"Vivez, si vous me croyez, N'attendez a demain, Cuellez des aujourd'hui les roses de la vie." Ronsard


Saturday, January 28, 2012

Food Blog South and DISCO

Currently, I'm attending a full day workshop on how to blog about the things I love: food, gardening, teaching, photography and many more. This is an event benefitting the Desert Island Supply Company.

It's amazing and there is also a teen workshop at 1:00.

Students, there are many ways for you to get involved (whether you can make it here or not):

1. Choose a book you would like to have on your own deserted island, look over DISCO's wish list and ask someone to partner with you in donating to their library ($100 donation)
2. Attend a student workshop, open and free to ages 6-18 (check DISCO's website for a full schedule)
3. Submit your own writing by finishing this sentence,

*Food is....

(submit to help@desertislandsupplyco.com)
*By submitting , you give DISCO the right to publish your work in poster/book form.

Pre-CW/ Q.O.D./ bell ringer:

"Turning a difficult task or a perilous journey into an adventure is largely a matter of telling yourself the right story about it." -Laura Miller



Shindigs Catering sponsored by Whole Foods

Sponsors of the event and some cool companies to check out include: Whole Foods Market, The Year of Alabama Food, SUDIA (The Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc, Swiss Diamond, Roland, Jim 'N Nicks Bar-B-Q, High Road: Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet, watermelon.org, Recipe Lion, Key Ingredient, Goo Goo Cluster, Winston-Salem, The Harvard Common Press, Finergrind, BirmINgham, myrecipes.com, International Biscuit Festival, and Zatarains.

Kat Kinsman, managing editor of CNN's Eatocracy was the keynote speaker!!!

Read more here ----->http://eatocracy.cnn.com


Monday, January 9, 2012

Help Glen Iris Grow a Garden!


For more information about how to help, go to Glen Iris's BCS page found here,

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Tarrant's ECOSCAPE




More pictures of Tarrant's Ecoscape, by Birmingham Southern College's Southern Environmental Center and spearheaded by Tarrant alumni and central office employee, Kelley Hewitt Javinett.



Deadly Deception

If you haven't already, please watch CBS's coverage of Deadly Deception

This effects us all!

Keep up with updates at their page here:

Contact the following for more information:

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING CONTAMINATION ISSUES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND THE NORTH BIRMINGHAMCOMMUNITIES.

ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 4:

SUPERFUND DIVISION


JEFFERY J. CROWLEY- FEDERAL ON-SCENE COORDINATOR

404-562-9587
CROWLEY.JEFFERY@EPA.GOV

STEPHENIE YVETTE BROWN
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
COORDINATOR
404-562-8450
BROWN.STEPHANIEY@EPA.GOV

JAMES PINKNEY – PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
404-562-9183
PINKNEY.JAMES@EPA.GOV

BRIAN HOLTZCLAW - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
404-562-8684
HOLTZCLAW.BRIAN@EPA.GOV

JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
BARBARA NEWMAN -
COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE
205-930-1254
BARBARA.NEWMAN@JCDH.ORG

WALTER ENERGY
HOT LINE 1-855-892-5837

BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS
BOB MORGAN – DIR. OF CAPITAL PROJECTS
205 – 231- 2082

Also, consider writing directly to ABC Coke, Drummond Companies, and ACIPCO.

ABC Coke
900 Huntsville Avenue Birmingham, AL 35217
(205) 849-1300

Drummond Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 10246
Birmingham, Alabama 35202
Phone: (205) 945-6300

AMERICAN- ACIPCO
P.O. Box 2727
Birmingham, AL 35202
USA

*ACIPCO did let several environmental educators tour their facilities a few summers ago through Legacy: Partners in Environmental Education. They have an extensive program for monitoring their waste currently. From the news coverage, they seem to be responsive as well as making an effort to listen to the community and take action.


Other useful and reliable sources seen in the news coverage, check with or contact for ways to help:

Black Warrior Riverkeeper

Conservation Alabama


GASP Birmingham, a pioneer in the fight for better air quality in Birmingham, offers a widget you can put on your computer which shows the current air quality for your zipcode.



Below is a picture of the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham-Southern's latest Ecoscape in Tarrant.
The sail is signed by students of Tarrant.






Thursday, December 22, 2011

Natural and Sustainable Gifts


1. Lichen and Rock Ornaments-
Buy empty/DIY glass ornaments at Hobby Lobby, fill with your choice of the natural world.

2. Holiday Wreaths with stick frame and holiday decor from the neighborhood.

How to Make a Eucalyptus Holiday Wreath by Elizabeth Beeler and

c'est magnifique.




Wednesday, December 21, 2011

How many ways can you say Merry Christmas???

Marlo: A Very Merry Christmas!
Week 64
Christopher Browne

A list from the Huffington Post,

Merry Christmas in German:
Frohe Weihnachten

Merry Christmas in French:
Joyeux Noël

Merry Christmas in Italian:
Buon Natale

Merry Christmas in Portuguese:
Feliz Natal

and many, many more...

Additionally, how many December celebrations are there around the world?

At this time of year, six kivas from the Zuni Tribe will be dancing and giving a house they have built to six families from their tribe. This is the time called Shalak'o. Much as Santa Clause visits us, the Shalak'o visits the house which the men in the village have been building year round. On the first day, the Shalak'os descend together on the village by walking from the top of DY down. The Shalak'os will dance for a week straight, race each other, and do giveaways at the Plaza. I have had the honor of experiencing two. It is definitely something I will do again as well as recommend.

It's easy to get wrapped up (hopefully not in wrapping) but in many obligations, what we want and giving as many people as possible the perfect gift. Overall, I think it's important to realize this is a universal time, to sacrifice and to give others what we can, whether it's time, a handmade gift, a card, confessions of love, treating yourself to something special or everything on their list. Give what you can and be thankful for what you do receive.

So without further ado, many miracles to you this holiday season and Happy, Happy Shalak'o, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Winter Solstice!!!


Tuesday, December 6, 2011

2 videos, 1 picture, and thank you to lulu lemon!!!

Parker and the orginal downward facing dog

Surprise bonus with a great class at Yoga Circle, lulu lemon made a guest appearance and gave out new yoga mats to all participants.

***** Five stars from me and here's a link to where to get them, thickness a plus, and double-sided textures which allow you choice depending on what type of yoga you are doing,

Also create a profile on Australia-based my green profile's website.

Here is a recent video of their's...great message!

Rejuvenating exercises from the Tibetan monks...


"Keep calm and carry on."