#recycled Christmas tree to feed birds

[the-solarpunk-activist]

So I was scrolling through the Christmas tag and realized I could make a post about our low waste Christmas stuff

Make a pinecone garland. We collect ours from the alley behind the house but you can also collect them from the woods, parks, etc. All you do is take the pinecone and tie a rustic twine around them. You can also use this method for ornaments

Dried orange garland. Compostable and looks neat, you can reuse every year if done right but if you don't, bam compost. I recommend using a cotton twine for extra compost abilities

Same thing with food garland for the tree, use cotton for easily compostable.

Or make a garland for the birds outside! I recommend this link: https://www.thespruce.com/bird-garland-project-diy-385752

Please forgive me for the actual link i have no idea how to hyperlink on tumblr

Vintage! We have an antique store with a vendor who sells ornaments for 1$ no matter what. I've gotten so many cool and unique pieces from her.

Actually a lot of my Christmas decor is second hand, especially keep an eye out at summer yardsales

Thrift gifts! I went to a church sale on the last day so they had a fill a garbage bag for 3$ sale! I completely bought out their mugs and I'm going to fill them with baked goods for my coworkers that work with me on Christmas eve as something extra festive :)

Besties this is popular on TikTok rn but I've been doing it for a hot minute but use tree skirts as shawls or sew together for skirts! Super cute and can find second hand easily enough

Gift handmade items. I love receiving and giving items i made myself

We also reuse wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, etc

You can also use paper grocery bags as wrapping paper along with cotton string

You can decorate packages with dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks (a little pricy though), pine boughs, etc for a little flare

Reused Christmas decor! I shared a couple posts before making this one (paper bag star garland and recycled plastic bottle bells), but you can also make paper snowflakes out of recycled paper, a Christmas countdown chain out of recycled paper, bottle cap art, origami out of old wrapping paper, paper towel rolls painted with some red ribbon to form candy cane sticks, etc. Just be creative!!!

#solarpunk #environment #sustainable #environmentalism #environmentally friendly #practical solarpunk #sustainability #ecofriendly #eco friendly #low waste #practical zero waste #zero waste in the city #zero waste living #zero waste #low waste living #sustainable living #second hand #christmas #zero waste christmas #eco friendly christmas #christmas gifts #christmas diy #holidays

[atlanticcanada]

From centrepiece to curb: How to get rid of your Christmas tree sustainably

The post-holiday Christmas tree dump can start a few days after the big day or for some will happen traditionally on the Twelfth Night which falls either on Jan. 5 or 6.

Whichever date you chose to dispose of the once focal point of the holiday decorations, trees can soon be seen littered throughout communities waiting to be dealt with before sometimes ending up in a landfill or incinerator.

But there are sustainable ways to dispose of your beloved Christmas tree that does not take space in a local dump.

Tree Canada, a national non-profit organization focusing on Canadian forests, says people have many options to give back to Mother Nature during the holidays.

In a blog post dated Dec. 12, 2022, the organization breaks down five ways Canadians can reduce their environmental impact and extend the Christmas tree's life.

To be correctly disposed of, the trees need to be free of ornaments and tinsel. Once bare, Tree Canada says the tree can be turned into mulch, which can be used as fertilizer.

"It preserves soil moisture, moderates soil temperature, and releases nutrients as it decomposes," the website reads.

For those with a backyard, the organization says keeping it upright to allow animals and birds to nest inside throughout the winter gives back to the ecosystem.

Some municipalities, like the City of Ottawa, have programs where people can donate their trees to be used in public spaces.

The National Capital Commission (NCC), the organization in Ottawa that runs the Rideau Canal, asks for residents to donate their Christmas trees at the end of the season. From there the NCC uses the trees along the canal to beautify the area.

In Ayr, Ont., a local farm asks people to donate their trees to feed the goats. The Rodrigues Farm says trees are a "great source of nutrients" for their animals.

When snow covers most of Canada, farm animals included have a difficult time sourcing food, Sarah Rodrigues, co-owner of the Rodrigues Farm previously told CTV News Kitchener.

"It's also a natural dewormer, so it saves on sort of medications and stuff," she said.

According to the farm, the goats chow down on almost every inch of the tree. The difficult parts, like the stump, are then broken down to create mulch.

Tree Canada said most municipalities collect trees through a yard waste or green bin program.

The City of Calgary asks residents to remove Christmas decorations and cut up the tree into smaller pieces for easy disposal in the green bin. If the bin is full, the city advises people to use yard waste bags.

From there the city composts the trees and then has "compost giveaway" events in the new year.

Calgary also has a tree drop-off program open from Dec. 26 to Jan. 31.

Tree Canada says artificial trees cannot be recycled but asks Canadians to reuse the tree for many years lowering their impact with "each passing year."

"If you are ready to part ways with your tree, be sure to donate or gift it to someone in need so that it can be reused for years to come," the Tree Canada website reads.

WHEN TO DISPOSE OF CHRISTMAS TREES

This largely depends on personal traditions. Some will keep a Christmas tree up until it begins to dry out, when it become a fire hazard, while others may decide to follow traditions kept up for centuries.

Twelfth Night is not just a play by Shakespeare, it is the day when Christians take down Christmas decorations and feast.

Landing on Jan. 5 or Jan. 6, depending on which denomination is followed, the Twelfth Night is celebrated prior to a Feast of Epiphany which can also be known as Three Kings' Day. In the Bible, Epiphany is when the three kings, or wise men, visited Jesus with gifts.

It is also celebrated for the day that Jesus' divinity was manifested, according to Christian belief.

"This season of festivity has been celebrated in England since Anglo-Saxon times, when the ninth century Christian king Alfred the Great forbade all work during the twelve days of Christmas," the Culture, History and Sport department of Canada website reads.

Some people believe if decorations are left up after the Twelfth Night, it would bring bad luck to the home.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/B0FzOW6

#new brunswick #prince edward island #nova scotia #news #politics #canada #CTVAtlantic

[gustavojshafer]

How to Make a Wreath Out of Tree Trimmings

After a Christmas tree has been cut down, you may have a lot of extra branches that you’d like to use to make a beautiful wreath. Here are some tips for making a wreath out of tree trimmings. Use wire to attach berries or pine cones. Tie a knot in the ends of each piece.

How do I make a tree clipping wreath?

The first step to making a tree clipping wreath is to gather the materials. You will need wire cutters and pliers. Cut each bundle so that it is no longer than 9″ or 12″ long. Then, wrap the wire around the wreath to secure it. Wrap the next cutting above and below the previous one, making sure it overlaps the last one. Then, fasten the next section of the wreath with floral wire.

Gather all of your tree clippings. Gather a variety of branches that will look great on the wreath. Use wire to join two big branches or two small branches. You can use the wire to make a circle shape. Once the wreath is full, add a floral wire bow and adornments.

Cut 14 pieces of wire. Wrap each piece with the wire, keeping the tails facing in. You can also use plastic locking clips to hold the bundles together. Once the wire is wrapped around the frame, wrap it around the wreath tightly. You can trim the wreath if you want it to be a certain shape, or leave it natural for a more natural look.

How do you make a wreath out of branches?

Whether you have a Christmas tree or just a few trimmings, you can make a beautiful wreath out of them. First, cut off the branches that are not the desired shape. You can use pruning shears or handsaws. You should cut the branches to about half to three-four inches wide and at least 30 inches long. The length of the bough will determine the shape of your wreath, and you should avoid cutting the branches that are too thick.

Next, arrange the small pieces that are not necessarily symmetrical and make a circle shape. The smaller pieces will add more shape and balance the shape. You can also trim the outliers to the shape you desire. When done, you can decorate the wreath with a felt bow or leave it plain.

Then, you can use the wire to secure the branches to the wreath form. The wreath form will have a notch that will allow you to attach the branches to it. Be sure to secure each piece with floral wire.

What do you do with leftover Christmas tree trimming?

When you’re done decorating your Christmas tree, it’s time to dispose of the trimmings. But what should you do with them? First, you should make sure that they are de-bugged. De-bugging the wood will kill any insects and help it last longer. To do so, simply place the wood slices in a warm oven for at least two hours. This will also help the wood stay dry. Next, you can make fake garlands out of the branches and sprigs. You can also use the sprigs to hang clothing. Alternatively, you can use the tree limbs for landscaping or cutting boards.

