Help Save the Planet One Day at a Time

I realize that climate change is a very unpopular subject for many, but the recent floods in Germany put it back on the front page where it belongs.  We can't keep putting our heads in the sand. This is real. It is not going away and it's going to get much worse.  Scientists are alarmed at how quickly this is happening, much quicker than anyone projected.  We will all be affected at some point. Our insurance rates will reflect the new reality if they have not already.  Gas prices. 

So how can we help?  We all need to start thinking about our actions, making decisions that in their own little way can help mitigate the onslaught of severe weather, droughts, fires, more pandemics.

1) Grow your own food or buy local

Supporting factory farming (which is huge polluter any way you look at it) is making climate change worse.  Start shopping at your local farmers' markets, buy from local vendors, not Walmart or grow your own food.  Eat less meat and poultry. 

2) Walk and bike more, drive less

I put less than 5000 miles a year on my car.  If you  live in the city walk instead of taking public transportation.  Most of us could lose weight anyway. If you must drive plan your trips so you take 1-2 trips to the store, not 3-4. Buy a bike. Don't drive if you don't need to and if you are planning to buy a new car, think electric or hybrid if you can.

3) Donate used clothing to a local thrift shop and buy secondhand

We all buy more than we need. I am very guilty here.  Stop buying stuff you don't need and take the stuff you don't need anymore and donate it.  When you do need something buy used.  I shop Poshmark regularly.  Thriftbooks for books (far cheaper than Abe or Amazon). Think about your purchases. Do I really need this?

4) Quit shopping at stores that just pollute

Dollar Stores?  Quit buying in small quantities that just create more plastic to pollute.  Why do we have to buy hundreds of bottles of bottled water?  What happens to all of those billions of plastic bottles.  They end up in landfills.  A huge polluter of methane gas - landfills. Use tap water and filter it.  Do we need all that cheap Made in China stuff that we end up throwing away?  No.We.Do.Not.  

5) Cut the AC off and the lights

I have yet to turn on my AC in the downstairs of my house. It is hot, yes. But I am saving a lot of money. Turn the lights off. If you are not in a room why are you leaving the lights on?  Why?  Use fans instead and burn candles for a romantic evening with no lights.   Turn your computer off if you are not using it and the printer.

Little stuff?  Yes.  But everything we can do to save our planet is worth it.  Think about it.... Life for the next generation is going to be VERY different from what we all knew.  Extreme weather. Hot. Cold. Storms like the one that hit Germany.  Earthquakes in areas that are not known for them.  Extreme drought. Some areas will run out of water - Arizona, parts of California, Nevada.  Yes. It is happening already.

Here are some of the top books picked by experts on climate change. Knowledge is power.

While we all sit home, the oceans are warming, coral reefs are disappearing, entire species of animals will die when their habitat gets too hot or cold. The ramifications of all of this is massive and it will affect all of us.  Every.single.one.

Fun Summer Finds

 Where has the summer gone?  Better enjoy it before it's fall.  

Is this not the cutest romper you've ever seen?

Here is the long version and I love the back!

More summer place mats:

This is so darn cute. Love the zebras!

Love these chambray napkins from April Cornell:

This lucite flower vase makes the perfect summer hostess gift.

 

 This Sabre flatware is still on my wish list.

Came across these great summer place mats at Hudson Grace.  They come in three different colors.  Fabulous for the summer months.

 

Fun New Needlepoint

Some fun new needlepoint to stitch.  

Love this one!

Another great pillow canvas.

 You can never have too many flowers in the house and in the garden.  Love this one!

I have been stitching like crazy and will have a new slew of holiday ornaments for my garland this year.  Would love to add this ornament.

Love this rabbit!

A great holiday door hanger.

Not sure why this one is not in my stash.

Jean Smith is one of my favorite designers.  Love this one made into a pillow and how fun would this be to stitch?

The photo is not good on this one but I love this and it's on sale.  Would make this into a pillow. Very Hermesque.

More flowers.  Love this one!

 

That Competitive Equestrian Spirit - Lessons Learned

With the Summer Olympics starting soon, we'll be seeing a lot of athletes in the coming weeks.  I've been a competitive athlete all of my life, swimming as a child, running track in junior high, then on to tennis, volleyball and even a short stint with softball.  Riding was always a part of my life but I quit riding at eighteen and then picked it back up when I was in my 30's.  If you have that "type A" competitive personality, you like to win.  And I do like to win.  But I've learned a lot through the years, how to temper my desire to win and how to make competitive sports fun and enjoyable.  It hasn't always been an easy journey but here are a few lessons learned....

1) If it's not fun don't do it

Riding is a very expensive hobby that is time consuming and if you don't enjoy it, find another sport.  

2) You have good and bad days - the amateur rule

The division I show in is one of the most competitive anywhere. Several former professional riders who are now amateurs routinely show up and most have very nice horses.  These women ride and ride very well.  I am never going to be a "professional amateur" and I remind myself of that fact at most shows.   We do well enough but I temper my expectations and sometimes I surprise myself.   We all have good and bad days. And remember it's about the fun.

