Walking is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside. Elizabeth von Arnim

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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Green Thing

It was 64 degrees this morning with a dark cloudy sky and it felt like rain any second.  I left a little bit early to try to make it back home before the rain.  I said a little prayer to make it home on time - I made it - I was home no more than 5 minutes when the rain came.  I walked around the lake.  It was mowing day and I saw four huge mowers doing the job.  It is the first time this year that I smelled newly mowed grass with a touch of onion smell.  That really makes it feel like spring.
I saw the two white egrets.  I took this far away picture of one coming in for a landing.  He was standing at the shore line near me but flew away when I tried to get a picture.
Quite a lot of people fishing again and I snapped this one.  I think they picked a great spot.
The sidewalk down to the little pier and boat ramp that they were framing out yesterday had the concrete poured.  I wonder if they are going to put a railing up on the pier.
Not that many people out walking but everyone that I passed said something about making it home before the rain.
On the path to the lake I saw a dead rabbit in the middle of the path.  : (  It wasn't just dead it was half eaten and was really gross.  There was also a squished frog up farther on the same path.  Then when I was near home I spotted these three buzzards eating something.  I'm not sure what it is.
My pedometer seems to be working just fine today.  Maybe I didn't have it closed properly the whole time yesterday.  Anyway today it told me I walked 6.4 miles. 
Noofy - you asked about my pedometer.  It is called a Freestyle Pacer Pro but I'm sorry to say they don't make them anymore.  I like it because it is small and easily clips onto my pants.  I know a lot of people like and use the Omron HJ-112 and you can check it out HERE.
Sunrise 6:35
Sunset 7:42
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm sure a lot of you have already read the following 
but I really like it and wanted to share it with those of you who haven't. 

The Green Thing
In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized to her and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

That's right, they didn't have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer
bottles to the store.  The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over.  So they really were recycled.

But they didn't have the green thing back in her day.

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building.. They walked to the
grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks.

But she's right. They didn't have the green thing in her day.
       
Back then, they washed the baby's diapers because they didn't have the throw-away kind.  They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes.  Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that old lady is right, they didn't have the green thing back in her day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - not a TV in every room.. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a screen the size of the state of Montana .  In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn't
have electric machines to do everything for you.   When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn.  They used a push mower that ran on human power.   They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right, they didn't have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water.  They refilled pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But they didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.  They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.
And they didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles  out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But that old lady is right. They didn't have the green thing back in her day.
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I never did get to sit outside on the deck yesterday and start reading one of the books from the library.  Had work inside to finish.  I did start it later in the evening though.  I'm reading the newest James Patterson book Toys.  I like it already.



At 10 I did my exercise with Body Electric on television.  I've discovered sometimes that is on and other times a stretching show so I just do whatever comes on.  Then I read more of my book.
It is almost noon now, after posting this, I'll read blogs until lunch time and then get some work done around the house.  By the way, the rain has stopped and the sun is shining.  I think more rain is on the way.

Hope you have a good day and find lots to smile about.
A smile from me to you.
Happyone : )
The most pleasant and useful persons 
are those who leave some of the problems of the universe 
for God to worry about.
~Don Marquis

13 comments:

Vee said...

Keep on having a happy day! Oh, I hope to never return to the Dark Ages when diapers were soaked in commodes or drink from a public water fountain. What were they thinking?! LOL!

Vee said...

Have you ever noticed that we're often posting on each other's blog at the same time? I think you'll enjoy the book even if you may find it troubling from time to time. Let me know what you think...

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Had not seen "The Green Thing." But love it! Thank you for sharing!

Gentle hugs,
.♥.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Great post, Happy One. YES---our grandparents did it all the RIGHT way. They didn't NEED the 'green thing' --since they were living the way we should be living today.... They didn't even have plastic bags back then. They only used paper bags... OH--how I yearn for the good-ole-days.
Hugs,
Betsy

George said...

I like the story of how we didn't have the green thing years ago. Sometimes progress isn't progress.

Happy@Home said...

I had not seen "The Green Thing" before and am so glad you shared it. I think it's great and so true. I wish a lot of things were still like they were in the "olden days".

karen said...

I miss the milk man. Wish he came every Monday like he used to and pick up our empty milk bottle and leave a full one. I am always having to run to the store for milk. Have a great day and the book Toys does sound good. I saw an ad for it somewhere.

Sue said...

Haven't heard "The Green Thing" before, and enjoyed it so much. I do indeed remember cloth diapers, and glass milk bottles. Those were the best of times. Thanks for the walk today, always such a pleasure.
Sue

Noofy said...

Thanks for the info on the pedometer and the email on the website. I didn't get out to walk today in the rain, I'm still at wimp stage. I'm glad you made it. I was going to when it looked like it was clearing, as I got ready, a downpour came. I did notice that my legs are a little sore and my knees cracked (noise) today when I walked around the house doing laundry. Odd, there were so many dead animals in one day. Good to see such progress on the dock, may be ready by summer? I have seen The Green Thing before and appreciated your post to revisit it. I miss those times when life was so basic. I'm grateful for technology as well, don't get me wrong. We're lucky to have a choice...paper or plastic?

KathyA said...

Interesting how the warmest part of our day was this morning...and a couple of times I thought we were going to have thunder storms, but it all just passed!

Rathi said...

What a story to tell.. indeed it is so true. we create menace and then find a way to solve the crisis. The irony!

Anonymous said...

The "Green Thing" is new to me. I certainly agree with it. Sometimes I wonder why we call it all Progress. Mary Jo

b & b hotels india said...

this is a Interesting the warmest part of our day was this morning...and a couple of times I thought we were going to have thunder storms, but it all just passed