A Green Easter

Easter is by far one of the easiest natural holidays to have. Kids love their Easter egg hunts, and some of us adults do too! What child doesn’t love having a basket to collect those brightly colored eggs in? And, we can’t forget the chocolate and candy. This Easter do it all in green style and make that Easter bunny proud.

First up, are those eggs. Approximately three hundred million of our egg-laying feathered friends are stuck in very small cages and poorly fed in order to produce the amount of eggs Americans eat every year. Thankfully, more and more farms are beginning to institute a cage free and more humane environment for chickens. When buying your eggs, keep this in mind and look for eggs that are labeled with any of the following; certified organic, cage-free, certified humane, free range or free roaming. Those words describe a much happier place for our chickens.

Now, dying those cage-free eggs with toxic dye defeats the purpose of a green Easter, so try natural dyes. It is quite simple and fun for your children to see too. Simply boil your eggs with a tablespoon of white vinegar and the following for various colors:

red - red onion skins or pomegranate juice
purple - red cabbage
yellow - carrot tops
green - spinach

While you are doing this you can eat a nice salad with your family made of these natural dye ingredients, and chuck those leftovers into your compost pile - an entirely natural Easter egg dying experience!

One last suggestion for the eggs, are to not use the average of two dozen eggs on Easter at all. Instead, knit or felt your eggs if you are crafty and pass them down as a family keepsake and tradition. Check out a Child’s Dream Come True online for their felt craft ideas which are all-natural and non-toxic for kids. Or follow in President Obama’s footsteps and use eggs that are Forest-Certified Council hardwood.

Second, the plastic Easter basket, used, bruised and thrown away each year into a landfill is not the only option. If you already have a sturdy plastic basket, reuse it. Other options include knitting a basket which your kids will love because it is nice and soft. Or, opt for the nice wooden basket in your home that holds your magazines all year. There is no reason why that basket can’t have multiple uses. Another idea is to use items that are in your garage for other purposes, such as that beach bucket waiting to come out and play before the summer arrives.

Lastly, only buy Fair Trade Certified chocolate for your children this Easter. There are estimated close to three hundred thousand child laborers making chocolate in horrendous working conditions. In order for us to help to ensure these practices stop we can choose to buy Fair Trade Certified chocolate only. Our purchasing power is our voice to shut down such unfair labor practices. Your children have the power to help other children.

Check out the Natural Candy Store online as well for natural and vegan candy for those kids, big and small, who need to have that sweet tooth satisfied by the Easter bunny.

An alternate to candy and chocolate altogether is to fill those Easter baskets with items your child will love. For example, fill the basket with art supplies, or with gardening tools. Kids Gardening online has a good variety of kid size gardening tools and this motivates your children to get outside and learn more about plants and flowers.

This Easter offer your children a holiday that teaches eco-friendly values, action, and tradition.

A Natural Childbirth

"Look down. There is your son," the words floated through the air. I caught a glimpse of this wriggly little, teeny tiny being. He was loud. Very loud. And, he was here. With us, at last.

The months and hours prior to my son's arrival was filled with emotional highs and lows, physical struggles, and most of all a ton of gratitude. Moments of pure joy unlike any other I felt filled my heart daily.

My husband and I attended the Bradley class to learn about having a natural birth. We learned the emotional signposts of labor and delivery to be able to recognize when we were almost at the finish line. That class was right on. When I was whimpering to my husband, "I don't think I can do it. I can't make it." that was exactly 20 minutes before our son arrived. Right at the end of a long, hard journey is when our spirits are tested, when we see how much we really want the prize, and we face a wall. We face a wall that we must break through. The Bradley class taught us that right when I uttered those words of resignation that we were at the wall. Right then, I remembered that lesson and knew, deep down inside that I had to push through, break through that wall to get to my son. So, I did.

Somewhere inside each of us mothers and fathers we have this strength that we may never have known existed. That strength that helps us to plunge into the unknown of pregnancy, labor and delivery, and then raising a child. A strength that gets larger each and every moment we hold our child in our arms. Did you know you had this strength? Our children need this, and what I have learned is that our children are just as strong. They must be to have made this journey through labor and delivery too!

I dilated from 4 centimeters to delivering our son in one hour. I was blessed with a quick, albeit intense labor. My Bradley class teacher called me "a warrior." I could not have withstood that level of pain without the help of my husband, assisting me with all we learned in class and standing firmly by my side, holding my hand and cheering, "I am so proud of you." These moments are now the next level of a strong foundation for our marriage and our journey as parents.

We are not all able to become pregnant. This I know after a long battle with infertility. We are not all able to have a natural delivery. We are not all able to hold a healthy, and loud, baby in our arms. I consider myself beyond blessed. There are no words to explain the emotional, physical and spiritual connection I feel to our son and the energy of life as a whole.

A child is the most natural gift of all. A child is the most precious gift of all. The lessons from my mother, my friends who are mothers, and most of all from our son, contain a great wisdom which only Mother Nature holds true. I will continue to listen closely to that wisdom and be grateful for this amazing gift.

