I will be here for a short while.

Posts on AGT will begin again in early August.

How could one be in this place and not see life as it could be? It reminds us every day that there is no limit on possibility.

Wherever you spend your summer, find that place. It lives inside you, always has.

Thank you to my sister, Sonja, for the photo.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Prince Edward Island Summer. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2010, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

After 2 weeks of going around to different people’s homes, sitting on different couches and eating anything I want, where wrapping gifts was the most strenuous activity, I’m on a cleansing kick.

I’m not a big detox affiliate. The closest I get is a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon and a generous grating of ginger several times a day. That alone feels like hitting the reset button. You could add honey but the less simple sugars, the better, at this point. Bill asked if it will improve my shit zing (the closest he could get to feng shui, as he clumps all forms of personal wellness, growth, energy, etc. as one).

Two wonderful days in Freeport, ME, have taught me that LLBean has now moved into the top spot for my favorite clothes, for outerwear at least. I was there with my Starbucks at 5 AM, by no means the only one in the store. It feels very interesting to actually buy something that I may never have to (or want to) replace. They make coats you sweat in. The boots are beyond great.

Their marketing strategy is interesting. Like Apple, there’s never a strong upsell. You find yourself involved in an engaging conversation about the merits of this fleece or that fleece.  By the time you’re done, you’re thinking “Well, I gotta have that”.

These gloves were among the best of my purchases. They have little suede insets sewn into the fingertips and palm. You can dial a cell phone without hitting 2 buttons at once. You can grip a steering wheel with finesse. You can separate the 2 sides of the filmy plastic produce bag to get it open (works better than bare fingers!).  You can separate bills in your wallet with fingertip precision. They’re warm and stylish, without being quite as proper as leather gloves. I wear a size 8 ring and bought the Large, which just fit.

I don’t have a new professional wear favorite, or an old one for that matter. I believe it does not exist. Banana Republic maybe (badly in need of PCA’d clothes but they could take over the world).

The boot cut fitness pants are awesome. I’m a 7-8 and bought a Small, which is a little too big. After my brother told me to stop dressing like a teenager, I’ve been looking for something I can wear on weekends that are not wind pants, jeans, or cords. These are great and not too tight, cut more like a trouser pant than yoga pants. I’m 5’4” and they fall well below the ankle.

I bought no makeup. What is the world coming to.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Road Trip Highlights. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Someone may have to ride on the roof to make room for all the hair products.

We’ve blocked all the Christmas carol radio stations. Bill hasn’t gotten over the Bananaphone cassette episode and that was 15 years ago.

The back of his seat is cushioned so the child who keeps kicking his seat (and claiming it was her brother, though he is sitting in the back seat) will not cause any tension.

We shall tighten our core muscles and get through this. Whyever would we do that? Well, picture a fire pole going down your body lengthwise, from your head to your feet. Tighten your butt muscles around it, like grabbing on to your own vertical midline. Now vacuum seal your abs back against your spine, so you’re steady on your own horizontal axis. Would take a lot more to knock you down, wouldn’t it? Road trips can put you to the test.:)

I wish each of you a bright, open-minded, reflective, and inspiring Christmas. May it be followed with an energized, growth-oriented year.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Christmas In Full Colour. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Have you looked at the hair stuff at Sephora? The deals? I couldn’t pick just one. Fekkai’s Glossing Shampoo. Juicy Couture’s hair elastics. The Carol’s Daughter set is $37. Do you have girl children from 15 to 25 to buy for?

2. Free passes to a Les Mills gym. If there’s one in my little town, they cannot be hard to find. Do you know Les Mills? I believe they’re an exercise franchise from Australia. The classes and music are pre-choreographed. There are no bad classes and there are many class styles. I’ve taken several, all outstanding.

No pressure. Go whenever.

3.Chalean Extreme . I really want this. You may remember Chalene Johnson from the Turbojam exercise videos at BeachBody. This series is focused on building muscle with strength training. For women over 40, for anyone, cardio is all fine and good, but equal amounts of strength and resistance training make your frame of body and your frame of mind strong. It deeply roots the “If I can do this, I can do anything” notion in your head.

Here’s what I couldn’t wait for :  Insanity. The hardest workout ever put on DVD. This link takes you to the BeachBody homepage. On the right is the link to Insanity. Watch the video. I can tell you, it is all this and more.

4. Smart Wool socks. So much more than socks. Many places to buy. Being warm goes a long way towards being enveloped by that festive feeling.

5. Wyndham Estate’s Bin 555 Shiraz. At $15 or so, this is a wonderful red wine. Though I don’t distinguish all the flavors wines possess, this one is said to taste of strawberries, plums, licorice, and pepper.  Getting into the Wynham Estate’s site requires that you be of legal drinking age, but you can Google and read many reviews.

6. Towel warmer. Until they build ladders into bathrooms, since which home of 5 has enough towel racks in the bathroom, and it eludes me why they haven’t exploited this vertical design option yet, this is very useful. And such a treat.

There are several designs and prices. The one below is about $50 at Sears Canada.

7. Brie warmer. It is the thing. Arrive with one of these little tubs, like a round ceramic butter dish with a top, plus the Brie inside, a loaf of French bread, a few raspberries, and you are the star of the show. I saw some cute ones at Chapters, though I don’t see them on the site. They were $19.99.

8. Festive Stripe Stemware and table runners at Pier 1 Imports. Whether it’s the glasses that get me festive or the stuff inside, something will work. These are so pretty I’d keep them out all year.

The tablerunners are so beautiful too. I loved this Christmas tree design, and the Starburst. Lovely hostess gifts.

9. The camis at Smart Set. $20 for 2. In nylon/spandex, the feel is light and silky, not cotton, underwear, or sleepwear. They are not childishly ornate. They have a smooth ballerina scoop, rather than a more casual looking V. The straps are set wider apart, better with a more open neck blouse or sweater. The 20! colours are good. The straps are adjustable. It is SO hard to find lower layers that don’t look too much like lingerie or our daughter’s tank tops. It is not too short or too long. The border and straps are satiny.

The link will take you to Smart Set but the Flash viewer won’t let me link further. Just look for Nylon/Spandex Cami under Smart Fashion.