You can also recycle the tree trimmings by using them as mulch. Many municipalities will accept these old trees as mulch. Burning them is also an option, but it is less common these days because of environmental concerns. If you have a garden, you can even use the tree trimmings to create beautiful garden paths or a bird sanctuary. These can be as small or as large as you want them to be.

You can also make bird feeders from your dead Christmas tree. Before you put the tree branches in the compost pile, make sure that they are free of ornaments. Then, wrap the branches with brown string and hang them out in your yard. Birds will flock to them and feed on them. Alternatively, you can also add the dead Christmas tree trimmings to a compost heap and it will decompose into rich soil.

How many branches make a wreath?

To start, cut several branches that are between half-inch-to-three-quarters-inch wide. If they’re too thick, use a handsaw to make them smaller. You can also use a garden trimmer to cut the side branches of pine trees. A wreath form can be made with two straight branches that are about 30 inches long and half-inch-to-three-quarters-inch wide. You can cut these branches to the desired length and shape. Another option is using lilac hedge branches. If these aren’t available, any branch will work as long as it’s straight.

Once you’ve cut the branches, tie them to the base of the wreath. Then, use jute twine to tie the branches together. Ensure the branches are at least two inches apart from each other. Then, wrap the branches with the twine and pull it through the wreath frame, creating a blanket stitch.

Now, you’re ready to begin weaving the branches around the wreath frame. Be sure to wrap the wire around the bundled branches without squashing the leaves. Once you’ve completed the wreath, you can add more greenery to the bare spots. You can also wire the greenery to an existing branch. Be sure not to make the wreath too perfect!

How many stems for a wreath?

Tree trimmings are a great source for wreath material. To make a wreath, you’ll need a few different types of stems. These vary in size and shape, and you can purchase tools to make them. For a pine wreath, you’ll need at least two different types of branches. Cut them into small pieces, about half an inch to three quarters of an inch in diameter. These pieces will act as the base of the wreath.

The wreath’s shape will depend on the shape of the branches. In most cases, the wreath will be circular. However, if you have a less-symmetrical wreath, try folding two branches to form the shape. Once you’ve got the shape you want, you can add more stems around the form. Make sure to test the wreath once it has dried to make sure it’s wired correctly and stable.

For a 14″ wreath, you’ll need between six and eight branches. The smaller branches will bend better into the shape. Also, remember to use branches that are at least seven to ten inches long. Evergreens can vary in size, so it’s important to choose branches of similar size. If you cut the branches unevenly, they may end up lopsided.

How do you make a wreath step by step?

The first step in making a wreath out of tree trimmings is to arrange the pieces. You can start with several thick cuttings and stack them on top of each other. Next, trim them to between nine to twelve inches. Then, fasten them with floral wire. Now, you need to arrange the next bunch, which should overlap the last one. Once done, fasten it to the form.

Next, lay down the best looking branches. Try to make sure that the branch has full tips and bends with the wreath form. Then, start to overlap the branches all around the wreath in one direction. You can tie the new branches to the wire for stability.

After that, fill the wreath form with greenery and branches. You may need to buy a wreath form with a notch for securing the branch. If the form does not have one, use floral wire to hold it. Attach the branches to the form with floral wire or ribbon.

You can also add adornments to the wreath. You can secure them with green floral wire. Wrap it around the stems and frames. You can also move the branches around and hide the wire.

source https://sunshinecoasttreeloppers.com.au/how-to-make-a-wreath-out-of-tree-trimmings/ source https://sunshinecoasttreeloppers.tumblr.com/post/697253137257512960

[clairehoneybee]

Bird Feeding Station From Recycled Christmas Tree

Bird Feeding Station From Recycled Christmas Tree

Recycling a fresh cut Christmas tree into a bird feeding station is the ultimate repurposing of your Christmas decorations. Setting up my old tree next to my bird feeders gave me hours of enjoyment watching birds feeding, chirping, and feasting – not to mention the squirrels pigging out!  Just watching the squirrel antics kept us entertained for days and my dogs were even attracted to the low…

View On WordPress

#bird feeder #bird feeding station #recycled Christmas tree to feed birds #recycling Christmas tree

[danielle-c]

Mind map of issues identified in societies and Initial Ideas

I gathered together these identified issues through reaching out to family and friends to gather opinions on types of challenges within society, as well as what I have observed myself. These range from issues related to nature, community, health and deprivation. Initial ideas stemming from these issues include:

Informal study & work hub

A purpose built space for people to study and/or work, to serve as somewhere for people to be productive outside of their own homes. Many people work from home, especially after Covid has changed the perspective of businesses on working from home. I personally know multiple people who won’t be returning to the office after Covid as working from home hasn’t hindered the productivity of the workers, and saves the company money. However, this can have a negative impact on those who don’t have space at home for a desk or a quiet space, as well as isolating people away from their community. This is also a big issue that faces students - both online and in person, for similar reasons. The idea could offer somewhere to visit without any commitment necessary - simply whenever wanted or needed. Somewhere to enable group working and socialisation without the formalities of being linked to any businesses or educational facilities. It could also provide a space for students and workers to learn and benefit from one another. I imagine this space to be an enhanced version of a coffee shop - cosy and informal but with a more functional design. 

Homes For All

With cities constantly expanding to suit the needs of the growing population, homes of wildlife are being lost at an unsustainable and alarming rate. Even the smallest creatures, who may not seem significant, have a significant impact on the environment when they are lost. Animals and bugs that rely on our natural environments are imperative to our own survival, so it makes sense to hold their homes in high importance. There’s an increase of bug hotels trending, articles on stacking logs in the corner of your garden. Many people hang bird houses and as we all know, we are losing bees at an alarming rate. If we normalised and fought for these measures to be adapted in as many locations as possible, we could be making a substantial impact on the protection of our environment. Not only this, but it’s also such a low maintenance solution. 

I recently moved in to a new home, and whilst shopping for furniture I found a workshop that employs struggling members of society and trains them to turn scrap wood, such as old scaffold boards, into beautiful accents for your home. I feel that this could make a wonderful thing for creating homes for wildlife out of waste wood, and helping society members in the process. Beautifying these homes can help to improve their popularity and acceptance within society too. To complement this, when looking around my own small town I noticed how many weeds were poking out of nooks and crannies all over. It made me think about the overwhelming amount of concrete that suffocates our cities and towns, and how even the smallest of efforts and green presence when repeated over entire cities can have a great impact on both the environment and our own health, not to mention beautifying where we live. Roof gardens, for example, are a great way to do this. 

Christmas tree forests 

This one is a little out there (and festive), but Christmas has made me think about how many trees we grow and cut down every year for the celebrations. When researching the most environmentally friendly approach to Christmas trees, I read how you can keep the trees living in pots outdoors, and them plant them in the new year. They’re such resilient trees that they can cope with being dressed up and kept warm, and then being returned to the wild. In keeping with this, how many businesses boast about planting a tree with every purchase? How many charities rely on donations to plant trees for our climate? Well, in America somewhere around 15,094,678 Christmas trees are cut down every year - and to make matters worse, it may skip many people’s minds that the average tree takes between 6 - 10 years to grow. Is that really sustainable? In our eco conscious society shouldn’t we be more worried about this?

Well, imagine a space surrounding cities where, every year your tree gets planted to grow entire forests. You could even label your significant years - your child’s first Christmas tree, and have the forest transform into a profitable attraction each December when the trees are lit up with lights and people hunt for their trees of Christmas’ past. This reminds me of how much of a hit Pumpkin patches are each year - people love festive attractions! Also, with the length of time these trees take to grow, you could also keep them potted for several years and use the same tree again. 

Recycling hub/service 

Where I live, we are one of the worst for the amount of things we can recycle in the country. Born from this - but of course found all over, we have a community funded and kept recycling shed that sits in the main car park. This shed accepts Tetrapacks, crisp packets, dental hygiene products, foil, etc. - all the things that otherwise, would end up in landfill or being burnt. Although this of course takes effort, it is immensely popular and has it’s own Facebook page! So many people are passionate about the environment and little ways to help but aren’t sure where to start, and they adore this. It’s actually often full to the brim with rubbish rescued from landfill. However, of course many people are too busy, unable or aren’t sure where to start when it comes to recycling hard to recycle items. So, imagine if we could make aware the items that can be rescued, and offer a non for profit service that helps to employ struggling members of society to pick up and sort this recycling from homes, for a small fee - with the support of volunteers which there are plenty of, who care about this cause. 

