Beautiful Words

Words are just words, until we put them together to form something meaningful. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me"... when has this ever been true? Simple words can do so much more that form a phrase. Words can be hateful and damaging, but words can also be inspirational, lyrical, passionate and influential. Words have impact. Everyone has a favorite quote... and this quote generally evokes strong feelings with regards to something we are passionate about. But these quotes are just words stated so eloquently and perfectly that we feel the need to repeat them, and share them with others. I don't have a favorite quote... I have many favorite quotes. And these quotes are a combination of simple words that represent ideas to form something beautiful, and something worth sharing. Some may be humorous, some sarcastic, and some just pure and simple truth, but each is beautiful in its meaning.

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my Temples, my philosophy is kindness." - Dalai Lama


"Your neighbor's vision is as true for him as your own vision is true for you." - Miguel de Unamuno


"The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor "Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham


"Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages." - Thomas Edison


"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. Compassion is not religious business, it is human business. It is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability. It is essential for human survival. " Dalai Lama


"The variety of life in nature can be compared to a vast library of unread books, and the plundering of nature is comparable to the random discarding of whole volumes without having opened them and learned from them. Our critical dependence on the great variety of nature for the progress we have already made is amply documented. Indifference to the loss of species is, in effect, indifference to the future, and therefor a shameful carelessness about our children." - Peter Matthiessen


"Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant, and the beautiful." - EF Schumacher


"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein
( A similar quote from the movie Boondock Saints: "We must all fear evil men, but there is another kind of evil we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men.")


"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." - Gandhi


"I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say because it's such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her." - Ellen DeGeneres


"Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself." - James Anthony Froude


"As long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower beings, he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." - Pythagorus


"All beings tremble before violence. All fear death. All love life. See yourself in others. Then, whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?" - Buddha


"Compassion is the antitoxin of the soul; where there is compassion, even the most poisonous impulses remain relatively harmless." - Eric Hoffer


"I think our environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise, what is there to defend?" - Robert Redford

"What is the good of reason and intelligence when all you do is use it to harm others?" - Kathy Freston

"Religion is flawed because man is flawed." - Dan Brown

"What is the nature of a species that, knowingly and without good reason, exterminates another?" - George Small

"What is man without the beasts? If all beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected." - Chief Seattle

These beautiful words sum up a lot of my beliefs, my values, and my philosophies. These words inspire me, and reminds me that this world is a fantastic place and that, even with all of the human evils, there are still people out there who strive to make the world a better place. The place that it was meant to be; beautiful. 

It's Time to Start Saving the World. One Bag at a Time.

Every year, billions of plastic bags end up in landfills, where hey can remain for thousands of years, slowly breaking down into toxic pieces. Plastic bags are cheap and easy, but let's think about where they end up once we unpack our groceries. As stated in a National Geographic News article, "They sit balled up and stuffed into the one that hangs from the pantry door. They clutter landfills. They flap from trees. They float in the breeze. They clog roadside drains. They drift on the high seas. They fill sea turtle bellies". So then what about paper bags? Well, according to the same National Geographic News article, "Compared to paper grocery bags, plastic grocery bags consume 40% less energy, generate 80% less solid waste, produce 70% fewer atmospheric emissions, and release up to 94% fewer waterborne wastes". It almost seems as though plastic bags are the environmentally friendly choice. But we all know this is not the case. So what needs to be our response when the cashier asks "Paper or Plastic"? The answer should be neither!

Reusable bags are so easy to come by now. Almost all grocery stores sell them now, and they are fairly cheap as well. My husband and I started a traditions of purchasing a new reusable bag for every trip we took. Instead of traditional souvenirs, we opt for reusable bags. And there are now so many varieties of reusable bags, that they are actually becoming more convenient that the overused plastic bags. They may not be "free", but they certainly don't cost the world as much as paper and plastic do!

There are a lot of online retailers selling really great reusable products. Envirosax is a great place to shop when looking for reusable bags. They offer quite a few varieties and options. 

Enirosax Pouch- $39.95

The Envirosax Pouches come in a variety of designs and colors. 

Evirosax Organic Series- Hemp- $24.95

The Envirosax Organic Series offers many different designs and many different materials. The pictured bag above is made from hemp. But other choices include organic cotton, bamboo and linen. 

Envirosax Children- $8.95

Envirosax even offers reusable bags for children. 

Another great place to look is Reisenthel. They have a HUGE variety of reusable shopping bags... and they aren't your typical shopping bags. The product cannot be purchased directly from the Reisenthel page, but you can take a look at all of the options. The bags are sold throughout the US, and there is a dealer locator available on the Reisenthel website. You can also purchase the bags through various online dealers. 