10. These SO-cute mascara samplers. Know a teenager? After they get over the discovery of their own hair when they’re about 13, the next fascination is eyelashes. Ships for free in the US, as does a lot of product at this great store. When will retailers ship free to Canada?

What’s going on at 12B? There is a trilogy of articles in process. The first is What Are Clear And Soft Colours?, because every Season needs to know.

The next one, going up sometime today, is The Mystery Of Brown, where I think about how to choose Spring’s browns from Autumn’s. It’s easier with clothing than makeup.

These are leading up to visiting Louise again, from Louise and Stevan Are Light Springs, and choosing makeup for Louise’s eyes.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Gifts from Real People 2. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Last year, I did 5 of these articles, Gift Ideas For The Real World 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Having just looked them over, why they’re pretty good, sez me. I didn’t want to duplicate anything.

I’m not sure I can think of that many ideas this year. Although, once the ball starts rolling and people chime in, we can come up with some amazing things.

For you early shoppers, how about these?

1. Stainless steel compost buckets at Lee Valley. They look great on the counter and stay nice and shiny.

2. The rolling composter at Lee Valley. I tried composting once in one of those big square plastic tubs you get from the city. I attracted every raccoon and possum for miles. This guy is easy to roll, gets hot enough inside to kill weed seeds, and produces gorgeous earth in less than a month. Read about it on the linked page. I have a friend who owns one and it is the BEST thing.

While you’re at the Lee Valley, site, check out their gifts organized by activity and cost. Really good.

3. A Comfort Plus Pillow by Sleep Innovations. Changed my life, this did. It took about 3 nights to get onto it but for my neck and shoulders, it is a wonderful thing. Got mine at Zellers, normally $40 but they go on good sales often. Your face doesn’t sink into it and rub off all your night cream, quite a big bonus for me who goes to bed very gooped up.

4. A Silpat baking mat. Listen : if you don’t have one, don’t wait till Christmas. Just go buy  yourself 2 of them. These things are unbelievable. They make life better!

5. Jams and honeys. These are just such a treat, but so expensive to buy yourself. If someone gave you one and you ate it in 3 days all by yourself, well you’re not out anything are you? Many companies make these.

The PEI Preserve Company is a favorite of ours. Should you ever be so fortunate to visit PEI, this place is a MUST SEE. Beautiful restaurant, gift shop, bakery, and samples upon samples.

The Garlic Box, McGarrigle’s Mustards, the Jellies and Teas, all fabulous. In fact, their chutneys and relishes may be better than the jams. The Balsamic and Cracked Pepper Mustard is wonderful.  The Antipasto is a PEI summer staple. Who wouldn’t love a beautiful Summer Honey box?

6. Wicked Good Hand Warmers at LLBean. On those long winter walks through the woods, you will be LOVED. Give them out to everyone like M&M’s. They work incredibly well. The fabric is quite durable so you can slip one over your toes and wouldn’t wear through it.

7. Double layer long underwear at LLBean. I might have said something like this last year, but this fabric is so cushy and warm and dry that I’ll risk repeating it. The outfits run big. I’m a size 7 and the Medium is a bit too big, but for sleeping, it’s fine.

8. A rain barrel. There are many that can be found through Google. The wooden whiskey barrel style is expensive. Home Depot has them now and then, and they may be on sale now where you live. They look so good in the garden, a focal spot.

In plastic, they come in  various shapes and sizes. Home Depot even has collapsible ones. What a nice and easy way to water the garden. Or to wash your hair.

9. Bottles and bottles of Paula’s Choice new Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer.

10. A subscription to Fitness magazine. I’m loving this publication. It’s not too exercise-hard-core. The nutrition and health articles are terrific. Coming home from a long day and finding a new magazine in the mailbox = a good evening.

Also, the latest installment at 12 Blueprints : Icy Colours and Pastels. If you’re a Winter or a Summer, you need to know the difference.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Gifts From Real People 1. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

My sister is a chef and a master chocolatier. Can you believe that? I can barely believe it myself (the chocolate part, I mean). Her chocolates make Godiva look like the Estee Lauder of the chocolate world – happy to receive any amount of it, but it’s still mass-market product. Sonja’s chocolates make Godiva look a bit ordinary. Seriously. She no longer has time to create those truly unique and inspired chocolates, though will hopefully do so again.

Meet Sonja.

Meet the reason (or 3 of the many) that she no longer makes chocolates.

Sonja sends us this recipe.

This is a really good and easy (read fast) recipe for chicken soup.  Here goes:

Sonja’s Chicken Soup In A Flash

Ingredients

• 2 litres of Campbell’s Chicken Stock, low sodium
• 4 breasts of chicken
• 1-2 cans of beans ( I like the 5 bean combo which adds variety and color)
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 1 can corn (or frozen)
• spinach (I buy the prewashed organic variety)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 kafir lime leaves (optional)
• 6-8 cloves garlic
• cooked macaroni kept on the side

Method

Heat the oven to 375.  Place chicken breasts in a roasting pan, season with salt and pepper, add a dash of olive oil if you like, place in oven.  I like to roast my garlic with the chicken.  It will cook faster than the chicken, so keep an eye on it.  The chicken should be cooked in 10-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and chop both the chicken and garlic into small pieces.

While the chicken is cooking, bring the stock to a boil, add the bay leaves and kafir lime leaves.  Add the washed beans and corn and any other firm veg you may have chosen.

Add the diced, cooked chicken and garlic.

Simmer together for 5 minutes.  Add the red pepper at the last minute.

Prepare the bowls:  place a few leaves of spinach in the bottom of each bowl.  Ladle the soup on top of it.  People are in charge of their own macaroni.  My kids love it, I don’t.

This is a really flexible recipe; you can add any veg you want but remember that certain ones really don’t need to be cooked long or they will turn to mush.  You can add as much or as little stock as you please and same with the beans.  There are no rules here!

This should take 15-20 minutes max, and you can make large quantities since it reheats well.  I would not put the spinach in the main pot, though or it will become stringy and dark.

Kafir lime leaves can be had in Asian food stores and they freeze well.  They add a special flavor that you may associate with Thai cooking.  It is hard to describe but very pleasant.  It is not an overpowering flavor (unless you go crazy and add 12 leaves). (Sonja tells me that you could add a little lime zest if you don’t have kafir lime leaves).