Baby Boy!

Blog posts will slow down for a little while so I can enjoy time with my new baby boy! Thank you and check back in a bit!

A Green Tip For Each Month

Living naturally and helping Mother Earth is not a big step. Rather, all it takes is a little step at a time. So, to break it down into doable chunks, we will implement one new green tip each month of this new year. By the end of the year you will have twelve new ways you are living a greener, more natural life!

Just cool it January: Yes, it is cold outside in most places right now. If you live in a cooler environment, lower that thermostat. Yes, you read correctly - lower it. Instead of running the heat as soon as the temperature in your home hits 60 degrees, consider saving that electric or water by delaying the heat until 50 degrees. An alternative and great way to keep warm is to simply layer up in that big sweater, under the blankets, with a good book and a mug of hot cocoa!

For the love of chocolate February: The month of love, Valentine’s Day and lots of chocolate! Consider buying Fair Trade Organic chocolate for your loved ones this month. You will feel better knowing that local producers created this sweet treat without pesticides and in harmony with that land.

Make it cleaner March: Spring is right around the corner so it is time to invest in some green cleaning products. Once your chemical based cleaners run out replace them with good old fashioned baking soda and vinegar. This concoction keeps windows and countertops clean and sparkly.

A bucket of water April: April showers bring May flowers so take this opportunity to set out rain barrels for watering your garden. Recycle the Earth’s water in this way and save not only on your water bill but also on depleting one of Earth’s most valuable resources.

Muscle building May: Now that the weather is warming up consider an alternative form of transportation to work. Remember that bicycle you have in the garage? It is calling for you to take it for a spin. Even if you can’t bike to work due to distance or logistics, try doing a local errand by just adding a basket to the front of the bike for carrying goodies home.

Jolly harvesting June: Plant that organic vegetable garden you always dreamed of! Make it a family activity for the entire summer and harvest delicious ingredients for meals as well as fun family memories!

Jump in the sun July: Especially since it is lighter out longer, there is no need to have those lights on in your home most of the day. Be sure you and your family switch off all lights immediately after use.

A pile of leaves August: The leaves will start falling and make great compost and mulch. Start that compost heap and you can use this rich fertilizer toward the planting of your winter garden.

Shining September: Swap out all incandescent light bulbs with CFL bulbs to help your light last longer with less draw on electric.

Off in October: Invest in a power strip so that it is easy to flip the switch to turn off all of your electronics at once.

Nothing to it November: That incredible Thanksgiving meal you are making is sure to include all of the delicious ingredients from your garden. From squash to pumpkin your guests will enjoy the rewards from your compost and recycled rain water!

Dazzling December: Make this holiday season’s focus about using less to give more back to Mother Earth and your community. Use newspaper as a vintage look for wrapping paper for those holiday gifts. Gift your time by volunteering at a local soup kitchen. Or, decide to decorate a replantable tree. The ideas are endless!

Hopefully you can plan a little bit of green into this year each and every month. If you have other ideas or additional ideas, go for it! When it comes to helping the environment the sky is the limit!

A Naturally Wonderful New Year

Taking stock of where you have been and where you are now will help you to move forward with all of your dreams and aspirations clearly laid out. The passage of a year comes with the four seasons, the growth of trees, the shedding of leaves, and the hibernation before the process begins again. The passage of a year comes with a natural rhythm and it is this rhythm that can help you to dive into the new year with your goals set.

First, look back on the first part of this past year. From January through March. For many,depending on where you live, your winter was colder. You saw snow and darkness. During that time, nature was quiet, getting ready for the spring, getting ready to sprout into beauty. What did you do during that time? Were you hibernating, storing up energy, gathering your strength to jump into your time to blossom in the spring months? Think back to where you were during those months, how you managed and what you loved about that time period this past year. Think about the people who were with you, the memories you had and how those influenced you for the next phase of the year. If you journal, write about it. If you are a poet, rhyme about it. If you enjoy music, sing a song about it. Find a way to express your reflections.

Second, look back at spring, joyful spring. From April through June, the birds began to sing louder as they built their nests beneath new leaves. The sun shone longer and the first flower of spring poked its head out to see the world. Such promise. Life survived the winter in one way or another and dared to live in the glory of spring even with the knowledge of another impending winter. That is the cycle of life after all. Hope carries all life through all seasons. Think about the activities you engaged in during the spring months. Did you have more energy then? Were you able to start new projects, take more initiative? Again, express these reflections in a way that fits you best.

Third, look back at summer, from July through September. For some, autumn began in August, and included the changing colors of the leaves, while for others summer bought heat, more heat, long lazy days of salty ocean air and lulling waves. Ice cream cones, ice pops, and iced cold lemonade are but a memory away on our tongues. Was your summer relaxing, too long, hot and humid and draining, or a time of respite? Express your reflections on those hazy days of summer.