Reisenthel Shopping Basket

Reisenthel Easy Bags

Reisenthel 9 Bottle Tote

Reisenthel Reusable Bags

There are many other companies that design reusable bags as well. So let's start saving the world... one bag at a time! Happy shopping!

Flip and Tumble

Blue Q

Blue Avocado

Peacock Inspired Design

Now that we have completed the yellow and gray guest bedroom... it's on to my design inspiration for our living room! Prior to moving into our new house, I had our apartment living room decorated in browns and greens. I still absolutely love the color combination... but I decided I wanted to go a bit more bold this time around. I still wanted to keep the greens and browns... I just wanted to go a bit brighter with the greens. Soon I started thinking about incorporating some blues and purples (the peacock colors) because I was having such a difficult time finding the specific shades of greens I had in mind. I see the greens all over while I'm watching HGTV... but again... I live in Oklahoma. I do not have access to a HomeGoods, Ikea, Z Gallerie, CB2, CostPlus or West Elm. I'm pretty much limited to Target, Ross, Pier 1, TJ Maxx, and Gordmans. Don't get me wrong... I love shopping at these stores as well... I just wish I had more access to better variety.

Anyway... I found a peacock blue throw from Pier 1 that I completely fell in love with. So, we ended up decided to decorate in mostly bright greens and peacock blues, with a possible touch of purple here and there (if I were to find the right pieces). The living room is still a work in progress... although we finally decided on our color scheme. So I started collecting bits and pieces for the room based on my idea of peacock inspired design. Below are a few images of what I have been able to put together so far...

The above pillow was purchased from Pier 1. They also carry the same pillow in a peacock blue color, but I chose to go with the green instead. 

This peacock blue throw was purchased at Pier 1 as well... and I absolutely LOVE it!

Above is a snapshot of the pillows and throw together on my couch. All purchased from Pier 1. I took this picture on my phone... so the colors don't appear quite as vibrant as they really are. 

The rest of the items pictured below can all be found at Z Gallerie. 

   

     

I will add updates as I continue to uncover more items to complete my peacock inspired living room. So far, it is coming together beautifully! In this post, I decided to share the greens, purples, and blues that we will be bringing into the room as the pops of color. But, we have also decided to add in several all white pieces to the design as well, since we decided to go with dark wood furniture and floors. We wanted to lighten the room up a bit with the white, but we also chose to bring in some of the peacock shimmer and shine with our floor coverings. The pieces of white and shimmer will be posted at a later time! So stay tuned!!!

Yellow and Gray Bedroom- Update

The Yellow and Gray guest bedroom is almost complete! We are still working on one art piece for the wall across from the bed... but apart from that... the room is done! The majority of the items used in this room were purchased from Target, but there are a few select pieces from Pier 1. The bed was designed and built by my fabulous husband, and turned out to be amazing! I do love being married to a talented guy... it definitely helps! It was difficult to get a picture that covered the whole room... but I did my best! ENJOY! P.S. If you are wondering about a specific piece, refer to my previous blog entry titled "Yellow and Gray Bedroom". Links are provided.

Yellow and Gray Bedroom

I love the combination of yellow and gray in home decor... and I found the most amazing yellow and gray pillow at Target by DwellStudio. (Peony Decorative Pillow)

The pillow became my inspiration for an entire room. I decided to start collecting yellow and gray items, as well as a few black and white pieces, and began decorating our guest bedroom in the yellow and gray color scheme. I LOVE IT! The room is not complete yet... but will be soon. My husband even designed and built the platform bed for the room. We just need to stain it and make the headboard... and the room will be complete!

Below are a few more pieces I picked up for the room (all very affordable, and all from Target)....

Pictured Above: Mandala Coverlet from DwellStudio for Target

Pictured Above: White Tear Drop Lamp

Pictured Above: Blossom Tablecloth by DwellStudio for Target

Pictured Above: Bright Vines Rug by Room Essentials (Target)

Stick around to see how I put all the pieces together.... even the tablecloth (in a bedroom)!

A Little Color Splash...

I am a complete HGTV junkie... although I am getting extremely sick of watching reruns of House Hunters, and House Hunters International. And this season of Design Star was pretty much HORRIBLE... with the one exception of the WINNER (Emily Henderson). I picked Emily as the winner from episode one (even though she totally blew that challenge and could have easily been eliminated after the first challenge of the season!) But one show that (almost) never lets me down, is David Bromstad's Color Splash (and Color Splash Miami). Like any successful designer, David works to please his clients, and design taste will never be the same from one client to another... so it happens quite often that David produces a room that doesn't come anywhere close to my design style. BUT, no matter what the style of the client, David's rooms almost always carry elements of design that I would LOVE to bring into my own home. And, of course, that is why I have to consider him one of my favorite designers of all time! Below are a few pictures of David's designs with the FANTASTIC design elements that I love!

