Tweet, Tweet!

No, I'm not talking about the 140 character or less posting, or update on Twitter.  I'm talking about the sounds of the birds that are twitter-patted and excited about the warm weather, building their nests, and mating.  As I was cleaning out a patch of garden yesterday, the sounds of the birds struck me, and made me smile even more.  To me, the sounds of birds herald spring, and this spring has come earlier than usual, with record 80+ degree weather here in the Boston area in March! March is the time of year I start to watch for my favorite bird, the Eastern Blue Bird. 

If you want to do something nice for the birds, and encourage them to come to your yard, why not put out some nesting material for them and help them along.  Nesting material can be as simple as grasses or material cleaned out of the flower beds, thread, string, dryer lint, bits of yarn, etc.   http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/for-birds.html

Grand Canyon - Havasupai's Mooney Falls

190' Mooney Falls

I was just looking through pictures from our spectacular vacation, and putting together a photo book and realized that I never finished writing about our Grand Canyon Adventures!  Not sure how I let that slip, but on any given day besides work, I'm helping, cleaning up after, distracted by, or chauffeuring 1, 2, 3, or 4 children, or any combination thereof.  At any rate, I'm going to do my best to catch up on the details of our trip:

After a 14 hour day touring Las Vegas, we checked out the Hoover Dam, and then spent 2 days at Grand Canyon West (GCW).  Although not as well known as Grand Canyon National Park, GCW is the home of the Hualapai Tribe http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html , and we recommend visiting.  During our visit, we were able to walk up to the edge of the canyon, look down into the canyon, and explore and take pictures without any railings to alter the views.  We saw gorgeous panoramic sunsets at Guano Point, sunrise outside of  our cabin door at Hualapai Ranch where we enjoyed archery, quick-draw, tomahawk throwing, roping, and horseback riding up to the rim of the Canyon.    

Hoover Dam

Sunrise at Hualapai Ranch cabins

At the edge of the Canyon, Guano Point

Sunset at Guano Point, Grand Canyon West

Horseback riding at Hualapai Ranch

Switchbacks as we descend from trailhead

The Canyon view as we hike

30' Rock Falls - Rosebud and Rhody jumped from the top!

After exploring at GCW, we continued east to the Grand Canyon Caverns.  We toured the caverns and after a hearty dinner in Seligman at Lilos, we settled in so we’d be ready for the next day.  After a 4am wakeup, we packed up and drove down dark, vacant Route 66 a short distance to get to the turnoff for the 62 mile ride to the trailhead, Hualapai Hilltop.  It was around 7am when we set out from the trailhead, and it was still cool.  We hiked into the Canyon, 8 long miles; the first 1.5 miles were steep switchbacks with loose footing, and it was cool since we were in the shade, and the sun hadn’t heated the canyon walls for the day.  As the trail leveled out, the terrain was less rough, and the “soil” was finer, looser, red sediment that has washed into the canyon over thousands of years.  Soon after we’d made it to level terrain, it began to heat up, and we trekked the rest of the way in the July heat continuously sipping the water from our Camelbacks which were nestled into our backpacks.  We stopped along the way for photos, for breaks and snacking on dried fruit, granola, and peanut butter crackers.  We reached the Village of Supai, home of the Havasupai Indian Tribe in about 4 hours. 


After resting and having lunch, and checking into the air conditioned Lodge, we decided to hike 1.5 miles further to Rock Falls, a 30 foot waterfall.  Rosebud and Rhody jumped from the top!  After picking up some pb and j, bread, cheese, nacho chips, salsa, crackers, and water (lunch and dinner supplies) at the General Store, a good night’s sleep, and a big breakfast at the Café, we decided to hike 2.5 miles to the furthest fall that we would visit, Mooney Falls, and then backtrack and enjoy two other falls as we made our way back. 

