Catching the Rain

Have you ever seen a foot-long zucchini? Perhaps you're one of those skilled 4H-ers that grew everything imaginable back on the farm. Maybe you're a master grower of veggies in your backyard garden and large zucchini's are standard crop for you. But for a city native like me, it's a big deal to grow a foot-long zucchini that's 3 inches in diameter.

How did I celebrate, you ask? I mixed up some flour, beat a few eggs, and shredded that hefty green beauty into several small loaves of fantastic baked zucchini bread. I might add some cloves to the recipe next time, but for a first try, I'd say it'd turned out great. Now I'm just waiting for my squash to grow.

If you're located in the nation's midsection, you might have experienced an unusually high amount of rainfall this spring and first half of summer. I've been noticing, however, that the typically hot, rainless days of summer are popping up now, and might be sticking around over the next few weeks. If only I'd thought about getting a rain barrel to catch all that rain earlier, I wouldn't have to use the hose as much to water my garden through the dryer upcoming months.

Rain barrels are a convenient and eco-friendly way to save money on water costs. This is how rain barrels work: rain water lands on your roof, flows down the gutter, down the drain spout, and directly into a rain barrel attached or positioned below. Then you can hook up your hose to a spout at the bottom of the barrel, turn the knob, and water your plants.

Using a rain barrel not only helps to reduce your water bill, but it also conserves an important natural resource. Specifically, rain barrels divert water from the storm drain system and put it to good use, rather than letting it run off and potentially pollute our rivers and streams. Rain water is also very healthy for plants because it's oxygenated and contains no chlorine. Add to these benefits the ability to guide water where you want it and protect your home's foundation, and you've got an all-around great idea.

Using rain barrels is just another way to conserve resources and help you enjoy the bountiful fruits of nature - super-sized.

If you're interested, here's a couple of rain barrels you can order online:

Rain Water Solutions 65-Gallon Rain Barrel (pictured above)

Great American Rain Barrel 60-Gallon Painted Rain Barrel - Forest Green

What's It All For?

Have you ever asked yourself the question "What's it all for?" The "it" can refer to any number of things: life, work, study, being responsible for others. . .you fill in the blank. Where am I going with this? Well, the question moves us to figure out why we care about something.

A mysterious but tangible experience occurs when people encounter nature for the first time. The first time you ever saw a bee up close. The first time you hiked near bears in the mountains. The first time you swam with a sting ray. The first time prairie grass tickled your legs. Something stirs inside you when you're faced with the strength or the sweetness of untamed wilderness. You are moved to speechlessness, to fear, to words, to tears.

When I first hiked in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, my response was speechlessness and a mental clarity I'd never known before. Seeing the rocks and pines and high-lying pools made the forces of nature seem so powerful compared to the force of my feet on the trails. All the strains and tangents of my typical thoughts blew over the peaks and far away like a passing 3-o'clock shower. It was as if a part of me hadn't been born until that moment.

Now, you might be sitting there, thinking wow, this is really over the top. Instead you're saying, "I had altitude sickness and blisters. I ran out of water and fell into a freezing cold lake cause my "friend" was fooling around. My first experience of the Rockies was anything but speechless." Fair enough. But I dare you to try a new landscape. Visiting landscapes and reading about them are the best ways to discover what in nature you are drawn to care about. Once you know why you care, taking care is the unavoidable next step - like gravity pulling your feet down a mountain trail.

Happy Outdoor Weekend!

Indoor Plants: Improving Air Quality

One of the best ways to improve the air quality of your home is to add plants. Now I'm talking real, live plants, not those phony plastic ones you can distinguish from across the room. The smart part about adding plants to your home interior is that it improves air quality, which gives you balanced, cleaner air. Then there's the aesthetic benefit - greenery and blooms bring a fresh vitality to any room. They often cheer a lonely corner or blend so nicely with the colors around them, that it seems they were meant always to be right where you put them. I feel this way when I'm actually outdoors - right where I was meant to be.

When I can't be outside, though, it helps to bring plant life into my house. If you want to learn about types of popular house plants before you take a trip to the nursery, check out this houseplant site. It has tips about houseplant types and their growing needs.

Now the fun part. After you decide which plant you want to grow, you get to choose an attractive planter to put it in. SimplyPlanters.com has a huge selection of planters for indoors or outdoors. Even if you're a picky shopper, chances are very good that you'll find at least a handful of planters you really like. I'm fond of the modern design of the Venetian Vase planter. Its earth-tone shades could easily complement the style of some of today's popular fireplace hearths. I also like the tea leaf details, traditional beauty, and lightweight material of the Easton Planter.

From a "green" perspective, though, the square-shaped Garden Planter is the top choice, preferably for a porch or patio. It's made of a very durable recycled plastic material that will never crack, warp, or rot like its wooden counterparts often do. It puts discarded plastic to good use at the same time it creates a happy home for your plant - and a happier home for you.

Recycled Plastic Garden Planter - a green choice

Natural Shower

Ahh, another Friday. What are you doing outdoors this weekend? I'm not sure yet how the weekend will go for me, as I continue to dodge thunderstorms here on the plains. No, it's not like I'm a nomad following bison or something, but every now and then the weather interferes with my perfectly laid plans.