Local volunteering accessibility app

I feel that the accessibility and ease of volunteering isn’t as easy as it could be. Although volunteering apps do exist, there’s personally nothing of the sort that accepts my own location, and I believe that an app that’s designed to create a profile and accept all requests of volunteering would be really beneficial for communities. I think a lot of people would like to volunteer, but don’t know how or would be convinced to do so if it were made easier. It could be designed like a dating app, where you create a profile of all the things you’d be happy to do, and you could get a feed of opportunities to accept or decline. When thinking of volunteering the first thing I think of is for an organised charity, but what about the simple things that could make a direct impact on the local community? What about mowing an older person’s lawn, or attending an organised litter pick? Helping to care for community spaces, driving isolated people around, or pet sitting? I’m majorly inspired by the NHS Responder app that many have signed up to use since Covid.

Shop Local app

Everyone knows the high street is dying, and more than ever we are buying from big brands. It’s easy to place an Amazon order and get your weekly shopping from Tesco. However, supporting your local independent greengrocers, card shop, clothes store and pharmacy have a much more meaningful impact on the people who work and own them. I thought that perhaps using digital means could aid the process of shopping locally, as it seems the biggest reason people don’t is out of convenience. It could be beneficial to have a digital local marketplace on your phone through an app where you can place orders for pick up or collection or browse the products they sell from home. You could attract customers with showing them what is inside the shop they’ve always meant to go in on their phone. 

City of art

Why is art confined to walls of galleries and shows? Many towns and cities are quite frankly ugly, and art is one of the best ways to beautify and showcase the creations of its inhabitants. The community could commission art for public display from students and artists within through competitions. It could add so much character and attraction to places whilst celebrating and supporting art and creative endeavours, and it would be so interesting to see how to the personality of a town or city changes through the art they exhibit, reflecting the soul of the place. It could help to humanise the otherwise grey and depressing locations we live within. It could help with encouraging tourism, because it would stop everywhere looking the same. People already visit locations to go on a walking tour of the graffiti of a city - like Bristol for example. Not just graffiti though, perhaps pop up installations? Perhaps adorning parts of places you would never think of?

#15 minute city

[paperbagforfashionshop]

Beneficial Suggestions Regarding The Hobby Of Crafts And Arts

http://hoctap.info/threads/58733-tai-sao-trong-khi-in-tui-giay-gia-ca-hop-ly-chat-luong-mang-ich-loi-doi-voi-viec-kinh-doanh.html?p=172348 Making some thing with your own hands might be a wonderful fulfillment and give you a sense of fulfillment. For this reason crafts and arts is certainly an awesome activity. You don't require much money to make anything wonderful, and you can produce some thing actually wonderful. Here are some tips to assist you to. Keep a collection of your respective crafts and arts guides. There are many things that you can do should you be a crafty particular person. And that implies a lot of people discuss this issue. You'll have craft publication soon after craft publication open to you. Your own collection can develop very quickly. Ensure that is stays organized and you are going to absolutely love seeking new crafts to try out. Do you want an incredible supply for your art components? On the internet retails provide a lot of savings on a lot of products. A simple research can help you identify the ideal deals. Some of the best World wide web retailers supply free delivery to assist you to save money. If you're carrying out jobs that could produce a clutter, use local newspaper in your types of surface to make sure you have zero problems. Simply toss the document apart soon after occur to be finished for any quick and easy cleanup. Include trying to recycle into the arts and crafts actions. Regardless of what you will be directly into, from ceramics for you to oils paints, there are numerous methods to entail using items plus supplies that you would have or else thrown away. Preserve paper, tinfoil, aluminium, cardboard and more and even deposit it out for your undertaking. Online groups are a fantastic way to get in touch with other individuals who discuss the adoration for a arts and crafts. This is especially valid in case you are in a create that that may be not commonly popular. You can connect with like-minded craftmen from around the globe by using the internet. Your create supplies that will can be used for arts and crafts must be prepared. There are tons of possibilities in terms of company, in fact it is under your control to create a imaginative method to body it all out. By having your materials organized, you are able to quickly find every single item you might need. Additionally, you will know which materials you already possess. Usually do not have the oversight of only searching in artwork provide shops for all of the components you will need. Places similar to discount and factory closeout retailers are great areas to locate components at the best prices. You may be unable to discover everything that you need, but you might find the vast majority of essentials there. And also hardwearing . piece of art pastime through overtaking a full area, think about purchasing a collapsible easel. Like that, while you are done working on your masterpiece during the day, the easel goes directly into the cabinet, with your canvas. That leaves your room cost-free throughout the time. As soon as focusing on an crafts and arts undertaking, usually do not dispose of almost any untouched supplies. Even if you do not will need them for your current undertaking you happen to be working on, anyone could possibly rely on them over a long term activity. Ultimately, this could help you save a ton of money.

A straightforward pet bird feed your kids will like involves almond spread smeared to a new pine cone. Roll the particular peanut butter protected pinus radiata cone in birdseed for the quick pet bird feeder. Often the plant seeds will stick with that almond butter. You are able to complete by way of affixing a cord and hanging it up to find out wild birds feast into it inside a tree you prefer. When evaluating innovative disciplines and art ideas, look into the site of the favorite craft retail store. Many of them supply inexpensive exercise sessions at night plus weekends. They are the perfect introduction to a good art that may have got in the past taken your extravagant however, you have been also hesitant to try out. Sandpaper will help you help to make virtually any subject appearance utilized. Should you be looking for the distinctive retro seem, polish your thing with a bit of sandpaper. You may create interesting designs through the use of different grain or not improving the object equally. You may even take advantage of the sandpaper soon after implementing a jacket connected with fresh paint for the exclusive appearance. Understanding a new art can provide a means to reduce stress and begin to take pleasure from daily life yet again. When you are unfamiliar with a create, search for courses. Many neighborhood centres provide cost-free sessions for his or her participants. All you need to pay for may be the items required for typically the craft. Arts and crafts are an easy way to pay moment as a family members. They can come to be the best way to take up kids in the summer season or you can begin a family practice simply by making Christmas time decorations for your plant every year. All those decorations will probably be treasured things for years. This information has hopefully given you information and facts you can use about arts and crafts. Arts and crafts is such a gratifying hobby, in addition to any person could have a fantastic moment doing it. Take advantage of the recommendations in the following paragraphs to create crafts and arts jobs that really pleasure you along with other folks.

#paper bag

[dandelliongirl]

New year

And a new decade!

Wow, what an original title.

My Christmas vacation was amazingly cozy. I spent the 23rd-27th of December at home with mum and dad. On the 23rd me and mum went to the flea market to buy yarn and thin knitting needles for my bunny plushie project. We also found an adorable winter themed PowerPuff Girls duvet cover that I got to have in my bed for the holidays.♥

On Christmas Eve I got to watch morning cartoons on mum’s new sofa in my soft Oodie. We spent Christmas Eve traditionally having rice porrige for breakfast, going to take candles to the graves, going to the sauna and having a delicious dinner of smoked fish, salads, roast, mashed sweet potato, fried carrot and parsnip, and a dessert of home made gingerbread ice cream. Then we watched From all of us to all of you and handed out presents. My photo book was a big hit and made both mum and dad tear up. They both loved their moomin themed presents as well. I got Jamie Oliver’s VEG cook book, a radio for my summer house, a face wash from the Body Shop, and some gloves that got mixed up with dad’s at some point. Now mine are pink and mum has a purple pair. My dad also got me a 100 square meters of protected forest that will by law be kept in its natural state forever, which is an incredibly magical and special gift. ♥

On Christmas morning we woke up to the most beautiful snowy landscape and a calm little snowfall. Me and mum shovelled the driveway and went for a really long magical walk to the beach and around our area. The beach was full of little lanterns and candles burning in the snow. In the evening I started knitting my bunny plushie with the instructions found on the book I got at grandmum’s place. Mum helped me get started but I made her entirely by myself. By January 19th she already has a face too, with only a few details missing.

On Boxing Day me and dad drove to see the cousins and mum went to see granny and grandpa. It was really good seeing my cousins again for the first time since I think last Christmas (?), and dad’s cousin visited my aunt that day as well, so dad and his sister got to see their cousin as well. Me and my twin cousins finally made a Whatsapp group, which will make keeping in touch a lot easier.

