Earth Day!

I love the concept of Earth Day. One year ago, I wrote about efforts to "go green." The good news is that we have made and continue to make progress.

It's been easy to:

Change to CFL bulbs throughout the house (and change light bulbs less, too!).
Use microfiber cloths for everything from cleaning furniture to computer keyboards.
Recycle like maniacs.
Pack zero-waste lunches with the fantastic lunchboxes from Obentec.
Use cold water to do laundry.

We're planning a great garden for this summer and trying to eat closer to the earth and lower on the food chain.

I just cleaned up my husband's and my bicycles so we can start using more of our own energy to get around. The kids will be ecstatic.

What are you doing to live more lightly on the Earth?

NaBloPoMo: Did It!

I am delighted to complete NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). Yes, as November draws to a close I can proudly say that I have posted every single day to this blog. Whoo-hooo! Seriously, this marks the most committed writing practice I've ever done.

I posted a few days ago that I wanted to be a maker. I did indeed deliver on that goal as well. My daughter is carrying around a stuffed felt mouse that we sewed together (photo forthcoming). It's not exactly what I had in mind when I declared my desire to create but at least I did it . . . and she loves it. Chocolate chip cookies also grace the kitchen courtesy of me; perhaps this is also the mark of the maker.

Tomorrow December begins. Here's to a wonderful month. And, looking back, here's to a pretty terrific November.

Preparations are Underway

Thanksgiving preparation is in full swing. We're dining with cousins and we'll be bringing the turkey, oyster stuffing, and a fennel apple salad.

We're roasting the turkey on the rotisserie this year. Our Gaggenau oven delights us with perfect birds . . . crispy outside, juicy inside. We'll see if it's up for a larger fowl tomorrow. There is no turkey "formula" for us. We've roasted, fried, tucked butter and herbs under skin, and filled cavities. Thus far, we haven't found a cooking or seasoning technique that dominates all others.

The oyster stuffing is a proven favorite. My grandmother's recipe provides a well proportioned foundation and I've contributed the foodie embellishments--double the amount of oysters, fresh herbs, and artisanal bread. I hesitate (actually I do not) try variations on this theme. Departures from my mainstay recipe become stand-alone dishes.

The fennel apple salad is an attempt to provide a light, fresh taste in what is typically a heavy meal. The recipe is Charlie Trotter's, is posted on Epicurious and extremely simple. With my trusty mandoline and a lemon from the backyard, this should be fast, easy and delicious.

Looking forward to a fun and delicious day tomorrow!

Gearing Up for a Week

Thanksgiving week begins. The kids are home from school. All week. We've already had highs . . . the kids reading together, snuggled into a single chair. . . and lows . . . tears and near blows over a game of Sorry!. My son was rescued by a play date this afternoon.

As an antidote (or maybe prophylactic) to the week ahead, we trooped to the library this afternoon. Audio books, DVDs, and yes, good old fashioned printed books all accompanied us home. Here's hoping for a week of engagement and entertainment for the kiddos.

How did we survive before this multimedia world?

Best Laid Plans . . .

Sometimes life just likes to throw a few curve balls. Today was one of those days. One of the day's challenges was my son's 102.5 fever. And my daughter's simultaneous need for extra attention.

I keep reminding myself that tomorrow is a new day.

Rocks, Screws, and Stray Socks

Today I've been playing archeologist, excavating my son's room. He can maintain a space (well, not quite actually) but having him around for the heavy lifting just doesn't work. The games are all organized on shelves, the off-season clothes boxed up, his desk neat and ready for work. I have one smallish box of "stuff" including the aforementioned rocks, screws and stray socks to sort and the mission will be complete.

I cleared space on his bookshelf and replaced the batteries in his reading light for late night adventures in words. I'm up for anything we can do to deepen his engagement with books.

The books which he has left behind moved his to his sister's room, my "dig" for tomorrow.

As hard as it can be for me to let go of things, it's brings me joy to see clear surfaces and space on the shelves. I just need to take it step by step.

Music in the House

On this rainy, grey California afternoon, I'm listening to my son play his violin. He's been taking lessons for six months and loving it.

