Moving Onward...

My news for the NEW YEAR is that I have been accepted to join the US Peace Corps ! and I am leaving the country in about 18 days for my assignment and training in the Eastern Caribbean.

 

Looks pretty idyllic--huh? but the Island where I will be volunteering has alot of poverty---not always apparent behind the tourist industry's promotion of paradise. But more about that in a later post--after I am there and know more. This I do know: the average temperature is 85 degrees year round, it is a tropical rain forest, and the least developed of all the Caribbean islands.

Some of you may know that in doing this I am following in my parent's footsteps--they were in the Peace Corps for 2 years around 1971 and were sent to Jamaica (also in the Caribbean). In fact, their service there and hearing so much about the Peace Corps from them over the years, is one thing that inspired me to do this.

So, I am leaving Seattle on Jan 23--not long off at all! and very busy packing and dealing with last minute affairs. I plan to start a NEW BLOG about my Peace Corps life, and will probably not be posting much here. However, when I get the new blog up and running (hopefully soon), I  will post a link here for everyone.

oh! and in case you are wondering which island by now?---I am going to Dominica Island (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic)....see above? it is in red on the map....

I really lucked out with this location and plan to make the most of it and help all I can. So far, the Peace Corps tells me I will be doing "NGO Development"---which could be almost anything. I won't know until I complete my 3 months of in country training exactly where I will be or what I will be doing....so for now I'm just going with the flow and letting that mystery be. I know everything will be ok and I am on the right path....

Political Art

In art school they taught that fine art should have "content"--ie some message, concept or tell a story. I think all ART is political---even decorative art reflects the culture it is created in--- so the personal is political becomes a tru-ism.

Last winter I created a linocut print which reflects the city where I live--Seattle. Recently, I decided to use that image for some OCCUPY SEATTLE "art"---so I created these 3" x 3" stickers with my artwork in the background. I love the spray paint font....rather like graffitti. I plan to stick these stickers up around my 'hood and share them with friends....my own bit of subversive "performance art."

I have been going downtown to the Occupy Seattle marches about once a a week and I find them inspiring for several reasons. Of course, I agree with the philospohy--in fact I am one of the 99% of Americans with not much of a safety net and currently one of the millions of US citizens who are unemployed. I also find the Occupy movement's General Assembly style of consensus organizing and the diversity of the folks involved heartening and inspiring.

Already this movement has managed to get our President to change the student loan rules and now greedy Bank of American has "decided to remove the $5 fee it was implementing for debit cards." I firmly believe that if we work and stand together we can influence and change our country.

Of course, coming of age in the 1960's---with the Vietnam War protests---and seeing how they changed US policey (eventually) contributed to this conviction. Our generation changed out culture--but then we dropped the ball...and became complacent. Time for us all to wake up! and step up again. Won't you join us?

p.s. oh yeah--if you want some stickers e-mail me--I am selling them at cost of production...about 82 cents for each one...with a small price cut if you order 20 or more...lets spread them around town!!!

Raging Grannies Hold a Bake Sale

It is now official--I am a RAGING GRANNY! Yup --the Seattle Raging Grannies held a bake sale......

 We made about $80 for the Friends of the Library.....and reminded folks passing by that we are in a senseless and wasteful war.....and that this coming year Seattle taxpayers will pay $370 million for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan about 100 times what we would need to avoid next year's cuts to Seattle's libraries.

If you want to know more about the Raging Grannies....check out their website: http://raginggrannies.org/ 
They are out in the streets promoting peace, justice, social and economic equality through song and humour.
I am proud to be a Raging Granny!
Here is the website for the Seattle Raging Grannies : http://www.seattleraginggrannies.com/

BLOG ACTION DAY 2010 : WATER

TODAY IS BLOG ACTION DAY and this year's topic is : WATER

Ah! this is a topic dear to my heart...H2O or water. I grew up where water is abundant, a Northern Rain Forest in Southeast Alaska where the rain pours down most of the year...or frozen rain (snow). I always took abundant water for granted, until I moved to California.

While writing this blog post, I decided to do some research on water consumption and people. Did you know that : Every week, nearly 38,000 children under the age of 5 die from unsafe drinking water and unhygienic living conditions?

This statistic shocked me--even though I have traveled to countries where the drinking water was not safe, I still took my ability to purchase clean water in those countries for granted. And we in the industrialized richer nations use much more water than other much poorer countries, just consider these statistics:

It takes 24 liters of water to produce one hamburger.