On the 27th I came back to the apartment to spend some time working on my projects (and play some Sims..). My guy came back home on the 28th and we opened the rest of our presents. We got some cute kitty mugs and some (less cute) moomin pillowcases. I got new socks from my guy’s grandpa and my guy got me the brick oven bakery and the pizza delivery set of Sylvanian Families! ♥ My guy loved his Otamatone and we’ve had a lot of fun with it. ♫

We spent the day before New Years with my twin cousins who came over. We went to a trampoline park and Burger King, and played some Smash Bros Ultimate and Mario Kart. Then we spent about 4 hours until 2 am playing Overcooked. One of the twins works at a fast food restaurant so he was really damn good at coordinating our team. We decided that we would only accept 3 stars and had to spend a lot of time on some of the stages, but it was a blast. My guy is really bad at communication and team work though (heh, sorry) so it sucked for whoever was on his side. My cousins left on the morning of New Years Eve, and our friends came over around 6 pm. We made pizza, talked, went to see the mayor’s speech and watched the fireworks. For once the weather was completely clear and comfortably warm so the fireworks were a lot of fun. After midnight we spent the rest of the night until 6 am playing a quiz game, cards against humanity and Overcooked. I’m so glad I went back to work on the 7th and not on the 2nd.

My New Year’s resolutions this time are to continue working on my crafts and finish at least 2 of them, to only buy recycled items (apart from a couple things that I’ve planned on and needed to buy for a while), trying to spend a plastic free July (no single use plastics or plastic packaging), continuing my photo project with at least 3 photoshoots, working on my grimoire and finishing at least 12 pages, continuing to play the piano and get better at reading sheet music, spending the coziest and witchiest summer at my cottage/summer house, reading/listening to books and stretching/body care. A lot of these are things that are already habits and a part of my life so they aren’t that big of a deal even though the list is long. Mainly my resolutions are there just to push me to continue creating. I have set a date around midsummer/Litha to check my progress. So far piano has definitely already fallen behind so I need to try and pick that back up real soon. I have my new pile of sheet music books to start with.

So my winter has been filled with cottage visits nearly every weekend. At Christmas we went for a bonfire and carols. We have been feeding lots of little birds, walking in the nature and even went ice skating last weekend. This winter has been almost entirely snowless and very warm, and the birds are already singing and starting to nest even though it’s only January. There is no snow on the lake ice so last weekend my mum, dad and I had a perfect private skating rink with some magical sunshine and beautifully frosted trees. These are the moments that make winter worth it even though the lack of snow makes everything so dark, which makes me so incredibly sleepy. Luckily the days get about 7 minutes longer every day. It’s already almost light out when I leave work. Only 3-4 more months until we get to spend more time at the summer house, and soon I’ll be out there on that lake on my SUP board. That place truly heals me and helps me remember what's important in life. Nature is always beautiful no matter the weather, and everything over there has a purpose, unlike in the city.

Almost all of my apple seeds sprouted, and every one of my first saplings has already died from what I suspect is the lack of light. Some of the second batch are still alive, and I’ve got a third batch to plant. Hopefully those will make it to be planted outside. I even picked up a board from our cottage shed to make a windowsill in the kitchen for the saplings.

My guy and I have been enjoying our second playthrough of the Witcher 3, this time on the Switch. I love laying on the sofa all warm and cozy in my Oodie and working on my crafts, or putting photos in an album while he plays. Our PC playthrough was tedious because I had to sit down and do nothing through hours of gwent or side quests. Now I get to lie down and work on my own projects during the side quests. The PS2 era graphics do bother me a bit, but the story is immersive enough and the cutscene quality is not reduced too bad.

The first 2 weeks of work have been pretty decent. I’ve even had a couple of good days. ☼ I’m about to start a rough spring of trainings for both staff and teachers, which will be mentally exhausting, but I will try to keep myself busy with hobbies, and enjoy the coming spring to the fullest. January has already flown by, which is both exciting and scary. As for working out, this spring I’ve got a lineup of body combat, the occasional 45 minute guided meditation class (which I love because last week we had a body scan meditation and that’s my favourite type), HIIT ‘45 whenever I can leave work early to go to class, and ballet.

Yesterday we celebrated grandad's 90th birthday. Lately I’ve been really sad thinking about my aging grandparents. I recently went through my old post cards because I’m planning on making some crafts with them, and while doing that I found all of granny and grandpa’s letters and post cards and got some very emotional flashbacks to my childhood and the stories grandmum used to tell me. After a few glasses of cognac grandpa gave me a really emotional and sweet speech about how proud he is of me and how he remembers the time the swing in their yard broke down from under me and the times he taught me how to ski. He has truly taught me to never give up and be resilient in everything I do. I love my grandparents so much and I want to try and spend as much time with them as possible. It is so unfair that we never get enough time to spend with all the loved ones... Regardless, happy 90th birthday to the best grandpa. ♥ ♥ I love you so much.

Speaking of family and celebrations, I was asked to be a bridesmaid to my friend whom I've known since kindergarten. It is an incredible honor and I really can’t put into words how special it is to have someone who’s known me since I was 4 years old - and now she’s getting married! I will do my best to make her day special, but it is a lot of stress and pressure on me - especially as I’ve never planned a wedding and I’ve only been to 2 in very recent years. Her other bridesmaid got engaged the same week as she did so they are both planning on getting married the same month. We’ll see how that goes, and if one of them has to postpone their wedding or not, but regardless the other bridesmaid won’t have as much time and focus for my friend as I will since she’ll be planning her own wedding at the same time.

I think we only have 61 or 62 days until Animal Crossing New Horizons, and still no AC direct. Instead we’ve had a Pokémon direct and a Smash Bros direct.. If preordering seems worth it and/or there is a Switch console bundle I’ll take the 20th of March off work to go get it in the morning. We were planning on taking a trip to Japan this spring but we’ve postponed it until the autumn since the Super Nintendo World will be opening in the summer, and my guy can earn some money at his summer job.

Me and my friend were going to have a photoshoot today but the weather isn’t great (it’s very windy) and she had a weird stomach bug last night so we postponed. Instead I’m trying to finish up some odd to-do list jobs so that I can start preparing for Imbolc. It’s coming up so fast, but that’s also very exciting. ☼

#personal #diary #January2020 #memorial

[tipsycad147]

Raising A Magickal Child

**graphic by Lady Scorpion**

A question I get frequently is how I am raising my children being that I am Wiccan. I have chosen to raise my children around magick, and allow them to choose their religion when they get older. Some of you may know that my children are highly sensitive, my son is an empath with the gift of sight as well. However I feel this system would benefit most children regardless of sensitivities and religious preferences. Quite simply I teach them to see the world as magickal. So I have a few ideas that I wanted to pass along to you that I do with my children.

1. Acknowledge the fairy tales. Most children love reading books. Many of them have mystical and magickal creatures and legends. I’m not sure about most of you but I was taught very young how they don’t exist. Yet here I am at 36 building gardens for fairies, and studying cave drawings of unicorns on walls. Am I saying to validate every fairy tale enthusiastically? No, but validate the ones that you can or at least leave it open.

2. Encourage the bond with nature. Get them outside in nature as much as possible and start teaching them about the things they see when they are there.

3. Rocks and Gemstones. Go out on walks and collect rocks! See if you can identify them together. Then have them hold them, and ask them to describe them. I’ve been surprise when my son will use adjectives like happy to describe rocks. You may be surprised what you can learn from them.

4. Colour Magick. Teach them about colours and their various meanings. You can show them that wearing blue on a certain day can help them feel calm, or drawing a picture of a bright yellow sun can increase their energy.

5. Trees. When you go out in nature, start learning what all the different trees are and have them help you identify them. My daughter actually taught me how to find Sassafras root. My children have a healthy appreciation for all trees now and will marvel at how old the trees are. They also look at the bark for patterns to see if there is anything unusual (or mystical) there. They love finding birch trees to collect the bark to draw on later, and nibble on the branches as we walk for the minty taste.

6. Herbs. Most children absolutely love gardening. Have your children help you with yours. Teach them how to grow herbs from seeds and how to identify them. You can then start teaching them basic uses dependent upon their age. My son knows that he can pick mint leaves to put in his water during the summer. It’s not uncommon to see my daughter walk by with a sprig of lavender held up to her nose. They also both enjoy making their own tea. Several herbal teas are actually wonderful for them to drink.

7. Water. My children love water. My son doesn’t like swimming much but he still has a strong appreciation for rivers, oceans and streams. I use meditations with them to help them sleep that involve cleansing in water. I talk about a beautiful lake that when you swim in it, it takes away anything negative and protects them.

