Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming – WOW – what a ride!!
This year I really focused more on learning what I want to learn, not just learning things that I think others will be interested in. I spent a long time talking to someone about recycled ink cartridges for my home printer, making soda water at home to reduce use of bottles and can (called SodaStream) Gar Lic It, garlic prepared so that is does not burn or make you stink (and comes in flavors like Thai Peanut – just stir it in to rice), scented play clay purchased to save for a Christmas gift for my niece, a neat scarf my husband picked out (probably Guatamala), and lots more.
We visited with our friend Steve Richmond, owner of Garden Cycles, and shot a short video. I really wanted to know what drew him to having a booth at greenfest since his business is pretty busy and has limited bandwidth. His mission was to explain "seed rain", essentially what happens when birds eat berries of invasives in your yard and then poo the seeds out whole somewhere else. This is how ivy, holly, laurel and similar plants spread into the urban parks – even the suburbs. Shoot, the shores of the Green River just hang with intense invasives – not like a healthy river at all. I should probably talk more about this some time. We also shot a short video with him that I will post shortly.
Pictures highlighting today’s activities!
Educational materials about invasive plants effect on our city’s park space
Steve Richmond of West Seattle
There is a bike and trailer in among all these plants. This is how Steve works – by bike and trailer. He doesn’t even own a vehicle. He is in a amazing shape! (He used to play pro beach volleyball.)
Wow what a day! I think I got to almost all of the booths, altho knowing I was coming back on Sunday meant there wasn’t too much pressure. I actually only went to 2 sessions altho I had marked a few more out. The conversations on the exhibit floor were too interesting to walk away from. And there are about 4 pavilions with presentations going on in addition to the formal presentations in the conference rooms across the overpass.
At the end of the day my husband Stephen came and picked me up with Sophia,who needed a walk. It was the first sunny day in what seemed like weeks, so we went to the Olympic Sculpture Park just to lie on the grass. It was a great end to a long day, and my feet hurt!
I do think the nice weather really impacted the turnout at greenfest. There weren’t any lines (except at the Nature’s Path cereal sample booth) and there seemed to be room at tables to sit and eat lunch. Last year it seemed a lot more hectic to me. Last year it also was in March, not June. I think they made a mistake moving it to June. Summer in Seattle means outdoors, not in. I hope next year they move back to an earlier month so the vendors enjoy the exposure they deserve.
So we’re leaving the house and headed down for day two. Steve will be with me today, and I did finally find my friend Steve Richmond’s booth, Garden Cycles, so we hope to shoot a short video. Otherwise I did not really find anything else worth taking the time for video.
I got a little later start than I wanted, but I am here and was in time to hear Mayor McGinn introduce 12 year old Adora Svitak, published author and accomplished speaker. I was really impressed and she has a really good point – we all need to have more of a child-like attitude about life. Anything is possible, don’t let the laws of physics restrict your ideas about how to make a better world!!
Right now I am sitting at the GreenWorks Realty/Trails at Newcastle (#243) by the Green Living Pavilion, where I can hear Laura Sweaney talk about permaculture and an herb spiral she built, and how to plant the plants – the ones needing the most water at the bottom since water runs downhill. I used to have one in my backyard when I lived in Puget Ridge (West Seattle). Now I just grow everything in pots on my porch at my townhome in High Point. I really have trouble agreeing with her idea that weeds are beneficial to her garden, tho. The dandelions mocked me daily and it was frustrating keeping up such a large property (1/4 acre).
I’ve signed a couple of petitions so far, including one for Seattle to have an OPT-IN list for PHONE BOOKS. I hate those damn things showing up on my doorstep all the time. We’re banding together now and trying to do something about it! If you come down here this weekend, sign their sheet!!
Here are a few other interesting things I have seen so far.
My first environmental restoration project was Roxhill Bog, with Gary Sink and Terri Griffith and Steve Fisher – I was on the Westwood Neighborhood Community Council for a couple of years and this was the main focus at the time. I hosted planning meetings at the Windermere Real estate office where I was working, did some grant writing, worked some of the planting parties, and this was the inspiration for becoming a Native Plant Steward with the Washingt Native Plant Society.
GreenSpacesTV — June 05, 2010 — Wendy Hughes-Jelen takes you on a visit to Roxhill Park/Bog/Wetland, on the southern edge of Seattle in the west, to see how a community-based restoration project has made a difference and looks great 10 years later.
