George the Farmer

George loves growing plants and vegetables. He has some tomato plants in the backyard. If I'm remembering correctly, he grew these from seeds.

They've been producing cute little tomatoes lately. Adorable, and free of salmonella.

Howdy, Partner!

This cute little cactus is in our backyard, and every time I see it, I smile. I always imagine it waving at me and saying, "Howdy." All it needs is a cowboy hat and bandanna!

Barack My World

I have a little too much time on my hands right now. Sure, I could be using it to productive ends, but I figure this is the one month that I can really relax. As soon as I move, I will be in new professor mode.

Lately, I've been spending lots of time on the computer. One night, I thought I'd browse dog t-shirts with Obama slogans. Since I have no cash, it was purely an academic exercise, but I thought these "Mama Loves Obama" tees on Cafe Press were cute. So perfect for Walter!

During this search, a lot of other Obama slogans came up, one of them being "Barack My World." It makes me laugh every time it comes to mind.

New Bracelets

Excessive Heat Advisory

For several days in a row, we've been under an EXCESSIVE HEAT ADVISORY in Phoenix. I scream this because it is uncomfortable and icky, as I've said before, like walking into an oven. Other summers, I could tolerate the triple digits because of the mild winters, but this winter will be anything but mild!

I added Ardmore because my mother has been on me to do so. I am going to San Diego and then on to Ardmore...the weather will be better but the humidity in Oklahoma is trying.

Free Transportation Provided by IKEA

When IKEA decided to open shop in New York City, the only space they could find to accommodate their huge storefront was in an industrial neighborhood in Brooklyn. Since many New Yorkers don't own cars, IKEA is funding a free ferry from southern Manhattan to the IKEA building. While the ferry is free, riders are tempted with free samples (e.g., Swedish meatballs, yuck!) and few are able to avoid the IKEA allure.

A passenger interviewed for the NPR story said she was happy to have public transportation provided free by IKEA and that if IKEA could do it better, she'd be happy to take the ferry over MTA. And sure, the ferry service makes good business sense for IKEA and is convenient for shoppers. However, it is frightening to have such basic services taken over by huge retail giants. These stories always make me think of Marge Piercy's He, She, It, which depicts a future world in which corporations control almost everything.

NPR.org Story

The Price of Metals

Chart provided by Kitco.

The precious metals market continues to be tumultuous. Gold closed today at 893.70 while silver closed at 17.34. Copper closed at 3.8262. Thought this isn't as bad as it has been over the past few months, the high prices affect jewelry supplies. I went to one bead store, and they aren't even stocking sterling silver wire because of the high price of metals.

In the Etsy forums yesterday, there was a good thread about the best outlets for sterling silver wire.

Pita Jungle's Macro Platter

Last night, George and I had to go to ASU's campus to clear out my office. What a disaster! I forgot to bring the hand cart from home, so George had to carry all the boxes down to my truck. Because he's a silly man with something to prove, he walked down three flights of stairs each trip instead of taking the elevator. It's amazing how much junk I'd accumulated over the past four years housed in that office. I filled up the recycling bin with all the unnecessary papers I'd saved.

Since we were in Tempe, we ate at Pita Jungle. I love their Macro Platter. The tofu as well as the beans have the best flavor. The steamed veggies are always so fresh. Since I first tried the Macro Platter, I've eaten nothing else at Pita Jungle. The meal had such a lovely presentation--and quite possibly it was the last time I'll eat at Pita Jungle--so I had to snap a photo for my blog and Flickr. Of course, reticent George was horrified and embarrassed!

You can see all my Flicker photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/aimeedars. I love comments!

30 Days: PETA vs. The Hunter

FROM LAST CHANCE FOR ANIMALS:

30 Days, now in its third season, has been both a critical success and a favorite with cable viewers. The show is FX's most successful unscripted series as over 2.4 million viewers tune in each week. 30 Days has been nominated for a Producer's Guild Award for a Television Series or Special: Non-fiction, and it won a GLAAD award for outstanding reality series.

George Snedeker is an avid hunter (from North Carolina) who considers it much more than a sport; to George, hunting is a way of life.

For 30 days, George will live in Los Angeles with vegan Melissa Karpel, and her vegan family. Melissa is a Los Angeles Campaign Coordinator for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a non-profit organization that fights for animal rights.

George will participate in PETA initiatives including a demonstration at a popular fast food chain, work at a local farm animal rescue center and meet with various organizations such as Last Chance for Animals!

AIRDATE- Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at 9pm (EST) on FX.

For more information on the show, 30 days, click here!

Help Animals in Iowa

Hundreds of animals are stranded and homeless due to the flooding in Iowa. Two wonderful organizations, the Humane Society of the United States and United Animal Nations, have volunteers on the ground rescuing animals and taking them to temporary shelters where their families can retrieve them.

UAN volunteers report that some animals are being rescued from rooftops, second floor rooms, and attics, and the HSUS indicates that some animals they recovered were sadly left behind when an assisted living facility had to be evacuated.

Please help these organizations help the Iowa animals. Click on one of the links to donate today.

HSUS Information
United Animal Nations Information

PMC Pieces

Precious Metal Clay (PMC) comes in clay form, but once fired in the kiln becomes fine silver (.999). I have a lot of PMC pieces from my certification class and teaching PMC, and I've been incorporating them into jewelry designs.

Patty Griffin - Long Ride Home Video

Patty Griffin's Heavenly Day

Several years ago, Julia introduced me to Patty Griffin's album 1,000 Kisses, which includes the beautiful and haunting song "Rain." Since then, I have followed her new releases closely, especially after I learned she's performed on some Ellis Paul tracks. Although most of her songs feel like they are stabbing you in the heart, she does have some upbeat melodies as well.

Interestingly, "Long Road" is one of the more upbeat songs, in terms of the music. However, if you listen to the lyrics they are heartbreaking. The song is about the funeral of a loved one. "Tony" about a high school outcast who commits suicide is also a catchy tune. All of this points to the unpredictable nature of her music and, to my mind, its thoughtfulness.

Last spring, when Griffin's new CD "Children Running Through" was released, I was so excited and bought it posthaste. I enjoyed it as much as her previous albums, which combined the gut-wrenching and uplifting. One of the uplifting songs is called "Heavenly Day":

The smile on your face I live only to see
It's enough for me, baby, it's enough for me
Oh, heavenly day, heavenly day, heavenly day

With these lyrics, you might forgive me for assuming the song is about a lazy weekend day with a boyfriend (or girlfriend) or husband/partner.

Last July, Patty Griffin came to Phoenix for a concert, so George, Ryan, and I went. It was phenomenal, amazing, breathtaking... I was so pleased I had the opportunity to see her perform live. One of the most delightful moments was when she introduced "Heavenly Day." Instead of being about a lover, she said it was about a day with her dog. Of course, that was the sweetest thing I've ever heard, and I liked the song even more after that!

NPR.org Story on Patty Griffin

Patty Griffin Website

"Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom" Treasury

Thanks to myzoetrope for including my Fun Vintage Green Flower Earrings in the "nom nom nom nom nom" treasury along with other great sellers from the Vegan Etsy team!





The treasury will be online through Monday.