Getting to Mooney Falls is not a leisurely 2.5 mile hike, and it’s not for the faint of heart, or someone afraid of heights.  Mooney Falls, is the tallest of the Havasupai Falls at 190’ tall.  Getting to the base of the falls is tricky, because the trail winds down the face of a cliff, and then through a short tunnel.  The tunnel ends at a ledge that has a great view of the falls at about 120’ from the bottom.  There is a thick chain link “rail” to keep hikers from falling.  You don’t want to fall from here…Mooney Fall is named after a miner who fell to his death in 1882.  The trail continues in a second, narrow, steep tunnel that emerges about 80’ above the canyon floor.  At this point, there is a very steep descent along rough rock, and more chains that are anchored to cliff walls with rebar and eye hooks.  Without this chain and rebar for handholds and footholds it would almost impossible to descend safely.  Hikers cannot pass along these sections, there is only room for one person, and it’s necessary to take turns descending and ascending.  At about 15-20’ from the bottom there are old wooden ladders to make the final descent.  Hikers should note that the constant mist from the falls can make the climb dangerous and slippery.  But it’s so worth the adrenalin rush to get into the water at the base of the falls.  Due to the mist, it was tricky to take pictures without getting the camera wet, but we managed.  The water actually felt cool even though it was a hot July day because of the mist.  If you dared to get near the pounding water, it prickled the skin!  We explored downstream a bit, snacked, and jumped off some of the smaller falls there.  Be sure you remember to pack lots of water, snacks, sun screen, beach towels, and water shoes to keep your feet safe as you climb and jump from the falls.  You also might want to pack a small foot power to help dry off your feet before putting the hiking boots back on.  And as you can see, a camera is a MUST to capture the brilliant colors and beauty of Mooney Falls.

Hiking down to Mooney requires you to pass through narrow rock tunnels

Climbing up/down to Mooney Falls is a bit tricky!

Hang on tight to the ropes and wooden ladders

190' Mooney Falls

Other related links:http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html
http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/09/grand-canyon-adventures-continued.html
http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2012/04/mooney-falls-return-trip.html

Declutter, reuse, fling

I've sung the praises of Marla Cilley, aka FlyLady of www.flylady.net on several occasions http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/08/j-is-for-junk.html, and tomorrow's mission of the day is to fling (or toss) some socks and pantyhose.  FlyLady's sidekick Kelly writes about the mission,

"You know that drawer that is full of old pantyhose and mismatched socks that you have held on to for reasons you don't even know. It is time to go through and toss, toss, toss. Be good to yourself and let go of these things that are cluttering up your bedroom. Hidden in a drawer or not, it is still clutter. Take 15 minutes and toss, toss, toss!"

But WAIT!!!  Before you toss those old socks, reuse them one more time!   I keep a few old socks stashed with the cleaning supplies for quick cleanup.  For example, I frequently use old socks to cleanup after our bulimic cat messes, then toss the mess and the sock without the guilt of wasting a paper towel.  I know, I know, that's gross, but I don't want that grossness touching my hand, and the sock is thicker than the paper towel and already destined for the trash.  Or...for a less gross cat related option, stuff an old sock with catnip, tie a knot and watch your favorite feline go nuts :)  Don't forget about your favorite canine...tie some old socks together to make a cheap dog pull.  Call Fido over for some tug-o-war and exercise your biceps!  

For other quick cleanups, I'll use an old sock on my hand as a dust mitt.  It works well to go along the baseboards, picture frames, etc.  Maybe you have some dusty or yucky messes you need to clean up without wrecking your sponges.  Old socks also make great shoe polishers, and after you use them to apply polish you can use them to shine the shoe too!

Similarly, before you toss the old pantyhose, reuse it for cleaning between rungs on chairs, or between tight spaces.  Have you heard of using pantyhose to help get paint into tight spaces between fences, or slats?  After cutting old pantyhose into strips, they can be used to tie up plants in the garden without harming delicate stalks, and the hose will give as the plant grows.  Then after you are nice and dirty from gardening, how about putting slivers of soap to use in a pantyhose leg, and tying it to the outdoor faucet for a washing station?   I've also placed an old pair of pantyhose on the end of the vacuum hose with a rubber band to keep it in place, to prevent sucking up Legos or other small items permanently (you know small things that might be in or under the couch that you don't want to loose forever).  

