That time of year

Rail Trail to the North

Yesterday evening Birding Friend and I drove up to a rail trail. She'd been there in the past during the bird-a-thon and was anxious to get out one more time before starting a second job. I'm always open to finding new places to walk, especially if someone else is driving. It was a nice wide, flat, straight path that we walked for about three miles.

She pointed out bird calls and I showed her different ferns (cinnamon, interrupted, royal, and sensitive). I spied a muskrat just as it slipped into the water. The few ATVs we saw were driven at reasonable speeds by courteous individuals. It would be a nice spot to walk with the dogs or ride a bike, but with the high gas prices it's not exactly practical.

I am always wishing that we had a more extensive trail system in my area, so it brings me pleasure to find a rail trail somewhat nearby. To see if there are any near you, visit TrailLink.

Soapnuts

Yesterday's mail brought a nice little treat. Laundrytree's soapnuts sent to me by Smellyann. I haven't tried them yet because I only do one load a week of my clothes (the dog's get their own load). I can't wait to try them, but I wonder if I can still do the vinegar? I love the idea of not producing any waste and being able to compost the nuts after using them. So stayed tuned, and I'll let y'all know how I like them.

Thanks Smellyann!!!

Sunny Saturday

Some of my poppies have popped. I think maybe if I stood next to them long enough I could catch them in the act of going from fuzzy buds to gorgeous open flowers.

The Solomon seals hide quietly in the deep shade behind my house. They do not announce their presence with the same zeal that the poppies do, but they are well worth the extra look.

The lily-of-the-valley are filling the backyard with a lovely light scent, but I was unable to capture them on film. I brought 4 flower stalks into the house for continued enjoyment of their fine scent. My grandmother had tiny vases that were perfect for a single small flower. I wish I had them now, as my lily-of-the-valley would look much better in those tiny blue and white vases than they do in the wine glass I put them in.

Other Forms of Recycling

Esme has been regressing. When I first got her she did not mess in her crate at all. But now she will pee even if she's only in there for 4 hours. As a result I have to change her towel/blanket twice a day. I don't like running the washing machine unless I have a full load, so I decided what I need is more doggie bedding. I posted a sign in the kitchen at work inviting people to bring me their old towels or baby blankets. I would like to avoid having to buy new items for this purpose.

The next day I found a plastic bag in my mailbox when I came in. I assumed it was for the doggies until I opened it up and found 3 articles of clothing and a note from my boss asking if I liked them. Her sister is as big a shopper as she is but had decided these items weren't practical for the Texas clime. Since they didn't work for my boss she brought them in for me to try. One is a lovely, soft, brown shawl-type sweater that I adore. I haven't tried the others on yet because I am so enamoured with this one.

No one has brought me any doggie bedding yet though. Perhaps they are reluctant to air their "dirty laundry" in front of a co-worker?

I Heart Walking

Last night after filling all 3 of my yard waste containers and dragging them to the curb, I took both dogs for a walk. I can see it will take some getting used to, but I am happy to report that I made it through the entire circuit of my normal half hour walk. It took quite a bit longer though, what with all the dog wrangling. Esme walked at least half of it, with me carrying her while we were on the busier streets and when crossing (she's prone to stopping for no apparent reason). It's such a relief to know that I can manage it with a little patience and attention to detail (and extra poop bags).

While on the subject of walking, it seems that people these days either are not aware that there are rules dictating which side of the road you should be walking on or just don't care. I am always careful to be walking or biking on the correct side, but from what I see most people in my neighborhood do whatever they please. Sometimes I am the only person walking on the correct side, which makes me appear to be the one in the wrong! So to review:

1. When riding a bike, you ride WITH traffic.
2. When walking, you FACE traffic.

Any questions?

Last summer, I set a goal for myself to walk a minimum of 3 times a week. This year I am upping that goal to 4 times a week, with the exception of when class is in session. All bets are off then.

The wonders of vinegar

I continually mention how I draw inspiration from fellow bloggers. While reading These Days in French Life, I happened upon a post in which Riana sings the praises of vinegar. I was intrigued but not overly motivated until my host teacher shared with me an article about a science fair project about dirty laundry. I did some web surfing and bought some vinegar (yes, it's true, I did not even own any vinegar!) and started adding it to my laundry. My laundry smells good (no residual vinegar smells) and static cling has been much reduced. I don't use dryer sheets or fabric softener, so it's both economical and environmentally friendly. The killing of poop-bacteria is less tangible, but I'm sure it's helping that too. I do all of my laundry on cold, so I feel better adding the vinegar. Especially since I am regularly washing dog blankets and towels.

I may also try using vinegar to clean, but well, I'm not in any rush to take up cleaning. Ha!