Green Saturday: Green Gifting!

Oh noes! I almost forgot Mother's Day! Not to worry. There's still plenty of available gift ideas within reach - and better yet, great for Mother Earth, too.

On the way to mom's for a dinner that you'll cook (or that the dad's will cook?) Stop by the store and pick up these ingredients, and follow these simple directions to make a bird wreath with mom! Great idea for the kids, and lots of fun later. The kids will love hanging out with Grandma watching the silly bird antics, and the birds will love having a great safe place to come and get some spring goodies! Can't visit mom this year? How about sending one of these? Edible Sunflower Bird Feeder Wreath




Handcrafted Primitive Birdhouse , birdhouseaccents











My family loves the outdoors. Living in San Diego, we have the benefit of great weather and some beautiful places to visit. America really does have a lot to offer. How about giving mom a taste of America? Plan an event; take her to one of the many National Parks and experience it together! The National Park Service is an important participant in the new Interagency Pass Program which was created by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and authorized by Congress in December 2004. Participating agencies include the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation. Looking for a park near you? Look here. The Cape Cod National Seashore is one of my favorite places on earth, and a National Park.




OCEAN ENCHANTRESS Bracelet, CapeCodCupboard














It's still not too late to plant Mom a tree! The Arbor Day Foundation's Trees in Memory and Trees in Celebration programs plant lodgepole pine and Douglasfir trees in national forests which have been destroyed by fire, disease or insect. When you plant a tree in memory of a loved one, or to mark a special occasion, you contribute to a healthier environment and provide for future generations. As the trees grow and prosper, so does the meaning of your gift. Over the course of 50 years, a single tree can generate $31,250 of oxygen, provide $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycle $37,500 worth of water, and control $31,500 worth of soil erosion.
Your trees will be silent sentinels, honorable monuments, and for decades to come, active participants in nature's plan.


Another option for planting trees is the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. They are a unique nonprofit charity dedicated to planting edible, fruitful trees and plants to benefit needy populations and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water.
Our programs, recently featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Hindu, and Plenty magazine, strategically plant orchards where the harvest will best serve the community for decades to follow, at places such as public schools, homeless shelters, drug rehabs, low-income areas, international hunger relief sites, and animal sanctuaries. FTPF's projects benefit the environment, human health, and animal welfare—all at once! What a great gift for mom!





A Seed is All You Need, Colorful Handmade Paper Cards with Wildflower Seeds, recycledideas















Whatever your Mother's Day Gift, I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day, whether spending it with your Mom, or eating breakfast in bed made by the kiddos!

On hiatus. . .

Sorry, my loyal WTW readers (that's short for World Travel Wednesday). I'm on a short hiatus. I'll be back for Green Saturday tomorrow!

Cut out and Keep

I found this website that may prove to be awesome. Like I need another website to keep me company on those long cold nights. But just in case you're looking - try out CutOutAndKeep.net. Cool people sharing cool projects, both through tutorials and just "look at me!" posts. Fun! (And I'm pretty sure I recognize some Etsy avi's.) I want to be your friend. I'm Sailor J.

Green Saturday - Girls Gone Green!

Ugh. Time to talk about that thing we all either dread or look forward to every month. Whether you embrace your female self, or hate dealing with all of the symptoms of it all, there are lots of different ways of dealing with it. When El Jefe and I were married, I went on Depo Provera for a cycle (one shot). I figured I wouldn't have to deal with the mess every month, carrying around different tampons, napkins, wet wipes, a spare pair of pants in the car . . . and no babies. Wow. Did I ever miss my cycle those three months. I'm one of those girls who can't tolerate Depo. The stories you've heard of girls becoming raving lunatics? Me. Heaving sobbing puddles of snot? Me. I wish I had had a cycle chart or some cycle beads to help me out.






Menstrual Beads - Turquoise 'n Black Necklace, DoulaHara










I was one of those lucky girls whose folks just tossed a book on my bed (Growing Up, Feeling Good) and hoped I would figure it out. (They did okay, I fiured it out.) I hope I do a little better by my daughter, and I can teach her more about her body than my Mom knew about hers. I wish I had found one of these beautiful necklaces. It wasn't until I realized that hormonal birth control wouldn't work for me that I learned a little more about my self.