The shiny new iPhone in your pocket requires half a liter of water to charge. That may not seem like much, but with over 80 million active iPhones in the world, that’s 40 million liters to charge those alone. And--more people have access to a cell phone than a toilet! (what is wrong with that picture?)

That cotton t-shirt you’re wearing right now took 1,514 liters of water to produce, and your jeans required an extra 6,813 liters.

I never really thought about how much water is used to create all the products we rich countries consume. What can we do to change our over-consumption of this precious resource?

According to this Calculator, the average American  uses 1190.5 gallons of water per day. Want to find out just how much you use? Check out the h2o Preserve footprint calculator. The Calculator estimates the total amount of water you use, or your water footprint, using information you provide about your water use and habits.

I find it always an eye opener to check out my own consumption. According to this calculator I use a whopping 699.41 gallons of water per day! (wow!! I had no idea I used that much) I am below the national average, but still...

At  then end of your assessment the water footprint calculator gives suggestions on how to lesson the amount you consume. For me, conserving water starts at home. I now pledge to brush my teeth with out the water running EVERY TIME and to eat less meat since the amount of water used to produce animal products far exceeds the amount used for growing vegetables and grains. Fortunately for me I live in a GREEN co-op household and most of my housemates cook vegetarian--so I am already eating less meat.

Most of the other suggestions the water footprint calculator gave me our household already does...since we are a very green aware household. I will also be thinking twice about buying new cotton clothes, though---since producing cotton uses so much water. Actually, I do prefer to shop in thrift stores for clothes---since I currently live very low income.

And, as a knitter and craftsperson--this makes me think about cotton yarn?!? oh dear! I wonder if it takes less water to produce some of the new fiber yarns--like tencel, hemp, and bamboo? I sure hope so....and while these facts may seem grim, the positive side is that more and more worldwide activism around water and water issues happens everyday. Many organizations like water.org are actively working to change the situation. Won't you join us?

1st Day in Accra

Greetings from Ghana, Africa! where the heat is about 90 with about 80% humidity---quite a switch from Portland winter weather! but so far I have survived a day out in the heat, and I am now in the hotel (with air conditioning) writing this.

Today we all visited a school, where they were celebrating and commemorating the new bathrooms that were just added....quite a luxury, since they have been operating for a few years without any bathrooms---hard for us American's to imagine, huh? so we watched Ghana children drum, dance, sing and recite poetry...and listened to the adults talk about their school and how they have built it up from nothing. This school originally was just an outdoor structure with a roof and no walls--and now the three classrooms are enclosed. The students are all from very poor families and they have so many students they teach in shifts, beginning early in the morning.

After the celebration ---our kids were invited to "play" with the students---and play they did! Despite the heat, soon the girls were playing tag and the boys soccor with the Ghan kids. Later they moved indoors and Shirley Mae and some of the students taught the Ghana kids American songs---they had them all singing THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE in a round--and they all sounded stunning.

I am in a bit a culture shock---only one other person in our group is white---and this is the very first time for me being in a country where I am a white minority. At times I feel like a fish out of water; everyone is friendly and kind---but the children were clearly fascinated with my tatoos and just stared at me most of the time. Today was their National Holiday---for their Independence, so the city had more people here than usual--and it was quite crowded everywhere.

I am not sure I will be able to describe the feel of this country in words---but I doubt I will be able to upload photos until I get home because I forgot my usb cable for the camera (darn!!) but I will be trying to post here every few days--so do check back. WE are off in 15 minutes to dinner --so I must go now.

SPEND NOTHING Days PLEDGE

If you have followed this blog for awhile you know that one year (not too long ago) I went 9 months without buying anything new. This year---2009---I have decided to declare ALL Tuesdays and Thursdays as "spend nothing" days. How will this work? well, on those days I will not spend any money---with the exception being only $$$ spent on transportation--since I do not own a car, so I pay for public transportation. I will do this for the rest of the year 2009.


This means that if I feel the urge to eat out on those days--I won't. Or buy that latte, or go to a movie....or buy a book, magazine, or newspaper...and I will have to plan ahead so I have adequate groceries on hand. Now, you may be wondering what difference will this make--since I can just wait and spend money on Wednesday? or another day?

First of all, I know from my "buy nothing new" experience--that this will prove to be a consciousness raising experience for me---this will help me become more aware of when and how I do spend money.

