check out heartsy.. you won't regret it!  Yay handmade!

image from hellogoodbyeagain

image from cozyblue

nothing to complain about

Because we have downsized so significantly, sometimes I catch myself sighing with nostalgia over such things as a dedicated craft and sewing room.  Then I watched this video... no more sighing, I have so much to be thankful for.  Happy Monday!

No Impact Man

We watched an interesting movie last night... so interesting, that we forgot to shut it off for Earth Hour.  Oops.  So instead of turning our own lights out, we were watching a movie about a guy living in New York City with his wife and young child, without electricity and toilet paper.  On purpose.

If you've ever thought about what Reduce, Reuse, Recycle really means, you should check out this movie.  It's thought-provoking, entertaining, and an interesting social experiment.  If we all took one thing from the movie and applied it to our lives, what a difference we could make.

Happy Sunday.

Happy Valentine's Day

we heart you

favourite things

With joy I can say that the kids are settling in.  Little boy loves the wood stove.  I caught him warming his belly 3 inches from the glass last night.  Yikes.

Little girl has a very large crafting table, and she produces an astonishing amount of artwork.  Every.  Day.  We need a system.

They are both loving the warm concrete floors.  No major injuries yet (thank goodness) although I have visions of head vs. floor collisions.  And we're down one bowl.

Curious George for two

tea, dahling?

All in all, things are going swimmingly.  Sharing one room is going as well as expected, and last night was the first since move in that no-one stumbled out of the bedroom in the dark of the night.  Bunk beds are highly anticipated and much discussed.  I have so many plans and ideas for their room and play space to make them absolutely fantastic!  It is hard for me to slow down.. and the list of projects yet to be accomplished in our home is long and involved.  Inside.  Outside.  Animals.  Compost.  Furniture.  Garden.  Canning.  Outbuildings.  Driveway... ouff.  I need a cup of coffee.  Have a great weekend!

the view

I am having visions... of a cup of tea, a warm fire, a good book...

and this view.

Greg Sczebel

Here's a little christmas treat for you... we went to this amazing concert at the streaming cafe last Saturday.. this is my new favorite Christmas song.  It's not available for download yet (new album for next Christmas), but I am humming it all the time anyway!

Green Guilt

Ok, so I don't know if you've picked up on this yet, but I am feeling frequent angst about the choices we make that are not green.  In life as well as in our house project.  I don't want to give all of you the wrong impression about our eco-lifestyle... I am constantly guilty of anti-green choices.  For example, I never remember to bring along my stainless steel coffee mug, so I use the paper cups at Starbucks.  I drive a gas-guzzling SUV.  I don't compost.  Sometimes I (gasp!) forget my reusable grocery bags at home and have to use plastic.  This niggles at the back of my brain saying "hey - you're spending all this time greening your house and yet you're using plastic bags?".  So I feel GUILT while packing food to feed my family.  Oh, and by the way the food's not all organic either.

And so I got a little chuckle when I read this article from the New York Times today.  Give it a read when you have a minute.. apparently I am in good company.

I'll sit here and in my non-organic cotton clothing, at my electrically powered computer, on my desk which is not made from FSC certified wood and console myself with the thought that doing anything is better than doing nothing...  Right?

little moment

here comes the rain...

getting closer...

time to go...

online magazine

the new Pure Green Living magazine is out!  Check it out here

hello gorgeous

what a face... did anyone else enjoy the Armstrong Fair last weekend?