Some discuss the existence of a universal hum, the first sound vibration from which the world was created. With the heat wave that is persisting in the Northeast right now, there is an earthly hum, a sound vibration created by machines.

As it gets hotter and hotter outside, we are retreating further and further into our man created zones. Air conditioners are creating a hum in our neighborhood. It is quiet outside, no one walking unless it is an animal that needs some relief. No one is sitting on a porch, on steps, on a deck. Last night when my husband and I sat outside talking, he remarked that there was no concern of anyone overhearing our conversation. Everyone was locked safely away! Everyone is scuttling from the AC in the home to the AC in the car. Even when someone drives by who I know, there is only a wave, windows are tightly sealed.

When I am asked, "How do you remember to take your bags to the store?" I have to draw within and ask the question of myself. Perfection does not exist here, and there is much room for continued growth of awareness in my connection with Mother Nature. It is in the little moments, in the little actions, that I cultivate a connection. "Rome wasn't built in a day," give us all time and space to evolve. 


So, when the heat is on outside, switch the thinking. Instead of running and retreating from Mother Nature, embrace and experience. With the heat outside, allow yourself to slow down, wear light clothing, take frequent cold water rinses, sweat, rest, eat lightly. The Mother is speaking to us, are we listening, are we turning away, are we running away?


The ease with which the shopping bags are in your arms as you walk into the store will be a reflection of your moment to moment actions. Mother Nature is beautiful when we have her on our terms, can we find some beauty in all experiences? As we sat outside last night, at the front of our home where it was cooler, with just a candle burning, we invited a universal moment into our being, talking freely, looking at the stars, and feeling the slightly cooler evening air. Invite, invoke, enjoy!

Namaste,

Sydney

Transitiontown, USA

It doesn't take a scientist to realize that our planet is changing. Globalization has brought the world together with trade, transportation, and diplomacy. While this projects the image of a unified, accessible world, what is the true cost? Modern western society has lost a connectivity with the land that our ancestors once experienced. To us, food comes from a grocery store, a drive-thru, or a factory.  Local food is practically a novelty. This mindset is understandable because the majority of food we consume comes from another region, another country, or even another continent. There is a definite disconnect when it comes to consumption, not only with food, but with resources as well. If we don't see the effects of our impact immediately, we believe it doesn't exist. Out of sight, out of mind! The emissions from our vehicles end up as acid rain in the Amazon, or the plastic bags we get at the grocery store find their way to the stomachs of seabirds. Not only have these "forgotten" impacts contributed to climate and wildlife change, but also they have perpetuated our addiction to petroleum and propelled us towards reaching, or, at this point, even surpassing Peak Oil. Peak Oil is the concept that we are running out of the cheap oil that our world runs on. Peak Oil is the point of no return, after which the rate of petroleum production enters terminal decline because the method used to extract the distant oil supply will be too expensive. In response to the recent BP oil leak, President Obama addressed the nation. He spoke of the need for a transition to alternative energy, not only as a preventative method against future atrocities like the one in the Gulf, but as a realistic and necessary progression towards a sustainable way of life. Beginning in the United Kingdom, the "Transition Movement", has begun to make its way into American communities. It is a "vibrant, international movement that builds community resilience in response to the challenges of Peak Oil, climate change, and the economic crisis" (transitionus.org). Recognizing that these challenges stem from unsustainable practices, the Transition Movement seeks to revolutionize and localize modern living. The main goal behind the Transition Movement is to initiate a downward slope of energy use from the peak at which we as modern society have adopted. Through our own creativity we can create ways to live in harmony with the Earth. Furthermore, deep Earth stewardship can assuage the plaguing environmental predicament by creating an understanding that all life is equally respected. Establishing a community with food, water, transportation, government, energy, art, and recreation on a much smaller, communal scale can reinstate the homegrown essence that is lacking today. Food from a neighbor's farm and energy from a windmill are balanced out by another's intellect and keen problem solving skills as a part of the local government. It's a more communal way of life. If we are directly active in our community, we are more likely to care about the impact of our actions and of our neighbors' as well. There are currently over 70 Transition Towns in the US, and even more internationally. A transition is a process, and an extremely gradual one. The first step to curing an addiction is acceptance. Accept that oil will not be around forever, and there is no time better than now to skip out at the gas pump and hop on a more viable form of transit - a Transition. For more information please look to transitionus.org