My kids are notoriously finicky and even they can’t find anything wrong with this recipe.

Happy trails,

Sonja

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Sonja’s Chicken Soup In A Flash. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

We’ll be making a few changes with the blog this week. Actually, I will be thanking Heaven every day for my excellent site maintenance friend, Rick Beckman, who will be making these changes for us.

As the site gets more traffic, there are times when a Traffic Overload message restricts access. Rick is aiming to correct that.

Comments are temporarily disabled because newer comments may get lost in the process. The next post is Makeup Model : Cool Winter, due to publish on July 15.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Comments Disabled. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

It feels very cleansing to get rid of half the stuff you own but you need a good reason to get to it.  The Color Analysis studio is taking shape. It needs a name.

Have you ever tried to name a business? or a website? Essentially the same thing nowadays. It ain’t easy.

So I started with

Color Compass or Clock CA (Color Analysis) – because the color wheel is a circle, and the hands point to a position. But too navigational.

 Stopwatch CA , also a clock, but with a “lock-and-load”, “you’ve arrived” connotation; this might be better for a line of anti-aging gimmicks creams.

Color Path CA - it’s a journey of self-discovery… yadayada, what isn’t?

ColorWorks CA – here is where I realize that the word “color” is being repeated too much.

There’s way more. It makes my head swirl.

EnergyWorks CA  - that’s a yoga studio.

Rainbow Energy CA – Can you see doves being released in the background and hear music playing?

 Image Accelerated CA – hardly restful.

New Confidence CA – too generic.

Chroma CA – how many people know what Chroma means?

YDS Definition CA  - YDS is for Your Deeper Self ; first question people have is, of course, what the heck is YDS? or did you say YSD? is it all one word?

Precision CA – sounds like a tire balancing service but I liked the sciency- ness which appeals to my analytical nature.

Perfect By Nature CA – because you are; that’s the whole point. But it sounds like a line of organic yogurt.

Organic CA – to convey the innate, unadorned truth of the colors you were born with, but all I can picture is yogurt.

Natural Selection CA – like, what has Darwin got to go with this?

Exclusively You CA – a dress boutique, a rather standard and expensive one at that.

Imagine CA – my daughter’s favorite, after Tie-Dye CA. Why, yes, she is very creative, now that you ask. For those who know me, why, right again, it is the middle child.

Imagine Perfect CA – insert here sound of celestial voices raised in song to convey excessive New Age-ness. Might as well call it “On Your Own Wings”.

Very nice. I’m more this guy.

I had a Hungarian mother, see.

Picture Perfect CA – a children’s photography studio. Or maybe pets.

First Impression CA – too common.

Experiment with Success CA – better as a tagline on a business card.

Power Source CA  -  too scary.

Intentionality CA – what???

UAccelerate CA (I’ve seen Star Trek twice and am going back again and again; it has me thinking in terms of forward momentum and exploration, though I felt Command Center CA was a bit much for all of us) ( and I figured iColor was copyrighted).

Envision CA, probably my favorite; it goes with other cool words like Engadget and Encarta. And Enterprise and Energy. Is that auspicious? And Entertain. It speaks to me about imagination and possibility, 2 things I like a lot.

Enlighten CA (my sweet children tell me the last 2 sound like “where Jesus gets his colors done” ; they told me I might as well call it Lamb Of God CA, the little turkeys).

Into Focus CA – boring name, though that is what happens. Our eyes don’t lock onto other people’s eyes because the person is not in focus. When your colors are right, the gaze doesn’t keep wandering all around because the edges aren’t smudged anymore. People look right at you. And you look right back.

Color Specialist CA – feels too self-promoting. Maybe you have to get used to that when you run your own business.

The Colors Within CA – repeats the word color again.

Accent on Color CA –  too broad. Sounds like a Home Decor place.

Full Circle CA – from the color wheel but rather general.

Cycle of Seasons, or something about Season Flow – sounds menstrual. The tagline could be Menopause and Makeup.

The Key – to suggest unlocking. The Key sounds like a spy agency. I asked my children for another word for “unlock” and they suggested “Alohomora”, which is Harry Potter for unlock. Special.

Transformation CA – synonymous with The Biggest Loser.

Yes, I know that perfect is the sworn enemy of good and it’s not that important. If you have any inspiration here, dearest readers, please help me out. 

I’m better at taglines and slogans. I found Businesscardland, a great site where you can print your own business cards. I can use a different color combination and tagline with every run.

End the uncertainty.

Stop wondering.

Imagine knowing for sure.

Imagine 60 Perfect  Colors.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Choosing A Business Name. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Sifting through the many good blogs to find the great ones requires more time than many of us have. We often find them by accident. 

Take some time to browse through this list. There are some real gems here that you’ll visit often.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: 100 Best Wellness Blogs For Women. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

There are no day trips I love better than going to the United States. I don’t buy a lot. I just like being there. I don’t need to go to a mall, though I always prefer it. The people are very nice and so wonderfully pleased to be themselves. It’s infectious. The Canadian angst about having too much fun fades for a day. You can just abandon yourself to being completely happy just being in the world. Americans suffer no inner torment about having too much fun.

Photo by christopher.woo

Unfortunately, and much as it irritates my empowered woman self, I cannot overcome my fear of driving in their cities. The roads are a spaghetti junction of choices, construction, and detours. I need my husband to drive me to the mall of the day. He has a built-in compass. I mean that quite literally. Watches stop ticking within 2 days of being strapped to his wrist. He can slow a computer down too so I keep mine in a room he never goes in.

… but then, I wish he could enter a suspended animation till I’m done. I’m jittery. This is how I can tell he wants to leave :

 1.     He wants to sightsee and take his time on the drive to get there. I want to speed and get jacked on coffee on the way.

2.     He orders the same thing at Tim Horton’s and at Starbuck’s. Psychic barristas that they hire at Starbuck’s, they know better than to get into Venti and Grande with this guy. It’s “Large, black”. 

3.     If you go into a store together, he takes one trip round and asks “See anything you like?”

4.     I get him to take the kids for lunch so I can have an hour alone. I return, sweat running down my back, to find them all lined up on a bench. I told him there was an Apple Store, an EBGames, but alas, no. All lined up on a bench.

