The siblings

Had a great night out with my brother and sister. Lemme tell you, those are two amazing young people. Aubrey is really impressing (and upstaging) me with her viticulture knowledge and general presence. Britt is going to be starting college, and already he is more insightful than I ever remember being at 17. Both of them know how to make me laugh--sure, sometimes we laugh at each other (I get the sad wahh-wahhhhh sound when I try to make a joke)...but most of the time we laugh with each other. Tonight's "Captain Planet" mistake was a classic.

Just had to let the world know how great my sis and bro are. They're amazing and I love them. And I can't believe we're all going to be in the same city again.

the new throw pillow

Time is not exactly moving right now. It is actually painful. Which is what makes me really want to be with this girl.

I have been thinking a lot lately about things I need to do--like read more and write more. Fun things, both of them, but I don't seem to make time for them. I keep thinking the day will come when I'm able to just have more time.

More time might not solve all my problems. (I'm reminded of my favorite cult classic, Empire Records, where Liv Tyler's character hands a fellow actress a cupcake: "When did you have time to make these!?" "Dad says there are 24 usable hours in every day!" Turns out she's on speed--"What are these, huh? DIET PILLS?" I don't want to turn to any kind of narcotic to accomplish any more in a day.) More time would probably just create more stress and leave me with even less time to do what I really want to do.

So, I'll just enjoy the time I have and try to use it wisely. My mom likes to say that sometimes, you just have to let the dirt sit. Spend less time cleaning and more time living. And I agree. I'm kind of a compulsive cleaner (even if I do have a penchant for leaving dishes in the sink) but really, I'm gonna take more time to breathe. From now on.

The Bike That Ryan Rides

As promised. HIs masterpiece, the bane of my--I mean, HIS existence, the mixed and remastered Road Bike. Single Speed. Free Wheel. His mean, green, non-polluting, about-to-be-commuting, hand-built machine. It is glorious! Way to go, babe!! (afterthought: last night, AFTER i took these photos, he added grips to the handlebars by recycling old bike tubes and wrapping them around. Pretty sustainable if you ask me.)

why? (warning: I'm about to get political, political)

Why is Texas so red? I must live in a bubble, where I think that there's no way anyone can be blind to the fact that we need some serious CHANGE in this nation's policies on education...stewardship of the earth...foreign policy...the war...health care...poverty...energy...diplomacy...hunger aid...everything...

Yeah. I live in a big, happy, blue bubble.

I'm gonna go ahead and be political here: VOTE OBAMA so we can start seeing this nation turn around under positive, passionate leadership that is not concerned with payouts from oil companies but is instead fighting to make every American's life better!

Go out there and DO

I read this blog by someone who's making a living with her blogs, among other creative ventures, and its point was to get out there and live. "Quit blogging about your pet," she wrote.

But I'm at a point where I feel like I really am living. Sure, I write about my dog Fin a lot--but that's because she makes me feel alive. She reminds me that it's important to be selfless and have fun and just go outside to throw the frisbee once in a while because it feels great. So I'm not going to quit blogging about my sweet, sweet Fin.

And I'm not going to stop writing about what is important to me. Because for the first time, it's not just what I think is important--it's not just me saying, "Oh, I'd like to eat organic BUT..." This time, I'm making changes and really seeing a difference.

I'm not really asking "why can't I..." any more. I want to travel, and I think I've found a way to make that possible. I want to live in a small town, but I know I'm not ready for that yet. So I'm waiting. And in the meantime, I'm finding ways to lead a fulfilling life where I am.

That involves keeping my loved ones close and making as much as I can out of each day. I'm learning to say no to the things I really don't want to do (except laundry. We tend to need clean clothes.) and learning to really expand my own horizons for no good reason other than I want to be who I want to be.

I still think the best place for me is out on a farm, the same kind of place I grew up on. But this is a pretty fantastic place too, and I'm making the most out of it.