8. Animals. Pretty much every child loves animals. Most children try to communicate with them. How many of you encourage that? Animals are very sensitive and therapeutic. Encourage the connection with the animals around them. Teach them to be kind by doing things like feeding the birds, and recycling leftovers from dinner for the wild animals if you can.

9. Astrology. I have a fabulous app on my iPhone that helps identify constellations in the sky. We love going out in the summer when it’s warm and trying to find these in the sky.

10. The Moon. My children love the Moon. They say goodnight to her each night when they can. (sometimes in the summer it gets too late! ) They also can identify basic moon phases.

11. The Fae. My daughter absolutely loves fairies. We have fairy gardens outside. She knows that if her room isn’t clean the fairies won’t come by to play as they don’t like messes.

This is just a starter list. There are so many things you can do. Coloring mandalas, introducing mythology and tales of the different deities, teaching them to heal their own boo-boo’s with energy, the list literally can go on and on. As a Mom I take a look at everything I do and decide if it can be incorporated in some way. I then teach them at what I feel is an age appropriate level for them. My daughter has been asking me to teach her magick for a long time. I’ve explained to her that I am.  She actually just got her first tarot deck for Christmas. It was a children’s one, and it came with a pendulum. She views it as I use to view my Magic 8 ball at her age. I know it’s just another stepping stone for her on her path. I hope this helps!

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

http://jasmeinemoonsong.com/raising-a-magickal-child-2/

[alethiometry]

[fic] Non Serviam

Title: Non Serviam Fandom: Silicon Valley Characters: Jared Dunn, Bertram Gilfoyle, Dinesh Chugtai Rating: PG Warnings: show-level swearing Word Count: 2,021 words Summary: While Richard goes and meets with Gavin, the guys back at the house pour one out for Anton, have a rare sincere conversation, and contemplate next steps. 4x10 coda/addendum.

Notes: A quick self-indulgent thing that I threw together after watching the season finale one too many times. Unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine and mine alone. Enjoy!

Read below, or on AO3.

The server room is cold without Anton—empty, now, and spacious. Far too spacious. And silent, like a tomb. Almost like the offices they’d populated during Barker’s brief tenure as CEO, after the clearance sale. But whatever somber feelings their former office space had stirred in Jared, it’s nothing compared to the cold sterility of an Anton-less garage.

It had taken a couple weeks to get used to falling asleep with all the humming fans and little flickering LEDs, the constant whirrs pulsing through Anton’s circuit boards; the silence now is oppressive by contrast, even with Jian-Yang and Dinesh’s muffled argument coming from the kitchen. Jared wonders how long it’ll take to get used to sleeping in his own bedroom again. Maybe the constant twinge of muscle cramping in his back will go away after a couple nights on a real mattress. That would certainly be a silver lining.

Still, he’ll miss the server room. He supposes he should call it a garage, technically, but a garage is for parking cars, and he doesn’t think anybody’s parked their cars in here since Erlich bought the place.

Speaking of which, Erlich should have checked in with them by now. Jared pulls out his phone to shoot him a quick text (Does he have international texting? Can he even get a signal way up in the Himalayas?) but when he unlocks his phone all he sees is the falsified Hooli-Con app glaring up at him.

Right.

Somehow, even after everything, he can’t bring himself to delete it.

He’s got half a bottle of Martinelli’s in his mini-fridge, leftover from the one night they thought they’d be rich—the one night of unbridled, carefree celebration before Keenan’s betrayal. The cider’s beyond flat by now, almost disgustingly syrupy, but somehow it seems fitting.

Bottoms up,

he thinks glumly, and that’s when the door creaks open.

“Thought you moved back to your place,” Gilfoyle says, as tonelessly as ever. The air mattress bounces a little as he sinks down next to Jared, swigging directly from his bottle of Pappy van Winkle.

“I did,” Jared replies. “I just thought I’d come pay my respects. I can leave, if you’d like.”

Gilfoyle shrugs and clinks his bottle against Jared’s. “To Anton,” he mutters, pouring a bit of his bourbon onto the ground.

“To Anton,” echoes Jared, joining him.

They sit there in silent contemplation, each with his own beverage, staring at the empty room. Other than a couple shelves and crates that hadn’t fit into the U-Haul, some scattered wiring and electrical components that Jared can never seem to remember the names or functions of, and that giant photograph of Gavin Belson (turned, mercifully, to face the wall), there’s not much else to see.

“Can I ask you a question, Gilfoyle?” Jared says quietly.

“Why was I so attached to a stupid fucking machine that I built with my own two hands, that sat in here holding every goddamn byte of data and line of code that we worked our fucking asses off for?”

“Well, when you put it like that—”

“Have you ever built anything from scratch, Jared?” Gilfoyle asks.

“I set up a bird feeder once,” Jared says. “It was from a kit that I got for Christmas at one of my foster homes, but I assembled it myself and filled it with feed and climbed up the big tree in the front yard to hang it from one of the branches. A few days later, a mother bird built her nest on another branch right above it to lay her eggs. I never saw how many she laid; it was too high up to see from the ground and I didn’t want to disturb her—”

“For fuck’s sake,” Gilfoyle mutters, taking another swig.

“—Then one day I came back from school to a crow savaging the eggs,” Jared continues. “The mother bird was so helpless against it, and it just kept tearing and tearing and eating and eating. And then—she just flew away. And the crow finished eating and

it

flew away, and all the twigs and bits of egg just sort of—dripped down all over the bird feeder, like some grisly tree ornament gone awry.”

Gilfoyle snorts. Once upon a time, Jared would have found it mean-spirited. Now, though, he’s come to expect the callousness. Welcome it, even. It’s a testament to how far they’ve come, if nothing else.

The door swings open again. It’s Dinesh this time, nursing a bottle of—

“Are you drinking my fucking beer?”

“Fuck you, Gilfoyle,” Dinesh snaps. He takes a long, slow swig while flipping Gilfoyle the bird.

Jared watches them stare each other down for a moment, gauging whether he needs to intervene yet again, but then Gilfoyle deflates with a muttered “whatever” and a roll of the (still cat-contact-lensed) eyes.

“Figured I’d find you guys here,” Dinesh says, seating himself on Gilfoyle’s other side. “Jian-Yang’s been chain smoking all fucking day since getting back from the airport. And blasting fucking Chinese pop ballads. No wonder Erlich wanted to fucking kill him all the fucking time.”

“Where is Erlich, anyway?” Gilfoyle asks. “You guys ever hear from him?”

Jared and Dinesh both shake their heads. Gilfoyle shrugs again. They lapse into another comfortable silence, sipping their drinks.

“So where will you two go from here?” Jared asks.

Gilfoyle and Dinesh exchange a look.

“I go where the money goes,” Dinesh says. “And right now, as big of a fucking prick as Richard is, the money’s with him and his new internet.”

“I told you when we were working with Gavin Belson,” says Gilfoyle, “I hate to see good tech go to waste. Richard’s a lying sack of shit with piss-poor management skills, but he’s still a brilliant programmer.”

“I mean,” Dinesh adds, “As long as—” He trails off, looking embarrassed, and takes a hasty swig of his beer.

“As long as what?” Jared asks.

“As long as you keep him in check,” Gilfoyle finishes.

“He fired me,” Jared says. “You were both there.”

“And then he hired you back,” Dinesh says.

Gilfoyle grunts in agreement. “We were perfectly happy leaving him out in the cold until you called us. Totally worth it, though, to watch Melcher lose his shit. Again,” he adds with a smirk.

“You knew, didn’t you?” Dinesh says. “About Richard sleeping with Melcher’s fiancee? I mean, like, before Melcher started beating the shit out of him.”

“Oh—yeah. Yeah, he told me what happened. He didn’t want it known, though, for obvious reasons. Not that it matters now, I suppose. Cat’s out of the bag.”

“Right. Point is,” says Gilfoyle. “Richard trusts you, Jared.”

Dinesh nods. “And so do we.”

“Richard went to go meet Gavin at Josefina’s,” Gilfoyle says. “I’d bet half my shares in Pied Piper that Gavin’s offering him another acquisition, and I’d bet the other half that Richard’s gonna turn him down. It’s only a matter of time before the space saver app takes off—I mean really takes off—and we’re on track to make servers, including Hooli’s box business, completely obsolete. And with the new, decentralized internet, well. It’s a brave new fucking world.”

Dinesh smirks. “What Gilfoyle is trying to say, but can’t because he’s an arrogant dick, is that even though we’re on board, we can’t do this without you. Me, and Gilfoyle, and especially Richard. We need you, Jared.”