The design above in no way reflects my personal design style, but I really love the graphic patterned pillows used on the couches, the hardwood floors, and the table lamps. I also think this is a really great color scheme (although I would prefer it in a bedroom).

Again, the design above does not really fit my personal taste, but I love the clean, modern lines of the furniture pieces in this design. I also love the enormous print on the wall behind the couch. My favorite design element in this room, however, is the color scheme. I love designs that start of with the neutral elements in the room, making those typical "non-colors" (such as blacks and whites) part of the design. But in order for this to look good, dramatic pops of color must be brought in. In this design, the blues stand out so perfectly from the backdrop of neutrals, that I can not help but call this great design.

The two pictures above are just different angles of one completed room. I LOVE this design. While it is certainly not for everyone, and is slightly more bold that I would probably go in my own home (or at least more bold than my husband would allow me to go), I LOVE it! Where do I even begin with this room? Let's start with the color green... my personal favorite, and it works so well in this space. It is difficult to see from these pictures, but the green wall is actually made of large sheets of glass that have been backpainted with the lime green color, and then attached to the wall. I have been wanting to do this as the backsplash in my kitchen for a VERY long time (with the exact same color shown above), but I have had no luck finding anyone in Oklahoma to do this. You can order the paint online, and purchase the glass separately, but with such a costly project, I'm afraid things won't go quite as planned!

Moving on, as in the previous room, David has chosen a neutral backdrop of colors and clean lined furniture, and added those pops of color (in this case we see the greens, the purples, the pinks and the yellows). I love the use of the poufs for extra seating (I have two in my own living room, and finding cheap poufs can be an extreme challenge... I finally found mine at Target). And finally... I absolutely love the rug! I used to be a fan of the plain and simple rugs, but I have recently discovered a love of giant, bold patterns, like this one. The one thing I don't like is when patterns become too busy, and this rug is perfect with two giant flowers. I have come to truly admire the designs of Amy Butler and Thomas Paul (both will later have a blog dedicated to their designs as well).

I wanted to include the two pictures above because I love the large, graphic patterns that David used on the walls. My one issue with wallpaper is that the big, beautiful patterns tend to repeat so often that it becomes a busy mess that gives me a headache. Otherwise, I would love to put some big, BOLD patterns on my wall. Unfortunately, I am not the skilled artist that David is.

Can you guess why I love the above room??? Green, green, green! It's beautiful! And this time, David chose to add the pops of color in reverse, making green the main color in the room, and adding pieces of brown and white to compliment the decor. I love it! If only my husband would agree to let me go so bold!

So, once again, I included the photo above because I love David's choice of color for the room. I love the combination of yellow and gray. In fact, I just decorated my guest bedroom in this color combination. It took some effort to convince my husband, but it looks great, and he loves it! We chose to go with yellow, gray, black and white. Although trying to find really great yellow and gray, or yellow and black bedding is almost impossible! Everything I have been able to find runs upwards of $250! So we still have a few finishing touches before the room is complete... but I will be sure to post pictures once it's done!

So that's it for my tribute to David Bromstad and his amazing splashes of color! I hope it helps you with your design inspiration!

Pappardelle's Pasta

Located in Pike Place Market in Downtown Seattle, Pappardelle's Pasta offers some of the most amazing flavored pastas you can find. With such a huge variety of flavors, it becomes extremely easy to use these pastas to make delicious pasta dishes that are meat free, without running into the plain and boring spaghetti marinara or fettuccine alfredo. And for those of you, like me, who must cook for both the vegetarian and the meat-eaters in the same meal, it is as simple as throwing some chicken into the mix once you've already served up the meat-free portion of the dish. Recently I have been experimenting with different pasta flavors from Pappardelle's, along with creating my own sauces to go with it. I must say, I have continued to surprise myself with my little creations... so far they have all been AMAZING! I've come up with three creations so far. Listed below are the pasta flavors I purchased from Pappardelle's, along with the type of sauce I made to go along with them.

Green Jalepeño Fettuccine with Cilantro-Lime Alfredo Sauce
Mild Spice Red Pepper Fettuccine with Roasted Red Pepper / Four Peppercorn Alfredo Sauce
Four Peppercorn Fettuccine with Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce

If you want to try some of these amazing pasta flavors and your own pasta dishes... go to the Pappardelle's website, and create something delicious!

