Out on the Limb

On this date....today.....as you read this...

What have you done to improve our common interests today?...I'm talking about the whole lot of us. Today. WHAT? Nothing? Ah, well. I can help you out, because I know you really want to feel good about doing good so that you can BE good:

If you care about PEACE, please help this peace-monger:

http://milfuegos.blogspot.com/2005/10/blogging-from-vi-world-social-forum-in_20.html

He is a friend of mine, and I'm contributing $25. Will you match me????
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The purpose of this post is to introduce you to the house we have for sale.

Key features: clean air & water, quiet, room to run, river short walk away /
property is well above the flood plain
Climate: Relatively mild (for this far north) and no hurricanes...I promise!

Pictures here.

Realtor's online listing with property info here.

If you are a regular reader and wish to keep up with what's new, scroll down. This post will stay right here until the house is sold!!

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from http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/33113/story.htm

SAN FRANCISCO - California air quality regulators have issued an order that will prohibit big-rig trucks with sleeping berths from idling their diesel engines while parked.

Chilly autumn eve story time:

There is a story about a princess who had a small eye problem that she felt was really bad. Being the king's daughter, she was rather spoiled and kept crying all the time. When the doctors wanted to apply medicine, she would invariably refuse any medical treatment and kept touching the sore spot on her eye. In this way it became worse and worse, until finally the king proclaimed a large reward for whoever could cure his daughter. After some time, a man arrived who claimed to be a famous physician, but actually was not even a doctor.

He declared that he could definitely cure the princess and was admitted to her chamber. After he had examined her, he exclaimed, "Oh, I'm so sorry!" "What is it?" the princess inquired. The doctor said, "There is nothing much wrong with your eye, but there is something else that is really serious." The princess was alarmed and asked, "What on earth is so serious?" He hesitated and said, "It is really bad. I shouldn't tell you about it." No matter how much she insisted, he refused to tell her, saying that he could not speak without the king's permission.

When the king arrived, the doctor was still reluctant to reveal his findings. Finally the king commanded, "Tell us what is wrong. Whatever it is, you have to tell us!" At last the doctor said, "Well, the eye will get better within a few days - that is no problem. The big problem is that the princess will grow a tail, which will become at least nine fathoms long. It may start growing very soon. If she can detect the first moment it appears, I might be able to prevent it from growing." At this news everyone was deeply concerned. And the princess, what did she do? She stayed in bed, day and night, directing all her attention to detecting when the tail might appear. Thus, after a few days, her eye got well.

This shows how we usually react. We focus on our little problem and it becomes the center around which everything else revolves. So far, we have done this repeatedly, life after life. We think, "My wishes, my interests, my likes and dislikes come first!" As long as we function on this basis, we will remain unchanged. Driven by impulses of desire and rejection, we will travel the roads of samsara without finding a way out. As long as attachment and aversion are our sources of living and drive us onward, we cannot rest.

-- from Daring Steps toward Fearlessness: The Three Vehicles of Buddhism, by Ringu Tulku Rinpoché edited and translated by Rosemarie Fuchs, published by Snow Lion Publications

Well. Here we sit. I suspect the fear of rising fuel costs is dampening enthusiasm for this lovely rural property. Too bad more people aren't aware of how rapidly biodiesel is becoming a viable alternative, especially here in the northwest.

I've got several new biodiesel links to add to my blog. The Biodiesel Blog has a picture of a brand new biodiesel pump in Issaquah. Check it out.....or not.

Later,
deb

Our second Starbucks Challenge was a snap. Del.icio.us ly boring, in fact.

Starbucks Coffee Company
3514 South 56th Street, Tacoma WA 98409

We ordered 2 cups of fair trade coffee.
We got 2 cups of fair trade coffee.
pronto.....and with a smile.

end of story.