“That’s very kind of you to say,” Jared says, “but it’s been a long couple of days and I should head back to my place. My squatter didn’t exactly leave the place spotless when he left, so I still have a lot of cleaning to do.”

He leans over to drop his now-empty Martinelli’s bottle into the recycling bin, then pulls himself to his feet. It feels like a longer walk than usual to the garage door opener, despite the fact that he now has a direct and open route where he doesn’t have to worry about bumping into shelves or knocking some rigging out of configuration and thereby, to quote Gilfoyle, “skullfucking the entire company.” The door opens with that familiar creak and long groan, and Jared finds himself already missing the sound.

The sun has set over Palo Alto, the sky a light-polluted haze of dull greys. Richard should be back from his meeting with Gavin soon, and Jared would very much like to have some more space to think things over before getting back to work. Suddenly he feels very tired.

“I, uh, I’ll see you two tomorrow,” he says with a half-hearted wave, digging in his pocket for his car keys.

Dinesh and Gilfoyle exchange another look.

“Hey, Jared,” Dinesh calls. “Jian-Yang’s already moved all his shit into the master bedroom. We’re gonna have to start looking for someone to take his old room soon.”

“Erlich still owns the place, so there’s no rent to pay, but even without Anton eating up all the power, Jian-Yang’s stupid smart fridge is gonna piss all over the electric bill,” Gilfoyle adds. “And we’re not exactly rich yet.”

“That’s true,” says Dinesh, “but it’s a lot of hassle to look for people and schedule showings—”

“—and we’ve got a fuckload of work to do on Pied Piper.”

“And even if we do find someone, they could be, like, a serial killer or something—”

“—which, fascinating though it may be to share a living space with someone so uninhibited in his or her hobbies, poses a very real threat to the productivity of the company. Not to mention all the potential legal bullshit that comes with housing a murderer.”

“Roommates aside, the Palo Alto housing market is more competitive than SAT prep at a private school. I bet a nice, one-bedroom condo in a convenient location would sell in no time.”

“Would make the seller a shitton of money, too.”

“Right, and driving to and from your workplace every day is pretty bad for the environment.”

“And gas prices are going up again.”

“And taking the bus or biking seems pretty inconven—”

Jared holds up a hand. “I get it,” he says with a smile. “Thanks for the invite, guys. I, uh. I’ll let you know soon.”

He surveys the empty garage one more time as Dinesh and Gilfoyle return to the house. The garage door squeaks shut, Pied Piper logo gleaming bright from the light of the streetlamps. Jared starts up his car and pulls out of the driveway. It still stings, to be sure, Richard’s betrayal and near-immediate outreach and apology. Jared doesn’t doubt the sincerity of it for a second, but it still gives him pause. Forgiveness was easy when they all thought they’d be dead in the water in just a matter of minutes. They would see Pied Piper through to the bitter end, and part ways as amicably as they could manage, under those circumstances; that had been the plan, and he had accepted it. Now that they’re very much alive and seemingly thriving, though—now Jared’s not so sure.

But if what Gilfoyle says is true, that Pied Piper will only grow from here to one day overtake Hooli as the new tech giant in the Valley, well. They’ve all of them now seen what Richard is capable of, both the good and the bad. But the three of them—Dinesh, Gilfoyle, and himself—perhaps they together can somehow save Richard from becoming Gavin 2.0.

Jared smiles to himself as he pulls into his designated parking spot behind his condo, remembering that hazy, sleep-deprived night they’d spent on the dick-jerking algorithm that gave rise to middle-out—remembers the cables he’d hauled from the garage as Gilfoyle tore holes through drywall and Dinesh and Erlich kept their viral livestream afloat. He remembers the roller-coaster tumult of his first (and last) Pied Piper board meeting; the revelations of Peter Gregory’s storage unit; the dread, then ecstasy, then alarm as they assembled in Melcher’s office that very morning, very much ready to go down as a team, only to discover their unlikely salvation via smart fridge.

Brave new world, indeed.

#silicon valley #jared dunn #bertram gilfoyle #dinesh chugtai #my fic #sv fic

[atlanticcanada]

Ditching your tree in your backyard is a great way to keep it green: NCC

Canada's Christmas tree farms produce over three million pine, spruce and fir trees each year -- and most of them are simply abandoned at the curb soon after Santa makes his annual visit.

Now, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is suggesting that people should instead haul their tree to the backyard, to help nature and learn a bit about ecology.

"There are better things we can do with our live Christmas tree when we're done with it," said Dan Kraus, senior conservation biologist with the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Most municipalities have programs to chip and compost old Christmas trees, but Kraus said residents have an opportunity to make the most of their old tree.

"Put it out in the backyard and you'll find that backyard birds start using it right away, especially if you have a birdfeeder. The birds will land in the tree before they go to the feeder. Some of them may even stay in it at night to get some shelter," he said.

"You can decorate your old tree for birds and squirrels by doing things like hanging suet, or peanuts."

He said that over winter, many of the needles will fall off, and by spring the tree will be ready to introduce to the soil.

Kraus suggests cutting off the branches in the spring and laying them on the ground around flowers.

"They'll provide a little bit of shelter. They'll help hold moisture in the soil, and then you can just put the tree trunk somewhere on the ground, even as a border for your garden area. That will start to provide some habitat right away for things like toads or various insects through the summer in your garden," he said.

Kraus said the smaller you cut the branches, and the more they are in contact with the soil, the sooner they will begin to decompose.

"You are feeding the soil. By fall the smaller branches and twigs that have been in contact with the soil will have probably broken down quite a bit. They might not even be there anymore," he said.

He said it could take a couple years for the trunk of the tree to completely decompose, but drilling holes in it will speed the process.

"That will encourage insects to burrow into the wood. It will provide habitat and make the trunk break down more quickly," he said.

Kraus said, for those who don't have a place on their property to recycle a tree, make sure your municipality composts them.

He said many places used to just put the trees in the landfill, which creates methane that's not good for climate change.

from CTV News - Atlantic http://bit.ly/2LA81ZZ

#new brunswick #prince edward island #nova scotia #news #politics #canada #CTVAtlantic

[clairehoneybee]

How to Turn Your Old Christmas Tree Into a Wildlife Magnet

How to Turn Your Old Christmas Tree Into a Wildlife Magnet

Recycling a fresh cut Christmas tree into a bird feeding station is the ultimate repurposing of your Christmas decorations. Setting up my old tree next to my bird feeders gave me hours of enjoyment watching birds feeding, chirping, and feasting – not to mention the squirrels pigging out!  Just watching the squirrel antics kept us entertained for days and my dogs were even attracted to the low…

View On WordPress

#bark butter #bird seed ornaments #feeding birds in winter #feeding the birds #making suet #millet sprays #natural feeding of birds #nest materials #peanut butter suet #recycling Christmas tree #repurposing Christmas tree for birds #suet

[lunarfae714]

more poems, a few seasons past

how lucky to have breath

stop & ask why we live

question our structures

question human history & wor ship

find out we know nothing.

just be.

an open container

for Spirit.

***

twenty Worn tetherballs

off-the-chain

in the plain view of

concrete charade

people in heavy metal boxes

on wheels shrugging off

piss-stained balls

in unmarked yards

i wonder if you

saw the roads,

high ways

concrete carplays

in the colors of the mental play

of each driver

would they be

colorful, or still grey?

grateful or stray?

what strain of gasoline

fuels the minds

of mindless drivers

what excites us

while our earth decays

who makes our day

when the culture is so far away

from deep roots,

holding neighbors' hands

taboo

what can we plant

& grow too?

return to our mother

to our tribe.

together,

without divide.

**

possession at the rainbow gathering.

sacred fire

not so sacred afterfall

as the village dissects the chip

from the backside of her ear

she stops talking to rosemary-

who haunts her waking,

green eyes that travel

like a bouncy ball,

lost

muttering

paranoid

in a void.

***

let these hands transform

to portals to open doors

from playing the piano of dirt,

sparking fruitful dance of the earth

Gaia feeds us when we feed her

when we pour out love, it comes back in

we let another cosmic spiral begin~

to serve our creations of the now~

for our hearts, our ears, our old souls

in strange flresh want to be stirred, not shut down

conduct our hands & our throats

as intruments of Light, sailing the eternal boat

help us let go of illusions of fear,

discomfort, darkness we know

help us let Go

the light comes in nothingness

it comes in silence

our shared dream

our family

our energy

recycled & renewed

cleansed with intention

our energy reflects

infinity.