Secondly, how many of us have had the experience of putting off purchasing something and then realizing that we don't really need that item we were going to buy? (Thinking it over...always a good plan.) So, I imagine this will cut down on some of my impulse buying...whether it is the impulse to buy a latte or some other doo-dah I don't really need. This will be 102 days in the year where I do not spend any money---imagine that I would have spent an average of $15 on each of those days----that is $1530.00 I am saving!

In addition, this will curb that impulse I have to eat out---rather than just cook for myself....(at least 2 nights a week.) This is a way to force myself to become more frugal---which I need to do right now. Frugality is the word for 2009!


Quote for the day: "If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to."---Dorothy Parker

Big Changes & new knitting: "MITTS!"

Today I woke up so full of HOPE--for CHANGE--- and with the strong sense that we have taken our country back! Yes! and a sense now everything will get better. I like Patti Digh's post over at 37 Days blog---"He [Obama] will need our help. All of us, not just Democrats, not just African Americans, not just youth, but all of us. Hope cannot be bipartisan. Government cannot be theirs to run, it is ours to run. Let us continue our gestures of belief." That really sums it up for me.

Soul Coaching: Yes, by day 4 I am "noticing old stuff/ patterns/blockages coming to the surface" ---- my small room has gotten even messier--and I thought we were supposed to de-clutter! An old pattern for me is thus: I let my space get messier and messier until I just cannot stand it!--and then in one big swoop, I clean it all up. I am hoping to change this pattern to one where I clean & and organize a little each day, and I put things away more often.....

I sure like the notion of re-framing my tendancy to be blunt into "honest self-expression"---since sometimes my bluntness has caused trouble for me. I had a harder time transforming my other faults into positive traits--still working on that! and being an observer of myself has always been hard for me---don't know why, but I'm trying that today, also.

Meanwhile I have been knitting these MITTS---a shorter version of mittens--ie "fingerless mittens--I have one finished and the other one on the needles....these are knit with Noro Kureyon....lovely soft and cozy wool yarn. A nice small quick knitting project--guess what my family is getting for holiday gifts this year???




and the pattern is from this excellent book by Clara Parkes of the website Knitter's Review.
I have this book on my wish list...not only does she write eloquently about all types of yarns--but the patterns are wisely chosen to highlight the various yarns characteristics. So-- lovely projects, lovely photos--a must have for my knitting bookshelf.


Quote for the day : "What if you just knew everything was working out perfectly?"

Real Alaskan Women

Most of you blog readers know I'm from Alaska--in fact--I am a third generation Alaskan --my grandfather was a gold miner, my mother was born in Juneau, Alaska in 1922. Sarah Palin's family moved to Alaska when she was an infant--she is a first generation Alaskan--if even that, since she was not born there.

After watching Palin debate (if you could call it that) Senator Biden, I just had to post this link to the SARAH PALIN DEBATE FLOW CHART---such a wonderfull, humorous illustration of the debate ....seems to sum up what happened just fine...do check it out ;-)

There is a reason my name is Aurora--it keeps me grounded in the best part of Alaska. I lived for over 20 years in a small town in Alaska--and even served on the city council there--heck, we all did that--we all ended up sooner or later taking out turn on the city council---did that qualify us to be Vice Pres of the US? It takes a tremendous ego to even consider that position when all the experience you have is governor of the state with the smallest population percapita.

I know many women like her in Alaska--self-rightous that their beliefs are the only way the world should be run, who see Alaska as only a place to be exploited and consumed--not as the tremendous wild treasure it is. I know many Alaskan women who say they are feminists---but a real Alaskan feminist Palin is not: she does not support a women's right to choose whether to have an abortion or not; she says you should teach only abstinence--but has a pregnant teenager; she is a women who believes the answer to our "energy crisis" is to drill for more oil in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge (she doesn't seem to understand the meaning of the word "refuge"); and worst of all ---she is a women who refuses to believe that Global Warming is caused by humans--despite the scientific evidence! Despite what Sarah Palin says, and her deliberately folksy attitude, she is not a "real" Alaskan women--she is a caricature of the worst kind of Alaskan.

May we all have compassion for her wounded soul, and work to keep her from being elected.

Blogher 2008: My Take or Where were you?

