March Against Monsanto 2014

I love the sign behind me, it says, "What we

love is what we protect," so true. In this 

case it is our families, our liberties, justice

and our beautiful planet.

Today Jeff and I exercised the first amendment by participating in the Dallas branch of the global March Against Monsanto. Dallas had a pretty good turnout. We arrived a bit early and helped make signs while chatting with other marchers. Many, like us, said it was the first time they'd participated in a rally or march. It was touching to see how many parents brought their kids to the march. It makes sense that people with so much invested in the future would be concerned about the issues raised by Monsanto; illness, sterility of future generations, injustice, corruption, food monopoly and pollution. 

We marched from Dallas City Hall to the Farmers Market and back and then listened to speeches. The speakers were quite a cross section of Dallas; young environmentalists, a doctor, an OBGYN, a Libertarian, gardeners, beekeepers and a mom reading her 2nd grade daughter's letter.

If you're not familiar with issues raised by Monsanto, I would encourage you to start by watching Food INC. and Frontline: Seeds of Suicide, both from PBS. Then do your own research! It is worth it to inform yourself. The foods we eat will affect us everyday for the rest of our lives and your food choices shape the world around you in more ways than you will ever know.

One of my favorite signs

Some of the many families marching

Bee people from the Beekeeper's Guild

Making posters.

People beginning to gather

Spring Flowers 2014 Part 1

Spring Flowers 2014 Part 2

Squirrels Again

Today there are two. When they jump on the bird feeder I open and slam the window to frighten them away so now they're plotting their revenge against me!

Cool critters from my yard!

Jeff found these wonderful grubs while he was doing yard work. I'm guessing they are cicada grubs from the size. I found the pearly little worm snake.

Girls Wine and Painting Night

I've subjected my patient friends to many tortures; a shrinky-dink party, an adult Easter egg hunt, a wedding in Yellowstone. But last night I introduced them to the horrors of painting. We did our own renditions of Gustav Klimt's Tree of Life. 

Earth Day & the Eco-friendly Cat Litter Box

I've posted before about the catio (cat patio) we made for our kitties. But since then I've made some cool updates that I thought I'd share. Catio sand pit + pine litter indoors = an environmentally friendly, low-maintenence alternative to the cat litter box.

I felt bad about the environmental issues with cat litter but I seem to have found a solution. I built my cats a catio (cat patio) outside. They exit the house through the fireplace clean out (don't worry, we never have fires) and enter the catio where they can climb and perch. It is enclosed, so I know they're safe and can't kill birds. I dug out the floor of the catio and prepared a drainage layer of lava rocks covered with erosion control cloth and then a deep bed of sand. The girls do their business out there and nature takes its course breaking down the waste. Even standing next to it, you can't smell anything. I sift it now and then, but there's surprisingly little waste when I do. Indoors, I've switched to pine litter which I can compost. The girls don't really care for it, but they will use it in a pinch when it's stormy or wet out. I know this setup might not work for everyone, but we love it!
More pics of the catio here.

Seriously! Squirrels

This situation has gone completely out of control! I bang on the window and they couldn't care less.

Bluebonnet Fields Forever!

This is my favorite Bluebonnet patch and also the site of my new art geocache!

Shipping a big book order and flowering quince outside my studio window

The Yellowstone Association just reordered. Three cases of Imagination Vacation Yellowstone are headed north!