Cultivating Green

Window Farm Photo by Josh Kalish

In a world of constant change, there are some things that remain with us over the course of our lives.  In my case, two of those enduring things, which aren’t really things at all, are a love for words and farming.  Since I was a young girl, I have had an abiding need for planting words and seeds.

Though I live in the country now, that wasn’t always the case.  For much of my life I lived in some of the largest urban centers in our country (Chicago, Houston, and San Antonio).  I never imagined living or thriving while surrounded by vast acres of concrete.  It seems one does adapt when necessary.

As Squidoo’s Green Living Contributor, I often receive comments on my articles from those who yearn to live as I do—off the grid, in the country, surrounded by wide, open spaces.  I often hear it said that it isn’t possible to live green at the moment.  Sometimes it is a matter of needing to be near family or work.  These green yearning souls have set their own longings aside, having deferred their dreams (perhaps indefinitely).

What I have learned, though, is that urban farming is not only entirely possible, it is a hugely popular phenomenon that could ultimately be one of the most important movements of our generation.  Without much more than eight square feet of light, these city dwellers, known as “window farmers,” have found a way to cultivate their green (both an inner and outer greening).

This week, as I read Paradise Lot, a book about two plant geeks who converted a desolate city space into an abundantly thriving garden of Eden, I thought of others who have created their own means of cultivating green wherever they happen to dwell.

My friend Dawn Rae shows you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.  She gardens in a big city apartment. LindaJM presents the possibilities of Window Farming 101.  Kari Spencer, of the Micro Farm Project, demonstrates how she turned her small urban yard into a true showcase.

As I sit here by the window tapping away on my laptop, nurturing little wordlings, still just tiny sprouts, I am cultivating the kind of green that makes my life a garden paradise.  How will you cultivate your green today? 

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A Few of the Best Mid-Atlantic Foods

Mid-Atlantic Regional Cuisine

Every region has their special foods and recipes.  When I think of shrimp, I immediately think of Louisiana. Cheese makes me think of Wisconsin.  Oranges come from Florida, of course.  I have known from early on that certain foods are special to certain areas. However, after moving to the mid-Atlantic region, I’ve realized just how passionate people are about their special foods.

One of my early Squidoo lenses was written as a result of strong craving for a regional food (Mary Sue's Pecan Nougat egg) and from the memory of seeing a thank you letter from a deployed person who had received Old Bay spice in their care package.  After seeing that letter, I had noticed others who bemoaned the difficulty of purchasing Old Boy, good crab meat, and other regional foods.  That prompted me to write an edible gifts lens consisting of Maryland treats.

When I move from Maryland someday, I can imagine myself begging friends and family (and perhaps strangers) to send me Mary Sue’s Pecan Nougat eggs every spring. My mouth waters every time I think of them.

Crabcakes and Crabbing

Image Credit: Courtesy of Wikimedia Creative Commons

While I do not consider myself a foodie, I do love trying new foods and adding new favorites to my list. I’m not a good cook but I love eating good food.  Have you ever heard the saying, “champagne taste on a beer budget”?  That describes me to some extent about food.  I love the taste of good food.

Blue crab is one of those “champagne taste” foods, in my opinion.  A properly cooked jumbo lump crab cake is divine. 

Crabbing in this area is almost considered an event.  Family members young and old enjoy crabbing.  People look at me with wonder when I tell them that I’ve never been crabbing.  Around here, it’s a bit like learning to walk.  Everyone does it.

There's More Than Crabs to Eat in the Mid-Atlantic.

While I could talk about crab cakes forever, there are other foods in the Mid-Atlantic region. Another food staple of this area are cheesesteak sub sandwiches.  They originated in Philadelphia and Joyful Pamela introduces us to the wonderful world of cheesesteak among other wonderful Philadelphia foods.  People here are passionate about their favorite place to get a cheesesteak sub and will debate for long periods of time about what makes theirs the best.  The Mister and I clearly have our favorite and eat cheesesteaks weekly. I guarantee it is something that one you have found your favorite, you will crave it frequently. 

Image Credit:Photograph by Dawn Rae 2014

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go. Since I’m finished photographing the Mary Sue egg, I can finally eat it.  I have waited for months for egg season and I can’t wait any longer.

I will see you next Monday. If you would like to visit with me before then you can find my on my Mid-Atlantic Travel Facebook page.  