5.     He is impervious to the word Sale, and a little worried about my reaction to it. The amount of money he sees me changing at the border has the same effect (the worry part).

Photo by Saudi…

6.     He has a phobia of dressing rooms and bathrooms. Both represent nothing but a huge inconvenience. This is why all his clothes come from Mark’s Work Wearhouse. He goes in twice a year, hands the girl at the cash the tags he’s ripped off his previous season’s selection, stocks up, and leaves. I must pretend not to notice, so inconceivable is it to me.

7.     He’s not interested in the architectural details of the mall construction, skyways and such. I think the whole mood of a mall is very much influenced by the design details. I observe these things. He might notice if the benches were heated.

8.     I try again to get 15 minutes alone. I return to find, you guessed it, all 4 of them lined up on a bench. And the kids are hungry. They’re in a Food Court !! How is it possible?

9.     There is never anything he wants to buy. JCrew could be giving away merchandise and he’d walk right by.

10.  He seems to have developed a new love of people-watching. He’ll sit there for 2 hours, till I cannot stand it anymore and it’s me that’s insisting on leaving.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: 10 Ways To Tell That Your Husband Hates Malls. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Preparing Grandma for the 2009 digital switch

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1832247

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: The Digital Switch. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

The President’s Choice Shopping – To – Go is the most practical shopping bag of them all. This little bag measures 4×4 “, disappears easily into your purse unless you carry a clutch, is weightless, and is very handy.

President’s Choice is the private brand of Loblaw’s, a food retailer in Canada. This bag is not on the PC site. Their closest product is the Green Shopping Bag.

The fold-up bag is way better than the Green Bag. The fold-up style is neither plastic nor papery feeling. It’s like the material of nylon windbreakers. Very durable and washable. The handles are part of the bag fabric rather than sewn on , so they don’t rip easily, and believe me, they can carry a load of stuff. It’s extremely easy and fast to fold back up into the little bag.

 Here’s a picture of mine, folded up.

and opened.

 Living greener is like eating greener. The easier it is, the more we’ll do it.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: The Smartest Shopping Bag. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

These Insulated Comfort Mocs from L.L.Bean are the most comfortable and functionally ideal shoes.

They had to be slip on. The zipper’s not tight over the top of the foot but I wear them with the zipper open and they don’t fall off.

They had to have some support because I hate the look and feel of mushy slippers.

The toe had to be closed to keep my feet warm in our drafty house. We seem to have a lot of air currents at ground level.

They had to be lightweight because I don’t like heavy clothing. That’s why I seldom wear jeans.

The sole had to be rubber to avoid tracking dog hair all over the house.

The sole also had to be waterproof.  Stepping in melted snow in socked feet at 11PM can make you IRRITABLE.

They had to be durable so I could throw them in a bag and take to people’s houses when I visit. It might feel a little proper to bring your own shoes but socked feet hurt my back and make me feel short and squat. Nobody stands right in socked feet but women are the worst.

They had to be indoor/outdoor in case I drove somewhere and forgot to change my shoes.

They had to be inexpensive.

They had to be quiet to walk in at 5 AM without waking everyone sleeping upstairs.

They had to be lined with something that doesn’t make feet too hot like shearling. That fur you see is just a collar around the ankle. It doesn’t extend into the shoe.

You know L.L.Bean. Those are the clothes you love more everytime you wear them.

Did you know L.L. stands for Leon Leonwood?

I bought them at the store for $34, or maybe it was $39.  They’re not on sale on the site ($50). Now, that’s annoying. What if I loved them so much that I decided to buy a black pair online when I got home? I’d be a little testy, wouldn’t I? I’d even have to reconsider whether L.L.Bean is one of my favorite stores. Keep watching the prices, women.

I normally wear a 9.5, but I found a 10 most comfortable, especially if you’re wanting heavy socks with them. I have a phobia of feeling the end of my shoe with my toe; it’s a relic from years of wearing shoes that were too tight/narrow/pointed because I thought someone noticed how good they looked. I’ve smartened up a bit since those days. 

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Perfect Indoor Shoes. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

How do I love shopping? I cannot count the ways.

1. A Flip MinoHD. A sleek pocket-size camcorder that creates high quality movies that can be downloaded into a computer. For quality, ease of use, and size of movies, these are hard to beat. Pricier than most of my gift suggestions, but you wouldn’t regret this. The High Def (HD) version costs more but is probably worth it. At The Flip Store, called MinoHD Camcorder.    

You simply must go to this page to experience the design and pattern generators. Ships for free, in the US at least, for now at least.

2. Crème de Cassis. This is a blackcurrant liqueur. Drop a splash in  the bottom of a glass of champagne, or wonderful sparkling white wine like Henkell Troken. Extreme elegance.

 3. Laura Mercier Tinted Illuminating Moisturizer SPF 20

Feel like your skin looks flat by mid-winter? A little bronzer helps, but not enough. This product gives a real-looking glow but not a speck of glisten. You know the sheen on the dull side of foil ? It’s more like that. There’s no sparkle. Too much could certainly make you look like an ornament, but a light touch just looks polished, like the skin’s been buffed. A perfect amount of light reflection occurs and define the angles of the face. 

I bought Natural Radiance (for light to medium skin tones, a medium beige).

There’s Bare Radiance (light beige, for fair to light)

and Warm Radiance (medium peach beige for medium skin with pink tones- that’s from Sephora, I’m not sure just what color it describes).

Is it just me or is the lighting in all Sephora stores very misleading? I tried Bare which looked chalky. I bought Natural which looked just right in the store but is quite a deep beige at home in daylight. Given the cost, this might not be one to buy without testing.

I used it on its own. Very sheer but there was no twinkling skin. It wasn’t even unbelievably ridiculously shiny, just very sheer. With a little concealer, it was great for a weekend. For work, mixed with my usual foundation at 50:50, it only warms and deepens it a bit because it blends out very sheer, and it looks AWESOME (if I say so myself).

This is a beeeyootiful tinted moisturizer. Your skin will look better, I promise. I am so impressed that I’m going to buy the Bare Radiance so I can create the perfect shade. I really love it.