Veggie Love

For those of you who are interested in the vegetarian cuisine... SuperTarget now carries TONS of vegetarian freezer food options. MorningStar Farms has come out with quite a few new products, all of which can be found at Target, and there is even a new brand that I just tried (Gardein), and all of it is AMAZING!

First, Morningstar came out with 4 entrees. Up until now, all of the products were items such as veggie burger patties, veggie sausage patties, etc. These new entrees are little microwavable meals (just like a Lean Cuisine or SmartOnes). And they are not just meals like fettucini alfredo with no meat. They are meals with veggie "meat"! Finally... And they are so delicious. So far, the 4 entrees available are:

• Lasagna with "sausage" crumbles
• Sesame Chik'n with Asian style noodles
• Sweet and Sour Chik'n with whole grain rice
• Chik'n Enchilada with black beans and rice

Beyond their new entrees, there are also a ton of new Morningstar products that can be found at SuperTargets (and I'm sure other grocery stores as well, but I only shop at Target... so I can't say for sure).

Here is a list of the new items that I have recently tried and can vouch for:

• Maple Flavored Veggie Sausage Patties (these are AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS)
• Hot and Spicy Veggie Sausage Patties
• Grillers 1/4 Pounder Veggie Burger Patties
• Chipotle Black Bean Veggie Burger Patties
• Veggie Italian Sausage

And finally, Target carries a new brand that I had not tried before called Gardein (Garden + Protein). The Gardein products I have tried have both been from their frozen food selections, but are cooked in a skillet rather than in the microwave. It's still a quick fix. So far I have only tried two of the frozen meals (the first two listed) and they were delicious. I also went ahead and listed several more Gardein frozen products as well, because they all sound so amazing! The bags also come with recipe ideas on the back. 

• Mandarin Orange Crispy Chik'n
• Chik'n Scallopini 
• Chipotle Lime Crispy Chik'n Fingers
• Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Wings
• Marinara Chik'n Good Stuff

I pulled up the Gardein Website to see what other options were available. They offer 7 "fresh" veggie options, including Barbecue Pulled Shreds and Grilled Chik'n Strips. They also offer 3 different "3 minute complete meals" that all include a variation of chik'n, rice, and vegetables (as of now, the complete meal options are only availablet at Kroger, Safeway and Whole Foods... so not available to those of us who reside in Oklahoma). 

The website also tells you where you can purchase each of these items. You just select your state from the dropdown menus, and it will give you store locations for each product. I don't know how updated the site is though, b/c it shows that all products can only be purchased at Akins Natural Food Stores in Oklahoma, but I purchased them from Target. The site also provides you with recipes created by Chef Tal (some look pretty amazing). 

Even if you do eat meat, you should really give these vegetarian options a try. Fake meat tastes just as good if not better than that weird, processed meat that you find in fast food restaurants and frozen meals at the grocery store. Plus, it's good for you, and the environment. And if vegetarian foods aren't selling (as can be an issue in the state of Oklahoma), grocery stores will cut their losses and discontinue the items. KEEP THE VEGGIE FOODS ON THE SHELF... so that I can put the veggie foods into my tummy! 

Thanks!

Eating Small

So far I have posted blogs, both new and old, to introduce myself, and to discuss my take on and my goal of "living small". One thing I have not mentioned yet, that again deals with both who I am and the "small is beautiful" ideals, is that I am a vegetarian. I am not a vegan, although I would eventually like to take that step. It is difficult enough trying to find enough vegetarian food while living in Oklahoma... it would be almost impossible to live as a vegan here.

I never thought I would become a vegetarian, although it did make perfect sense considering what a huge animal lover I am. But I always thought it would be way too difficult to give up the foods that I loved. Before becoming a vegetarian, some my favorite foods included Philly cheesesteaks (they held the number one spot), chicken strips, calamari, and cheeseburgers. Just prior to making the decision to become a vegetarian, I was in a zoology class in which we had to dissect a pig fetus, and numerous other things. I was definitely grossed out and disturbed by it, but even then I wasn't entirely ready to give up eating meat. I even made a comment to my lab partner that I would love to be a vegetarian, but I could never stop eating meat.

Shortly after making the above comment, my boyfriend (who is now my husband) and I tried out a sandwich place on campus called Fat Sandwich Co. They make all kinds of crazy, ridiculously fatty, not to mention disgusting, sandwiches, but they also make authentic Philly cheesesteaks. Now, for those of you who have never had a cheesesteak from the actual city of Philadelphia, you may assume that all cheesesteaks are the same... but this is so, SO wrong. I grew up in Philadelphia, and was devastated when my family and I moved to Texas and I had to learn the hard way that no one outside of Philadelphia has the ability to make a cheesesteak. But anyway... the owner of Fat Sandwich Co. not only know how to make a real Philly Cheesesteak, but orders in all of his ingredients from Philadelphia. With the first bite of a cheesesteak from Fat Sandwich Co., I was in love. I had finally found the real thing outside of Philadelphia, and in Oklahoma of all places!