Join us! Don't be shy. I'm sure Starbucks is enjoying all the attention as much as we enjoy bringing awareness to freefair trade practices. You can read other blogger Starbucks Challenge entries under the del.icio.us tag starbuckschallenge

...and while you are at it I insist please visit City Hippy for other cool events, such as National Downshifting Week. (I'm signing my husband up for that one! :)
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Bloggers: This post is part of the Starbucks Challenge. Haven't heard of it? Join the action and possibly win a prize!...and become an activist for social justice while you are at it!

Our first attempt to order fair trade coffee yielded mixed results.

We were at Starbucks, 620 Denny Way in Seattle, last Sunday. My husband asked for 2 cups of fair trade coffee. The gal at the counter explained that they only serve fair trade coffee once a month.

So that I could take pictures, I was out of earshot when my husband placed the order. After he returned with 2 cups of non-FT, I went back to the counter with follow-up questions.

Players: Deb, Cashier 1 (who sold us the coffee), and Cashier 2
(happily....no one was in line behind me!)

Deb: "Hi....my husband just ordered fair trade coffee....and, ummm....I guess we weren't able to get that today. He tells me you only provide fair trade coffee once a month, is that right?"

Cashier 1: "Well, we do have fair trade coffee. You can get it any time."

Deb: "Oh!!.....so the coffee we just purchased is fair trade?"

Cashier 1: "No...we only brew it once a month. But you can purchase it any time." (she points to the bean collection in front of the counter)

Deb: (looking confused) "Hmmm. Well, I was more interested in buying a cup of coffee already brewed. When, during the month, do you brew fair trade?"

Cashier 1: "On the 20th"

Deb: "Sooooo... if I want to purchase a cup of fair trade coffee already brewed, I can only do so on the 20th of the month?" (incredulous tone; and efforts to suppress a snicker)

Cashier 1: "Oh....No! We could brew you a cup any time. But it takes 4 minutes."

[By this time, a second Starbucks employee had joined the conversation]

Cashier 2: "I had a customer ask for a cup of fair trade yesterday. I just told him it would take 4 minutes, and he was OK with that."

Cashier 1: "Yes, I should have told your husband that I could have brewed it for you. My mistake."

Deb: "Well, no problem. I'm happy to hear that we can get it brewed any time. I'm sure you will be having many more requests for it."

I then proceeded to explain the Starbucks Challenge to them, and thanked them for their help. All's well that ends well....eh?

To see other blogger's stories, we are tagging our del.icio.us bookmarks "starbuckschallenge"
See you there!
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Oh boy! This picture is inspiring.
I love baking bread....preferably with a friend.

Many thanks to Chris Campbell at Flickr for sharing this yummy picture with us.

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On the homefront, there is not much happening.
The rains have begun. (perfect bread baking weather)
I've decided to shed a few pounds and have begun my morning yoga practice again.
...and the world is rushing by at top speed.
Slow down!! I want to enjoy every minute.

We tried, and failed, to keep rolling with aging vehicles until the moving changes occur. Last month, Jere's truck bit it. Yesterday, the gas pedal stuck on my nova. Yep....that's right....the bumper stickers are parked, sight unseen.

At first, I just didn't get it. My foot on the brake should slow the car down. But....no....the car didn't want to stop. My next split-second action was to jam both feet on the brake. Fortunately, the part of my primitive brain that reacts rather than thinks took my right hand to the key and shut off the ignition. The car has a long list of other problems, such as shocks so bad that the wheel rims frequently scrape the tires. Anyway, she's a gonner. Long live the beast. The new beast is a loaner from the son currently in Mexico. Thanks, kid!

A bit later, my dog had a sudden attack of diarrhea in the back seat.
I took a picture. Want to see it?

Tomorrow, son #1 comes back from China. Yippee! awesome.
I can't wait to hear that Italian face speak Chinese.
Later.

Jere and I took a little tour up Chuckanut Drive after work today. (Google satellite map here) It was a beautiful autumn day.

...and...for the 1st time in many days, I neglected to bring along my zoom lens and extra camera battery. The battery in my camera was painfully low, so I only got a few precious pictures today. Lesson learned (for now).