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A Father's Review of "Father of the Bride"

This week, I had the opportunity to read a truly wonderful review. It combines storytelling and a review, producing an article anyone would be proud to read or write. As a matter of fact, it also won the Squidoo "Review of the Day" honor. Definitely worth a minute or two of your time.

Keeping it Funny

The review grabs your attention immediately with a title like this:
"This is why I'm glad I didn't run over Steve Martin". 
I giggled as soon as I read that. 

Not only did author pgallagher grab my attention, he held it because he kept the promise his title made -- told us why he was glad he didn't run over Mr. Martin. He even goes so far as to share his humorous thoughts at the time of the "almost" mishap!

Keeping it Real

He tells us about the kinship he feels with the character from the film (George Banks). Since pgallagher is a father to two daughters, it wasn't such a stretch.

I think this is my favorite line in the whole review: "Father of the Bride will be relevant for as long as parents have children that grow up and get married."

Storytelling + Review = One Heck of an Article! 

I applaud you, pgallagher. This review was perfect (if there such a thing.) The formula works! It is possible, readable and more interesting when we use stories and personal experience in our writing on Squidoo and anywhere on the web.

It makes us better writers but more important, better people when we share. Please, take a moment and read the review. You won't be sorry. Leave pgallagher a comment with your impression of his review. He's relatively new to Squidoo (Sept. 2013) and only has 3 lenses so far.

If he keeps putting out articles like this one, he will have a long and prosperous career at Squidoo!

You Can Join the Fun Too

There is a almost no limit to the topics on Squidoo. The Squidoo Contributors write about most everything. Find a favorite niche topic (mine is party planning) and start reading and writing. I know you will love it as much as we do!

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A Day in the Life of a Recycler

There's a little bit of recycling in everything we do!

Hello!

Whirlwinds of activity have been happening around my home office this week. On top of everyday work and living, my family is buying a house. It's keeping us busy and keeping me distracted. But, my writing and my friends at Squidoo have been keeping me on course. Moving has provided an influx of ideas and my friends are filling my inbox with projects that will help us turn that house into a home.

I'd like to share some of the recycling inspiration that has come my way this week.

One of our biggest chores will be moving a yard full of potted plants and vegetables. While cleaning up the plants, I was reminded that even nature recycles. Some of our plants die back only to reappear magically in the spring. We've never had a failure when we Grow New Zealand Spinach in Containers and Recycle the Seeds. New Zealand spinach almost grows itself and the plants provide enough seed to share with our friends.

After packing up my mother's 1958 sewing machine and yards of fabric scraps from her past quilting projects, I told myself it was time to get serious about sewing again. But fabric is so expensive. Valerie Proctor Davis comes to the rescue with tips on How to Save Money By Sewing Your Own Clothes. She has some great ideas for turning old clothes into new clothes and how to reuse clothing patterns.

Nothing is perfect when moving into a new home and there are always unexpected expenses. When a new bill pops up, another planned purchase must be delayed. Furniture is one of those items that can be worked around when money is getting tight. Eva shares a great idea for saving a few dollars on furniture in her story of How to Decoupage an Old Desk.

Paigsr reminded me that moving creates a lot of unwanted trash. Moving is the perfect time to de-clutter and find a new home for the stuff that is no longer needed. As we pack our belongings, we'll be thinking of ways to reuse and recycle every little thing because even small recycling gestures like Returning Bottles "Can" Make a Difference!

I'm getting excited about moving into our new home and all of the recycling opportunities this new venture will bring. And, I'm looking forward to finding even more exciting and creative ways to recycle in our every day lives.

I  hope you enjoyed today's recycling stories and found some inspiration to recycle more in your own every day life. It's cool to recycle, even nature does it!

Until next time, be happy and be well!

Coletta

Posted by Coletta Teske

About This Contributor

Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.

 

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Let's Talk Romance!

Have you ever wondered, just what exactly is romance? 

I am intrigued by the varying opinions I have encountered over the years.   Some instantly think of sex, and perhaps that is understandable considering the daily diet of seductive advertising we are all forced to ingest. 

I have oft heard the term "a deep, abiding love" and while that is closer to my definition, it doesn't totally define romance. 


What do you call romantic? When you see a young man open the car door for his date, or a gentleman pull out the chair for his dinner partner, do you refer to those actions as romantic? 

How about the selfless acts in the storybooks of the girl selling her hair and the man selling his watch, just so they can afford to give each other the perfect gift?   Or, is it when you see two people with their heads together listening only to each other as the rest of the world goes on around them. 