4. Joy Tea by Tazo Tea at Starbucks. Their seasonal offering and it is lovely. There are no weird holiday flavor shots, no Jack-in-the-box that nobody likes. It’s just an unusual but nice mix of black teas.  From the Starbucks site : “Tazo Joy is a delicate yet full cup, created with some of the finest varietal teas available. Rare Darjeelings and Formosa Oolongs are paired with light-bodied, fragrant Nuwara Eliya teas from Ceylon. Yunnan teas from the high plateaus of Southern China and Southern India Nilgiris add texture and complexity.”

5. L’Occitane en Provence Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette. This is a gorgeous scent. You’ll recognize cherry but it’s not Lip Smackers. A light floral, yes, but miles from anything fussy and complicated. This scent is fresh and different. It is sweetish but galaxies away from the cloyingly horrid lily-of-the-valley. If I were buying a scent for someone whose taste I didn’t know, this would be it.

 From Sephora, about L’Occitane Cherry Blossom:            

?Cherry Blossom ?This feminine, floral fragrance pleasantly perfumes the skin with the fresh, soft fragrance of cherry blossom with cherry extract from the Luberon in Provence.

Notes:?Cherry, Freesia, Black Currant, Cherry Blossom, Lily of the Valley, Rosewood, Amber, Musk.?Style:?Fresh. Feminine. Unique.

 L’Occitane is one of Leaping Bunny’s truly cruelty-free companies and they make nice stuff. I gladly support these companies.

 6. L’Occitane Hand Indulgences : an ultimate hostess gift.

 7. Tarte Purse your Lips Lip Gloss Clutch. Normally $106, on for $39, and the clutch is cute. If I don’t get this, I’m buying it for myself. Look at these colors! Be aware that the tubes are smaller than the full-size gloss. Too bad. Knowing the mark-up on cosmetics as we all do, what would it have cost them to be remarkable and make them full size? Hardly anything.

8. Ten Thousand Villages. Fair trade. In support of women becoming stronger. So many gorgeous items, so inexpensive.

The SO-cutest garland.

Lovely wall hangings. this is an embroidered Tree Of Life.

You could buy a whole pile of the stuffed trees and stars for last minute gifts. And this sweetest nativity ornament,

9. Bold Bean Coffees. Thanks to Kathryn for sending this great site. Artful blends, single origin, and organic choices. Fair trade and Rainforetst alliances (see the Tri-Pak page), and supporting some fine organizations and causes.

Are you Mellow Morning Half-Caf or Manic Morning Espresso for the upcoming day at the mall?

10. Planet Chocolate. The best shopping bag. Fill it with the best stuff. From Eve Chocolatier – where great chocolate (and fantastic spiced cocoa) can be found.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Gift Ideas For The Real World 5. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

The last 10 suggestions:

 1. A blender and a Smoothie recipe book.  More Smoothies For Life:Satisfy, Energize, and Heal Your Body  by Daniella Chace looks fabulous. 

 2. A Lighthouse print by Tony Diodati.  These are prints of PEI, a place that really is as beautiful and relaxing as everything you’ve heard about it.

Tony’s paintings are interesting because they have unusual dimensions, often long and thin in one direction or another. I find them surprising and interesting in hallways or entryways where the effect is that of looking out a window. They are whimsical and peaceful over a buffet, with truly beautiful colors to decorate a room around.

I’m suggesting the lighthouses because I’m partial to them for their solid, quiet mood. They look cool and geometric as a mounted print, and since this time of year is expensive, these prints are a little smaller and less costly.

But DO look at some of the other paintings and prints. I love the pigs (at bottom of page) for a child’s room or bathroom. This scene of French Harbor, near Tony’s PEI studio is colorful and gorgeous. Since I’m truly happiest on a beach, here is my all-time favorite, Penderosa Dunes. 

3. www.nhl.com  outlet page. Say no more.  My strategy is pretty clear now. Go to the good sites, skip all the New Arrivals, and head straight to sale/outlet/clearance.

 This might also be a year with an excuse to delay your shopping. Anticipating a bad year, retailers seem like they’re going to pony up with some excellent sales before Christmas.

 4. Diorshow mascara. We’ve all heard about it. Seems like those who love it absolutely  OMG HOLY GRAIL LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Would we be one? Costs over $30 to find out.

 BEFORE you buy, you must look at  Beauty Addict’s Encyclopedia of Mascara. So maybe we should make it Lancome Fatale instead?

Wait a minute. This gift is not for everyone and that must include me. Christian Dior appears on too many lists of companies that test products on animals. L’Oreal, which owns Lancome, is not cruelty-free either. I don’t buy their claims about trying to phase it out. Others (Clarins, Clinique, Estee Lauder) have found alternatives and with all L’Oreal’s money, so can they.

There’s some controversy about Lancome, which appears on both Test and Do Not Test lists, but if there’s any doubt, I’ll buy from a company I trust.  If you search “animal testing policy” on their site, you will get 0 hits. It’s time the onus were on the company to make their status clear on this issue. The consumer shouldn’t have to go all over the internet looking for this and wondering.

And the consumer doesn’t have to. If you’re buying for me, Estee Lauder Turbolash from Gift Ideas For The Real World 2 would be delightful.

5. Cool rainboots so I don’t have to walk the dog in my Canada Tire special gumboots

These red ones (Womens Zetta Tall, top R of page) at Target are cool and tall and nifty.

6. One very nice T shirt. I avoid clothes with logos as a rule. If they want me to advertise for them , they can pay me. But sometimes, the message, the fit, the color, and the price all come together. Like this one at Patagonia, from the Gifts Under $50 page.

 I thought the O Web Belt was handsome too. Simple design, not fussed up, lets the outfit speak for itself, cool elegance.

7. The best boots are at The North Face. Expensive, but look at W Abby II in Moonlight Ivory/Tempest Brown. Fashiony boots are fine, but I’m too old to be frozen just to look good. I can be toasty and look superb all at once.

W Isabel II in Espresso Brown/Cigar Brown is also a doll of a boot.