Two Wheels to Freedom

Summer is a great time to escape the vehicular four-wheel holding cell in your garage. Find yourself there more often than not? Next time, make your one phone call from the "car prison" to your bicycle. She will be more than happy to bail you out. For those able, a bike is a great companion when the weather is sunny and your errands are minimal. A trip to the grocery store, park, or beach is a great opportunity to get outside and be active. Also, there are great accessories that can make your bike trips both fun and productive. Try attaching a rack and milk crate above the back wheel to carry cargo acquired from a quick shopping trip. The back of the bike is more suitable to carry weight. Or, for those who want a fun new way to exercise with your pooch, check out attachments that clip onto your dog's leash so he can run alongside you as you ride. Not only are these fun ways to enjoy nature, but they also minimize your carbon emissions and eliminate your need to hit the gym!

Homegrown Goodness

Even if you are not up for tending to your own vegetable garden this summer, there are ways to harvest edible fauna from the outdoors. Edible flowers and weeds are a great way to spice up any salad or picnic. That is not to say that you can just go munching on anything with a leaf or blossom. It's important to know which are okay to eat, and it is also important to know which are the tastiest! For flowers, nasturtium, violets, and marigolds work well in salads, providing great bursts of color atop a sea of green. The flavors range from tangy to peppery, and marigolds can also be used as a more carbon friendly and economical substitute for saffron. How about those pesky weeds? How about eating them out of the garden?!  Dandelion greens are quite bitter in taste and have great medicinal value. They can be cooked down like spinach or eaten raw. Purslane is a succulent herb that contains a great deal of Omega-3 fatty acid. It can be eaten raw or cooked and has a nice peppery flavor. Searching for edible flowers and weeds in the outdoors can be fun and the reward can be yummy and fresh! Be careful not to eat plants that have been exposed to car exhaust fumes like those on the side of the road, or that have had pesticide exposure. mothering Mother cotton bags are great accessories for picking these plants. Take advantage of these gifts Mother Earth provides. No cost, no trip to the store, and not to mention locally grown! Namaste, Sydney

mothering Mother Pesto Sauce

Ingredients 2 cups basil leaves, densely packed 3 cloves garlic, sliced 3 T walnuts 1/4 cup olive oil Juice of 1 lemon Salt, freshly ground black pepper T=Tablespoon Separate the leaves from the stems. Rinse in a sink of cold water and then spin to remove most of the water.    Prepare the garlic by removing the skins, and slicing in half lengthwise. Carefully pull out the center core and then slice the garlic clove. Squeeze 1 lemon and remove seeds. Keep pulp if you like.   Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend to puree, about 30-60 seconds. Taste for seasoning and adjust.   Immediately pour the pesto into a jar and cover with a lid, to preserve the vibrant flavors. The pesto will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3 days, and will stay fresh in the freezer up to 1 year.  We recommend letting go of the pasta with the cow! Try breaking from the traditional pasta combination and trying one or more of the suggestions below: add to grilled vegetables as a topping, especially zucchini serve the pesto as a dip with fresh raw vegetables accompany sliced baguette with pesto dipping bowls use as a tasty filling for celery (careful not to drip any pesto on your shirt!) add to tofu  jazz up salad with pesto sauce, olive oil and balsamic vinegar Enjoy the bounty of the Summer harvest!

A couple of months ago I discussed the overwhelmingly feeling that I had regarding the vegetable garden. I knew that it was the right thing to do but all that I could see was a mass of weeds...

 

I could not see the potential and as a result could not find the energy to overcome inertia! A neighbor became my garden mentor, my garden guide although I did not tell her that she was playing this role. Over the last two months I have cleared little areas of weeds, and spread seeds. I would check in with "my guide" as to technique, placement, watering... pretty much everything.

 

Slowly the seeds have taken root and grown! It is a beautiful sight. As I watched the arugala and Red Russian kale grow, I was inspired to weed a little more, plant a little more. Just bite size pieces of gardening, a little nibble here and there.

