• Last updated 11/9/12 by Melanie Mayo

  What a gift these last few weeks have been. Daily temps in the 70′s accompanied by bluebird, sunny skies. We’ve been happily shrugging off long sleeves and socks in favor of sun hats and sandals. There is nothing like the warm, nurturing feel of sun on bare skin; skin that’s been covered for way too many months. For the first time this year it’s been keep-the-windows-open-while-we-sleep warm, which is worthy of celebration. No doubt we will have more snow still. Spring in Colorado can bring our biggest snowfalls. But just as the old saying... read more

• Last updated 3/14/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Helen CoronatoIssue 150September/October 2008 Many pregnancies are accompanied by a baby shower. In this age of greener consciousness, why not opt for an ecologically friendly shower? Eco-showers are the latest green trend to add momentum to the movement toward freedom from carbon emissions, as environmentally savvy women look for ways to host parties that honor the mother-to-be and Mother Earth with greener gift registries, reusable party decorations, and more meaningful activities and rituals. You’re probably already doing your daily best to reduce, reuse, and... read more

• Last updated 1/7/13 by Melanie Mayo

www.HollyHawk.com Digging Dirt Going Green By Jessica Williams, www.LoveParentingLA.com My friend is a landscape artist. She brings green things to life, beautifying everything in her path. I have had aspirations for our backyard but busy with three children and L.O.V.E. Parenting, I had yet to follow through. One Saturday, my friend took the reigns and decided to involve our children and work together to transform a portion of our yard into an edible garden. The children, five total between the ages of two and seven,... read more

• Last updated 3/11/13 by mamazee

Athena came home after school today feeling sick. It’s been about 56 degrees in our house since I have stubbornly refused to turn on the heat. I’ve been wearing a wool hat and a winter coat in my office, drinking tea and working with the my laptop on my knees to help me get warm. But seeing my lanky 9-year-old lying miserably on the couch under two thick blankets this afternoon made me reconsider. It’s amazing how warm 60 degrees can feel. As the house was heating up I started to feel uncomfortably hot. Poor Athena threw up three times. Then she ate... read more

• Last updated 3/11/13 by mamazee

This week on Mothering Outside the Lines we’re talking about the sexy topics of energy conservation and conscientious living. Yesterday I wrote about how conserving energy might actually promote happiness and last week I admitted being in love with No Impact Man. Today, as promised, we have a technical report on Microsoft Hohm’s Blueline PowerCost Monitor, which James installed a few days ago, for your reading pleasure. This monitor retails for $268.00 but we didn’t pay for ours. The manufacturer sent it to us for review. Here’s more than... read more

• Last updated 3/11/13 by mamazee

Shampoo and my hair just don’t get along. This is a recent enmity. In my twenties and early thirties my hair looked good no matter what shampoo I used. I don’t think I should give you the details about how my hair has been coming out in clumps since the baby was born or about how greasy it looks no matter the shampoo, but suffice it to say that my once thick hair has become so uncooperative that it would probably be better if I just made it into dreds. I’ve tried the no ‘poo approach espoused by Beth Terry and also used by Frugal Kiwi with... read more

• Last updated 10/18/12 by emilyfrischmann

By Annie Berthold-Bond Dioxin in paper and chemicals in plastics can migrate into food. For example, everyone knows the taste of water from a plastic bottle that has been left in the sun. One should go to extremes to eliminate these circumstances and others that can cause such migrations of chemicals because some plastics can disrupt hormones. The following guidelines should help give you ideas for how to avoid food contamination from packaging. 1. Plastic tends to migrate into fatty foods, especially hot fatty foods. Don't leave cheese wrapped in its plastic... read more

• Last updated 3/20/13 by mamazee

Peter was buying tomatoes on the vine at the Ashland Food Co-op. He stuffed them in a plastic bag and deftly twisted it shut. “You know, you don’t really need a bag for those,” I suggested with a smile. “Oh Yes I Do.” Peter was categorical. A friend of my husband’s and foodie from the north of England, Peter seemed like the kind of Gen Y guy who would be open to critiquing American culture, which is the only reason I was brave enough to say something. It drives me crazy how Americans, even the hippie progressive types who shop at the Co-op, shove... read more

• Last updated 3/13/13 by mamazee

Awoke to a forecast of hot and dry. So I washed my new favorite (went Goodwill shopping Saturday) sleeveless white shirt, then hung it on the clothesline to dry, jumped into the shower, and—voilà!—hopped out of the shower and into a clean, dry, cool shirt. # Photo: How can laundry on a line NOT be beautiful with a sky like this one? High altitude, clear skies, sunny weather make for a blue that’s almost impossible to match in CMYK (though, admittedly, much easier in RGB!). I love living in Santa... read more

• Last updated 3/14/13 by mamazee

  Cartoon Courtesy of Andrew Singer On NPR this afternoon a pundit predicted the price of oil would be going up this summer and the price of gas, which is already climbing, will get higher. If the way people use their cars in the small town where we live is any indication, the price of gas this summer won’t be high enough. Our entire town is only three square miles. One of the reasons our family moved here is because it’s small enough that you can easily walk and bike anywhere you want to go. But even on a Sunday afternoon when the... read more