Happy New Year!

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Chinese Proverb

Forums Back UP!

Yes, they were down again for a couple of weeks but everything is back up and I've even posted a few articles. The host has added the ability to add pictures to posts, no separate hosting required. I'll have to spend some time looking over any other enhancements they might have added and get back to you. For a free forum host I'm really impressed with their options for languages, emoticons and skins.

Happy Holidays!

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!" 

~Hamilton Wright Mabie

Blogger Help Needed

Okay, this blog comes to you via Blogger (free service) but I've noticed that my custom changes have altered the display. It didn't bother me when I first started blogging because only Mozilla seemed to be affected. However, now AOL, Netscape, Firefox and Explorer are all affected. Does any one out there have any experience with Blogger or HTML? I'd really appreciate any tips or tricks to fix having all the left column items crunched down at the bottom of the main page. Thanks in Advance :-)


If you're looking for some last minute gift ideas please check out the latest article on the Tips page. Also, TreeHuggerz forum is down again because the host is performing a server backup.

November 2005 Contest Winner

The winner of the November 2005 contest is Katie B., MI! Congrats Katie and thank you for your eco tip. Our December 2005 contest winner will receive a NIB cassette audio course, "5 Minutes A Day To Perfect Spelling". Be sure to enter before the end of the month.


There are some updates on the Small Things You Can Do Everyday page in the archives. Your eco tips are always welcome. The new tips article has a couple of recipes for making your own yogurt and the new herbals article has directions on how to make an apple wreath. I'm also back to posting regularly at the TreeHuggerz forum, join and add your $0.02 today.


Don't forget that it's Human Rights Week December 10-16, 2005. Check out Human Trafficking.org for ways you can help to prevent the abuse of women and children.

Fall Bounty

"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse."
Henry Van Dyke

Happy Thanksgiving!

The contest winner for October 2005 is Carole S. , NH with a tip on feeding wild birds.
Our November 2005 contest prize is a $30 Spiegel gift certificate, just in time for holiday shopping. You still have time to enter!

My computer should be back online next week, just in time to update the site for December and to introduce you to my new baking obsession...Herman.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Winner of September's Contest

Congratulations to Denise N. of Florida, she was the winner of TreeHuggerz September Tips/Recipe Contest. Her tip is a frugal gem. Be sure to enter October's Contest for a chance to win a book of natural tips.

The lastest TreeHuggerz Tip Page is up with information on forcing bulbs indoors. Don't forget to plant a few in your outdoor garden too.

Saturday, October 15 is the Sweetest Day! Be sure to remember all the sweet people in your life.

My computer is down, so responses will be a bit slower than usual. I'll post once it's back up. Thank you for your patience.

Family Alive and Well

Found out from one of my aunts in Mississippi that my uncle and his family are alive and well in Louisiana. They live in a suburb outside of New Orleans but were not flooded. Their home is intact and they have only had to deal with the loss of city services since the hurricane. All family in Mississippi, which include my mother and grandmother, are all fine. They only had to clean-up storm debris and deal with iffy electrical service for about a week. I pray that all those who are still searching for loved ones get some news soon. Many thanks to all who have helped and are working to help those affected by Katrina. I'm very grateful for my family's well-being.

HSLDA Hurricane Katrina Operation Extended Family

-------- Original Message --------
Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 00:58:49 +0000
From: OCEANetwork <mail@oceanetwork.org>

************************

OCEANetwork Alert and Information Email Service

www.OCEANetwork.org mail@OCEANetwork.org
......................................................
Serving the needs and protecting the rights
of home educators since 1986
......................................................
"Home education is Private education"
************************************************


===========================================
>From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
===========================================


Dear friend of homeschooling,

One bright spot revealed by Hurricane Katrina is that homeschoolers
are some of the most generous people around. HSLDA's office has been
inundated with offers of assistance. We've also heard from many with
needs.

The Home School Foundation is already helping to replace curriculum.
But one of the greatest needs that we're hearing about is housing.

If your family would be interested in providing temporary housing to
another homeschooling family displaced by Hurricane Katrina, HSLDA is
willing to match your family with a family who needs a place to stay.

To make an offer of housing, please provide us with the basic
information requested below. Please use this email address to
respond:

hurricanerelief@hslda.org

Please be assured that we will keep your contact information
confidential. When we learn of a family that needs help, we will
contact you with their contact information (phone number or email
address) and you can contact the family to determine if they are the
right match for your family.

Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Phone #:

Limitations: (e.g., two months max, only want boys, teenagers only,
can take up to 4 people)

Provide transportation to your home: (e.g., bus tickets, frequent
flyer miles, will pick up)

Any special facilities: (e.g., handicapped access, room for pets)

Other offers of help: (e.g., can provide job, have curriculum for 3rd
grader, car available)


Thank you for being a part of the extended homeschooling family.
Please join us in continuing to pray for these hurting familes.


Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
President

===========================================
The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of:

Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
Phone: (540) 338-5600
Fax: (540) 338-2733
Email: info@hslda.org
Web: http://www.hslda.org/

..............................................................................

If you know an Oregon home educating friend who would be interested in this
topic, please pass this message along.