 

Each day as I am preparing my lunch salad I head out to the garden with a pair of scissors and clip the freshest of greens for my salad. And then I stop on the deck to decide on what direction the salad will take, depending on the herb that I clip and add. Will it be mint, or basil, or thyme, or rosemary? Yes, rosemary! The herb chosen will influence that oil used, and on it goes. This creation fills my body and soul! More green in the garden and more green on the plate!

Namaste,

Sydney

Oil continues to spew into the Gulf, images of soupy shorlines and wildlife laden with oil continue to come through the media. Many talk about the concerns of the planet. Where do we go? What do we do?

The enormity of this situation seems overwhelming at times. Many feel less removed from this because the results of the accident cannot disputed, they are just a fact. These feelings translate into emotions that leave us paralyzed, helpless. What will make a difference?!


Begin with a single shift in awareness. Since all plastic is made from oil, there are endless moments in each day that we come into contact with plastic. The keys on this computer are made of plastic! What to do?! Today, I am not ready to say that I will make a personal commitment to Mother Nature and give up the computer. Where is the first step in your life? Where is the next step in your life?


Take a quiet moment, preferably out in Nature, and let the starting point rise up within you. Breathe it in fully, keep it realistic, make a commitment. Then, be prepared, tests will come your way. If it is coffee in disposable cups (which have a plastic coating inside) then you will be offered your favorite coffee, in a quiet moment, with a good friend. Oh, it is so tempting, and what difference will one cup make? It will make a huge difference within you. Holding to your commitment in that moment of questioning will give you power, strength and resolve. 


Don't believe what I say. Go out and try it for yourself. You and Mother Earth will benefit!

Namaste,

Sydney

 What will it take for me to plug in the cord for the laptop computer? Probably the little symbol in the bottom corner with a frantic yellow symbol! Until then I am noting the battery level constantly but doing nothing about it, until it is critical.

What will it take for us to take care of our health, to eat consistently well, to keep the body regularly limber? What will it take for us to take charge of our finances, to find the right balance between earning, spending and saving? What will it take for us to take note of our lifestyle and the impact that it is having on Mother Nature?

 

For far too many of us it takes something drastic, life threatening, alarming, just downright scary, to motivate us into action. Like the symbol for the battery, when this happens in our lives we kick into action, action that comes from a place of fear and worry. Action that comes from the head, we think about it and think about it. All of this thinking and thinking then creates its only little frenzy of activity in the mind, and that activity is transferred to the body. Not a form of positive motivation!

 

How is it that we can care so consistently and beautifully for our children? Right from the getgo? They are in our heart. As that baby is forming and becoming a part of our life before arriving to the outside world, our heart is swelling a little more each day with love.

 

In our lives, we can attend to the "should do" and "must do" list more consistently and easefully if that attending comes from the heart. As long as actions originate in the head, as long as they are part of our outer experience, then they remain exactly that and require work. When we move our actions into our hearts, when we attend to our health for the sake of others, for the quality of relationship and experiences that comes with a physically healthy and active body, then we take ourselves out of the picture and put others in the picture. Suddenly the effort for action lifts as love reigns.  With ourselves out and the heart in, life becomes an experience, not a duty.

 

So, you are being called, right now, to breathe in Mother Nature to your life, not as a list of duties and obligations, but as care and love that we give back for the beauty that surrounds us. What will it take for us to care for the Earth? What will it take for us to let go of old habits and develop selfless habits? Is it plastic bags collecting into an island in the ocean, or extinction of wildlife, or oil spewing into ocean? The Mother is there waiting for your love. 

Open your heart and serve. 