***

pictures for what

at the sevensacredpools

high rockpiles

tourists drenched in neon

not stopping to be

but to get a photograph.

as the water that freefalls

with the wind, the breath

of the Sea & i came

by foot, naked under a raincoat

to watch the sky sitcom,

color show,

highfive cows

on the silent jungle road.

the sole palm on the mountain

anal, how we can be selfish

not giving all we can like the

monkeypods give the wind,

the rain gives the stream,

we plant the seeds for our earth

or ourselves

what is really greater

its

obvious

and yet

we destroy it

but the pictures are pretty

what moment is worth capturing

when memory distracts us

from growth?

glorify the photo

the still

eternal film

identity

how can we be fre

from our memory?

***

newyearseve at the potfarm

when we broke the wood splitter

after sunsets 

cum & dirty animals

on the trail

fingering a carcass

shoegaze & bodyshots

on couches that aren't ours.

& the girl on the phone

asks what i'm doing with

my poetry degere

***

when i am blind

i can really see

how the sun reflects the rocks on the shore

a million suns line the sea

& mother moon takes up half the sky

the light is grand when i can see.

***

plate lunch

found bliss in darkness

you are the white light in my dream

when our chests align

divine

runs through our body line

celestial

nightlightning strike on

these cages of flesh

these brains

of judgment &

fear, weight

evaporate

with the light

angel

when i am only

white light

charged

full-body-bliss

the game creatures of the system

fully charged

to give the white light to

next emotional vagabond

the sleeping dream is

the waking dream

and we are the fingers to turn the switch

**

kitttens in the palm of my hand

detachment meditation

the ever-moving train within

we become the beauty

of earths afternoon rainsong

bamboo creaks of delight

aesthetic throatsing

sweet simplicity of hot water

and ginger.

the bowl sings

when the wind moves

over our head.

remove the mask

and truly see everything.

***

12.29.16

above the monkeypods,

touched by south-blown aire,

the breath of old-man Saturn

we wait among

nebulas of cyberlit selfiesticks-

modern self-sacrifice--

wait for the moon to rise--

to wait

a lost practice

in the fast-paced

outer-space

instant-gratified

culture without gratitude.

wait

on layers & layers

of sacred stone.

present-

with the knowledge

inside these bodies

we were once the hands

that carried the stone,

the bled freely,

that knew the reflections

of the planetary drama:

the sky-show on Earth

the sacred Nature

& geometry of it all-

even the rocks wait with us

in our collective breath

in this cloud of illusion

brought by the family

of dragonflies.

**

1.25.15

the darkness inbetween

flashes of consciousness

like drowning air

the hidden woodpecker

or the muted tree

the distant shotgun

melody, off-key

or how the cobweb tangoes

from the liquid gold

coasulates 5pm power of afternoon sun

a never quiet forest

forever beckoning yet

i forgot the magic

down the tree talk

leave the thumbprint acrons

speared dry pine tears

the worms and the thorns

the rhythmic bubbles

of breath like the hotsprings

fairywands

synsthesia woodspell

mesmerizing & dulled

with my blank stare in the pan

my body that will tremble no more

to reel in the

brother & sister shepherd

until the bites swell

my skin once again.

i take a baby pinecone

& wait to exhale.

**

2.6.15

neruda aftertastes of lovepoems

i come in your nothingness

like a passing rainffall

thoughts lost before

the sun's descent

i come in your mayan silence

like a bite of garden candy

in the middle of a fast

you come to me in dreams--

even in dreams, you lift me

with wonder, divine light

two nude chests perfectly align

sorrows dissipate like dew

the other eve, you were the water

of my illusion. you sobbed

shoulders hunched & heaving

for you, for me, for

the static of our living movie.

why did i leave neverland

for another open hand?

i will be the Bliss you bring me.

**

a late february migration

not spending a dmie

bicycles where the cars pass

down the volcano,

in a musty trailer with bellyaches

distracted from the new colors

of flora 

i still feel it-

in the folks who lift us up

in the backs of their trucks

in the washed-up tortoise

& freefalling passionfruit,

mellow music & polynesian words 

like medicine of

slow-moving people

on a slow-moving island.

**

1.31

cream-colored fairies before noon

wave after wave, stretched & bird-like

transforming into waterfowl

flowed with breasts & freckles,

whiskey shadow gods explain

narratives of the dead kings

and holy mothers from Spain,

irrelevancies?

*

december sweat

underbelly portal

left open too long

can the body forget to breathe?

can the chicken be born again

to walk out of your potroast?

the belly rolls of dead madron

the rolls in the way

between a clear mind

and the state of distraction

don't linger on loves lost,

the lack of drive

december sweat

from my armpits

to the hole under the madron

to water the earth

as i burrow my bones.

***

santa cruz

twenty-two days to reach enlightenemnet

crowded redwood trails

this morning made our

separation a scene

to be by the sea

the water that mirrors the wild in me

light colors here hide the darkness

the oversized pastel homes

the white skin that reigns

worriless over white sand

when you cook close

sun reflects the glass, for grains, charcoal bark

whiteness

in the dark solitude of the mountain

i went a little mad.

**

winter solstice

black panther spirit in an abandoned field

when we slept in the church van

Bast, or an old Indian

reminding us of the white man torture.

with my spirit guide beside

desert trips where there used to be forest

california is dead.

christmas tamales inspired by the border

my season of depression.

*

my dance teacher once told me

making the bed each day just makes the whole house look nice

instructing the direction of my hips.

*

music is in every moment

music already abundnat

frequencies & fractals

geometry of movement

death is stealing new cycles

the animals of our bed

change with the temperature of our tears

the cycle of our mothers

we communicate here

travel through the galaxies

warm tears of sorrow & joy

faces in everything

trees remind you of the people you miss in yourself.

counterclock spirals

in the half-lit cabin

we watch fire like a television,

the sound of fallen wood tongues

we roll the dice in the manifesting mind

read wet eyes of my lover

always surprise me

candelit rest

in the pyramid home.

**

-fluid static-

lullyabing nightmares

the appetizers we dream in the mid-afternoon

bells of bedridden in our sacred triangle

madron, smoke & mirrors,

high-hung hiding termites and antlers,

a dome to sky pines.

spirits flash in to watch

the dark shadows of grace float ---the creatures.

**

what are street drugs?

laying on the bench outside the coffeshop,

run by a wealthy church.

overheard conversation

"not much to talk about=not too bad"

they hold their books from the Free Bible room

"have my bed its not weird, its not weird"

so removed in my head on narcos & weeping

in public from the way we treat each other & our pathwhere

i lost it

"it is easy not to look"

suburban sidewalk study

they look at me & look away

i needed a break from the noise

the orchestra of voices

loud women constant concerns &

biology notes & lost boots left

the churchgoers car

nice drums or jazz

monster of control & demand

well dressed church leaders

the church folk always look happier 

the safety in identity,

acceptance in anonymity

Which do you prefer?

the anonymity of white privelge

smiles from passing men or children

or the constant attention of a white girl

in central america

smiles from passing men

both kind and undressing

to fade or melt in fake empires?

**

new mexico first

midnight coyote call & elk herds

push shower & chocolate oatmeal on a campstove

cacti spruce & mesquite

empty roads & desert

adobe & forests

dry heat, redwillow, aspen and mullen.

crescent waxing

in the Sky's midnight cloud paintings

leaving Pueblo into the Rockies

in the valley by river end

sunset moonrise

folk music & free firewood

grandfather faces in a redrock mountain

the most constellations under

the clear sky with lightning storms afar.

**

befriending bibcycle junkies

outside the donut shop

in the town where i dont belong

sunshine cupo'joe to calm

a long night of meth.

hidden hundreds

in a fake locked book,

jerry garcia

eases the sneeze & aches

roadhead to ease the fights

bald cop with traveling advice

sleeping & sneezing in reststops

free food and kind strangers in memphis

latenight roadsodas 

stovestop cooking

cement lots with new friends

arkansas

for naked boatrides,

on a manmade lake

until the elder tells us to come back

the universe always provides to the Lovers

friends, meals to eat, where to rest,

water to bathe, towns that like a little color,

soul music, spoken word and dancing hips.