I spent yesterday at the big Blogher Conference in San Francisco---such great female energy and enthusiasm! 1000 women bloggers all in one place. I met many interesting women bloggers ( and I just spent a nice quiet Sunday afternoon checking out their blogs and websites--about 40 of them!), ate some good food, learned some new techie terms, and mostly enjoyed the whole day. The conference was the 3 or 4 person panel discussion format--but the panelists all answered many questions from the audience, and the spirit of passionate women bloggers certainly made for some interesting and lively discussions. I say women on the Net are a force to be reckoned with!

By the afternoon (why do conferences always start at 9 am?) I found myself wandering around forlornly thinking "where are the craft bloggers?" (Yeah--where were you?) I met about five bloggers who said they blogged about crafts--but that was it--and the Craft Blogger Meet Up had about 12 women and was moderated by a DIY blogger who did not write about crafts---so hey! us crafty women bloggers were seriously under represented ---WHY?

If you have a craft blog I do urge you to check out Blogher--a website just for women bloggers to connect with each other...Blogher "The community for women who blog. You say it. We share it." I know there is power in networking and organizing and this conference just re-enforced that knowledge for me. Thanks Blogher!

I did meet the woman who has the wonderful craft blog Zakka Life....I have been reading her blog for awhile--and found her comments at the Craft Blog Meet Up to be right on. I have discovered I really enjoy meeting bloggers in person--especially after I have been reading their blog for awhile.

I also met two local (California) women food bloggers with great blogs : Foodista, and Food Gal. And I met a "Mommy Blogger" (a group who had a very large presence at this conference) from Alaska (for those of you who don't know--Alaska is my "real home"---I was born there, lived there exclusively until at 38 I decided to attend College--but I digress) anyhow-- she blogs from Anchorage, Alaska and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her blog: Scribbit, A Blog About Motherhood in Alaska.

At lunch I met a women who has a blog/website all about girlfriends---she was giving out postcards that said "Thanks Girlfriend" on them--- do check out Girlfriendology.com, her blog review of the conference is excellent.

I suppose in retrospect--the lack of crafty bloggers allowed me to meet some women blogging about subjects I rarely explore via blogs--so my internet horizons sure expanded from attending the conference.

Liberty and Justice for ALL

As we celebrate the birth of our country on this 4th of July, let us not forget that it was a Quaker woman ---Betsy Ross---who sewed the first US flag. This thought inspires me as I contemplate what being a citizen of the United States of America means to me.

At this point in my life and in the life of our country, I actually have mixed feelings about being a US citizen. I have done enough traveling in other countries--including to Russia and China---to know that we do indeed have many human rights--(including freedom of speech) here in the US which people in many other countries do not have.

However I find myself saddened by the actions of our current administration---particularly in the use and defense of torture against any perceived "enemy" of the US. Each day seems too bring more information about the abuses inflicted on men and women held by the United States in Iraq, Afghanistan, and US prisons around the world.

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
—The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 5 (1948)

As a US Citizen, I believe that torture should be as unthinkable to US citizens as slavery is. This 4th of July, the United States should affirm the values that are its pride and strength. Habeas corpus allows a prisoner to challenge the legality of his/her detention in a court of law. It is one of the oldest and most important checks on arbitrary governmental power.

In 2006, at President Bush’s urging, Congress passed legislation permanently eliminating the right to habeas corpus for certain people—non-citizens whom the executive branch declared to be “unlawful enemy combatants.” The legislation defines such combatants to include people who have never been anywhere near a battlefield, much less fought against the US. Any of the 11.6 million non-citizens living in the US could be detained indefinitely without charge or judicial review.

I do not believe that removing "enemies" or non-citizens rights and torturing them will do anything to protect our country from future terrorism. As Ghandi said, "An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind." We must tell Congress to restore habeas corpus and send a message to the world that even dreadful acts of terrorism cannot shake our national commitment to the rule of law.

I write these words as an American patriot--- (patriot, noun. : a person who loves her country and gives it loyal support) who believes in liberty and justice for all.

Hope in Many Ways

Hi Everyone!
ok--I have been away--in fact I was in Portland, Oregon and lucky enough to see Barack Obama speak--along with about 75,000 Oregonians! quite the event---so many people, and the sense that I was participating in history-in-the-making...here are some photos of the crowd and of the folks listening to him speak from their boats and kayaks (so Northwest!) --the event was on the waterfront (along the Willamette river). [sorry--my camera is not co-operating--and I can't upload my photos of this--so I will add them later]

After waiting for hours in the 15 block-long line, we found a seat in the shade and listened to the greatest orator America has had on the campaign trail in my life time--he had no notes and no tele-prompter--but he spoke with insight, daring, passion and hope and the crowd cheered and cheered. He talked about his health plan ( health care for everyone), education, the environment, getting out of the war---he covered it all. He also praised Portland's excellent mass transit system and bicycle lanes.