My blog has just migrated to a new platform after almost five years on Blogger.com. Blogger stopped supporting FTP to independent URLs (in this case, pensandpixels.com/wendysworld) and I did not want to give up control and hosting my of blog and go to a “blogpost” address. So thanks to my husband and his technical support, I am on a new platform that might take me awhile to figure out. I am excited to finally be on WordPress since I have heard so many good things about it but couldn’t make the change sooner since it was so much work for Steve to do (I have two blogs).
I love the new look – I will be tweaking it a bit over the next new few days to get it to where I think it is the easiest to read and navigate. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
My husband has taken up an interesting hobby in the last year – collecting vintage razors and brushes, restoring them, and then using them for the best shave ever. Our generation’s men really lost out by our parent’s generation introduction to electric razors and plastic disposables. The original razors – straight or safety, really are the best environmental choice. The blades cost about 10 cents each as opposed to a pack of 5 triple blade refills costing about $9. The blades are recyclable (safety) or sharpenable (straight).
Steve’s collection took over the library so I bought him a glass door cabinet for the guest bathroom. He’s joined several forums, and recently shot a video demonstrating a particular kind of razor called a “Rolls Razor” that comes in a case with a special sharpener. Some of the blades and brushes he has bought and restored he has then re-sold, so his hobby pays for itself and I can’t complain.
I am going to encourage him to do a video shaving with a straight since I think people will be even more fascinated by that. This video below got 160 hits in less than a day. I wish my videos were as popular!
Oh, and he restored a neat brush for me, including varnishing the wodden handle (like a boat!), and I use a pink 1960s Lady Gillette safety razor.
Here is the video and what he wrote in his own blog, It’s a Guy Thing.
My first shaving video… No sound, nothing really fancy, just a simple demonstration of shaving with a “Rolls Razor“. Shave Review had stated the he couldn’t get a decent shave with one, and when I said it wasn’t hard, he wanted a picture… So I gave him one.
The trick is to sharpen the blade as you would any other straight razor, using your progression of hones. It really is just a straight on a stick, after all. The stropping action in the case is fine, takes a while because of how short the stroke is, but it works. I just don’t think the hone is fine enough to give it a very good edge.
Wendy goes on record for being a huge fan of Bambu Organic Salon in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle. Her real estate office and the salon used to be next door to each other but both businesses relocated in 2009.
Wendy tells why she began to have her hair color foiled and then talks about the benefits of training your hair to need less washing (use less water, less product, hair color lasts longer, and SAVE TIME).
GreenSpacesTV — March 30, 2010 — New Facebook fan page “Westside Green Living with Wendy” presents its first original video. Wendy and her husband Stephen Hughes-Jelen check out NuBe Green (newbie green) on Capital Hill.
Wendy says on her Facebook page, “Very cool place! I brought home the “Organic Salvage Candle” in Blossom, altho I still can’t smell it because of the head cold I have. The candle is poured into a former beer bottle. Also tips on dogs and tennis balls, cardboard furniture, plants in paper bags, and ‘liquid cardboard’.”
According to their web site, NuBe Green “employs a rigorous screening process to guarantee that every item available in the store meets established sustainability and sourcing criteria. While products touted as US-made are often only assembled in the US, NuBe Greens products are made in the US from materials that are grown and/or sourced in the US. All items at the store are made without toxic chemicals and materials in order to offer consumers choices of green products that are healthier for humans and the planet.”
NuBe Greens offerings include the work of Seattle artists and artisans as part of its mission to support the local community. Wendy and Steve have fun exploring the many things in ths shop and sharing little tidbits with their viewers.
The original uncut version of this video can be found at http://www.facebook.com/WestsideGreenLivingWithWendy The original video has several additional segments but was edited here for YouTube’s required “shorter than 10 minutes” video rule.
Remember the “Story of Stuff”? It opened a lot of people’s eyes. Now Annie Leanord has produced the “Story of Bottled Water”.
If you agree that all of those plastic bottles are wasteful, my personal recommendation is Klean Kanteens. We own several and take water with us from home. You will too after you watch this video.
Known for being green while wearing pink. Passionate. Animated. Witty. Negotiator. Coach. Truth teller. Community builder. Animal lover. MINI Cooper driver. Handbell ringer. Built Green Certified Professional real estate agent. As a Built Green Certified Professional I serve the entire Puget Sound region. COMMUNICATION POLICY ---> It is best to contact me via email so I get the details on a mobile device. Then use my Accessline 206.686.HOME (4663) which is a voice/fax service.
greenfest day two – 2010 wrap up
Educational materials about invasive plants effect on our city’s park space 
Steve Richmond of West Seattle 
There is a bike and trailer in among all these plants. This is how Steve works – by bike and trailer. He doesn’t even own a vehicle. He is in a amazing shape! (He used to play pro beach volleyball.)