Namaste,

Sydney

The Realities of BPA Plastic

Realities of BPA Plastic Plastics have been in the media ever since this remarkable and innovative material entered the consumer market. Today, it's everywhere - at your corner store, under your kitchen sink, on your desk at work, seeping into your food, entering your body-affecting your health?   The plastic used in items hard plastic used in popular reusable water bottles and soda cans contain an industrial chemical called Bisphenol A or BPA. This chemical has received a great deal of press recently as concerns about its safety continue to pop up. What exactly is BPA? In scientific terms, it is an organic compound that contains two bound phenols. Phenol, by itself, is a crystalline solid that is considered toxic and has a moderate solubility in water.  It comes to no surprise then, why both the science community and the public have questioned the hazardous possibilities of BPA.   Not all plastics contain this potentially harmful chemical, however. A number 1 through 7 identifies plastics, and the only ones that contain BPA are numbers 3 and 7.  #3 plastics are used mostly in industrial environments and don't affect the general population. Plastic #7, however, is common in the life of an average consumer, appearing in hard plastic water bottles, baby bottles, water coolers, the lining in aluminum food and beverage cans, and plastic food storage containers. It's important to be aware that not all food storage containers have the #7 on the bottom of the containers. Consumer purchased hard plastic and stain-resistant food storage containers, even those of a leading brand, may contain BPA . There are alternatives out there such as biodegradable, compostable, or glass containers that are BPA-free, so do your research if you are unsure if your leftovers are sitting in the chemical. BPA can leach into the food or liquid that is contained, and proceeds to enter the body, causing certain health concerns.   The groups at the highest risks of being affected are fetuses, children under three, women trying to conceive, and expectant mothers. Others are at risk as well. There is evidence that BPA can potentially affect the prostate gland, brain, and behavior development or lead to obesity, a miscarriage and insulin resistance.   Science is not the only sector that is raising concern about this perilous plastic. Currently, California, Connecticut, and Chicago are pushing legislation that would pose a ban on the use of BPA in food and beverage containers. On a larger scale, the U.S. Congress is looking to push a bill that would pose a similar ban.   Regardless of where you live, and assuming you do not want to wait for federal legislation to come into effect, there are things you can do to avoid BPA plastics. · Avoid BPA by breastfeeding. In addition to evading BPA, breastfeeding provides additional benefits such as reduction in asthma, obesity, diabetes, and SIDS in the child as well as type II diabetes, postpartum depression, and breast cancer in the mother. · Use glass bottles, plastic bag inserts, or opaque polypropylene bottles - all  great alternatives - If you prefer bottle feeding your baby.  Some mothers do prefer formula, and there are other options to the typical plastic baby bottles. Also, use formulas that do not come in aluminum containers. · Use ceramic, glass, or stainless steel as opposed to plastic food storage containers or water bottles. If this is not doable, at the very least stay away from heating food in plastics as this increases the prospects of leaching.   · Avoid canned foods. Purchase the fresh or frozen alternatives as much as possible.   By making these small changes to your lifestyle, you will reduce your exposure to BPA By making informed consumer choices, you can accelerate the legislative process. Your health, the health of your family, and Mother Earth will thank you.

Grilling Green

Our surroundings are getting greener as spring comes to a close, and summer is on the horizon. Let's take a note from Mother Earth and make this summer our greenest yet! The backyard barbeque is a great summer tradition, but it doesn't have to be enjoyed at the expense of our environment. There are ways to celebrate the sunshine without the typical backyard BBQ blunders. The most obvious wasteful element is the amount of disposable plates and cutlery that is thrown into the garbage. Try to stick to reusable dishes and utensils. Make your party BYOD by asking your guests to bring their own dishes! If you have to go disposable, try finding biodegradable or compostable dishes. Or at least avoid plastic dishes, as they will never break down! Also, make sure to have distinctly marked recycling and garbage bin. Even consider a separate bin for food waste and compost it later! While burgers and dogs are the stars of the grill, the meat industry contributes to 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.  Try to assuage this statistic by offering more vegetarian options. These should please even your most carnivorous of guests. ·  For vegetables, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, and bell peppers grill particularly well- Great when brushed with olive oil · BBQ 'd Tofu: try our tofu marinade recipe · Veggie Burgers · Corn on the Cob: Soak husks in water first and then grill with corn still in husks. · Portobello Mushroom caps: Can be grilled plain with a little sea salt or with a splash of balsamic vinegar Now that you've got the makings for some green grilling, get out into the sunshine. Celebrate nature and another marvelously green summer! Namaste, Sydney