Well, it's official. Today is moving day. I am packing up this blog and moving to Wordpress. If you visit me there you may notice a few changes. A new address to begin with and a new look.

This blog started as one thing and morphed into something else entirely. It began as a way to reach out to others on the same path as I – living sustainably, going green, environmentally friendly, or whatever you like to call it. I was quite shy about my experiences at first, at home anyway. Online I felt free to let it all hang out, quite literally. Underwear, reusable menstrual pads and all, line drying for the world to see, but at home I didn’t dare tell a soul for fear of ridicule. I hid my tree-hugging ways like a dirty little secret. Connecting with others online and sharing experiences bolstered my confidence. Step by step I began to do more and little by little I became more open about it. Two years later I have come out of the crunchy closet, living sustainably is my way of life and I see no reason to hide it. I am no longer the “greeen sheeep” of the family.

Cheers!

Thanksgiving is steeped in tradition. Families have gathered for centuries to enjoy the bounty of the Fall harvest. Maybe some of your traditions include gathering at the same home, preparing your fabulous pumpkin pie, enjoying traditional Thanksgiving dishes, watching the football game, traveling home to see family, whatever they may be, breaking tradition is hard to do. My family enjoys the traditional Thanksgiving fare, every year, the same thing; turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, corn, sweet potatoes, jellied cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, lefse, and of course pie - pumpkin and apple. Not wanting to throw tradition out the window, but wishing to be mindful of the impact our feast leaves on the planet, I thought a little tradition tweaking was in order.

I kept the menu traditional, but changed the source of my ingredients. This year I opted to try the 100-mile Thanksgiving, choosing local ingredients for our meal. Research shows that on average food travels over 1,500 miles before it reaches our plate. There is a lot of fuel, energy, and pollution expelled in the journey. It has also been suggested that nutrients are lost in transit. Keeping your food miles limited to a locavore's guide of 100 miles benefits your family's health and the planet's.

To keep from blowing my family completely out of their comfort zone, I served the same traditional dishes, but injected some of my sustainability by using local ingredients.

Wondering where I have been?