At one point, one of the 75,000 shouted an expression of love at Obama. "I love you, too," he replied. I must say--this gives me HOPE.

And here are FINALLY the photos of the Utah Phillips co-operative healing blanket. Folksinger, song writer and story teller Utah Phillips is a NATIONAL TREASURE.


In the words of Christopher Dunne, Utah Phillips is "one of the most interesting and creative men I have come across. Described by himself as the Golden Voice of the Great Southwest, he is described by others as a true eclectic, archivist, historian, activist, philosopher, hobo, tramp, member of the IWW, and just about everything in between. Utah's memory contains a wide ranging wealth of lore, which he lets us romp through by way of his shows and recordings. U. Utah Phillips is a nationally known folk artist, singer/story teller, Grammy Award Nominee for his work with Ani Difranco, and hosts his own weekly radio show - Loafer's Glory: The Hobo Jungle of the Mind. "

Recently Utah has been diagnosed with congestive heart failures, so he can no longer tour or host his radio show--you can read all about this on his blog here, and you can order his wonderful CDs of songs and storytelling here.


I finished the blanket---(I crocheted all around each hand knit square, and then sewed all the squares together, then added a crocheted edging) and we drove up to Nevada City (with
some friends) and gave the blanket to Utah. He was in good spirits,
talkative (as always) but seemed frail and easily tired. We stayed
quite awhile --he told stories, and Larry Hanks and Ray Bierl played and
sang a few songs. Utah also talked about some old songs and even sang
us a few. We all had a good time! and he loved the blanket and
admired it....

so-- many thanks (!!!) are due to all the knitters:
Ceci Marker
Ceci's friend Laura
Kate Brislin
Kerry Parker
Debra Kalmon
Sharon Noel
Susan Weiss
Katie Hambly
Lisa Hubbell
Irene Herrmann
Marnie Potter






Thanks so much for helping to make this "healing blanket" for Utah Phillips!
Many hugs to you all!

Today's quote:

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all..."
---Emily Dickinson

International Women's Day

March 8th is INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, and March is WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, so I'm going to highlight a few women artists, writers and craftswomen whose works I like throughout this month. I think it is important for us to know our history---so we can change and grow as a culture---by learning from our past mistakes and injustices.

Who better to start with than journalist and American activist Dorothea Dix (1802-1887)?

And short history of INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY from Wikipedia: "The first IWD was observed on 28 February 1909 in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. Among other relevant historic events, it commemorates the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (New York, 1911), where over 140 women lost their lives. The idea of having an international women's day was first put forward at the turn of the 20th century amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to protests over working conditions.

More protests followed on 8 March in subsequent years, most notably in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. In 1910 the first international women's conference was held in Copenhagen. Furthermore, on the eve of World War I, women across Europe held peace rallies on 8 March 1913. In the West, International Women's Day was commemorated during the 1910s and 1920s, but dwindled. It was revived by the rise of feminism in the 1960s."



And because this is also a knitting/crafting blog, I would like to also highlight Elizabeth Zimmerman (1940-1999)---I knit my first sweater from one of her books in 1979! out of yarn I spun myself from sheep raised in the Alaska Aleutian Islands. I still have that book--the now famous KNITTING WITHOUT TEARS and I still refer to it, and use the patterns--of course!


"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either...." --Elizabeth Zimmerman

Elizabeth’s books have all remained in print continuously since publication. They are available at local book and yarn shops and through Schoolhouse Press.

Art & the Environment : Sustainability and Slow Cloth

I just found this fun website with numerous free vintage knitting images---doesn't this one just spark your imagination?

And I have a few other links I want to highlight for you all----my brother, who lives in Juneau, Alaska is a board member of a local organization ---TURNING THE TIDES : "Turning the Tides is an Alaska-based nonprofit grass-roots organization composed of citizens, students, Alaska Natives, scientists, educators and musicians who are concerned with the health of the ocean. We promote ocean-friendly practices, clean-up efforts and waste reduction through various projects." He has created a visually appealing informative short online video OCEANS OF PLASTIC The film starts and ends--fittingly enough--with Alaskan Natives drumming and singing....