Fourth, the months we are finishing up now, the autumn into winter months. The leaves have given some of us an amazingly spectacular show of brilliant colors. From red to gold, autumn shared how beautiful life can be right before death. The last flaming burst from a candle is always the strongest right before it goes out. Those same leaves dried up, turned brown, and fell to the grown, but with grace and acceptance, they flowed into the breeze. As your life flowed from the changing of the leaves to less time in the sun to colder weather, did you look forward to this time to reflect on the beauty of the cycle of life? Did you have the chance to see how the rhythm of the four seasons is really the rhythm of all life, of your life?

From what has been, to what is now, to what is to come, this is your life and your choice. You are able to decide how you will survive and thrive in each season of the year, and each season of your life. You are able to decide your dreams, especially if you look back to see where you have been, love who you are now, and then see clearly the road ahead toward where you want to be.

The snowflake doesn’t stop and fear the melting that will take place ahead, it only forms in its own unique way and then shares its beauty before it becomes another amazing life form in water for the land. The snowflake knows its destiny, where it has been, where it is now, and where it is to be. The snowflake accepts that its own uniqueness has a purpose in nature and simply goes with that flow. Do you? Take the time to find your aspirations this new year by looking at where you have been, where you are now, so you know where to be. Follow the rhythm of the seasons within yourself and each moment will be your purpose.

Natural Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas

The spirit of the season is not all about material items and spending time in malls and lines. Rather, it is about sharing time and creating memories with those we love. Gifts given with this spirit in mind are easy and all natural.

If you are able to find a potted Christmas tree that can be replanted this can be a great source of family memories and tradition. Not only will this gift continue to grow in your yard for years to come, but decorating it will be filled with the joy of knowing that you are instilling values of respect for Mother Nature in your children.

The excess branches that need to be trimmed from your Christmas tree can be used to make wreaths as beautiful gifts for friends. Simply tie the branches together with twine, add some berries and a bow and your friends will delight in the simplicity of the pine aroma and the time you took to create it just for them.

For those friends or family members who love collecting items such as photos or other memorable trinkets, a cute storage box is a perfect gift. Find any shoe box or other small boxes you have and rather than throw them out create a gift box. Make this a shared family experience for all to decorate in a way they feel matches the recipient of this gift. The more homemade it is with painted handprints, ribbons and inspirational phrases, the more this gift will be treasured.

For those out there who did an exceptional job of drying their summer fruit, go ahead and dip pieces in chocolate, wrap a bunch up in recycled paper and tie with a bow. Not only will this tasty treat be appreciated for its flavors but also for the time you took to harvest the fruit, dry it and create a gift from it to share.

Look around, look outdoors at nature, and see what you have in your home that can be accentuated to create the perfect natural gift. Be inspired to set a different path this holiday season that includes shared family memories creating natural gifts rather than standing in lines at stores. Your gift recipients will remember those gifts for all time, and you will forever have those memories of time well shared with your family.

The Magical Christmas Purple Ball

by Guest Author, the Green Granny



There was nothing more exciting than the sights and the sounds as well as the smells and busyness of the holidays as a young child . Waiting for all the festivities to begin was a true test of patience.

Preparation for the celebration of Christmas would begin right after Thanksgiving. The making of paper chains from red and green construction paper, candy canes that were rolled and folded and colored with a red crayon on white construction paper, popcorn strung on thread, coloring pages dotted with sugar crystals for a glittering effect, and everything from wreaths to Christmas trees glued with cotton balls and foil stars seem to add to the joy of the season.

My mother would create her own potpourri by placing tangerine rinds on top of the gas stove in the kitchen and the aroma would waft into every room. Holiday songs played on the kitchen radio while mom cooked and prepared all the yummy foods for all of the family to enjoy.

Dad would go out two weeks before the holiday to a nearby farm to pick out the nicest little tree. He would carry it in the cold weather through the cold hallway up to the first floor and set it up right in the parlor in front of the large picture window for all of us inside as well as outside to see.

As my father put the large red and green lights on as well as the bubble lights, my mother and I would decide on which branches were the best to hold the balls, icicles and paper chains while my brother would wait until we were done to literally throw on the tinsel.

One particular decoration that I dearly loved was and still is, the traditional purple ball. It is flocked with a design of Santa in his sleigh packed with toys while his reindeer pull the sleigh right around the purple ball. I am not quite so sure why I treasure this ornament the most of all the lovely things I have ever placed upon a Christmas tree. But it has taken its place of honor not only on my parents' tree during the forties until the early eighties, but on our family tree for my children to decorate throughout the nineties.

It is so special that it doesn't get tucked away with the other holiday decor but is wrapped very carefully and placed in a box and put away on top of the shelf in a closet where only I can find it year after year.

When it is time for it to make its appearance as the grand and only purple ball that has lasted this long without even a chip or scratch, it is with total silence and careful, steady hands that it is placed on the sturdiest tree branch for another season.

As the lights get plugged in and the holiday songs still play on the radio, I still take in the sights, sounds and smells of another holiday coming, and enjoy looking at the purple ball glistening on top of my Christmas tree. It surely keeps me remembering the many holidays of the past and the simplicity of it all then and how it still should be.