Isn't it ironic that the day after I finally found a real, delicious cheesesteak in Oklahoma, I also finally decide to give up eating meat? What could have possibly possessed me to make this decision? The decision to give up, not only my number one favorite food in the world, but every other food at the top of my list as well? I watched some videos.

I don't even remember what prompted me to start watching all of these videos. What I remember is witnessing the horribly gruesome deaths experienced by animals in slaughter houses. I remember the terrible conditions in which the animals both lived, and died. Long before I had decided to give up meat, I had already chosen not to eat at KFC for it's brutal slaughter of chickens. The beaks of chickens are filled with sensitive nerve endings, and yet their beaks are torn from their faces while they are still alive. Their feathers are then plucked from their bodies, and they are thrown into boiling water and oil. And that is when they are finally relieved of their excruciating pain... in death. But after watching several of these videos, and then doing a lot of research on the subject, I found that almost every piece of meat we eat has gone through the same ordeal as the chickens at KFC. It is impossible to determine whether the animal you are about to ingest was slaughtered humanly, or brutally. I witnessed people cutting off the legs of a cow while it was still alive, crying out in pain. How could I support something like that?

Before totally giving up meat, I first looked into "free-range" and "organic" products. What I found is that the term "free range" is not regulated by any government agency, so the term could be applied to essentially anything, regardless of whether the animal was actually a "free range" animal or not. The term "organic" is regulated by the government, and does require that the animals receive a certain amount of room to move and grow, and a somewhat more humane approach to the slaughter of the animal. However, I also found that government inspections are rare, and it is only when a company is caught that the consumer becomes aware of any false claims of "organic" product. You would think companies in the meat industry would want to brag about their ethical and humane treatment and slaughter of animals if, in fact, they were doing so. But none do. So how is the consumer ever supposed to determine which supplier to go with? It's impossible. Unless you live on a farm and raise your own animals for slaughter and consumption. So I just chose the best possible scenario for me, which was to become a vegetarian. And I haven't had even the tiniest piece of meat since making that decision.

It was a step towards living small. Becoming a vegetarian also supports the environmental movement in several ways. Apart from that, along with becoming a vegetarian, I also discontinued my use of any products that are tested on animals, and attempt to purchase only products with no animal by-products in them. While I do not always agree with Peta's methods and ideology, they have great resources that include vegetarian starter kits, shopping guides, etc., so if you are considering taking the cruelty-free approach (and the living small approach) to life, it is a good idea to visit their website.

Becoming a vegetarian in a state like Oklahoma is sometimes difficult. In other areas of the country you can find a veggie burger, or similar item, on the menu almost everywhere you go (I'm talking hot dog stands, museum snack areas, etc.). But in Oklahoma, you're lucky to find anything specifically made for vegetarians. If anything, I usually have to order the Chicken Fettucini with no chicken (but I still pay for the chicken)! So whenever I find new restaurants, try new recipes, or discover new vegetarian foods at the grocery store, I will post them to my blog. That way, if anyone else is having a difficult time creating variety in their vegetarian diet, they can benefit from what I have been able to find.

Until next time... Live Small and Eat Small, my friends!

Our Oklahoma Version of the Modern Craftsman

My husband and I recently built a new house with Ideal Homes here in Oklahoma. While not an entirely custom builder (we picked out our floor plan and elevation from those available), we were able to upgrade and make changes to the house during the selections process. We really loved the floorplan of the house we chose, but weren't big fans of the curb appeal offered by the floor plan. Ideally, we would love to purchase a beautiful old Craftsman that we can renovate and make our own, but we don't plan on staying in Oklahoma more than 5 years, so we didn't want to take on any huge (and costly) renovations. Especially since this is our first house. Plus, we wanted a house that would sell easily, and since we don't really have an "Oklahoma Design Style", we didn't want to personalize the house too much. We decided that we would wait for that. We decided to make some design changes to both the interior and exterior of the house in order to get closer to that Craftsman feel (on the outside), and modern, eco-friendly design (on the inside). We requested several changes that were made during the building process, and we also made our own changes once we moved in. We decided to make several changes on our own because, as I said earlier, Ideal Homes is not a true custom builder. There were several things we wanted to incorporate into our home that Ideal Homes did not offer. We even asked if we could purchase the items we wanted, and have the builder install them as they went, but that was not an option. As of right now, we have not completed all of our changes, but we are getting there.