Declutter, reuse, fling.  Give it a try.  Get going with inspiration from Flylady to declutter those drawers 15 minutes at a time, then reuse those old socks and pantyhose for greener spring cleaning alacartegreen style, and then fling.  Declutter, reuse, fling, repeat!

Grapes

In the words of Ed Begley, Jr., "pick the low hanging fruit".  By that he means to make the easiest green changes first.  Well, today I sorta took that advice literally, yet by accident!  I chose Rainforest Alliance Certified http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/agriculture/certification red grapes at the grocery store.  They are delicious and nutritious, and by happenstance, they are also sustainable, which is of course a win/win for all.  I wanted to learn more about the Rainforest Alliance Certification, so I looked it up and was surprised to learn that more than two million farmers, farm workers, and their families directly benefit from the Rainforest Alliance Certification.  Rainforest Alliance Certification ensures that those who are certified address the three pillars of sustainability "environmental protection, social equity, and economic viability."  To become Rainforest Alliance Certified™, farms must be audited by the independent international certification body, Sustainable Farm Certification, Intl., which certifies to Sustainable Agriculture Network standards.  Oh, and did I mention, that the holey plastic bag (so that the grapes can breathe) is also recyclable #4 LDPE or Low-density polyethylene?  You can bet it will be returned to the grocery store on my next trip and placed in the recycle bin near the entrance door ;) 

Last Chance for Free Mulch!

Looking around there are many houses with their Christmas lights on, but here in New England we've been experiencing an unusually warm fall.  Just this week the temperatures have been in the 60s!  The freakishly warm weather allowed me the opportunity to get some yard work done this past weekend, get some fresh air, and get a dose of Mycobacterium vaccae, nature's prozac :)  http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/10/m-is-for-mycobacterium-vaccae.html   Besides continuing tree cleanup from the October storm that snapped the leaf laden trees like twigs, there was still raking to be done, and lots of general cleanup. As they say, a gardener's job is never done. 

What to do with all those leaves?  Don't bag them up and put them in the trash!  That's like throwing away a gift from nature, free mulch :)  When I have an area where I want to create or expand a flower bed, I simply rake the leaves to that area, and mound up a pile about 10-24".  I leave the leaves there over the winter, and the rain and snow pack down the leaves, and instead of having to remove grass to create the bed, the worms and leaves do the work for me.  In other areas, I use a thick layer of leaves to prevent weeds from growing, and it is one less area that we have to mow.  I also use leaf mulch around the base of trees.  As the leaves breakdown, they release nutrients into the soil.  During the winter months the leaf mulch helps to insulate the tree, and during the warmer months, the mulch helps to maintain moisture around the roots of the trees. 

Some gardeners choose to chop up leaves with a mower or leaf blower/vac.  If we happen to be mowing a section of the lawn, we take advantage of the leaves being collected and chopped.  Then we empty the bag with grass/leaves where we want it.  You can use a 3-4" layer of leaf mulch blanket to tuck in your perennials for the winter, and nourish the soil in preparation for springtime.  Don't forget to add some leaves to your compost pile while you're busy raking.  In fact, you might want to rake a small pile of leaves next to your compost bin, so that you can scoop some leaves on top of your "greens" each time, layering for optimum composting. 

If I'm lucky, the weather will hold, and I will be able to get back to the yard work, tuck in a few more newly  planted perennials for the winter, and get another dose of Mycobacterium vaccae.  I hope you'll take advantage of nature's free mulch gift too ;)   Happy raking!