Chart Your Cycle - A menstrual chart to help you go with the flow, HolisticallyHeather




So when I got to a ship, where I knew I'd spend months at a time (and don't ask where the used supplies go.) I knew I was going to need a new solution. You see, blood is a biohazard. You can't just dump it in the ocean. And if you don't pull in to a port that can accept "medical waste", it stays on board. You do have a few options. When I first got to a ship, I used Instead. A disposable Menstrual Cup, it does not absorb any blood, simply catching it in the cup. When I took it out, I would dump it, rinse it, and toss it in with the plastics; no longer medical waste. That was a great solution for me for a long time. But it had a few problems. First, if not inserted correctly, it leaked a little, meaning I had to wear pantiliners on heavy days. No longer a Green option. Until I discovered cloth pads. I love these. I don't wear just pads. So I never have to deal with any bulkiness. I love cloth pads because they're washable, and they are a little secret. I can wear butterflies or goth themed pads and no one will ever know. And I can wash my own.




Claire de Lune Cloth Menstrual Wetbag and Set of 4 Maxis, clairedelune





The other issue I had with Instead is that it IS disposable. When on a deployment, you can't always get mail in a timely manner. Sometimes no at all for a while. What if you run out?? That's where the Diva / Mooncup come in. They were an easy transition from Instead, only now I can keep the cup! No waste, no storage issues (our storage area is tiny) and no running out. If you're not comfortable with the softcups, theres another option, too. Sea Pearls are natural tampons made of Atlantic sea sponges, a reusable sustainable resource. They're comfortable and easy to use, and an affordable green option.

There are plenty of green products out there to make your cycle easier, more fun, or more secret. It's definitely not a taboo subject anymore. Look around and I'll bet you can find some great alternatives! (Like this Cramp Kit, which looks lovely!)



Natural Menstrual Cramp Relief Kit, JoyfulGirlNatural

Twelve Years, man!

I, Sailor Jenny, do solemnly affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

This was me only 10 hours ago. Six more years for the country I love. In front of my co workers, my husband, my bosses (all six of them) and a boatload of Brass. And I meant every word.





U.S. Navy Memorial, Washington DC

World Travel Wednesday - Old Town!

I hope my loyal readers will excuse the fact that I'm already bushed; and this will be short. But I promise - Patriotism and Tradition tomorrow if you can bear with me.

Today I ventured out with Thing One's class to Old Town San Diego. Old Town San Diego is considered the "birthplace" of California. San Diego is the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769, that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio were built on a hillside overlooking what is currently known as Old Town San Diego. At the base of the hill in 1820’s, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed and by 1835 had attained the status of El Pueblo de San Diego. In 1846, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant and a Marine Lieutenant, raised the American flag in the Old Town San Diego Plaza.









San Diego Alcala 2, ArtPhotoGirl















Our guide this morning was Sherriff McCoy, State Senator and Sherriff of San Diego. In March 2000, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) completed construction of the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Entry Redevelopment project, which included extensive landscaping and reconstruction of the McCoy House. State Park archaeologists excavated in Old Town San Diego in 1995 to recover information needed to reconstruct a large residence built in 1869 by James McCoy, a well-to-do Irish immigrant who served as San Diego’s sheriff and state senator. Prior to 1851 the property belonged to Maria Eugenia Silvas, descendant of a Spanish Colonial soldier who came to Alta California in the 1770s.






Cactus Old Town, shellsnoel










Old town has lot to do; we saw the first Public schoolhouse in California, learned about adobe and it's use in the old west, about native California plants, and how to make butter! (The kids got to eat some with their snack of tortillas.) But what I really waned was CANDY! Old Town also boasts Cousin's Candy, an authentic penny candy store. They have some awesome old fashioned candy. (And sesame candy for cheap. Mmmm.)






Old Lithograph Print Small Town Scene Girl in High Boots, ArtPhotoGirl


It was a fun trip, all things considered, and it was nice to go with the Boy before he gets too old to want me there.

Curate.

I'm quite enjoying this curating thing. Have I mentioned that? Here's my latest go, for fans of Tommy Tutone (and Jennys, Jennis, Jenis, Jennies, Jennees, and heck, even the Jens and Jenns. Bring Jennifer and Jeniffer, too.)