The Definition of Romance

I would submit that romance is the expression in action of a deep emotion, a more continual caring evidenced through communicative glances, electrified touches and an intangible connection. 

********************

Debw07 offers her definition of romance and gives suggestions in her article Hopeless Romantic.  I did chuckle as I read her lens when I discovered we shared the same Hollywood heartthrob "crush".  

Even though I have seen almost all of her recommended romantic movies, she did review one romantic movie that I haven't seen yet.  All of my loyal readers know how much I love discovering a new (regardless of release date) romantic movie!

Romantics are always discovering unique ways to say "I love you" to their one and only love.  


I always enjoy reading articles written by authors who share personal experiences while giving awesome recommendations.  



Now tell me, what is your definition of romance?
  

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Editing Your Photos

I strive to compose  my photos so that very little editing is needed.  I like my photo to represent what I saw through the lens of my camera.  There are times, however where a bit of editing is required.  The two photos below are an example.  You will  note that in the photo before the editing the lighthouse is a bit crooked and the horizon is not quite straight.  The other thing that bothered m e about the photo was the lone tourist standing by the lighthouse.  Sometimes it is great to have people in the photos, but when I am taking a photo to be framed or to be used on Zazzle I really like to have the scenery without people.

Before Editing 

 In the photo below you will see the results of the photo editing.  I use Adobe Lightroom for my photo editing.  For this photo, I first went into the crop tool and moved the angle slightly to the right to straighten the lighthouse and the horizon.  Next I used the clone tool to click on the person and then clicked on the cloud to fill the area where the person was standing in with clouds.

Before I finished I slid the clarity and the vibrance slides up just a bit.  The photo below is the finished product.  Although I think the before photo was good, I do think the after editing photo is better.  What do you think?
After Editing

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Uniquely Brilliant

Photo Credit: Ostrich Egg Carvings

This morning I have several things on the brain that might seem unrelated at first glance:  Seth Godin, orchids, Dremel tools, dentures, "peticures," and egg carvings.  You just never know what you’re going to find here when I start writing at 2:30 a.m.  I enjoy being surprised by the things percolating in my brain at this hour.

So what is the connection?  The interwoven thread is that of being indispensable and uniquely brilliant.  I am, of course, thinking about Seth Godin’s book about linchpins.  One of the things Seth asks us is if we are indispensable.  I had always hoped to be seen in that way but in reality, when I first read his book, I had not yet experienced an organization that didn’t constantly remind my colleagues and I that we could be easily dispensed of and replaced. 

What makes you or I indispensable, or, in the definition of a human linchpin, essential?  We learn by reading Seth’s book that it is our unique brilliance.  And, our unique brilliance has to do with the artistry of our hearts and souls.  We become indispensable when we turn each day into a work of art. 

That explains where the title of this post and Seth Godin come into play.  You may still be wondering how I’m going to work in the orchid, false teeth, peticure, carving, and Dremel angles.  This has to do with the artistry, unique brilliance, and essence of those who make Squidoo such an incredibly creative unworkplace.

Unworkplace?  That’s right.  Squidoo is not typical in any way.  In this creative community, each writer is constantly encouraged to pour his or her indispensability into each interaction (with others and with stories).  So what is the work in an unworkplace?  It’s emotion, and passion, and delight.  It is being the work of art that we already are in essence.

That brings us to the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would say.  A while back, I issued a challenge for creative souls to share reviews of their favorite Dremel tools.  In my “Do or Di” DIY world, the Dremel is indispensable.  It is uniquely brilliant.  It’s the one tool I would never want to be without.  I haven’t found anything that my Dremel cannot do.  It is a linchpin.

While visiting Dremel reviews on Squidoo, I have been continually amazed and delighted by the ingenious ways in which my fellow writers use their Dremel tools and accessories.  Please take a few moments to celebrate with me the unique brilliance of those who have demonstrated there are no limits to what two linchpins (human and Dremel) can accomplish in concert with one another.  

Denise McGill saves the day with her Dremel dentistry brilliance.  While Nathanville upcycles a plastic tumbler into an orchid pot using his Dremel.  Then there are the amazing egg carvings presented by Craft-E-Mom.

After checking out their artistry, might you join us as the newest member of our Squidoo Linchpin Collective?  We’d love to have the opportunity to appreciate the indispensable artistry and unique brilliance of you.