So I am out there, doing. Knowing that I need to bloom where I'm planted sometimes, and break through the concrete at other times.

Peak Oil

Let me explain something to you, faithful blog readers, and that is this: We are most certainly running out of fossil fuels and non-renewable energy sources. They may not be gone tomorrow, but in the same breath, they may not be here for my great-grandchildren (I'm 24, so I'm projecting a little bit).

I just watched a documentary about Cuba's "Special Period" in which they went from importing most of their fuel and food to a system of urban agriculture, organic farming, and alternative transportation/energy--out of necessity. Because they had no choice for existing without making these changes. And it is incredible to see.

I've been riding the bus to work and have been making smarter food choices--but I have a long way to go before I'm living simply. I have a long way to go before I can say, If everyone in the world lived like me, we'd only need ONE Earth to sustain us all.

There is only one world for all of us, and we're going to have to learn how to share with our neighbors.

Which brings me to another point. Back to riding the bus. I can't believe that saying "I take the bus" is such an earth-shattering statement. Literally, people have responded with, "Oh! That must be AWFUL!" to "Don't you feel TRAPPED when you don't have your car!?" It is insane. My mom asked me tonight how it was going (she's proud of me and very positive, by the way!) and I said that I don't think I'll ever go back to just using my car. Pretty cool thought.

And, finally, speaking of that... Ryan almost has his bike up and running. He's been working really hard on it and learning a lot about bikes, and it's amazing to see the fruits of his labor. Yesterday we went on the second inaugural ride together--the only problem was his brakes weren't quite up-to-speed yet. He's fixing it and will be a bike commuter before we know it (there goes my ride to the bus stop in the mornings...) I'll take a picture of his "frankenbike" and post it. Just as soon as I get un-lazy and start taking pictures.

Signing off. Can you handle it? Three posts in one day?

Whatever, Organi-girl

Since I've been hoofing it to and from the bus every day in the Texas heat, I'd been commenting (complaining? either one...) about how I needed some nice, breathable, work-appropriate skirts that would make the half-mile trek a little more tolerable. The pre-reqs were that the skirts had to fit well, feel cool, and match my Chacos (my Z tan is getting better every day. I'm very excited.).

Well, over the weekend, my boyfriend treated me to some new skirts from REI. Not only do these skirts meet all the pre-reqs, but they are ALL made of organic cotton/recycled polyester blends. It's pretty cool! I have never had organic clothing before, and it comes into my life at a very appropriate time. They cost a little bit more than what I normally pay at my favorite discount store (Ross), but they were a sustainable choice and therefore worth every penny. I say that, but Ryan picked up the tab... so... Thanks babe!

Anyway, I wore one of the skirts Saturday evening when I visited some family. My grandmother commented on my cute new skirt, and I proudly exclaimed, "Thank you! It's made of organic cotton and recycled polyester!" My brother and sister guffawed. "So, your clothes are recycled from...what exactly?"

Turns out, the recycled polyester was, in a former life, plastic bottles! Pretty darn cool if you ask me.

My bro and sis have taken to calling me "Organi-girl." Not that I mind. I'm pretty sure they mean it out of respect.... hmm. Whatever. Works for me.

The Greenling Blog

Tomorrow I am going to fill you in on our very first Greenling delivery: that is, local produce and artisan items (local cheese, bread, etc) delivered to our door.

I'd write more tonight, but I will have the time to do it tomorrow, and my boyfriend Ryan just said, "You know what you're doing right now doesn't qualify as 'watching the game,' right?"

So it's off with the computer and on with the Celtics/Lakers game. Kobe plays for the Lakers and the formerly homeless guy plays for the Celtics. The score at the end of the 3rd quarter is 61 Lakers to 83 Celtics. Go Green.

sorry

I am long-winded.

Deal with it. Maybe I'll start blogging in chapters.... until then, plan on just, you know, setting aside an hour or so to get through your Life With Amber updates.

