Category Archives: Simpler Living

Can Awful Traffic Deliver Top Talent to Atlanta?

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IMG_4225Traffic in Atlanta is horrible. Debilitating. Life-altering. I remember giving myself an hour to go ten miles. Surely, that would be enough time. It usually took 45 minutes in rush hour. On that day, it rained. So it took me 90 minutes to go what would have taken me 15 without traffic. It’s stressful and it’s a mess. 

The suburbs aren’t any better as surface streets become clogged by quickly-expanding and pooly planned communities, the new residents fighting to get onto one of the few highways. They inch along tens of miles of concrete towards a desk and a laptop in a tall glass building. 

Are there solutions? Continue reading →

Handmade Holidays: Seneca Hills

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wreath1This is a series for the holidays that will focus on several small businesses and/or people who make quality, handmade or locally produced items. I asked friends to ask their friends if they knew anyone who fit the bill, and the responses I received were wonderful. I want to share the beautiful and quality creations of people in my community and life. I’d like to encourage others to consider purchasing these amazing gifts for the holidays instead of mass-produced and low-quality products at mass retailers.

All these handmade items have a story and smart, passionate people behind them. The first post is about Seneca Hills, an Etsy store where a dear friend sells wreaths, t-shirts, block print-stamped napkins, onsies, pillows, and other crafty items. While I love all of her work, her holidays wreaths are stunning and will be highlighted here. Continue reading →

Apple Crisp, Applesauce, and Pork with Apples: The Results of Our Apple Picking

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IMG_20130929_104644535Before we went apple picking last weekend, I made a plan of what I was going to make with all the apples. I ended up with three yummy recipes that all had to be gluten free due to our challenge: apple crisp, crockpot applesauce, and pork loin with cabbage and apples. Sound good? Read on and you can see how to make them. Continue reading →

Gluten-Free for 3 Weeks

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3-reasons-going-gluten-free-could-boost-brainThat’s right, I’m embarking on a “challenge.”

I’m often skeptical of challenges like these – after all, what really changes when it’s over? What keeps us from going back to exactly the way we were before? My friend Jesse, over at The Ripening, has been doing a series of 21-day challenges including going car-free, meditating, drinking only water, etc. This was very inspiring to me, especially when he described how the challenges DID stay with him. He rode his bike more often than before, would meditate frequently even if not daily, etc. Continue reading →

Fresh Juice Friday: Carrot-Ginger Love

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Plain carrot juice is yummy, but I felt like something was missing as far as flavor and nutrients.

I began experimenting a bit, then got inspired by a recipe I found online and so this delicious carrot-ginger juice was born. And while those are the main flavors, this juice also has leafy green like kale and spinach, fresh lemons, and apples. It’s one of my favorite juices that I make, and I have it a couple of times a week. Continue reading →

I Cook; Therefore I Don’t Watch (Much) TV

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I haven’t had cable TV for more than three years, and I recently cancelled my basic TV subscription. There are several reasons for this – one of them being that it’s all just too expensive as a result of not enough competition among cable companies. 

While this has always infuriated me, I also admit that I don’t watch that much TV…anymore. But I used to watch a lot of TV, and I still love it as a diversion and a source of entertainment. A recent article I read on how many hours people spend watching TV each day (FIVE hours on average) got me thinking about all the things people could be doing with that time instead, especially when they’re complaining that they don’t have time to cook, exercise, grocery shop, etc…. Continue reading →