 8. More great slipper shoes. If I had money left after shopping at J. Crew, I’d spend the rest here. The clothes are terrific for active women. I’ve been told that Title Nine makes the best sports bras in existence. The origin of the company name is interesting and worthy. Any company that is against policy and pro-dessert deserves attention. 

Look at these slipper/shoes.

 This is a nice bag. It folds up to a messenger size or expands to backpack size. $34 on sale!

8. Skin Medica Retinol Complex.

Here’s a story : I was sent an email regarding Seattle dermatologist, Dr. Brandith Irwin’s book, The Surgery-Free Makeover. My favorite topic absolutely.

 I looked around on the  website, Skin Tour,  for 30 minutes at least, almost a month in internet time. I was sitting up pretty straight.

When you look, take the Anti-Aging Tour. It is slick.

I went to Product Recommendations > Product Kits and Regimens, and found my skin type (Mature, Normal/Slight Oily). There are a number of products here that sound fantastic.

I followed up by looking for this product at Beautypedia. When Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron are using words like “ symphony”, I am REALLY paying attention.

Anyone thinking of buying this for me – you really shouldn’t.  It is already whisking its way here. And, um, so is the next item. I found it in the same place.

 9. Topix Replenix Cream with 90% Polyphenols. Not reviewed at Beautypedia, but I have faith. 

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Gift Ideas For The Real World 4. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Have I gotten carried away with this? 

Nah, of course not.

I’m noticing that almost every U.S. site has free shipping at the moment. Wow. You need only go to the crazed, packed mall if you want to. (I want to. The busier, the better).

10 more:

 1. Great mirrors. Keep the energy inside the room. Groupings of interesting mirrors are cool. If you have some money to spend, these small Dubois mirrors at Crate and Barrel are appealing and would fit in with many decors.I’d do a line of 4 of them over a dresser or behind a couch, mixed in with other art.

And a Witch Ball to go with it. These balls were not meant to ward off bad witches. They were enchanted by the good witches to strengthen their ability to attract evil spirits with their lovely colors and then entrap the spirit in the threads within.

In some of the folklore, the witches are mischievous and the balls are designed to catch the witches. You can read the story at White Elk and purchase beautiful balls like the Healing Waters ball below. These are beautiful alone in windows and can be grouped in interesting ways.

 2. A Key Finder of course !!! 

3. Liqueurs. More interesting than wine, though a good red is never to be scoffed at. Benedictine if you’re buying for me, but there are so many. The Bailey’s always seems to be in highest demand. A very welcome gift.

4. Essential beauty tools. Always a reason to go to Sephora : Shu’s Eyelash Curler – Limited edition in gold! If you don’t own one  of these yet, this is THE one to buy. It’s the cult classic for a reason. It does come in silver and is a little cheaper. Read the reviews to help you decide.

4. Customized original art. http://www.maryann.ca/2008Special.pdf . Mary Ann Archibald is a Halifax artist. For Christmas, Mary Ann is offering to create a framed original oil painting of a subject with special meaning for the gift recipient.

You purchase a certificate for an original still life painting. The recipient of the gift sends it to Mary Ann with a suggestion for the subject they’d like in their personalized oil painting. There are other arrangements that can be made with the artist as well. Follow this link  to Mary Ann’s Christmas 2008 Special to enlarge the page below and learn the details. Now how great is this?

5. Beautiful BIG mugs. I know everyone has too many coffee cups in their cupboards. Being given a hot drink of mulled cider or frothy hot cocoa in a really big, beautifully painted mug is more special than in a regular sized mug. Only problem is that they’re hard to find.

There are some styles that are narrower on the bottom than the top but I think that’s dumb design because they tip over too easily and the liquid cools too fast. So if you know of some beauties, please tell me. I’m looking too.

6. Makeup brushes. Have a look at 3 Great Makeup Brushes by Lise Watier. Tied with a bow. 

7. This sweater at American Eagle. Clothes are hard to buy for people, but this is such a great sweater at AE. Buy 1, get one 50% off! As dressed up or down as you want. On its own with a silky jewel-colored cami and something artsy and wonderful around your neck. Or with jeans and a graphic tee and a chunky bracelet. 

White sweaters near the face are useless if you wear makeup, but this is so great. Enlarge it and look at the back. Also available in 1 other good color, to consider for women like me who don’t wear white well. Springs, Summers, Winters, all look great in white. We Autumns might wear white but it isn’t our best.

This is the Canada store . Same clothes, same deals. Oh, if only I hadn’t spent so much last month.

 8. Traditional Medicinals teas. What makes these special is how strong and true the flavor is . Normally, I dislike herbal teas because they remind me of hayfield runoff, a soup of nondescript, grassy, watered-down sludge with some synthetic fruit or spice tastes mixed in.

These are not like that.

My favorites are GingerAid which is a pure potent ginger, and Spearmint which is fresh, pure, and surprisingly taste-saturated. Many herbal teas are either too watery or too much of a blend so they don’t taste like much of anything. The taste is so clean that you don’t even need honey.

The CranAid promotes urinary health with Uva Ursi, maybe not something for under the tree. But what about 

 I haven’t tried it, but I’d keep the box around just for the name.

 9. What’s Christmas without some bath stuff? I’m not even going there because I defer to a master. Kristen at Beauty Addict is doing a series on gifts and the first post is all bath and body

Keep watching because there are 8 more gift guides coming, from perfume to men and kids.

10. The Allover Black Bead Necklace on Eddie Bauer’s Accessories page. Mouse over the picture (then click on the name of the item; ya gotta see it close, I think it has potential).

While there, look at the Men’s Sale page .I asked Bill what men want : sweatpants. He was wearing a pair at the time. I asked “How many do men want?” . Reply “Sweatpants”. Well, OK then. There’s a nice pair on this page. Some other very decent things as well.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Gifts Ideas For The Real World 3. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

The next installment of 10 suggestions of Christmas gift ideas that have a function and can be bought on real budgets:

1. On-line gift certificates to Chapters or Amazon. Everyone has books they want that they might not want everyone to know about. Except for books on decorating with Feng Shui which can be publicly bought for many people. Give men the Balance Your Office And Attract Sales Like Never Before version.