Vote Obama!

the sustainable diet

I ran into a coworker while making my lunch in the kitchen one day this week. Admiring my own culinary prowess and adventure-seeking, I stacked gold-fringed Muenster cheese atop toasted, organic, whole-wheat English muffins and topped the tiny towers with thin slices of Golden Delicious apples.

"What are you eating?" asked my coworker, opening a deluge of explanation about my appetite for interesting combinations (she'd never heard of apples and cheese together before, what a shame!). Somewhere in between "This is Muenster cheese" and "Whole-wheat English muffins," I let something slip about trying to go vegetarian.

"Oh, really? Wow! Vegetarian. I bet that is so hard." She reached for her own lunch, two pigs-in-a-blanket (OH, how I coveted those flaky crescent-wrapped sausages!), and continued her praise of me trying to go vegetarian. "Why are you doing that?"

This was the first time I had been given the glorious opportunity to answer this question. I had only been a self-proclaimed almost vegetarian for maybe a week, so imagine the mental salivation going on when asked, WHY? I took a deep breath.

"Mainly for environmental and ethical reasons. And just knowing what I put into my body should be good, clean, and healthy."

Internally, I patted myself on the shoulder for this succinct answer. I could have gone on about avoiding high fructose corn syrup; about the disgrace that commercial farming has become; about the average distance traveled from farm to table (close to 1500 MILES); about the fuel needed to produce just one pound of meat; about how most people in commercial agriculture are not paid living wages... Oh, my battalion was full of reasons for my newfound almost vegetarianism.

"Wow," my coworker went on, "Have you lost a lot of weight yet?"

Now, if you're the one person reading this, you know me. You know that I am tall and thin and would love to think that I don't have any weight to lose. I jog--ahem, walk--every day with my sweet Fin, and eat right. But maybe, just maybe, I look like I would not be suffering if I shed maybe five...or ten...or just six...pounds.

"Well, um, no..." I stuttered.

"Well, I'm sure that as you get into it, the pounds will just melt away."

I smiled and made some obligatorily self-conscious comment like, "I hope so," and walked out feeling only slightly offended, and thinking...this could be a hilarious story to tell and tell again.

Which brings me to my conclusion. I know, you've been waiting for it all these years.

It's not that I am going vegetarian (seriously, how could I give up barbecue and steaks and real, honest-to-goodness cheeseburgers!?!). It's not that I am eating only locally-produced foods (I can't let go of my coffee and wine and chocolate. Could you?).

It's that I want to make sustainable choices from here on out. This means eating organic when possible, local when possible, vegetarian most of the time, seeking out all-natural/grass-fed beef and free-range chicken and farm-raised fish from hopefully close-by. It's about making decisions that benefit my body, my soul, and my community. These types of choices are not just to "shed a few pounds," though I would like to firm up my thighs a bit; they are meant to sustain and enhance life.

I'd tell you my new slogan but I don't want anyone to take it. I'm saving it for my book (TK by age 30, 5 years, one month, and one day to go!).

let the change begin

A change is gonna come.

“Change” is a word that’s resonating pretty deeply around this country these days. I voted once for “Change we can believe in,” and turns out I’ll be voting for exactly that again in November—Barack Obama is going to turn this nation around because of the things he believes in and his passion to make the changes we all need in education, healthcare, the environment, and government.

And change is also very prevalent in my own personal life.

I can safely say I’m a card-carrying bus commuter and it’s definitely saving me money, not to mention it’s keeping my road rage at a comfortable nonexistent level. Riding the bus, walking home, listening to NPR on my iPod, carrying my new BPA-free Nalgene water bottle, toting around one of several books about sustainability, and smiling when I walk up to my comfortably-parked car with a huge “Texas For Obama” sign in the back windshield... oh, excuse me? Did I just emit some "holier-than-thou" vibes? I didn't mean it... I'm just trying to be a do-gooder hippie.

What’s next? Baby steps. Like selling the car and making my own clothes. Hah! Have you seen my sewing skills? No, you haven't, because I DON'T SEW!

