Recycled Pets

Click on this if you'd like to vote for an animal shelter to help them win some much needed money. If you don't have a favorite shelter or rescue group please vote for the one in our town which serves as a much needed no-kill shelter. (go all the way to the bottom and click on SC)

Recycle Pets, Inc. in Rock Hill, SC is run entirely by volunteers (Shirin and Gabriel helped them out when they still lived here) who work really hard to provide a comfortable, safe environment for animals until they can find them a permanent home. Five of our kitties came from Recycled Pets: Calvin, Frosty Paws, Layli, Lupe and Chappu. Anahita's Delilah (Lupe and Chappu's sister) also came from R.P. We owe them a lot.

Please vote for Recycled Pets, Inc. in Rock Hill, SC.

Thank you!

Spring In January

What an unbelievable day we had yesterday. 70 degrees on January 5 with the windows open, the sun shining, and a nice breeze wafting in. If she could, Banu would always be in front of an open window.

Yes dear, I am taking your picture again.

Plastic Water

Just in case any of my loved ones out there are still drinking bottled water out of plastic bottles - DON'T! Again another study came out regarding both the unhealthy chemicals that leach into the water from the plastic and the fact that the water in the bottles is no better (and often worse) than what comes out of your tap. In addition, tap water is free and doesn't necessitate any transportation costs or contribute to the pollution made from the gas to drive it to your store or from the manufacture of the plastic.

In 1976 Congress passed The Safe Drinking Water Act and then in 1996 amendments were added to 1) require utilities to notify the public about any detected regulated contaminant and any water quality violation, and 2) the public's right to know what's in their drinking water with an annual water quality report that comes out about July 1. This report lets you know what contaminants, if any, are in your drinking water and how these contaminants may affect your health and lists all the regulated toxicants that were detected in your water over the preceding calendar year.

Some great links:

* CCR (Consumer Confidence Reports): http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/index.html

* How to read your water quality report in a pdf file: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/chemical-contaminants/How%20to%20Read%20Your%20Water%20Quality%20Report.pdf

* a consumer watch organization called Food and Water Watch: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/

So what do you carry your tap water around in? A stainless steel bottle. They're lightweight, virtually unbreakable, have non-leaching caps, and last a long time. They're also the "in" thing, so you'll look good too! I'll have to take a picture of my fine self and my new stainless steel bottle and post it for you... something to look forward to :-)

Bit Of Illinois Humor

My sister sent this recently:
It's funny but it's sad. I'm sure there's some SC politician making my license plate as well. People like this give rise to the phrase "slimy politician." Just in case you're young and don't recognize the fellow on the left it's former Republican Governor George Ryan, who was found guilty of tax evasion, racketeering and mail fraud, with some lesser charges thrown in for good measure. But now wait, everyone in this country is innocent until proven guilty, right? So if Blagojevich can just permanently suspend time......

Principles

"It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them."

This was said by Alfred Adler, a famous Austrian doctor and psychologist living at the turn of the century. As I reflect on his statement I find that whether I agree with it depends on the topic.

For example, I find it very easy to follow an animal-friendly lifestyle in an attempt to reduce my contribution to animal suffering but feel quite reticent to prescribe it to others. Having been on the receiving end (however well meant) of the rantings and ravings of someone who feels that they know what's "right,'' I know that I don't want to do that to others.


On the other hand, there are lifestyle principles that are obviously good but I have a harder time living up to them. Backbiting, for example, is nearly impossible to withstand in an office full of women. That doesn't mean I don't try and won't continue to try to disentangle myself from this ritual of negativity. Inspite of Baha'i writings about backbiting (How couldst thou forget thine own faults and busy thyself with the faults of others?/ Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner/...and should refrain from slander, abuse and whatever causeth sadness in men/Even if what is said against another person be true, the mentioning of his faults to others still comes under the category of backbiting/. . backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart) I find myself pulled into the cycle of gossiping.

I guess my New Year's resolution will be to try much harder to live up to my principles. That doesn't sound like much fun, but it really doesn't have to be about sacrifice and restraint, like giving up cheese :-) It's possible that one of my principles is... to have more fun!

Imagine What Could Be

I don't remember where I first saw this picture so I can't give credit to its creator, but I thought it interesting enough at the time to save it.

It probably says different things to different people. The woman may be imagining what she'd look like if she made (and kept) a New Year's resolution to exercise and lose weight. Conversely, she may really see herself this way. I'd really be interested in what you think this image represents.

And then there's this:

So, is this one any different? Does it send the same message to you? Knowing the crazy, daredevil antics of kittens, I would have to believe that this kitten really believes he is a lion. Besides, isn't it solely a human quality to imagine what could be, and then plan and strive to make that happen?

Perhaps this is a good segue to my New Year's Idea (distant cousin to the New Year's Resolution.) The idea is for each of us to form a notion of what could be... something doable... and then try to achieve it. Our theme song for the year could be Lennon's "Imagine" and our mantra Gandhi's "Be the change you wish to see."

Go look in your mirror.

Winter Flora In The South

Although I miss the snow and cold weather of the upper Midwest I really do appreciate the warmth of the winters here. Sometimes the winter weather can linger gray and damp in the lower 40s, but I feel grateful nonetheless for its relative gentleness. To enjoy my surroundings I need to go no farther than my own back yard.

Remember the post from September about the bugs on the leaves? The second photo down showed some seed-filled pods. This is what they look like now. All their seed babies have flown the coop.

I believe this bud belongs to one of our species of roses.
Can you believe it looks so alive like this in December?

Wow. So red without any photo enhancing tricks.

If you couldn't see the dead brown leaves behind this ivy you might think it was summer green.

Here is a "spaceship pod" that Martha didn't use in my Christmas basket. (It's actually a pine cone from our Sweet Gum tree.)

More ivy. This vine is extending its reach along the base of a tree as if it were spring. It knows that even if we were to have snow it could just hold still for a little while until it warmed up again and then continue its progress.

Cozy Banu

I know I've blogged about Banu's love of towels in the past, but I can't pass up another opportunity to show how adorable she is. I had just taken these towels out of the dryer and within minutes she had somehow buried herself completely inside this warm, soft nest.

My pleasant discovery .

Seeing me, the purring starts.

Green eyes, nose half pink half tan, black eyeliner...

... beautiful.

Getting sleepy...

... goodnight.

If you turn up your volume you can hear her purring:

Martha & Ken's First Travel Book

I was so surprised to open a gift that revealed the photographic and narrative talents of my sister and her husband. Avid travelers for years, they have found an enjoyable way to present their labor of love in a form others can enjoy. Below you will see my photographs of their photographs (!) but later I realized that you can just go to www.blurb.com to see it even better.

The photographs are amazing...

...but then so is the occasional narrative. I never knew my sister could write so poetically, so eloquently. Please look at it the next time you're at our house.

Neighborhood Luminarias

Our neighborhood puts out luminarias every Christmas. It takes quite a bit of effort on the part of a few to make sure every house has them on the prescribed night. The result is beautiful; it's like a sparkly fairy land. I wish Cyrus had been here to see the neighbors' Christmas lights surrounded by candle lit paths. Quite heavenly!