Okay, it’s confession time. I’m directionally challenged, but I’m getting out my maps of the world. Will you be my witness and travel companion? From Georgia to Gallup, Greece to Gibraltar, I’m determined to go to my grave without taking another wrong turn.
At this point, most of us are probably recycling in some shape or form, but traveling is always a conundrum for me. At home, we filter our drinking water and I am really good about using reusable water bottles. When we travel, I must still drink plenty of agua, but every time I purchase a plastic water bottle, I can only picture the North Pacific Gyre. It used to be defined by geography and ecology, but today it is also known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This patch contains a massive collection of man-made debris because of the ocean currents and the way debris is pushed to the center of the Gyre. I can just see all the water bottles I buy when traveling floating around in this garbage patch. Well, luckily for all of us, there are some amazing companies out there that are busy working on this exact problem!
As for filtered water, Brita has been on the forefront of water filtering for quite some time, and they now have a solution for us travelers. Their water bottle has a filter built right into it. Brilliant! And it eliminates those plastic throw-away water bottles completely. They even have a cute kiddo version that might just end up in Christmas stockings at my house this year. Thank you, Brita!
And if you do have to buy a few of those plastic throw-away water bottles, Method has come up with another solution. They are literally sending crews out to harvest those bottles floating around our treasured oceans and turning them back into bottles containing their soaps. Brilliant again! Maybe Santa will be dropping some of those under our tree as well. Thank you, Method!
It’s a lollapalooza of a word.
Like a lollypop and appaloosa smashed together.
Who doesn’t love both of those?
And … it’s also an event!
A Lollapalooza sign. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. tammylo
Winnie Nielsen says: I love Chicago as it is not only a gorgeous city but it is also a hub of good things happening. There is good energy in the Windy City!
Every small town has a story …
But not every town’s story is quite as
cozy
as this one:
The Red Flannel Story of Cedar Springs, Michigan.
Population 3,543 (give or take).
Rumor has it, the Cedar Springs red flannel saga began during the winter of 1936.
And, yes, it was “the worst winter in years.”
Big snow, temps well below—you get the idea.
Granted, the country was mired in the midst of the Great Depression, and winters then must have felt colder than ever.
It is said that a writer from the New York Sun newspaper set out on a quest to find a traditional flannel union suit to help him weather the weather. His search stretched from the Atlantic coast to Cleveland, but no flannel underthings could be found. (I slept in a cotton red flannel suit complete with drop-seat every night when I lived in a wall tent during the dead of winter while working for the Forest Service in the ’70s.)
Nancy Collins: https://www.facebook.com/nancy.collins.7140
“Here we are in the midst of an old-fashioned winter,” he groused, “and there are no red flannels in the USA to go with it.”
None?
We’ll see about that.
When the Clipper Girls read the reporter’s rant, their blood ran hot …
Terry Steinmetz says: What a great story! My great-grandfather wore his year-round. It was said that they kept him cool in the summer while he worked on the farm.
Winnie Nielsen says: This is the best story and I just love that logo button. Living in Florida I doubt there is much heritage for these sort of PJs around here. Way too hot. But I have to admit, I have always been intrigued about them since I first started singing the verse of “She’ll becoming round the Mt”… Grandma will be wearing’ her red pajamas when she comes,, scratch, scratch!!
marge hofknecht says: I so enjoy stories of the little towns of America and what’s so special about them. Thanks for sharing this article.
Joyce says: I would like a pair.
Kathleen says: “Dropseaters” for dogs!! hahaha tooo funny! 🙂
Paula Brink says: Love your long john photo! Was this taken 8n Cedar Springs, the Red Flannel Town?
Fall festivals …
What fun.
I’m thinking …
candied apples,
pumpkin carving,
wooly sweaters,
and a flaming
GRUMP.
Huh?
I knew that would get your attention.
Strange as it sounds, I really did mean to say “grump.”
Curious?
Come with me …
Sounds like something I would enjoy attending. Until then, think I’ll write my woes on a slip of paper and toast on my grill at my colorful autumn home in the Ozarks.
Terry Steinmetz says: Are those really giant marshmallows or my imagination? This festival sounds great! Where we get winter for such a l-o-n-g time, I could see it doing great deal of good to do the grump. But then we could celebrate quietly with a nice fire, roast marshmallows, hot cocoa & fresh bread! What a delight!!!
Eileen Stone says: Yes! Yes! ARE THEY GIANT MARSHMALLOWS? MAYBE SOME GIANT SMORES????? (She asked hopefully.)
Winnie Nielsen says: This is an interesting Slavic tradition. Fall is so full of cultural traditions like Halloween, Guy Faulks Day, Martinmas, Jewish New Year celebrations etc. The fall seems to be when cleansing or celebrating rituals took place before the hunkering down for a long cold winter.
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
Thanks for the information on the Britta travel bottles. I haven’t seen them here yet.
Tis is great information to know. Every time I buy bottled water , I think about that ad where plastic bottles are circling the earth several times. Horrifying image!!
Does Method offer refill sizes of their products? I have used a Method handsoap bottle for about 8 years, refilling it with another brand of soap. P