Orange = Happy

Rex gave me this flower.

The color orange makes me happy. That's all I have for today. :-)

It's ALIVE!!...The Roof I Mean...

This picture taken from the Ecoroof Blog at the City of Portland Ecoroof Program Website

Rex and I went to the most AMAZING lecture this week about living roofs.

The Oregon Zoo, in coordination with Audubon Society of Portland and a few other people, hosted a lecture with Dusty Gedge and "urban ecologist, performer, and public speaker". He was amazing. It was amazing. Dusty was full of information, science, humor, energy and passion for covering our roofs with life. Not only plant life, but the bugs and bees and such that come to live in the plantings placed on roofs.

The almost 2 hour lecture went fast as we saw slide after slide of living roofs in his native England and neighbor Sweden. Beautiful roofs that made the city look alive and provided much needed space for rare and amazing species of invertebrates that have had their habitat destroyed by high rises and roads. Dusty and his comrades have been working for the past few decades on programs and education and projects that just keep expanding the number of roofs that are now alive.

So, why was he here in our neck of the woods? Because Portland is putting a lot of energy into eco roofs. Sam Adams has started a program at the city called The Portland Ecoroof Program. Mayor Adams wants to see 49 acres of roofs converted to living roofs! NICE! And, they are giving away grants to those who are interested in participating.

I have to say, my eyes have been opened to the benefit of these types of roofs. I always thought they were cool, but now I know they are sorely needed in our urban areas.

If you would like to learn more about Dusty Gedge, check out his website, www.dustygedge.com. From there you can take a gander at his blog.

For more WONDERFUL information about living roofs, check out his other website, www.livingroofs.org. Here you can find information regarding roofs, how can you do a roof, plants, get access to all sorts of blogs, and see some beautiful roofs in the UK.

No Plaid to be Had?

I was at Fabric Depot last week looking for some baby fabric to make a gift for a friend. While I was getting the cute green polka dot fabric cut, I mentioned being partial to plaid while chatting with the woman at the counter.

This is what I hear in response: "We just don't carry plaid here. I think we have 2 types in wool."

Say what? HUH? I'm sorry I must have misunderstood. Did you say you DON'T carry plaid?

For those of you who are not familiar with Fabric Depot - it's a HUGE building on 122nd and Stark. Over an acre of fabric. For me, it's the fabric version of Powells. I get equally as mind boggled and overwhelmed in Fabric Depot as I do in Powells. Which of course leaves me two options: buy everything I see OR walk around in utter amazement and buy nothing...typically I do the latter.

There are fabrics with cowboys, cars, shoes, cupcakes, and for Pete's sake - green beans and carrots! How can you not have a classic plaid?

Would Powells ever say: "I'm sorry... Fiction...geez...we just don't carry that. We may have 2 books in the mystery section." It think not.

Fabric Depot needs to take a lesson from Powells. Searching their website for "plaid" actually returns 50 hits. 10 of which are specifically about plaids and tartans....and a few that look suspiciously like cheesy Scottish themed romance novels. The most interesting hit was the first: Tartan: Romancing the Plaid.

Ok, rant over. I need a customer comment card, I guess. "Please carry more plaid. Thanks" Signed - The Buchanan.

And by the way - that little picture there is the Buchanan Plaid.

March Forth..Oh the Irony!

I planned to use my down time today to pay bills, send important emails and catch up. I did get a
a few items finished and then I got side-tracked.

Like a good procrastinator, I decided to google search if today was a holiday here..or anywhere..of any sort.

According to Holidays On The Net: today is "March Forth: Do Something Day. March 4th...er...forth with your goals today. Do something, do anything. Just stop procrastinating."

I love it when the universe speaks to me. Nuff' said.

Culture of Fear

Another reason why I can't stand the local news. Not only do they serve up "snow storm panic" every year, but we also get "heat wave panic", "ID theft panic", and the ever so generic "see what can KILL you...in 10 minutes when we come back from break panic".

Now we have "earthquake panic". Yep, we live on a fault line. Yep, we are over due for "the BIG one". Yep, to say it would do some serious damage, is an understatement. Should we PANIC?! Nope.

Instead of focusing on how we can help people in Chile, or what is being done in Chile for their people. OR just providing the facts, we get story after story warning us that we are next. We will die. Portland will fall into the earth. Oregon will crack off the continent and fall in the ocean. UG - I say ENOUGH!

Get a grip for Gods sake!

What is it with this whole living in fear of what we can't control era? Swine Flu. Earthquakes. Meteors bearing down on the planet. ETC ETC ETC.

I've been wanting to read The Culture of Fear: Why Americans are Afraid of the Wrong Things for a long time. I'm going to get it at the library today.

I care about whats happening in the world, as do most of us. But, our local news sucks. I want facts, not emotional warnings and fear tactics.

To Balance or Not to Balance..That is the ?

I'm having one of those days. You know, the ones when you wake up from a deep sleep early in the morning because your To-Do list is already running through your head. No chance of going back to sleep after than either...at least not for me. I didn't even try. Instead, I picked up the ever present notebook next to my bed and started making my To-Do list and my grocery list. A few minutes later - I just got up.

I'm in a constant state of trying to find balance. My list of item to finish is never ending and yet I don't see my friends enough. Unfortunately, it's the list that nags at me from the back of my head. It's voice is louder.

So, today I have the option of seeing some friends, that I probably won't take. You see, that nagging little To-Do voice talks to the other part of my brain that causes anxiety. They get together and conspire against me, making me feel stress and angst, thus making fun...well...less fun.

If I just get the list done (is this REALLY possible?) the angst and anxiety will go away and fun can be had.

Today I choose preventative medicine - the To-Do list. It's the only way to find some eventual balance. THEN I can enjoy my fun time. I'm hoping to get to a place where my To-Do list is short and sweet and I can keep up on things. Therefore, allowing me TONS of fun time sans the nagging voice.

Off I go to get satisfaction from crossing items off my list. Laundry - check. Pay bills - check. And so on, and so on.

Happy Valentines Day! To YOU...and YOU...and YOU!

Just a little song for my friends! No matter if I see you often or only rarely, my life would not be the same without you. :-) See video #1.

For those who cringe just a bit on Valentines Day the cartoon short, video #2, is for you!