The Best Time of the Day

Born at the Right Time

Happy Birthday Immy

Never been lonely
Never been lied to
Never had to scuffle in fear
Nothing denied to
Born at the instant
The church bells chime
And the whole world whispering
You were born at the right time

-Paul Simon

Loving Imogen

Love gives all and requires nothing.

Pat the Bunny Party: Pictures

Why Eat Local?

Consequences of the Global Food System

• The U.S. spends $139 BILLION each year just to TRANSPORT our food (17% of our total energy use).

• Your average bite travels 1,500 miles to get to your table.

• In 1940, 1 calorie of fossil fuel produced 2.3 calories of food. Today, 10 calories of fossil fuel produce 1 calorie of food.

• The cost of food is now linked to the price of oil. As oil prices rise, so too will the cost of food.

• In 1900, farmers kept 40 cents of each food dollar. Today they
keep only 7 cents.

• Corporate agribusinesses’ profits have doubled since 1990.

• The U.S. has lost 240 million acres of viable farmland since 1970.

• Two companies control 75% of grain distribution worldwide.

• 60% of all U.S. retail food sales goes to just 5 supermarket chains.

• Since 1950, riboflavin (vitamin B2) levels in conventional grocery store produce have declined 38%.

• One large hog Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) produces as much sewage as a city of 100,000 people.

• More than 100,000 U.S. families lost their farms between 1996 and 2001.

Source: Clallam Grown!

Growing up Green: BPA-free

Washington Toxics Coalition has launched its first ever "Growing Up Green" e-mail "newsletter for parents, designed to help you navigate your way through the murky world of children's products":

Bummed about baby bottles?

Don't be! The hazards of plastic bottles containing bisphenol-A (BPA) are real, but so are the alternatives. BPA-free bottles are becoming more popular every day: here's how you can find them!

Choose baby bottles, water bottles, and sippy cups that are made of cloudy plastic. Many are available, like Nalgene's milky white water bottles, Evenflo's pastel baby bottles, and the Playtex Sipster. If a bottle isn't obviously cloudy, check the bottom and choose it only if it has one of these recycling codes: #2 HDPE, #4 LDPE, or #5 PP. Avoid bottles made of clear, hard plastic unless they are labeled BPA-free, like baby bottles from Medela and BornFree.

Or, you can choose sippy cups and water bottles made of stainless steel. Read the packaging and choose stainless steel bottles that aren't lined on the inside. (We're concerned about the linings because companies haven't fully disclosed what's in them.) Klean Kanteen's stainless steel bottles are unlined and come in various sizes, including a sippy cup (sign up to win one here). You can find Klean Kanteen bottles at REI and Patagonia stores, as well as online. Aluminum bottles are becoming popular too, but stick with unlined stainless steel: aluminum bottles typically have linings.

Traditional glass baby bottles are non-toxic. If you're worried about glass bottles breaking, try a protective sheath like Siliskin.

-Washington Toxics Coalition, May 2008

Sign up for "Growing up Green" here.

Washington Toxics Coalition Mission Statement and Guiding Principles

Immy Quotes: A Selection

"I read it to you."
"One more time"
"Al-tar" (Uncle Al + guitar)
"Recycle?" (when I asked her not to put a clean diaper in the garbage)

Bonnie: Nurturing Families

My friend Bonnie--a gifted teacher and mother--will launch a series of classes in Port Angeles this summer under the umbrella of her new company, Nurturing Families LLC:

Music Together
Music program for the child age 0-5 and her caregivers
6-week session beginning July 7, 2008

Signing with Bonnie
Sign language for the infant or child of any age and his caregivers
Beginning summer 2008

HypnoBirthing
Especially for the pregnant woman and her partner
Beginning summer 2008

Nurturing Families LLC
Port Angeles, WA
360.477.4012

Ultramarine

Crescent Beach, west of Port Angeles
Mother's Day

When May is Rushing Over You

Imogen thinks Baby Madden is the bee's knees. Immy wasn't sure if she wanted to be a baby or a mama and went back and forth playing both. She watched Mark change Madden's diapers and then diapered and blanketed the baby's Glo Worm, but also got interested in her infant pacifier and nipple shield. Then there was tummy time with Madden (so cute).

The woman-child trend continues today with Immy donning high heels, rolling all the toilet paper off the holder and carrying her doll in a Baby Bjorn. Bless her. Our babe is turning 2.

Madden *Blessed and Lucky*

It was a sweet treat this week when two-week old Baby Madden came to visit with her parents Rebecca and Mark. Madden Taylor is blessed and lucky.

Here's to a long and w i d e life Madden!

Webster's Woods

We had a fun time at Webster's Woods/Port Angeles Fine Arts Center on Monday.
Webster's Woods is a playful, enchanting sculpture park.

Thank goodness for generous arts patrons like the Websters and the Seattle-area Shirleys,
who believe that to whom much is given, much is expected.

The Napping House

I asked Simon to get Immy up from her nap around 5 pm on Sunday so she wouldn't go to bed too late. He did get her out of bed, but they slept like this until 6:30 (and she still went to bed on time!).