 PS  - Feng Shui is not a gift my husband would appreciate. Stick with the wicking socks from the earlier article.  These SmartWool ones are Bill’s all-time favorite sock. They’re not easy to find but they I am toldby all that they are the best. Anyone who lives in Fredericton, N.B. should check the Co-op. The picture below is linked to Gear-Up, an online site where I found them.

Men's Hiking Medium Crew Sock at Gear-Up.

2.  Dried hydrangeas that stand in a copper or silver bucket. They don’t do anything but they sure look nice. Hydrangeas are cool.

 3. The glass teapot with the built-in diffuser at Mountain Rose Herbs. That would just be hypnotically pretty as everyone digests dinner and chats. You can watch the tea steep as desserts are laid out. You can be proud you brought it.

 In Canada, the Glass Teapot Mikado at The Tea Haus is equally lovely. This is where I buy my supplies of Gyokuro tea. There are some great tea samplers here too.

Glass Mikado teapot at the Tea Haus.

 4. A selection of truly rugged Green bags. Take a look at the bags, in 4 different sizes, at L.L.Bean. Indestructible except by fire and even then, you need some determination.

Bags at LL Bean.

 5. Gorgeous, and I mean gorgeous, undershirts.  Did I mention where we are here? Two seasons: July and Winter.

J. Crew’s are pretty. Since I’m more a night (and day) shivers than sweating type of person, I’d be warmly appreciative of LLBean’s, the thermal limit.

 6. World Vision Catalog. This is Teacher Gift Extraordinaire : get the classroom parents together and stock a pharmacy or fill a barnyard for a village. Some gifts can be partnered with corporate sponsors who will match or multiply your donation. Isn’t this really what Christmas should be?

 The Girls&Women page is so uplifting. Give the bus driver a chance to build a well in a place he’s never heard of. Look at the lovely customizable selection of print and e-cards to tell people of the gift in their honor.

World Vision Canada’s Gift Catalogue is equally beautiful, with the Gift Categories listed down the left side column.

7. Estee Lauder Turbolash Mascara. The wand buzzes. The reviews glow (at MUA, 9/10 would buy it again, VERY high praise. Kristen at Beauty Addict LOVES it and she has tried EVERY mascara). We all want to try it, but would we risk $32 to buy it?

8. Gift certificates for hotel chains.

 9. Beautiful dry sleepwear, no sweat! I think the NiteSweatz stuff is brilliant. You cannot show me the woman who wouldn’t love this outfit. It’s costly, but if it works and night sweats have interrupted your sleep for the last year, it would be well worth it. This Christmas is all about wicking textiles. 

Lace pant tunic at NiteSweatz.

10. Massage gift certificates. Definitely. The more the better. Even if I get nothing else. 

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Gifts Ideas For The Real World 2. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

I’m looking in magazines for gift ideas. The suggestions run about $200 and up.

Not.

I don’t know anyone who gives, or expects to receive, $1000 bar sets as gifts. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong magazines. I should look in Bob and Doug McKenzie’s Guide To Giving For The Frozen North. Unlimited bounty that you’re still paying for in March is my idea of what ruins Christmas.

Don’t get me wrong. I adore shopping above all activities. As you can read in 20 Features Of A Perfect Shopping Partner, I take it bloody seriously : )  and won’t go shopping with just anyone. Shopping for gifts can be even more fun than shopping for myself. It puts a new spin on a familiar activity. It challenges we sultans of shopping to showcase our talents.

Gifts that do something are the best. I like fluff as much as the next woman but I can’t use it for anything. If it doesn’t perform a service, hopefully it can be hung.

 As much as I have enormous fun writing all the articles, this one is dear to me because of my love of shopping. If I post all the ideas at once, it will be a 37 page article. So, I’m going to do groups of 10.

 Got ideas ?? I speak for the group here, we’d LOVE to know them.

The first 10

1. Wicking socks. Men LOVE these. Some men anyway. Every man I know. From Mark’s Work Wearhouse, venerable Canadian institution that it is.

2. A Bluetooth. Has this happened to you? You’re driving along and your cell phone rings. Damn. It’s at the bottom of your purse. You’re digging around for it, it’s ringing away, you look up and swerve to avoid the hydro pole. You answer but it’s gone to voice mail. You toss it back in your purse. It rings again!

The other scenario is to have the child in the passenger seat look for it. But they’re in no hurry, they’re finding all this interesting stuff in your purse. Same ending. And there’s a police car behind you – hands free legislation is coming or is already here.

With a Bluetooth, there’s a tiny earpiece in your ear. The phone rings in your purse. You leave it in your purse. You serenely push a button on the earpiece, and voila, you’ve answered the call.  To make an outbound call, push the same button and say “Call Laura”. It has voice recognition and can recognize what any name on your phone contact list would sound like. If it’s not sure, it will ask “Did you say “Call Laura”?”

Your phone need never come out of your purse again. These make life BETTER!

Some are big and obnoxious. Mine is little and comfortable.

It comes from a fave store, Future Shop. It’s Best Buy in the US, same store, double branding. This one is a Motorola H681. There are many styles, many prices, many features. These things are fairly inter-compatible. They pair with any phone or computer system, most of the time. The people at the store will help you and might even pair the devices for you. It is truly simple to do it yourself.

3.  A heated mattress pad. Hey, it’s Canada!

4. Seriously warm, dry gloves. They may cost $100 but that’s less than the bar set. Warm and dry really feels good. The bar set is wet and cold when in use, most unpleasant. 

The Wicked Good Shearling Gloves at LLBean are irresistible. Sore cold hands goodbye.

These are the Ascent Gloves with Gore-Tex. They’ve been independently rated Tops For Warmth.

5. Beautiful cooking oils and spices in re-usable bottles and containers. A bottle of 1 of the 9 very best premium vanilla extracts would be treasured by a baker, or even by me.

 6. For the BBQing man, discover Ted Reader’s cookbooks. Really. Learn about this guy.

 With book names like Hot, Sticky, and On Fire,  and books about grilling on planks, stones, and vines, these are the foods that guests put in their mouth and stop for a minute. This is guy food, complicated in ways a man can get with, with a Beer-O-Meter difficulty scale with each recipe. Men LOVE making and eating and talking about this food, as they stand around the BBQ and discuss.  You will be thanked for these books.

This video comes from YouTube.