Grand Canyon Adventures Continued

Hiking into the Grand Canyon from Hualapai Hilltop to Supa

After visiting Grand Canyon West and the Hualapai Tribe this July, (read more about our adventures at Grand Canyon West at http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html) we traveled about 36 miles on the dirt road to nowhere, and made it to historic Route 66 (Here It Is! The Route 66 Map Series).  We stopped and toured Grand Canyon Caverns, and were told it is the largest dry cavern in the US.  After taking an elevator down 21 stories, our guide showed us selenite and limestone crystals, a mummified bobcat, and the remains of  "Gertie" a 15 foot, 4 inch, giant ground sloth.  That evening, we drove a bit farther to Route 66's historic Seligman, and had a delicious, filling dinner at Westside Lilo's.  Hubby and I also enjoyed a well deserved, ice cold, refreshing beer (there are no adult beverages on Indian Reservations) :)   We picked up a few supplies, and then returned to Grand Canyon Caverns Inn for the night.  We filled our Camelbak Hydration Bladder, put them in the fridge, checked our backpacks for supplies for the upcoming hike into the canyon, and turned in for the night (that's an over simplification of the process of getting all 6 of us prepped, but you get the idea.) 

The alarm went off at 4am.  Uggh.  But, we needed to get an early start to reach the trail head and hike when it was cooler.  We woke the groggy crew, ate breakfast, inserted the Camelbaks into the Kelty backpacks, made sure the packs were adjusted, and packed the car.  We traveled down dark, vacant Route 66 a short distance to our 62 mile turnoff to Hualapai Hilltop.  The kids dozed, and the sun peaked out from behind the hills, and hubby watched for cattle in the road.  We arrived at Hualapai Hilltop just after sunrise, and were excited to begin the 8 mile hike into the canyon and the village of Supai, which is part of the Havasupai Reservation.  (Note: The name Hualapai Hilltop was confusing at first because we'd just come from the Hualapai Reservation at Grand Canyon West, yet Hualapai Hilltop is the trailhead leading down into the Havasupai Reservation, and the Village of Supai.)

The first mile and a half, was a series of steep, loose rocky switchbacks, and it was easy to loose your footing.  I recommend packing an Ace Bandage or two,  as well as a first aid kit with instant ice packs, and Band-Aid Advanced Healing Blister Cushions.  Thank goodness, we were prepared with these items because we ending up using them all even though we had proper hiking shoes and socks. It's almost inevitable when hiking on uneven, rocky terrain, for that distance!

We stopped and took lots of pictures along the way, but it's hard to do justice to the amazing, natural wonder of landscape that is the Grand Canyon, the varied terrain, the altitude, and the vivid colors.  I wish I could say that the kids were all soaking up the natural wonders around them, but alas there is always one who is less than enthused, which made the hike take a little bit longer than planned.  We took extra breaks to adjust hiking shoes, snacks, water, etc. to help along the way, and even the picture breaks provided short rests. 

After the mile and a half of switchbacks, the terrain leveled out, but the "soil" was made up of small to medium red rocks that are the result of canyon washouts.  At this point it was getting warm, and we made sure to sip water from the Camelbak hoses to keep hydrated.   The canyon walls stretched up to blue sky, and it was surreal to think that we were walking in the Grand Canyon that was formed 6 million years ago!  We did our best to stay in the shadiest parts for as long as possible, and the Columbia omni-shade shirts and hats helped to keep the sun off our skin, and wick away the moisture (Columbia Men's Bahama II Long Sleeve Shirt), 

I'm not going to lie...8 miles in July, in the Arizona heat, with temperatures in the mid-90's makes for a long 4 hour hike.  The last mile, as we approached Supai and began to see and hear water, seemed especially long because we really didn't have any idea how close we were to the village at that point.  When we finally reached Supai, I'm sure we looked like most tourists; we were hot, sweaty, exhausted, and a few were cranky.   But the icy cold drinks we sipped while we waited for lunch to be prepared in the nondescript air-conditioned Cafe began to revive us little by little.  And let me tell you, those expensive, calorie packed burgers and huge tacos were worth every penny.  Our lunch hit the spot, and helped to recharge us.  