Instead, I am trying to go vegetarian. Or part-time vegetarian, at least. Eggs and milk? Organic, free-range, grass-fed, you name it. Beef? Must be grass-fed and organic, if not local. Chicken? Yeah, you’d better hope it’s free-range. There are a few exclusions, though: brisket from Louie Mueller BBQ (or possibly another Texas BBQ joint). I may not be able to go without red wine (although some good wines are produced 60 miles from where I live) or coffee.

That said, I live in a place where it’s easy to find sustainable options to almost any food, and I’m able to eat locally-produced organic fruits and veggies. I’ve been growing my own kitchen herbs somewhat successfully now, and hope to branch out in the fall with some container veggies. In the meantime, my boyfriend and I will be getting a box of local food delivered each week through a program here.

Our first box comes on Friday. Can’t wait to see what’s in it! I’m guessing maybe some summer beets, cucumbers, blackberries, figs, peaches, eggplant, garlic, kale... The list goes on. Sounds like it will be delicious!

As far as I can tell, it's not so hard to make changes like these. All it's taken is one little question: is this a sustainable choice? So it's hard to get in my car when I know now that it's better all around to take the bus. It's hard to buy individual containers of yogurt when I know they aren't recyclable and I can buy the big vat of yogurt for less, anyway. It's hard to buy that trinket from Ross when I know it's not something I NEED. (This has not yet kept me from purchasing inexpensive clothing and lots of it, though, much to my beloved boyfriend's dismay!)

So, here’s a toast to change, on the individual and bigger-picture levels.

a garden full of vegetables

"Well, I harvest the beans every other day," my mom said, "And we've had zucchini in one form or another almost every day this week."

Our weekend was full of wonderful things: time spent with good friends, a short trip out of town, and seeing my family.

What we took home: golden and red beets (I boiled them and served them with melted butter and a dash of salt), burgundy and green beans, baby carrots, zucchini (two batches of zucchini bread!), onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes (roasted/sauteed). Everything was amazing.

[obviously I meant to post this a while back... but here you go! a tidbit from a couple of weekends ago!]

a new frontier

Today is Friday, and it's a rather exciting one for me. I'll tell you why. I stuck to my guns this week and managed to not use my car except for once, on Tuesday, when I had planted the milkshake idea in my boyfriend's mind and then my sister broke up with her boyfriend and came over. My car was the only one big enough to fit all three of us for our necessary errand.

But for the last 5 days, I have only driven my car 2 miles.

I have eaten at home every night.

I walked to the grocery store.

I know, I know—somebody get this girl a medal. But bear with me: this is the beginning of the new me. The enviro-conscious-and-acting-on-it me.

So stay tuned, and hold me accountable (that's for all of you out there leaving comments on my blog. Wait. There aren't any comments posted at all....), and maybe even take this journey with me.

Kitchen MisAdventure

My family and friends know that I am prone to bad luck, but it's most likely due only to the fact that I am more clumsy than the average bear.

And so, it comes as no surprise to anyone who knows me that my time spent in the kitchen is well-intentioned but often poorly-planned and even more poorly executed. Of course, one cannot always prepare for the unexpected: a fire at my local HEB, aphids eating my basil, projectile peppercorns, or an unwieldily salad spinner.

My idea was to make a basil pesto. I had some parmesan leftover from the pizza I successfully made last week; pine nuts in the pantry; garlic on hand as always; basil in the container garden; EVOO: it sounded like I had all the bases covered. I decided, too, that I would walk to the store to grab a few extra things—chicken sausage, some spinach, and some tomatoes.

The store is almost a half-mile away, which isn't far, but feels much farther when you approach your destination and notice an almost-empty parking lot and the employees standing outside. The store was closed because there had been a fire! My next-best option was to walk across the street to a more expensive version of a grocery store. Turns out, it didn't have everything I needed, and I paid a pretty penny for what I did buy.