You have got to go look at the BBQ equipment mounted on the red trailer on wheels. Now what man would not be thrilled? This is what I call passion. I understand Ted has 60 different types of BBQ in his backyard. Don’t miss the sample recipes and the blog when you visit the site.

7. Fun socks. On a serious day, sometimes great socks are there to remind you to lighten up. I wore out my pink polka dot socks. Leopard prints, Christmas prints, just nothing serious or kid-like (kittens, for example, could be too adolescent; leaping frogs are fine, I feel, depending on the day); might also be best to avoid glitter so you don’t have to take Michael Jackson comments!

Look at Joy Of Socks for goddess of fortune socks, mermaids, snowmen, cats, stripes, bright colors in diamonds and argyle patterns, there are some great socks here. There are also some very elegant socks, like these from Chinese Laundry.

8. Hockey game tickets. Hey, it’s Canada! If you really like these people because they drove your child around all year and delivered it alive, throw in the meal at the Sports Bar beforehand.

9. The jewelry at J. Crew. Dear heavens, it’s greatness. If money were neither here nor there, I’d never shop anywhere else. These clothes just sing to me. In the meantime, I’ll remain a Value Villager and splurge now and again.

10. Good solid plain men’s belts. My belts last 20 years. My husband goes through a belt a year.

No weird details, no shiny stuff, not embossed, no odd inserts, plain buckle with no imaginative features. Men should be controlled from free forays into the sartorially creative. It’s a recipe for a mistake. This Roots belt is a good one (though the Roots site doesn’t seem to give the width, hopefully it’s about 1.5 to 1.75 inches wide). 

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Gift Ideas For The Real World 1. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Try this product. It is just fine.

Smells good. Feels good. No animals used in the process. Buy it at the grocery store.

One by one, I’m looking for good cruelty-free replacements for my products.  This was recommended to me and right away, I could see why. I love it. I’ve used Lavender, Rosewater, and am now I’m on Citrus. Citrus smells how orange-lemon Sweetarts would taste (leap of imagination required).

The price is very comparable at $10 for 900ml, since most bodywash bottles sell for $5 for 400ml, give or take.

 The pump works well and dispenses a controllable amount. A little goes a long way. It is not one bit irritating for my child whose skin easily becomes dry and itchy.

 All round agreeable. I cannot think of a single negative detail about this bodywash.

Others have said this at epinions.com  and this at smartplanet.com.

I was amazed that someone thought the Citrus smelled unpleasant. Luckily, there are 10 scents to choose from! You can find all of them here, at J/A/S/O/N/.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Product Review : J/A/S/O/N Satin Shower Bodywash. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

This link to Shutterfly came my way. You can create your own photo website. It’s easy to do, takes very little time, and it’s free.

In organizing my photos, I thought I’d introduce you to my family.

This is a photo of my sister Sonja, taken in her computer’s PhotoBooth.

Sonja

Mother of 10 year old twins, superb chocolatier, school teaching assistant. Sonja edits the articles in this blog and transforms them from something that made sense to me, into something that could make sense to someone else. Sometimes, she tells me they make no sense at all. She unwinds in her kayak.

Sonja in her kayak.

You met Sonja’s husband, Xavier, in the article The Beauty And Power Of HDR Photographs. Xavier is a fabulous chef, trained in his native France. Presently, he teaches cooking at a college in his town. He Loves His Computer, so we relate on many levels. Besides his cooking skills, his claim to fame inside the family stems from his impressive skills as a travel agent.

Here he is on YouTube, for an interview of his school and teaching practices.

My brother Patrick is a father of three whose first words to you on the phone are “Are the tops of the trees moving?”. If they are, it means there’s enough wind to keep a windsurfer afloat. He’s also an expert sailor. His computer is almost physically attached to his body, except when he’s on water.

Patrick Mason

Patrick is the co-owner of Social Media 404. We all know that the social networks provide anyone with an idea or a product to sell with a huge potential market or following. But how do you incorporate that into your daily activity? So you have a Facebook profile or a MySpace page? Should you also be tweeting over at Twitter? Do you belong at LinkedIn? And once you’ve identified your spot, how do you manage the conversation? Patrick, along with his partner John Sheridan, work with individuals and corporations to customize the answers to those question for each application.

Here is Patrick’s beautiful wife, Holly.

Holly

A born hostess, Holly loves to entertain and will never feed you on paper plates. She is famous for her to-truly-die-for brownies and her ability to entertain 20 people in style with an hour’s notice. Holly is mother to her 3 kids, a speech therapist, and tries to fit in her 15 minutes of deep relaxation each day without looking at the clock the entire time. When she asks Patrick how she looks, he will only and invariably answer “As beautiful as the day I married you”. Very wise answer. And I know he really means it.

You met my Mum in the article My Mother Died. Here she is when my parents were married. Does anyone think Patrick and my Dad resemble one another?

My parents in 1960.

And this is my Dad. We made pie for the first time this summer. Here we are, the proud parents of our first pie.

Me and my Dad and our pie.

It was pretty good, though the crust was a little thick. It took us a few tries to figure out how to roll the thing out, with Sonja feeding us tips by phone. Although Apple doesn’t know this, my Dad is their greatest ambassador. He loves his iMac, has tons of pictures in iPhoto, and uses iChat to show us the piece of clothing most recently left behind by his grandchildren, so the parents can identify its rightful owner. Obviously, computer addiction is a genetic trait that his children are similarly afflicted with.

This is my husband Bill on the day we got married.

Bill Scaman

It was October 31, 1992. Bill is a farmer in his heart. He understands the soil, moisture, and the cycle of the seasons in ways he can’t really articulate. I’ve stopped asking what “When the ground is fit” actually means. Small things annoy him… small parts, small cars, small challenges, small risks… . He’s a modern farmer who can work huge acreage with enormous machines, and produce crop yields that are shocking. Other loves include good red wine, BBQ, and TV because he falls asleep almost instantly. He’s had his children sitting on his head to watch Barney because he’s taking up the whole couch, and dripping Popsicle juice down his neck, and he won’t wake up. Turn off the TV or say the word “overflow” anywhere in the house, and he’ll be up like a shot.

>> cspics

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Meet The Family. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.