We checked in to the Havasupai Lodge (don't bother trying to check in early), changed into bathing suits, and geared up for one of our ultimate destinations, and hiked to the first waterfall, Rock Falls a 30 foot waterfall.  After watching others jump off a small ledge underneath the main fall, we put on water shoes, swam over, climbed up the rocky edge, and leaped through the fall as the water from above prickled our skin.  It was exhilarating!  We watched as several courageous souls jumped from the top of the falls.  Rosebud and Rhody, wanted to jump, and we climbed to the top with them, to check it out.  OMG, it was high and scary!  First Rosebud, then Rhody launched off, jumping out so as not to hit the rock at the top that jutted out.  My heart was in my throat as they leaped into the beautiful, turquoise water, and I couldn't breathe until I saw them surface again (which seemed to take forever!).  They both amazed me with their bravery and for seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I hope they will always remember the thrill of jumping, and the adrenalin rush as they plunged into breathtaking Rock Falls.

Other links to check: http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html
http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/Havasupai Mooney Falls2012.html
and http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2012/04/mooney-falls-return-trip.html

Rock Falls in the Grand Canyon, north of Supai

Rock Falls - 30 foot waterfall

Rhody jumping from the lower ledge, through Rock Falls

Rosebud and Rhody seize the day and jump from the top of  Rock Falls!

Rock Falls - the "stairs" up to the 30' jump

Rock Falls from a distance

Weathering Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene 2011

When Hurricane Irene came storming her way up the east coast, I'm not sure we thought we'd actually be in the dark...or at least not for as long as we were.  We prepared as best we could; we bought gallons of drinking water, froze Ziplock bags full of water, stowed all the outdoor chairs, tables, soccer nets, etc.  Hubby filled the second propane tank for the grill, and bought some canned goods and non-fridge food.  I did extra loads of laundry ahead of schedule, filled up the dishwasher and ran it, and gathered every candle and match book in the house.  We charged the electronics and cell phones, gathered the flashlights and batteries, and filled the bathtub with water.  We were prepared for the worst, and hoped for the best.  And then at 10:50 am on Sunday, we lost power.

I'm proud to say we weathered Hurricane Irene and the loss of power for 82 hours with as much green grace as we could muster.  We lost several trees, and large branches, and a section of fence was knocked down, and ultimately had to toss several pounds of meat, but luckily there was no damage to the house, and we still had running water.  For the first few hours, it felt like we were on an adventure, "Survivor Irene", but when the hot water ran out, the electronics ran out of charge, and the kids got bored playing board games, the forced "green" adventure turned the adventurers a bit grouchy.  Personally, I'd never experienced a power outage for 82 hours, and it really made me appreciate all the everyday things that we all typically take for granted in a developed country. 

We made due with less.  No electricity.  No hot water.  No microwave.  None of the modern conveniences we are accustomed to, switching on the lights, running the dishwasher, toasting a bagel, boiling water, reheating food, cooking, making coffee, throwing in a load of laundry, watching TV to name a few.  Keeping food cold in the cooler, washing dishes in cold water, and drying them in the sunlight, and later reading and functioning by candlelight made us feel like we'd stepped back into the 1800's.  At 6am on Monday morning, hubby began searching for more ice for the coolers.  He drove all over to find it, (none of the surrounding stores were open or had ice, so he drove further to a town we knew still had power), and to look for a generator at Home Depot or Lowes.  Of course they were sold out, but he put us on a waiting list to rent a generator to keep the food in the main fridge/freezer from spoiling.  28 hours into the outage he was able to rent one, and we were able to plug in the fridge, and a second extension cord to recharged cell phones, iPad, and iPods. 

As time went on, we developed a great appreciation for the power and appliances that we usually take for granted.  On the fourth day without electricity, we decided to try to boost morale (we were all quite grouchy by the time evening rolled around), and used the second generator plug to watch one of my favorite chick flicks,  Sweet Home Alabama.  We'd just about finished the movie, when the lights and fans came on!  The kids whooped and hollered, and we breathed a collective sigh of relief that we'd weathered Hurricane Irene.  Let's hope that the predictions from NOAA, for a higher than usual incidence of hurricanes and tropical storms, misses the mark, and we can pick and choose green choices a la carte instead of "a la Hurricane".