We are a week from his first recital and he seems very ready. In fact, tonight we have rehearsal with his accompanist in preparation for the big event. It boggles my mind that a seven year old requires a pianist for "Bessie the Cow" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" but it really does add a different dimension to the work.

I am staggered by how challenging the violin can be. I never understood how physical it is to play the violin. Indeed, his first month of lessons seemed primarily focused on just getting the violin to meet his body in an acceptable and comfortable way.

I am also in awe that my son has learned to do something of his own motivation and wholly apart from me. He speaks of open strings and various fingerings with a fluency that sends me dashing for his music books. He practices (mostly) of his own volition, working through lessons and memorizing pieces. I watch him play, from a respectful distance, as often as possible. The concentration that furrows his brow, the tiny foot tapping out rhythm, and those mutterings of "rest, rest" under his breath speak to his complete engagement.

Keep up the good work, kiddo. Bravo!

Home as a Theme . . . Mine, Specifically

NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) has gone monthly (versus annually). The theme this month is home. The requirements are a daily post, tied to the theme or not.

To kick off the month then, I'm sharing reflections on my current (physical) home. 10,000 square feet of land in Palo Alto. About 1800 square feet of house on aforementioned land. Yes, this is a 1950's sized space and, indeed, our Eichler is a mid-century modern structure.

We came to this house with favorite things. Our modern furniture (B&B Italia, Ligne Roset) fits well. The artwork is all contemporary and complements the space. The back of the house is all glass. It's strikingly beautiful and simple.

Not surprisingly, we lack storage space. I often miss a basement, attic and large closets. We're slowly downsizing and shedding to fit the house. I have refused to part with our many, many books. Our garage is part library.

Storage aside, the smallish, single-floor space is definitely liveable. Two kids, two dogs, two parents all fit snugly and, generally, happily.

Home is, for us, less about the structure and more about the life in it. More in the coming days and weeks on those aspects of our existence.

California . . . Stormin'

We're expecting a big storm here in Northern California. By tomorrow, we should be in the throes of receiving up to six inches of rain with gale force winds up to 55 m.p.h.

What I've noticed so far today is much more wind than usual and planes flying lower. What I've noticed on the blogosphere is near panic about the coming storm. I'm wondering whether I should be worried but opting not to be right now.

I'm a child of the Midwest, growing up with ice storms, power outages, blizzards, and tornadoes. I lived in NYC during a major hurricane and walked up Third Avenue in the wind and rain. Time in the Windy City saw driving rain, snow, ice, and umbrellas masquerading as projectiles in the howling wind. Rochester, NY showed me more snow than I'd imagined possible and more than one night camped out in a hotel as our house was without power.

I don't want to take the impending Northern California weather lightly. Gale force winds and the risk of flooding are serious, period. Still, I feel a bit like I've been there, done (and survived) that. We have a good supply of food (and wine) on hand, both for us and for the dogs (okay, no wine for the hounds). We have an emergency radio. I can't do much about the walls of glass in the house. We'll snuggle in tonight and deal with tomorrow's weather as it comes.

Small Changes

This is going to be a year of progress. We're making small changes around the house that add up to greater beauty and a more positive frame of mind.

We live in an Eichler, a mid-century modern ranch-style home, in the San Francisco Bay area. Apparently one either loves or hates these houses. We display both attitudes, depending on the day. We would dearly love to just renovate this place, top to bottom, but that's not an option right now. Last year, we took the first step and installed bamboo floors throughout the house. It was a good start.

So far this year, we're making friends with paint, embracing color, and updating fixtures. It's amazing how changing out an old fashioned light switch to a smooth Lutron one can please the eye and the hand. The same holds for casting off the old bathroom light, scratched mirror and plastic (!) towel racks; welcome, brushed stainless steel accessories and energy saving lights. And color, too. The kids/common bath is now yellow, a happy color indeed. There's a new floor there too. The master bath area is now a serene celadon (if you know Eichlers, you'll smile at just how modest "master" can be) . The living room will soon be sporting a stunning red wall. There's still more to come.

It helps to have an incredibly handy husband around to make these changes happen (see photo above). I am a willing set of hands but am continually surprised and delighted with how he can solve problems and tackle new challenges without hesitation. It should be a satisfying 2008 as we improve our little piece of Palo Alto.