Author Archives: maryjane

wander you with wanderu

Posted on May 11, 2013 by maryjane

Are gas prices pinching your pocketbook?

Is your carbon footprint running amok?

(Take this quiz to find out.)

Yes?

Photo by Osvaldo Gago via Wikimedia Commons

Well, then it may be time for you to Wanderu.

Not a typo, girls—it’s a nifty new website that gathers bus schedules from multiple carriers, helping travelers find cheaper, faster routes.

“How is it possible in this day and age we can find any information we want in the Internet, but yet I can’t find out how to get from point A to point B, using non-air transportation?” asks Polina Raygorodskaya, CEO and co-founder of Wanderu, recalling her struggle to find efficient bus transit when she worked in New York and Boston.

Wanderu, she says, makes it effortless for you to find and book inter-city buses (and trains) between any two points in the country. “It’s super easy to use and completely free!”

Plus, the concept makes great sense environmentally. According to Raygorodskaya, “One bus takes 55 cars off the road. I think we’re solving an amazing problem.”

photo-of-the-day

Posted on May 10, 2013 by maryjane

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Hear Ye!

Posted on May 10, 2013 by maryjane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Nicole Christensen!

Nicole Christensen (texdane, #1155) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Expert Level Knitting Merit Badge!

“Calling me a ‘knitting addict’ doesn’t quite cut it. It’s become an extension of who I am. My friend called me a ‘Master Knitter’ the other day when she introduced me to someone new. I was so complimented. Since I last applied for the Intermediate Badge in knitting, I have knitted up a storm! In addition to knitting projects along with my students in my knitting classes that I teach, I knitted a ruffled shawl, several drop-stitch lacy scarves, and made a size 4T jumper for my niece Kristina in Denmark. Her mom begged me to make it, having fallen in love with some beautiful cotton/wool blend hand-dyed sock yarn. We laugh that she is the only Danish person who can’t knit! It was very fine yarn, on small needles in the round, with an intricate pattern on the chest. That dress took a year and at least 50+ hours) to complete, but thankfully, she still needs to grow into it a bit!

I’ve taught several classes each semester, passing on everything I can about the art of knitting. This past Saturday, I was asked if I would have a booth at our town’s Earth Day celebration. Continue reading →

photo-of-the-day

Posted on May 9, 2013 by maryjane

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Gardenin’ on the Wild Side

Posted on May 9, 2013 by maryjane

Did you know that May is Garden for Wildlife Month?

It is.

So.

Now that you know THAT …

How you gonna celebrate?

Photo by SiefkinDR via Wikimedia Commons

You know it don’t matter none if you have a sprawlin’ farm or a teensy tiny apartment balcony, you can grow a garden of beautiful blooms for the birds and the bees, butterflies, and other wild neighbors.

Photo by Forest Wander via Wikimedia Commons

Why fill a hummingbird feeder when you can offer flowers instead?

Photo by Charlesjsharp via Wikimedia Commons

And, if you live in an urban setting, your garden will help restore a little oasis of nature where mostly concrete prevails. Just ask this cozy mourning dove …

Photo by Louis Bennett via Wikimedia Commons

The National Wildlife Federation offers the following tips for tailoring your garden to wildlife (click on a tip to learn how):

Once you’ve established these four essential elements to make a healthy and sustainable wildlife habitat, the NWF encourages you to join thousands of gardeners across the country who have qualified for the Certified Wildlife Habitat program.

Now THAT’S somethin’ to celebrate!

photo-of-the-day

Posted on May 8, 2013 by maryjane

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my bandit b-day

Posted on May 8, 2013 by maryjane

For my 60th b-day, my daughter, Megan, and I traveled with Ace to Kansas to join up with a Farmgirls on the Loose event. I’m still sorting through all the photos we took and promise to share every detail of our fabulous time very soon.

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