Like yesterday, walking out of the office, I was pelted with rain drops. I splashed through the puddles with my leather flip flops and slipped precariously off my heels several times. When I finally made it to my car, I began to enjoy the cool water dribbling down my face, and the image of myself dancing in the rain was so appealing. If I were a commuting cyclist, I would have had no choice but to soak in the smells and sensations of heavy rain while "driving" home from work. Instead, I found myself lined in traffic, waiting for electric lights to turn, rolling slowly through deep, muddy puddles I couldn't feel.

I had to forgo the outdoor concert I was planning to attend on account of the rain, but it was refreshing to have at least gotten wet from something other than a shower head.

Dismal River Canoeing Challenge

Ah, the Sandhills. No other landscape captivates me quite like the open, grass-covered hills of Nebraska. Imprinted on its windswept dunes and treeless miles is a tangible mystery, a quiet elegance.

Although sand dunes and hardy short grasses dominate the landscape, there are trees in the Sandhills, as my fellow canoers and I discovered as we coursed down the Dismal River in central Nebraska. Ours was not some casual observance of cottonwoods and cedars randomly dropped onto the grassy scapes; our encounter was of blood and sweat, skill and. . .well, splashes.

Falling in was par for the course among the 21 canoers of my group. A couple of canoes birdied, and so would my partner and I have done, if it weren't for one large tree, fast water, and a deep conversation. We found ourselves struggling to keep our heads above the water, catch all our gear, fight against the current, and drag the teeming canoe to a nearby sand bar. After finally dumping the water out of the canoe, we were grateful to be unhurt - and to have all our clothes and food in a secure dry bag.

There are so many tight turns and fallen trees in this river, that it's difficult for even experienced canoers to travel down without a bit of challenge. I rejoiced in my exposure to sun, sand, and water. Winding swiftly through sand dunes and fallen cedars, the river can be very tough, but I think that's the idea. For a more leisurely float, try the Middle Loup River.

Tips:
Check out the Dismal River link above for more in-depth info about the river and other canoe trails in Nebraska. If you're interested in traveling down a river without getting food or extra clothing wet, you might want to get a dry bag. For extended trips, get a large dry bag, like the NRS 3.8 Bill's Bag Dry Bag from Northwest River Supplies. For day trips, you can probably get by with just a small stow bag, like the NRS Dri-Stow Dry Bag.

Just remember, though, to keep the bag vertical while open - not lying on the bottom of your canoe - to prevent water from slipping inside unexpectedly!

NRS 3.8 Bill's Bag Dry Bag

Keepin' It Cool - and Green

Well, it's another Friday. I'll be spending my weekend in the Sandhills of Nebraska, canoeing down a river by day and star gazing by night. Beyond flashlight batteries and gasoline to get there, I'll be going pretty "green" for the weekend - tent camping, using an outhouse, and powering the boat by my own strength. And there's something so refreshing about breathing real air instead of re-circulated air conditioning.

I found some tips on how to reduce the amount of air conditioning you use and lowering your energy costs. Some ideas in this article include using fans, planting trees that cast shade on the house, installing energy-efficient roofing, and programing your thermostat so the AC doesn't run as much while you're away at work all day. Check out the link to find more smart ideas about staying cool without using as much energy. It'll be nice to your pocket book at the same time it eases your eco-friendly conscience.

Happy Outdoor Weekend!

Above the Lights of Town: Star Gazing in CO

While star gazing last week near Breckenridge, Colorado, I actually saw the Milky Way with my own eyes. In my experience, we tend toward truth, and standing face to face with the expanse of foggy stars, there were no barriers between me and truth's piercing rays.

The truth is, I could certainly have seen the Milky Way better if using a fancy telescope, but then it wouldn't have been with my own eyes. Still, I was able to make out the signature whitish mist stretching across the sky. Brighter stars twinkled in and among the clouds, bringing my focus to a point and guiding me along the trails of our planet's intangible orbit.

Sadly, the street lights of Breckenridge dimmed the glamor of the sight, making me wish I were high on Mt. Evans rather than just a few hundred yards from the town. But the image imprinted itself on the retina of my eye and has remained vivid in my mind.

I suppose towns have their purpose, though, because I found a T-shirt in a shop in Breckenridge that reads "Allergic to Cities" and has a cartoonish campfire and tent image below.

Conclusion: seeking another location to view the Milky Way. Any suggestions?

Solar ambiance, please

As I was relaxing in a hot tub last weekend with my family, my cousin commented on how much energy it must take to maintain the heat and power the jets. I had no response beyond "yeah..." because when you're enjoying the comforts of a consumer lifestyle, it's not as easy to be environmentally conscious.

Although I don't have a suggestion for an energy-saving hot tub, I do have a suggestion for creating ambiance in your outdoor setting without using a lot of energy. Imagine sitting in your recycled plastic patio lounger, enjoying a cool drink on a warm summer night. Now imagine solar-powered LED lanterns lining your garden pathway. You can enjoy the soft, romantic ambiance of the lights as you stroll with someone special, or you can simply shed a little light on your landscaping for night viewing.

Whatever your intended use, your pocket book will appreciate the reduced energy bill, and you'll be happy you've made this slight adjustment for the sake of conservation. That's good hospitality.