*

america

self-titled pais of

corporate stores of things that no one needs

restaurants with deadly ingredients

people stay in their boxes

drive in their cars

cops lurking hyjenas to cuff

those whose feet

graze, tease the edge of the boxes

the white-dotted lines

so the animals can return to boxes,

jailcells

and the president

in his great white box

declares war and shows us

to spend money we dont have

perpetual enslavement

taxes to start another

generation of animals.

train emergencies

when they can really know

the nature of themselves

in disappearing grass.

*

lumberjack love

rainbow

palm-planted

midnight

blue-breasted

humminbirds

of foreign lands

stinkbugs & cicadas

orbit my lobes

in red kitchens

while houseflies

frolick on treasure island

and our bubblegum mattress on wheels-

the birds of paradise

cocoooned

to the insects of now.

my lover

who moves & speaks through the sea & moonlight

has human hands again.

[hinesponce]

Here’s 41 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

In celebration of Earth Day—and Earth Day Texas—we’re taking a closer look at recycling. Many of us recycle the basic things—paper, plastic, cans, etc—but there’s a whole a world of recyclables that most of us are throwing in the garbage.

From batteries and video games, to inhalers and metal keys, here are 41 things you might not now you could be recycling.

 1. Carpet

Replacing your carpets? Have unused rolls lying around the house? Don’t throw them to the curb. New rolls can go to Habitat for Humanity. The Carpet America Recovery Effort can help you recycle the old ones. Many carpet manufacturers will help recycle your carpet, too.

2. Batteries 

Throwing away batteries can be terrible for the environment. Recycle them instead. Many office supply stores like Office Depot offer battery recycling. Even some Ikeas have it, too.

3. Cardboard boxes

People always need boxes. Try donating them to nonprofits or shelters—they’re often in dire need of cardboard boxes. Businesses that collect at least 100 boxes each month are also eligible to resell their boxes to UsedCardboardBoxes.com.

4. CDs/DVDs

A simple scratch is enough to turn CDs into garbage. But don’t place them in the trash—The CD Recycling Center can help you recycle them instead.

5. Clothing

Throwing out clothes is a waste. Visit your local Goodwill or other thrift store to donate them instead

6. Clothes Dryers/Washing Machines

Everything you need to know about recycling large appliances can be found here

7. Fluorescent light bulbs

Fluorescent light bulbs leak mercury into the environment when broken in landfills. Home Depot, Lowes, Ikea and similar locations commonly accept fluorescent light bulbs for recycle. Visit search.earth911.com to find a location near you.

8. Toilets

Call your city’s recycling center or a local waste management company to see if they recycle toilets. Most Habitat For Humanity locations will also accept used toilet donations.

9. Ink Cartridges

Re-manufacturing plastic ink cartridges requires 80% less energy than making new ones. In other words, be sure to reuse and eventually recycle your cartridges. Many office supply stores will refill them for you. Call the cartridge manufacturer for advice on how and where to recycle them.

10. Computers

Made from a variety of materials, computers are notoriously difficult to recycle. However, most computer manufacturers have take-back or trade-in programs where they’ll collect your computer in order to reuse its materials. Call your manufacturer for more details.

11. Video Games

The aforementioned CD Recycling Center will accept and then recycle any video game discs you might have. For all cartridges, Nintendo offers a take back program where they’ll recycle your games free of charge. They even take non-Nintendo brand games, too.

12. Motor Oil

The EPA has said that “If all the oil from American do-it-yourself oil changers were recycled, it would be enough motor oil for more than 50 million cars a year.” Needless to say, recycling your motor oil can make a real difference. Consult your local service station or auto shop to learn how.

13. Cell Phones

The best way to recycle your cell phone is to donate it to Verizon’s HopeLine program, which benefits survivor’s of domestic abuse.

14. Sports Equipment

Sporting equipment is best recycled through reuse. Sell or donate it to your local Goodwill, thrift store or Play It Again Sports location

15. Athletic Shoes

Don’t throw out those tattered old running shoes. Instead, send them to Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program, which accepts any brand of old sneaker and recycles them into various sport courts and fields so kids around the world have more places to play.

16. Cooking Oil

Many cities offer cooking oil recycling. Call your local recycling center for details.

17. Construction Wood

It’s not always been easy to recycle wood. But now there’s a great resource to show you how and where. Visit reusewood.org to learn the most efficient way to recycle all that extra wood.

18. Bicycles 

Rather than tossing out your old bicycle, donate it to Bikes of the World, which collects, refurbishes and then donates bikes to lower-income people and various institutions in developing countries.

19. Crayons

All those unused and broken crayons don’t have to end up in the trash. Crazy Crayons is an organization that will recycle your old crayons into new, fun, multicolored ones.

20. Holiday Lights

To learn how to recycle those old xmas lights, click here. Many Home Depot and Lowes locations will recycle them, too.

21. Christmas tree

There’s tons of fun ways to reuse and recycle your old xmas tree—take a look.

22. Wine Corks

Recycled wine corks can be used to make everything from insulation and car parts, to yoga mats and sports equipment. Several health food stores like Whole Foods have drop boxes for collecting corks for recycling. ReCORK is another option—they’ll recycle your corks into shoe soles and other clever products. Check their site for drop off locations.

23. Trophies

A thorough guide on recycling your trophies can be found here.

24. Bras 

There are several organizations that accept bras to benefit women in need. Here’s a great resource for choosing what option is best for you.

25. Greeting Cards

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children accepts greetings cards of all shapes and sizes and reuses the materials to create new ones. Funds from the new cards go to benefit abused and homeless families.

26. Packing Peanuts

Most cities don’t have options for recycling Styrofoam peanuts. However, many packaging stores like UPS will accept them for reuse. The Plastic Loose Fill Council can help you find a location near you.

27. VHS Tapes

Recycling tapes can be tricky, but it’s possible. Earth 911 is a great resource for learning how.

28. Inhalers

Millions of Inhalers go to waste every year. But there’s good news: Inhalers can now be recycled through the “Complete the Cycle” campaign.

29. Brita Water Filters 

When it comes to Brita filters, there are several options to choose from when recycling them. Consult this resource for detailed instructions.

30. Cosmetics

Cosmetics contain many chemicals harmful to the environment (including lead), and in most cases cannot be recycled. However, these products can be repurposed in a number of creative ways. As far as the packaging goes, many of the larger makeup retailers collect cosmetic containers for recycling—including MAC, Lush, Aveda, and Origins. Some even give gifts or gift cards in exchange.

31. Mattresses 

Before tossing out your old mattress in favor of a new one, check with your mattress’ manufacturer—chances are they’ll help you recycle it. However, if they don’t, you’re not completely out of luck. Check with your city, many areas have recycling centers that will take mattresses off your hands.

32. Apple Products 

Apple products are one of the easiest things to recycle. Apple locations accept all their products back for free recycling.

33. Cars, Boats, and Motorcycles

Junkyards are often the best way to properly dispose of your vehicle in a way that insures most of its materials will be put to good re-use. Junkmycar.com—something of a virtual junkyard—is another viable option. Bonus: both choices are likely to earn you some extra cash.

34. Hearing Aids

The Starkey Hearing Foundation collects all makes and models of hearing aids to benefit the hearing-impaired all over the world.

35. Backpacks

The American Birding Association will take your donated backpack and give it to scientists who will use it in the field when tracking neotropical birds.

36. Wedding Dresses

Brides Across America accepts recently used wedding dresses and gifts them to United States military brides in need. In addition to dresses, the organization accepts weddings accessories like veils and tiaras, too. Why toss out your dress when it could go to a cause like that?

37. Keys

The Keys for Hope Foundation is a non-profit that donates 100% of its proceeds to help feed those in need by helping to stock community food pantries. Keys can also be recycled as scrap metal at your local recycling center.

38. Crocs

Upgrading your ratty old Crocs? Take them to your local official Croc store to be recycled or reused. The company’s “Soles 4 Souls” campaign helps put shoes on the underprivileged and others in dire need of footwear.

39. Hairdryers 

You might be surprised to learn that hairdryers are easily recycled. Simply locate your closest scrap metal recycling center, drop it off, and you’re done!

40. Juice Pouches

Strictly speaking, these aren’t recyclable. However, TerraCycle will donate 1 cent for each juice pouch collected, and donate the proceeds to the non-profit or school of your choosing. TerrarCycle provides free shipping for sending in the pouches, too

41. Ziploc Bags

Yep, you can now recycle Ziploc Bags. Just watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFeJAM0Je88

42. For everything else, TerraCycle has your back!

The post Here’s 41 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle appeared first on CedarCide.