Anyway, finally made it home. I went to trim off some basil, and noticed that there were little black bugs ALL over the undersides of the leaves. SO...it was time to improvise. I decided to toss spinach and oregano in the blender in lieu of the other fragrant herb. So far, so good.

Back to the peppercorns—I turned on the wrong burner a few days ago, and halfway melted my plastic peppercorn mill that was sitting on the stovetop. But, not wanting to waste, I didn't throw it out and figured that I could just "hold" the lid on. So I'm "holding" it on carefully while the pesto is in the blender, and decide to add a little bit of pepper. It's fine for about two grinds, and then... PSHHHHH.... The lid pops off, and peppercorns go everywhere (days later, I am still discovering peppercorns). I had to bring in the vacuum to fix this. Keep in mind, all the while, I'm trying to not burn the sausage; get the couscous off the heat; keep the dog away from the peppercorns (impossible), and not slip on the water I spilled earlier while I was putting the spinach in the salad spinner (forgot there are holes in the bottom).

IN THE END, two hours after the whole ordeal started (shopping trip and all)....I had a super-creamy, bright green pesto. It was delicious, and very summery! A little spicy because of the excess pepper...but still good. I tossed it with whole-grain couscous, and put fresh spinach and tomatoes on top, with some chicken/spinach/feta sausage. Then I sprinkled some leftover parmesan cheese...and voila!

I think maybe I could accomplish this again much more simply. I'm hoping to, anyway.

Simplicity

I started this blog in hopes to shed light on simple, creative things with a budget. It wasn't that I really knew how to do it then (or now), but I had some ideas that I thought would be useful to people other than just myself. What I have been learning is that I have a long way to go.

An article in the Times yesterday shed light on a family from Austin (the same place I call home) who is giving away most of their earthly possessions and moving to Vermont to live on an organic homestead. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/17/us/17texas.html?ei=5087&em=&en=facbba5425ad78e8&ex=1211169600&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1211026694-BJaF/SDtorerOoVgjRZHLQ

I don't believe I'm ready to give it all up just yet: after all, I am just starting out. But whittling away at what is most important, I believe I could do without about 2/3 of the things in my possession. Most of them are not needs; they are wants. And I think, for me, the most important step in living simply is to distinguish between the two, and set definitive boundaries for those two very small words.

Years ago, I took a trip to Costa Rica. Before the trip, we were taught about voluntary simplicity versus forced simplicity. It has taken me the last 3 years to understand exactly how that can impact my life and the globe.

I am trying to make small changes in my life to achieve simplicity (and ultimately serenity), because I have seen so many people get bogged down by material possessions.

Growing up in the Church, I have heard the story of Jesus calling his disciples hundreds of times. This week, it struck a new chord with me. In Mark 10:21 we read, 'Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'

This family in the article is donating most of their things to charity. They do not say they are doing this to follow this Christian teaching; but, I can understand it in that light.

We are living in a time when, finally, Americans are becoming aware that their own lives have an impact on the globe. Our own selfish tastes, our knack for consumerism, our push to gain the biggest and best—these are destructive ideals for the globe. On Earth Day this year, I took several quizzes to see just how much we'd need to support a world full of me. If everyone lived like I live (and I believe I live somewhat modestly), we would need MORE THAN FOUR Earths!

There are many ways to begin living simply.

For me, the first step is to rethink every purchase. At Target last night, I put down the decorative porch lights that happened to be on sale. I reasoned with myself: These are just another thing. I do not need them. If we move, we will have this other thing to pack up. They will not bring me serenity. They may not even add to the decor.

And even though I still managed to leave Target with a new straightener for my short hair, I still felt as if I had made a small success.

Some purchases I have made to become more self-sufficient. In the last few weeks, I have bought a Dutch oven, a cast iron skillet, and a bread stone. These things, I hope, will help pull me away from processed foods and allow me to sustain myself better. Then again, I keep trying my hand at bread and have yet to have a successful loaf emerge from the oven. In time, I'm sure I will get it.