You can subscribe directly to the free OCEANetwork Alert and Information
E-mail
Service at http://www.oceanetwork.org/membership/signup.cfm.

--
TreeHuggerz.com
Get tips and hints for green living on a budget.

Blog for Relief Weekend

This project is being coordinated by The Truth Laid Bear.

My charity of choice is America' Second Harvest. Please give what you can. 100% of donations will be used for Hurricane Katrina victims. Every dollar helps distribute nearly 4 bags of food!

Check out Glenn's Roundup Post for flood aid updates.

Thank you for helping to feed the hungry!

Technorati Tags:
hurricane katrina
flood aid

Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath

My family are mostly accounted for in Mississippi but one uncle and his family are still missing. They live in a suburb of New Orleans but, we hope to hear from them soon. Please send your prayers and positive thoughts along with any donations to help Katrina's victims.

Donation Links:
Network for Good
American Red Cross
America's Second Harvest

From another group:
Baton Rouge General Hospital is begging for Registered Nurses to assist over the next few weeks. They don't care where you come from, you will be immediately added to the payroll.

If there are any retired of displaced Nurses reading our board, and who can go to Baton Rouge for a few weeks to assist, now is your opportunity to help. If you know of anybody who can, please pass this information along to them and to others.

Message Board is Down

Yes, TreeHuggerz Message Board has been down ALL weekend. However, it is not because I pulled the plug. The host is moving everything to new servers that promise to be faster and more reliable. (Fingers crossed!) They only planned to be down one day but it has taken much longer than expected. Please be patient and before you know it, I'll be posting articles like there's no tomorrow.

There is a new feature page called, "Grandpa". Please take a look. You can submit your stories and words of wisdom passed down from your grandfather. Some of the quotes on the page at the moment are from DD's great-grandpa, Jack. I never met him but he sounds like quite the colorful character. As always, I'll give credit for each submission unless specifically asked not to.

Get your taste buds ready for a treat by trying some of the recipes on the Tips page. The latest article is, "An Edible Flower Garden". Stay tuned for more updates on the first of September and don't forget to enter our contest.

Prayers and good wishes are being sent out to all in Katrina's wake.

New Tips

Check out the new article on the Tips Page. It's all about blackberries and includes recipes.


Speaking of blackberries, I finally made the Berry Delicious Crumble Pie submitted by Candy, our June contest winner. Made with the last of the fresh ripe berry's in the backyard, YUMMY!!! Tastes rich and creamy with a sweet-tart berry layer and crisp crust, this recipe is a keeper. I liked it best chilled, but of course we dug in after it cooled for an hour.


Good news, TreeHuggerz is PayPal Verified! Just one more way for buyers to feel a bit more secure shopping with us.

Look for this seal.

Shopping Anyone?

There are a couple of new pages in the TreeHuggerz Secondhand Store.
Page 3 -natural vegetable-based soaps in six different scents
Page 4 -has an original belly-dancing costume with misc. accessories


Tonight we just opened a giftshop at CafePress.com and will be adding to it as time permits. The first image that is available, as a tile box or tile coaster, is of a peacock with his feathers on display. We didn't take this photograph but we should have, because peacocks visit our yard daily. They live next door and come over hoping to snack on dry cat food. LOL


Suggestions for merchandise or questions about our products are always welcome. Send emails to: feedback@treehuggerz.org

Quiz: What Is Your True Element?

Your element is earth: Wise, solitary, mysterious
and loving. You are very wise. Your wise as in
you know things others do not, you can see past
stereotypes and see the real people behind
their facades, and people will often come to
you for help and advice. Quite solitary and
somewhat shy around people because you prefer
animals and plants, animals aren't afraid to
show themselves or what they are feeling and
plants are fun to nurture. You are very strong
in your silence if you set your mind on
something you will often times pursue it to the
end. Sometimes you just want to get away, so
you seek refuge in the forest where you can
have time to think and try to sort out your
emotions. The sound of the wind usually calms
you, especially moving through the trees. Life
to you is something precious and should not be
taken for granted.


.:-|What is your true element?|-:. -With Anime Pictures and detailed answers-
brought to you by Quizilla

What's New

Get some back-to-school shopping tips on the TreeHuggerz Tips page. I've been working on an avatar page but need some information before I publish it. The images would be free but the public would have to download them and then host them elsewhere. Does anyone have advice on how to do this? My main concern is having my bandwidth budget blown by people hotlinking. How do you even track hotlinks? HELP!

Personal update:
After speaking to my uncle, who is recovering at home from cancer surgery, I'm feeling very optimistic about his health. He may take a few months off from work to heal both mentally and physically. Turns out it was just six weeks from first inkling to surgery. There are no plans for chemo or radiation however, he will still have to have cancer screenings on a regular basis. Any and all prayers/positive thoughts are appreciated.