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The Squidoo Community Sharing Mid-Atlantic Tales

When I was an “aspiring writer” I imagined writing as a solitary endeavor.  That image in my mind has changed from pecking away at a clacking typewriter to the quiet whispering clicky-click of a laptop. But the image of the tousled-haired hermit bent over a desk has continued in my mind.

Since discovering the Squidoo community, I am learning that writing does not have to be a solitary thing.  Sure, I can’t chat away while doing the actual writing of a piece, but I know that my fellow Squidoo writers are only an instant message or email away.  It’s an amazing feeling to have all of this support while writing. I highly recommend that writers join the Squidoo community.

While I currently hold the title of Mid-Atlantic States Travel contributor on Squidoo, there are plenty of other writers who write amazing lenses about the area. While it’s hard to know exactly where to start, I’d like to share a few of these remarkable lenses with you today.

I’d like to introduce you to Ramkitten on Squidoo.  She is also known as Deb Kingsbury and is a hiking expert.  I have been interested about the Appalachian Trail and have read a variety of articles and books about the subject over the years. Some weren’t helpful and some were helpful but weren’t very entertaining.  Ramkitten gives information with a sense of humor that makes me laugh out loud for real.  I especially like her descriptions and humor in her lens Hiking the Appalachian Trail: What You Really Need to Know.

While lighthouses are not limited to the mid-Atlantic region, you can find Chesapeake Lighthouses by mbgphoto on Squidoo.  I had a hard time choosing just one of her lenses to share because she is an accomplished writer and photographer. All of her lenses are beautiful..

Angelatvs on Squidoo made me feel like a very happy writer when she jumped on my Review Your Favorite Assateague and Chincoteague Island Items and did a wonderful book review of  Aassateague Island of the Wild Ponies. If you like wild ponies, you should definitely check out this book review.

Speaking of Chincoteague, I am hosting a Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry book giveaway at my blog to help celebrate the magic of the islands. You can enter by filing out the raffle form on my blog until March 14^th.

Until next Monday, happy and safe travels to you all. 

Image Credit: ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved (Click on photo for larger view)

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Reviews of Movies about Parties and Occasions

Wedding Movies

The Party Planning niche on Squidoo has had a very busy couple of weeks. I published my newest curation list filled with party movies and have had people write some terrific reviews.

The movie list has a little bit of something for everyone including all sorts of parties and occasions like:

• Weddings
• Graduations
• Anniversaries
• Baby Showers
• Bachelor Parties
• Beach Parties
• and even children's parties

With such wonderful participation, I wanted to make sure I highlighted some of the reviews this week. I will include the remainder in next weeks post. I don't want to leave anyone out!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

I love this movie and so does Lensmaster wir55. She wrote an awesome review of the quirky, romantic comedy.

I agree with her (and the story line) that families are so very loving but can be overwhelming all at the same time. Sorting through the emotions can lead to some humorous incidents in our lives.

I think this film brings home the fact that you marry the whole family when you marry your spouse!

I think one of my favorite parts of the film is watching Toula grow and change into the self-confident person her mother always knew she was. Yes, mothers know more than any of us give them credit for, more often than not.

Like the movie, this review is definitely worth reading. Thanks wir55!

Runaway Bride

This review was by our very own BuckHawk -- aka Susan. I love Julia Roberts and have seen every single film she has made. There is just something about her that comes across the screen as genuine.

As Susan said in her review of the movie, it's a film you can watch over and over. I still laugh at all the same parts but usually find a new bit of humor each time I watch.

The pairing of Julia and Richard is classic. Their chemistry and penchant for straight-faced humor is unmatched. It's definitely one of my all time favorite romantic comedies.

Thanks for the review, Susan. I really enjoyed it.

Monster-in-Law

This movie about an interfering mother-in-law was reviewed by VeganEater. Again, a cute movie with a wedding and romance as a central theme. This time, it also involves a mom professing to be protecting her son from his future wife.

VeganEater shares her impressions of all the characters as well as which are her favorite. Surprisingly, it's not any of the leads. You'll have to read her review to find out!

This movie stars Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda. They are perfect and play very well off each other. It's funny how the son/fiance is oblivious to what is actually going on. (I think I know a few men that fit that can have the same problem at times...)

Your Turn

There's still plenty more party type movies on the list if you want to try your hand at reviewing one. It's easy! What are you waiting for?

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Recycle Words to Create a Compelling Story