3) Find the right horse and the right trainer

A bad horse costs as much to own as a good one.  A well-respected horseman told me that years ago and I have followed their advice ever since.  And trainers are like teachers, some you like more than others.  Find one that can help you meet your own goals. And it's okay to change your goals and your trainer but there are enough of them out there so you don't have to "settle."   My trainer has done wonders with Madison, my current show horse. I never thought she'd end up being as good as she is now, all thanks to her.

4) There are tools that can help you

The Internet is your friend and so is your local bookstore.   Books galore on how to train, eat, ride and think.

5) Look the part

Wear good fitting riding clothes.  You don't have to own a Charles Anacona riding coat or custom made boots, but you can wear clean, crisp, well-fitting riding clothes.  Always wear gloves and have your hair neatly tucked into your riding helmet.  Your saddle pad should fit your saddle.  Your tack should be oiled and clean and boots should be shiny. Don't braid yourself unless you are good at it (practice makes perfect).  I can't tell you how important that first impression is when you walk in the ring.  Can this make the difference between whether you get a ribbon?  Yes it can tip you one or another if you are on the bubble.

6) Some days you win, some days you lose.

I can think of shows where I won ribbons when I did not deserve them and others in which I had great trips but did not get ribbons. It all evens out in the end. Look to the positive in every show, every class and enjoy the moment and be glad you are out "doing it."

 

7) Buy lots of photos

I have a large hall in my upstairs and it is lined with horse photos, as is my home office.  You can never have too many of these.  I bought two photos from my last horse show at Deep Run two weeks ago. I wish I had bought every photo of Alfie now from every horse show.  Buy.every.photo. 

This is an early photo of Sega in Ocala, her first year there at age 6.  She looks like the young inexperienced horse that she was back then. Today is her 27th birthday.  Hug your horses, enjoy every day with them. Life is short.

Happy 4th of July

 It's our nation's birthday. Time to celebrate the red, white and blue.

I stitched this many years ago and I pull it out around Memorial Day. My Birds of a Feather door hanger is a perfect way to remind ourselves of this great holiday.

Wear the flag like only Ralph can do it.

Classic flag polo shirt, again Ralph.

Adopt a red, white and blue table theme....

Love these vintage glass plates from Fostoria.

Add these Fostoria goblets. I remember selling these when I worked at a department store many years ago. 

Love this much older Fostoria ice bucket in the June pattern in Azure Blue.  This is one of my favorite old Fostoria patterns.

This Paden City ruby compote would be perfect to fill with white mints for the table.  

Love these vintage Paden City cordial glasses. Perfect for the 4th!

 

Add these fun block print napkins.

Or these....

Enjoy the 4th!

Friday Finds

TGIF but it's a long holiday weekend.  Rain and colder temperatures in the East today.  Hoping you have a wonderful holiday weekend in store.  Here are some fun Friday finds!

1) Cheeky Needlepoint

This never goes out of style.  And is this not true?

 

2) Liberty Blouse

Love this Liberty print at J Crew. You can never have too many of these.  It's also greatly reduced.  Wear it with white jeans like on the model.

3) Vintage Staffordshire Soup Tureen

Love this!  Perfect for a table, a bookshelf, use to hold flowers.

4) Equestrian Vase

Love this!

5) Sally Lowe Jewelry

Love her stuff and met her in person last weekend at Deep Run. Lovely quality.

 

More Art Deco Glass

I love studying about the various companies that made gorgeous glass back in the 20's and 30's.  Some of this stuff is amazingly affordable and the quality, well, let's not compare this lovely stuff to what we buy today.  Vintage IS better.  

A somewhat unknown company is Indiana Glass, which was based in Dunkirk, Indiana.  Called Ohio Flint Glass Company initially it later sold to the National Glass Company and in 1907 it became the Indiana Glass Company.  Their glass was handmade and machine made.  Their classic colors were green and amber starting in 1925.  Rose in 1926 and topaz in 1930.  These colors were no longer produced (except the amber) by the mid 1930's so a green piece was made between 1925 and the 1930's.  Their blue-green was not made until the 1950's.  

Here is a green art deco relish dish, obviously made during the time frame mentioned above.

Here is a green cream and sugar.  Also very art deco. This is heavier glass, not the finer elegant glass, but still quite stunning. 

This is the Cracked Ice pattern made in the 30's in pink and green. Lovely!

All I can say about this sugar and creamer set from New Martinsville is wow.  This company was based in West Virginia and started in 1901.  The company was known to be daring and experimented with color. It was sold to Viking Glass in 1944.  As early as 1923 the company offered glass in wine, blue, amber and black.  Canary and amethyst came out in 1924; green in 1925 and they called it emerald in 1926.  Peach melba came out in 1926.  Alice Blue in 1928.  

Same style without the base in pink.  See it here.

Stunning black vase, from New Martinsville.  

Paden City is another West Virginia glass company of note, orginating from Paden City which is a small town southwest of Pittsburgh on the Ohio River.  They never made much in large quantity but the glass is lovely.  The company was closed in 1951.

This is a set of Penny Line glasses, made starting in the 30's in ruby.

Lovely cordial glasses also from Paden City.  The detail in this stuff.  

Lovely art deco vase from Paden City. Great stuff.