In this post I will cover the changes that we have already made to the exterior of the house.

The first change we requested was to the columns of the front porch. We really did not like the design of the columns, so we chose to incorporate tapered columns instead, which came out beautifully. Below is a picture of how the columns would have looked (left) and what our columns look like (right):

The pictures are somewhat blurry, but you get the idea.

The original plan called for siding on the side gables of the house, which we did not like either. Instead, we requested the Tutor style batons. Below is a picture of this change as well (even though it is difficult to see the siding from this picture). The picture on the left is of the side gables from the original plan, and the picture on the right is of our house:

We didn't like the fact that we were only able to choose one paint color for the exterior of the house either. We chose to go with two paint colors (a green and a tan), which are classic Craftsman style colors. You can also see the paint colors that we chose in the picture above.

We also changed out the carriage lights on the garage. The selection center with Ideal Homes did not have any that we liked, so we purchased them from Lowes, and installed them ourselves. They look so much better than the lights that came with the house. The picture below on the left is of the original carriage lights, and the picture in the right is of the lights we installed:

Our new lights are also eco-friendly in that they only turn on when it is dark outside. So if we accidently leave the lights on during the day, we aren't burning a ton of electricity. They remain off until the sun goes down! And they look great, too!

We did some landscaping in the front as well... although we are waiting until next Spring to do the majority of the work, as many plants are already past their blooming season. We want to plant quite a few trees, both in the front and the back yards. We chose black mulch for our yard, which looks amazing. It gives the yard a more modern, clean look.

The next two pictures are just for comparison purposes. The house of the left is the same floor plan and elevation as ours, but it was a field home, and changes were not made to the existing plan (so it is what our house would have looked like had we not requested to change things up a bit). The house on the right is ours (prior to the new carriage lights).

We are very pleased with how the changes turned out. I can't wait to continue making this house truly our home! We have already made quite a few changes to the inside of the house as well, but I will wait to cover those in my next post. Most of the changes to the inside incorporated eco-friendly, modern design elements into our Oklahoma home (which is no easy task).

So until next time... keep living small and enjoying it. I am!

Small is Beautiful

Well... it seems like it's about time to start publishing some new posts. What prompted me to begin this blog was the fact that it is extremely difficult to "live small" in the state of Oklahoma. No one here is really that concerned with the environment at all. My husband and I recently built our first house, and were shocked at how much we decided to do on our own, and how difficult it was to find eco-friendly products here. I did a ton of research and ordering online, but it still took a long time to find everything. So I wanted to start a blog all about "living small". Not everything will be completely environmentally focused. I may post some political rants and such. Some will be strictly design focused (mostly modern design, as that is our style, and also very rare in the state of Oklahoma), and while a lot of that design will go hand-in-hand with environmentally friendly products, not all of it will. Many will provide links to helpful websites I have found along the way. Some will also just follow the changes we have made, and will make, to our new house. My next post will cover the changes we have made to our house so far... which will include quite a few environmentally friendly design elements, but will also include items that were strictly aesthetic.  I hope you enjoy....

The New Pledge of Allegiance... Really???

Originally Posted on March 8, 2008

I wrote this in response to the "New Pledge of Allegiance", written by a student in Arizona. The "prayer" can be found at the end of this post. 

I do apologize to anyone who felt this prayer was meaningful in anyway... but I think it's beyond terrible. It is not against the rules in any school to mention the name of God or pray on your own. You don't need to pray out loud for the Lord to hear you. The point of getting rid of the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer is not to hinder Christians from expressing their beliefs. When the whole class or the whole school is expected to stand up and recite a Christian prayer, children of different religions feel that they are also expected to recite the prayer. They shouldn't have to feel that way. The point is to take away a little of the pressure that children face to fit in. Children shouldn't have to worry that if they don't want to participate in the class prayer that they will be looked down on by both teachers and peers. School is about education. Children are there to learn. Everyone should feel free to express their own beliefs, and THAT is why prayer shouldn't be allowed in school. Not because we want God to be eliminated, but because every child should feel safe and "normal" regardless of their beliefs. 

I'm ashamed that parents in this country teach their children to think this way. I'm ashamed that people use religion to promote hate. And no, I am not the antichrist. I have been raised a Christian and I still think school organized prayer should be banned. There is nothing wrong with the "freaks" who "pierce our noses", but rather with those who judge us. And you want to complain about the fact that "we can get our condoms and birth controls, study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles"... seriously??  It is a historical FACT that MOST people DO have sex before marriage. Do away with the condoms and find everyone you care about infected with an STD. Do away with birth control and you find all of your friends becoming the "pregnant senior queen" and "unwed daddy senior king". Get rid of witchcraft, vampires and totem poles, and you get rid of history, literature, and culture. And what the hell is wrong with totem poles anyway?

