• Last updated 1/26/13 by Cynthia Mosher

- A few days ago I woke up to an email from my husband, who is in Japan on business. There was a massive earthquake today, but I’m OK. I hit my head and we were under tables for ten minutes but we’re OK. As I started looking at news sites, the extent of what happened wasn’t clear at first – it was hard to tell, from initial online footage, how much worse it was than some of the earthquakes we have experienced while living there – but then the stories began pouring in. - Stories from Japan range from the poignantly humorous, such as the woman... read more

• Last updated 1/26/13 by Cynthia Mosher

1. Take a five minute shower. Set a timer and get out when it rings. You can click here to watch yours truly (yep, that’s me in a towel) talking on French TV about the importance of water conservation. 2. Skip the shower. Then you can go on European TV in a towel too. Americans bathe too often and for too long. It’s better for your skin and the planet if you don’t take a shower every day. More in this New York Times article “The Great Unwashed.” 3. Don’t bathe your kids. Children don’t need baths every day. Sponge off the places that are dirty and have... read more

• Last updated 2/27/13 by AdinaL

  Cartoon courtesy of Andy Singer The Oregon legislature is considering a ban on plastic grocery bags. If the bill passes, single use throw-away bags will be outlawed at all retail establishments. A similar bill failed last year, partly because the grocery industry was not on board. This time, though, it looks like even the grocery stores are behind the ban. What’s changed? For one thing, several communities have managed to effectively ban plastic bags. Last November L.A. County banned plastic bags, joining Malibu and San Francisco as... read more

• Last updated 3/10/13 by AdinaL

I first met Cindy La Ferle six years ago when I was working as the creative nonfiction editor for Literary Mama and a story she submitted, “Fragile Season,” was so beautifully written and full of compassion that I instantly wanted to meet her. Though we’ve never met in person, we’ve been in touch ever since. I’m delighted to welcome her to Mothering Outside the Lines. A different version of this essay appeared in Writing Home, Cindy La Ferle’s award-winning collection of motherhood essays and family newspaper columns. For more information, visit Cindy La Ferle’s... read more