I am also trying to buy more durable things that will last longer. Once I cycle through the batch of semi-disposable tupperware I have right now, I will invest in small glass dishes that can be reheated, refrigerated, or frozen. This will also cut down on the number of petroleum-based products in my life, another goal I'm working toward.

And, finally, I hope to begin buying only hand-made products, or making my own. I do not know how this will work with clothes, but I may turn to buying used clothes because this has less of an impact on the environment. (Oh, boy, my dad is going to have a field day with this..)

So, in essence, I want to find creative ways to change my life so that I can live more simply.

And while I'm at it, can I just tell you that I have been reading a lot about Yoga and meditation lately (haven't been doing much of it), and I am trying to alter my mind so that I even think more simply. This involves relaxing more to allow my mind and soul to dwell on heavenly things as opposed to worrying about earthly things.

I'll let you know how that goes.

Have I told you lately...

...how cute my dog is?

If you don't have a pet, I seriously recommend getting one. Despite all the work, they are so, so good for your soul.

I'm sitting in the office working on a freelance project. To give Fin something to do, I scooped some (organic) peanut butter into one of her toys and had her come in the office with me.

She's been working on it, but hasn't quite made a dent in the PB. Her tongue just keeps flapping in and out of her mouth, and the smell of fresh peanuts has infiltrated the air. But can I tell you how happy this makes me?

Over the weekend, we went over to a creek that has a designated "Dog Area." We met friends there, and their dogs, and Fin had the best time in the world. She and her "bff" Bella romped through the water. They would stay neck-and-neck...and then one of them would bolt off in the opposite direction, only to come back and find the other. When they found each other, they would jump up and down, as if it had been years since they'd last seen each other.

She is quickly becoming the dog I've always wanted. She is my best bud, and she always knows just how to make a smile. I got home from a fairly upsetting day at work--and as soon as I walked in, she and Ryan made me laugh. How's that for a little therapy?

I love this dog and love what she brings to my life. Funny how that happens.

Long time, no see

Well, that's because... Life has been busy.

But I had an experience this evening that I want to share. If you know me at all, or have read some of the snippets of this blog, you know that my boyfriend and I have the sweetest dog in the world.

Fin has been a member of the family since February 07. She's a little more than a year old, and we treat her like a supremely spoiled child. She has TONS of toys, eats more organic food than we do, and gets to sleep in the bed.

But we've decided that it's time to start setting some boundaries. Step #1? Get her to sleep on the floor. Or at least at the foot of the bed. Since we're both tall people, we prefer she sleeps on the floor--but hey, we'll take what we can get.

So tonight, Fin and I had an exciting evening. We went on a nice, long walk. Before I left for work, I poured (organic) beef broth into an ice cube tray and stuck it in the freezer...so when we got home from our walk, Fin got a refreshing beefy cooler. Then, we loaded up into the car and made our way to the discount pet supply store.

I stocked up on her favorite treats, and she pranced politely next to me through the store. We walked down the aisle with the dog beds, and I picked out a nice one that I thought she might fit in.

Up at the counter, the cashier said, "Is that for her?"

"Well, yeah...why?"

"It's too little. You have a huge dog."

I set the bed down on the floor. After some convincing, Fin laid on it, and her butt hung off one end, her head and front paws off the other. I do have a huge dog.

So, we went back to the aisle with the beds, and I found an extra-large floor pillow. I plopped it down on the floor, and Fin immediately plopped right down on it. She laid their, looking up at me with approval written all over her face.

Then she wouldn't move. She refused to leave the pillow. So we just stayed there while she relaxed and, when she was good and ready, she hopped up and let me grab the pillow.

I paid for all the goodies, and when we got home, I tossed it on the ground. Now she won't touch it.

But her display in the store was all I needed for convincing.

Maybe this means nothing to you...but it means a whole lot to me. Fin has changed my life and is still teaching me about patience, love, and understanding.