If you want to advocate ignorance and judgment, then yes, by all means, please pass this on. God will be the one to judge me and everyone else, including you. If people could all stop judging each other... we wouldn't have issues with prayers in school.... everyone would be truly free to believe what they want. 
- Kerriann




THE "PRAYER" :
WRITTEN BY A 15 yr. old SCHOOL KID IN ARIZONA :
New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME) !

Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer
are not allowed in most public schools anymore
Because the word "God" is mentioned....
A kid in Arizona wrote the attached
NEW School prayer :
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.


We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen !!

My Global Warming Myth Response

Originally Posted on January 30, 2009

This post is in response to the following article written by John Tomlinson It's Time to Pray for Global Warming

I wrote this in response to John Tomlinson’s article in Flint Journal: It’s Time to Pray for Global Warming. After reading Tomlinson’s article, I decided to look into his research. What I found (as I suspected I would) was that his information is not all that accurate. It is easy for people to take fact and tweak it a bit, or leave out a bit, in order to create their own fiction that backs up their opinions and beliefs. So I looked up Tomlinson’s sources, and sure enough, I found that he created his own skewed interpretation of the facts. Tomlinson's article can be found at the end of my little rant here, so if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can read it there.

Tomlinson points out that “650 of the world 's top climatologists” claimed that “global warming is a media generated myth”. First of all, over 11,000 participants attended the conference. That means less than 6% of the participants claimed that global warming is a myth. Second, the list of “650 of the world’s top climatologists” was compiled by Oklahoma’s very own jackass, James Inhofe, and it was later discovered that there were actually only 413 people on that list. And of those 413 “top climatologists”, 44 are actually TV weathermen, 20 are economists, and 70 are not even experts in climate science. In fact, several people on this list of supposed global warming skeptics have claimed that their opinions were misrepresented by Inhofe.

Tomlinson also writes “The earth's temperature peaked in 1998. It's been falling ever since; it dropped dramatically in 2007 and got worse in 2008, when temperatures touched 1980 levels”.

But, According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) 2007 State of the Climate Report and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) 2007 Surface Temperature Analysis: The eight warmest years on record (since 1850) have all occurred since 1998.

Tomlinson also cites research from the University of Illinois Arctic Climate Research Center stating that: “Meanwhile, the University of Illinois' Arctic Climate Research Center released conclusive satellite photos showing that Arctic ice is back to 1979 levels. What' s more, measurements of Antarctic ice now show that its accumulation is up 5 percent since 1980”.

But the National Snow and Ice Data Center reports that the year 2008 “continued the negative trend in summer sea ice extent, with the second-lowest summer minimum since record-keeping began in 1979”. They also report that because 2007 held a “record-breaking melt season”, so much ice melted that a “vast expanse of ocean was exposed to low winter air temperatures, encouraging ice growth.” Therefore, it is true that “2008 saw slightly greater ice extent”, but the ice was also much thinner, and therefore melted quicker, so the “rate of ice loss was much faster than average”.

I also decided to visit the source of Tomlinson's claim, the University of Illinois Arctic Climate Research Center website, to determine if Tomlinson’s statements regarding their findings were accurate. The Arctic Climate Research Center has actually posted a statement regarding certain articles that have come out in which the authors have cited their research. This statement claims that “Arctic ice volume is now below its long-term average by an even greater amount than is ice extent or area”. The site also includes “conclusive satellite photos” that show that, while a larger area may have a covering of ice, it is mostly new ice (thin ice). These satellite photos also show that the amount of multi-layer layer ice (“sea ice that is older and generally thicker”) is still decreasing, and has been decreasing drastically since 1979.

Tomlinson also quotes Dr. Kunihiko in his article. Dr. Kunihiko has also been known to encourage others not to concern themselves with their health (because, according to Kunihiko, doing so is a waste of time), and stated that life has no purpose or goal. Wow, Dr. Kunihiko, you sure are an inspiration to us all!

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, so if you believe that global warming is a myth, that is your right. I just think that if you are going to write an article to support your beliefs, you should actually provide valid research rather than twist the truth to get your point across.