Since I spent much of last year creating cloth bags for BYOB (bring your own bag)---and replaced all our plastic bag consumption with cloth bags---the trick now is to always remember to have a cloth bag with me (!)--have you noticed how often businesses try to give you a plastic bag? Anyhow, my brother tells me the cloth bag I made for him is in the video---can you spot it? Hint: it has a bright pieced quilt pattern with black and white checks.

If you read my blog often you already know I have a love for our Mother Earth, and I am concerned with the current "climate crisis" facing all of us--in fact, I consider global warming/climate crisis to be the most pressing problem we all face. Much of my artwork reflects these concerns. Just scroll down here to my Jan 6th post about my "Homage to the Trees" small quilt for an example.

I recently found this great website THE STORY OF STUFF. "The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. "

This website--and her blog--are well worth a visit, and please watch her video and pass this on....as well as a succinct recap of how our consumerism adds to environmental problems, she has many good suggestions for actions all of us can take to help heal our planet.

How does this relate to knitting and craft? ah well, check out this blog---the The Red thread Studio--Slow Cloth, New Cloth, Art Cloth. For me, a sustainable lifestyle and the concept of SLOW CLOTH all go together.

Mourning for the Sea and Sea/Beach-life

Human error--a large ship hits the San Francisco Bay Bridge, and oil spills out...we all pay for our oil habits--but right now the wildlife in the San Francisco bay are paying--in death and sickness.


As of Monday:
New numbers on oiled birds in care:

652 live birds
126 washed of oil
485 dead

All of the birds are being treated at the OWCN's San Francisco Bay Oiled Wildlife Care and Education Center in Cordelia.

In case you are thinking that this is not very many injured/dead birds---consider that these are only the ones the rescuers have found or captured, and how much other sea and beach life is affected by this oil spill of bunker oil. The oil is still shifting around the bay--each day we read and watch the news and another favorite beach---with abundant wildlife---is oiled. Many of the beaches impacted are in national parks --the gooey bunker oil is in football size globs---and threatens the dungeness crab fishery in the bay as well as wildlife.

I find myself saddened and in mourning for what we do--in the name of "civilization" to our ocean and planet. If the oceans are in trouble--and there is increasing signs that this is so--we are in deep, deep trouble in terms of human survival on our planet. After 20 years of a livelihood on the ocean as a commercial fisherwoman, I feel deep empathy and affinity for the ocean, and so I feel her pain when we mistreat her.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I no longer own a car. After I saw the Al Gore movie "An Inconvenient truth" I got rid of my car (and did that feel good!), and joined our local City Car Share. I urge you, dear reader, to consider your carbon footprint and what you can do to curb your use of oil---and please take a moment to say a silent prayer for San Francisco Bay.

In the words of Bay Area folksinger/songwriter Malvina Reynolds:

"The sea, the sea, the fragile sea,
Our source, our provider and our road to liberty,
Now we use it for a dump hole in this mad economy,
And we never will survive a dying sea."

San Francisco Bay resources and nonprofits that need your money and help:
Baykeeper
Oiled Wildlife Network
Save The Bay
International Bird Rescue Research Center

Blog Action Day

Today is BLOG ACTION DAY !

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know --although I write primarily an art and crafting blog---I care passionately about our Mother Earth and how we treat Her. You may even know that I spent the first 6 months of this year following my pledge to "buy nothing new for 6 months" which impacted my habits and thinking about cultural consumerism--and my own consumerism.

You may also have seen my posts here on creating my own grocery bags (BYOB = Bring Your Own Bag) and using recycled sweaters to create handbags. I love to see the creative ways artists and crafters use recycled materials.

Here are some of my favorite online Earth loving and environmental blogs, artists concerned with the environment, and resources ---do check them out today.

Astronomy Picture of the Day (just a daily reminder of how beautiful the universe is)

Art For Housewives (great links to many artists using recycling in their art)

Ideal Bite : "Ideas for Green Living"

Quaker Earthcare Witness

The Compact : Buy Nothing New

The Garbage Day Project

Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping (great humor!)

Step It UP!

Treehugger

Grist (environmental humor and news)

David Suzuki Foundation

There are--of course many more--and over at the Blog Action Day blog I see that they have tracked more than 5000 blogs participating and writing about the environment today--so far--(and it is only 9:30 am where I live)--POWER to the internet!

PINK is Powerful

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities. We reject the Bush administration's fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead calls for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.

Time's Up for Buy Nothing New!