Breastfeeding Awareness 2005

World Breastfeeding Week: August 1 -7 2005
This year’s WBW aims to :
Draw attention to the value of continuing to breastfeed children to 2 years or beyond.
Raise awareness of the risks and costs of introducing other foods and drinks to breastfed babies before 6 months, thereby strengthening support for 6 months exclusive breastfeeding.
Up-date information and ideas about the kinds of other foods and drinks needed by older breastfed babies and young children after 6 months. Share ideas for making complementary feeding easier, healthier and a time for learning and love. More ... http://www.waba.org.my/

First of the Month

TreeHuggerz.com pages updated for the first of the month:
Home -August events
Tips & Hints -Simplicity articles
Store -New set of corn baskets
Contest -Enter to win the video, "How to Protect Yourself" by Master Tsai
Site Map -Overview of all published pages

If you write articles or have a press release that would interest our readers, please email me at webmom@treehuggerz.org.

On a personal note, please send your prayers, positive thoughts or healing vibes to my uncle in New York. He had cancer surgery last week and will be coming home to recover sometime this week if all goes well. Many thanks!

Stop Global Warming

This is a non-partisan issue. We need global participation in this because if you live on the planet Earth, this is your issue. Everyone needs to let George Bush and his Administration know that this is a top priority for all living things.

LET'S MARCH!!!

Sign-up and join me for the virtual march on Washington, D.C., click here!

Couple of Freebies

TreeHuggerz Updates

Winner of June's Contest is Candy M. of SC, congratulations Candy! Her entry was a yummy recipe for Berry Delicious Crumble Pie. When the blackberries are ripe in the backyard I'll have to post my review of her recipe.

Courtney sent some new additions for the Small Things You Can Do Everyday page. Check them out and submit yours for publishing too. Thanks for sharing Courtney!

FREEBIES

Free Magazine Offer from green*light
Your introductory subscription of four issues (a $19.96 retail value) begins with the first published issue of green*light, currently scheduled to mail in August, and ends after four bimonthly issues are mailed to you. Sometime during this introductory period green*light will contact you with a specially discounted yearly subscription offer, allowing you to continue receiving green*light after the fourth issue. There is no obligation to buy. You may elect to receive the paperless magazine, in an easy-to-archive digital edition (the print edition will not be mailed).

Free Trial Issue
Another magazine with a paperless online edition is E Magazine. They offer a free trial of one issue before you buy.

Please leave a comment if you know of any other magazines that offer paperless editions.
EDITED TO ADD:
Here's the motherload for digital subscriptions, NewsStand.com.

Hurricane Survival Tips

Looks like Hurricane Dennis will hit the US tomorrow afternoon. Over a million people have been told to evacuate but for those who will be home, please double check your family's emergency plan. If you have an elderly or disabled neighbor, please include them in your emergency plan. Great checklists and general disaster information at Hurricane Survival Guide or FEMA.

Remember that public evacuation centers do not accept pets. There are tips for pet owners at Pets and Hurricanes. As long as pets are caged, some shelters will make safe arrangements for their care outside of the emergency shelter for humans.

If you want to help, the American Red Cross and the Humane Society are non-profits that do much for disaster victims worldwide and are legit.

Bombing in London

What an awful way to start the day! :-( Sending prayers to all those killed, hurt or have loved ones involved in today's bombing of London's mass transit. From what I've read, they seem to have the a handle on recovery and clean-up but I bet the British Red Cross could use donations. They also have information on how to contact missing relatives. Post a comment if you know of any other non-profits that need help because of this incident. The US is on "orange alert", so please be extra vigilant if you live in a large urban city and/or use mass transit.

Peace

Photobucket

This is a test post from Photobucket.com

Close up of pine needles. Photo courtesy of MorgueFile.com 

Welcome

What's New at TreeHuggerz

The Treehuggerz Blog page. A visitor asked if I had a newsletter and sadly I had to say no. After thinking it over I decided to start a blog instead. The post and go format fits my personality and it offers the option of commentary by the reader. Another benefit is that you can use a RSS reader to have new posts delivered to you automatically.
XML feed link: http://treehuggerz.blogspot.com/atom.xml

On the main Resource page you can get a RSS feed of new online resources I've added to my Del.icio.us online bookmark site. There are currently over 400 entries with new additions almost daily.

RSS feed link: http://del.icio.us/rss/treehuggerz

There's a new addition to the WAHM Resource page. Marcy, of Ladybugg Creations is offering free shipping on all her whimsical checkbook covers and eyeglass cases. She accepts custom orders too. If you would like to be listed on any of my resource pages please contact me.

Go shopping on page 2 of the Store, it's filled with oil warmers. These are new items, not used and every order comes with a free bonus of aromatherapy/massage oil recipes. Free shipping for orders over $50.

Enter this month's Contest to win the book, Cleaning Up The Clutter by Emilie Barnes. To be eligible just send in a tip or recipe that is frugal and/or eco-conscious. Winners are chosen randomly and you can enter once a month. I'll be posting June's winner soon.

Just For Fun


Take the HGTV Neat or Not Quiz and share your results!


My results (no big surprise LOL): Patty Pack Rat
You're talented and artistic, but you have the "Hey, I can use that someday" gene. You can't help seeing future possibilities for all the items you are keeping, and you plan to use them all-someday. Set aside a weekend and plan to get organized soon!

Happy Birthday USA!!!