Call it hippie liberal bullshit... but these are my thoughts, and this is my passion

Original Post Date: September 7, 2008


In most situations and under most circumstances I am not the kind of person who will try to impose my own personal views or beliefs on other people. But there are a few things that I feel so strongly about that I can’t keep quiet. If you have read any of my other blogs or any of my bulletins, you probably know how I feel about cruelty to animals and saving the environment. There is no question that people have done great things over the course of human history, but they have also brought about great devastation in almost every aspect of life on this planet. It seems that every day I continue to grow more cynical because of the actions I see, however, I do remain positive that it is not too late for our species to make a change. But while we do have the power to make that change, I fear that too many of us are too selfish, indifferent, careless, and lazy to make the necessary changes. The damage we are inflicting on our planet, and in turn ourselves, angers and saddens me to the point of tears and nausea. It breaks my heart.

 Every person on the face of the Earth is different and unique, but there is one thing that connects us all, and that is this planet that we share. It does not matter what religion you choose, in what country you reside, what political party you affiliate with, your nationality or color; it is the responsibility of every single one of us to put an end to our negative impact in this world. Why must we constantly think only of ourselves? Do we not realize that the pain we inflict on this world will eventually become our own pain? Chief Seattle once said "What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected." I am actively trying my hardest to help save this planet and the lives that depend on it. I donate a lot of money to organizations such as World Wildlife Fund, Defenders of Wildlife, United Way and others. I recycle. I just bought a new car that uses much less gas. I write to politicians. I buy energy efficient light bulbs. I don’t eat meat. I live small, with an attempt to limit my negative impact on the world around me. And while I will continue to fight for this planet, I (and everyone else who is doing their part) need the help of all of you. Everyday I see something that infuriates me beyond belief. Does no one realize that humans are 99% responsible for all species endangerment? And when we do realize this fact, why does this not bother us? Overall, humans are a negative force on this Earth, even with all of the people trying desperately to save this planet. If human beings are inherently good, then why is it so difficult to keep from doing harm? So many people look forward to finding paradise after they die, but I don’t understand why we keep destroying the paradise we already have. So much beauty exists in our world, but yet we continue to take it for granted, and we continue to throw it away. Nature is our inspiration. Animals are our companions. But yet we hold certain species above others. We plant flowers, and care for them. We keep our grass green. But yet we pollute our air and water, and we cut down our trees. We keep all kinds of pets. We love them, nurture them, and think of them as family. But yet we hunt and kill animals for sport. Aren’t dogs supposed to be man’s best friend? But yet we fly safely in airplanes above ground and execute the wolves running over open land. Does no one see a problem with our skewed perception of things? And are all the amazing things on this planet of such little importance to us that we don’t even feel the need to share them with our own children? Novelist and environmental activist Peter Matthiessen wrote "The variety of life in nature can be compared to a vast library of unread books, and the plundering of nature is comparable to the random discarding of whole volumes without having opened them, and learned from them. Our critical dependence on the great variety of nature for the progress we have already made has been amply documented. Indifference to the loss of species is, in effect, indifference to the future, and therefore a shameful carelessness about our children." Watching the human race continuously destroying our home breaks my heart every day.  It truly pains me to realize how selfish we are. And our politicians make it worse. The Bush administration could give two shits about life on this planet because they believe oil is so much more important. I’ve written to politicians in Oklahoma to ask them to defend this planet’s wildlife, and one wrote me back and actually told me that he thinks oil is more important, and that the animals will be fine. He claimed that drilling for oil is relatively harmless, and that oil spills rarely happen. Ha… oil spills rarely happen? I bet he wouldn’t dare say that now. Even if oil spills are rare, we have all seen how destructive they can be! But then again, how many politicians do you know that aren’t greedy, dishonest bastards? Many go beyond greed and dishonesty. Many are actually vicious and cruel.

Why don’t more people stand up and speak out about the terrible things that we see? Do so many of us go through life with our eyes shut that we don’t even see what is going on? Or are we just that insensitive? I wonder if people are ignorant of the facts, or if they just ignore them.

I can’t force your decision, I can only facilitate your understanding of the grave consequences of our actions. If you choose to ignore the facts, try to get through these videos without feeling the slightest bit of sadness, or twinge of guilt.

If you want to donate to one of my favorite organizations, you can do so by clicking the following links:

World Wildlife Fund:                                 www.worldwildlifefund.org

                                                                   http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/goto/kerriannscause

Defenders of Wildlife:                                www.defenders.org

The Humane Society of the United States: www.humanesociety.org

PETA:                                                        www.peta.org

We:                                                            www.wecansolveit.org

United Way:                                              www.liveunited.org

If you do not want to donate, you can also use these links to educate yourselves, your families, or you friends. These sites also include many other ways to get involved. Thank you in advance for checking these sites out.