Some of you readers my know that 6 months ago I took a personal pledge--to not buy anything new for 6 months. Well, on August 1st--the 6 months is over. How did this pledge affect me? Well, to my surprise this pledge did not really force much of change to my lifestyle. I already mostly shopped at local thrift stores for many items--the biggest change was not buying new books, or yarn, or beads. The 2 areas I cheated (---just a little ;-) in were books and yarn. I did buy 3 new books (in 6 months! that is hardly nothing...for me--I used to buy 3 or 4 a month) and some yarn for projects. (Not all this yarn, but you get the picture....)

The other area I noticed was the thought process I went through on small impulse type purchases. At first, I would have to remind myself--even though I liked that cool drawing pen--I did not really need it? and besides--it was new--so a "no-no." Later, I could just look at goods for sale, and know I was just looking--and WOW! did I save $$$ by not buying all those impulse purchases??? Yep! plus---less clutter from needless stuff. I guess this was a good reminder that most of the stuff we think we need (or our culture tells us we need)--we can do without.

That said, I do have a small list of new things I plan to purchase--most having to do with recycling or alternatives modes of transportation, or my design business: bike racks for my bike (so I can carry groceries), this water bottle (so I can always carry filtered water from our tap), and a larger bed scanner and printer (for my design business), and a laptop (again for my business). But most other stuff I can do without---what a revelation!

One Square at a Time

This 8" x 8" crocheted square I created in about 21/2 hours this morning is now flying off via the USPO to join the over 500 squares already sent to the Mosaic Yarn Shop in Blacksburg, Virginia. A few weeks ago I blogged about this yarn shop's request for donations of knitted or crocheted squares to make blankets for the victims and families of the Virginia Tech tragedy. (The post is still here--just scroll down.) Already they have received over 500 knitted and crocheted squares--you can go here to their blog for an update and some nice photos of some of the squares.

While making this square I thought about the communal process involved, and how the Internet has aided and changed the concept of a "friendship quilt" or friendship afghan, or blanket. When I was young(er), we made this type of group comfort blanket or quilt together in our local community for people who had an illness or needed comfort--and we made "friendship" quilts to honor births, weddings, and graduations. Now many many quilters, knitters, beaders, and crocheters are making squares for folks who may have experienced a tragedy (victims of Katrina, Virginia Tech shooting, etc. ) who they have never met, or for breast cancer research--all facilitated by connecting through the internet.

I find this a remarkable and positive sign that we can--as humanity--also solve larger problems we face (wars, the environment, national health issues, just to name a few examples) if we just learn to work together; I think politicians could learn something from knitters and crocheters about co-operation and helping others in need. Yes, I know--this sounds naive...but what we are currently doing is not working very well--is it? Just put us knitters together in the Congressional Halls for 3 weeks--all the national messes would be solved ( I kid you not!).

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to do something for these families--I am a firm believer that every little positive thing we do helps---and applaud the Mosaic Yarn Shop for taking on such a big endeavor.

Quote for the day: "Do all you can with what you have, in the time you have, in the place you are." ---Nkosi Johnson
Twelve-year-old Zulu boy, living with AIDS

In light of the event that has occurred today at Virginia Tech, I am posting this poem. I am holding the families involved in the light, and praying for them.


And Death Shall Have No Dominion
by Dylan Thomas

And death shall have no dominion.
Dead men naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan’t crack;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashores;
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Though they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.


ACTUALLY, GUNS DO KILL PEOPLE
List of anti-gun companies, groups, organizations and people
(with thanks to the blog Bibliophile Bullpen)

Give Peace a Chance

PAPER CRANES: Prayers for Peace



On the 4th anniversary of the War in Iraq, I offer this thought for the day:

"Peace is more than the absence of war, violence, or conflict, though that is an important first step. Peace is a presence--the presence of connection.

Inner peace is about connection with our true and natural self, and a sense of being part of something larger. This connection gives rise to serenity, balance, and a feeling of well-being. We connect to the living spirit of life within us all, that allows us to know all people as our brothers and sisters, and every living being – including the earth – a relative."
~ Louise Diamond

(with THANKS to the blog Women, Art, Life : Weaving It All Together.)

That said, I plan to join my fellow humans today at a Vigil for Peace in Iraq at the Rockridge Bart Station (Oakland)at 5:30 pm. While I honor our troops this March 19th, I will also call on President Bush to do the same.
Honor their sacrifice. Stop the escalation. End the war now.