tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55708796123310854192024-03-13T09:54:24.873-07:00Trash or TreasureHi! My name is Meredith Sorensen. I like to work, play, and connect. I have a particular affinity for recycling, composting, and waste reduction. I plan to use this space to share my latest pursuits. Enjoy!Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-57790943302619726092014-08-12T20:07:00.001-07:002014-08-12T20:07:40.398-07:00Canyonlands - White Rim TrailIn June 2014 we joined Brooke and Darcy to ride the 100-mile White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park, with Andy, Reb and Huck driving the support vehicle. It was stunning to drop (and climb) through millions of years of geology with each descent and climb. Here are photos of our 4-day adventure.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darcy and Brooke, who took the key step in getting permits!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darcy tackled loading the rig.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The adventure begins (l-r): Darcy, Reb, Brooke, Gene, Andy, Meredith, and Huck</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gene and Brooke</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy, support vehicle extraordinaire.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can really see the white rim feature.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning scenery! What an amazing world.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toy Gene in Brooke's hands.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washer Woman rock formation</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The riders: Darcy, Brooke, Gene, Meredith</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reb, before (or maybe after) a run!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bugs were so bad on 2 of the nights that we ate inside a tent.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yum. Nothing like car camping!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traffic.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huck, age 4, rode 4 miles of the trail on his Strider. Pretty awesome.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When he finally got tired, he climbed onto Gene and rode into the lunch break spot like a cape.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIhX6vTShFiaPnL2mn2nMEkbCXEQ5ieoYU9rQwIr2QYS8mB8zJyRs2bNucRJaW09fLvbu-XWrHLYCuThHENcgZfUCLBra_uCvj2TdR1mkQU5KaPCenUEyfCLkt5mgyS5QhCoyuIvfOrUy/s1600/IMG_1223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIhX6vTShFiaPnL2mn2nMEkbCXEQ5ieoYU9rQwIr2QYS8mB8zJyRs2bNucRJaW09fLvbu-XWrHLYCuThHENcgZfUCLBra_uCvj2TdR1mkQU5KaPCenUEyfCLkt5mgyS5QhCoyuIvfOrUy/s1600/IMG_1223.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shade, glorious shade.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-lOiHu7K4ruRmVkF9o0dW4JFC8k0iayj4Xzr9Cy4dMkCk-o3zpnY1nqdG7gxUDbiudjjiCwZ9X7UY80j3oQe8rgnnS0HZ6Of3w4bZlR4IK9sqMlP4Jco5WHYZg27gtoHafCK_ypzzqfc/s1600/IMG_1230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv-lOiHu7K4ruRmVkF9o0dW4JFC8k0iayj4Xzr9Cy4dMkCk-o3zpnY1nqdG7gxUDbiudjjiCwZ9X7UY80j3oQe8rgnnS0HZ6Of3w4bZlR4IK9sqMlP4Jco5WHYZg27gtoHafCK_ypzzqfc/s1600/IMG_1230.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meredith in the palm of Gene's hand.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjzmF4PtmQPi9X4UYHjSBz9Qz_EkgV-n6OvZaTY4M_oOQOJxp8ISKbUl9QQgEePxWPfSUNIKfDkPsMx4FSkoIElD9JWo6UTu8UzMq9hyphenhyphenly5EkJksY0-bRoZV-9u20LBKrzG0anvZz72Zw/s1600/IMG_1245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjzmF4PtmQPi9X4UYHjSBz9Qz_EkgV-n6OvZaTY4M_oOQOJxp8ISKbUl9QQgEePxWPfSUNIKfDkPsMx4FSkoIElD9JWo6UTu8UzMq9hyphenhyphenly5EkJksY0-bRoZV-9u20LBKrzG0anvZz72Zw/s1600/IMG_1245.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gene and Darcy</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDRGz2k1o-d0EJLGRl3g4lg-4QKxipM6X4UM7DpWK-hs2XIju-YuYD_wHuKf8EycPiUkSw3PtGju-csAorZLgNdcuIhiCWmGUj0V4HOn7cndynEN1fOQvf0JaYFAaQsrrw_XKrgDLmNUa/s1600/IMG_1247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDRGz2k1o-d0EJLGRl3g4lg-4QKxipM6X4UM7DpWK-hs2XIju-YuYD_wHuKf8EycPiUkSw3PtGju-csAorZLgNdcuIhiCWmGUj0V4HOn7cndynEN1fOQvf0JaYFAaQsrrw_XKrgDLmNUa/s1600/IMG_1247.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious flavor and scenery.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH0HcOW7i_X4Zs1PESVENuNnGISier8TlK0J4TVy1RTGeeNU04ydbU2NLJIpSehdh_TcO7FOWW8_dJpnZyS7YM4DCFK4IW9nrKaty8XweLE62I5n5faHmsH9cnIckt3sYHq-c1ab53eC6/s1600/IMG_1251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH0HcOW7i_X4Zs1PESVENuNnGISier8TlK0J4TVy1RTGeeNU04ydbU2NLJIpSehdh_TcO7FOWW8_dJpnZyS7YM4DCFK4IW9nrKaty8XweLE62I5n5faHmsH9cnIckt3sYHq-c1ab53eC6/s1600/IMG_1251.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reb and Huck, cutie pies.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-q0zJ2dgOy1iD0xzRZrypHv7OTOt4dzMlSkTS6f6Qiq9FyGqFSStPjkwCmQj9nBX18Apq8r9vuv_Qcau-0kID10taJvV_Svlc3XvRQ2EyiCNr4irELvYLfLVFCVB-1PyRxaTThpqTtbZ/s1600/IMG_1277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-q0zJ2dgOy1iD0xzRZrypHv7OTOt4dzMlSkTS6f6Qiq9FyGqFSStPjkwCmQj9nBX18Apq8r9vuv_Qcau-0kID10taJvV_Svlc3XvRQ2EyiCNr4irELvYLfLVFCVB-1PyRxaTThpqTtbZ/s1600/IMG_1277.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29bAF2p7BSl1hyXzSzUXCHsYk2cPhEPGc5gVvm99fRuVVo4MWDIXdraI8Wtw3Qgv1Tk4KzpVXYChRLR7UESframdTYw-SA1qpeSVQ3frHDcVpUSXQNpKV1G0_jyHx606xBJSJmPuLogw2/s1600/IMG_1336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29bAF2p7BSl1hyXzSzUXCHsYk2cPhEPGc5gVvm99fRuVVo4MWDIXdraI8Wtw3Qgv1Tk4KzpVXYChRLR7UESframdTYw-SA1qpeSVQ3frHDcVpUSXQNpKV1G0_jyHx606xBJSJmPuLogw2/s1600/IMG_1336.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRuztN3yXSPB0x3bCBfjdVUUwfQ97wqobRdyAXhT5eGHED_xs8wq3V58qXQrIo6FVO3zUFRG_pFkL2-eH_6Ks17082oTBP47DnV2SIPVaVreWJ8bEMB_gYctG_aHTm8n1Ab-hlEbvvyyk/s1600/IMG_1340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRuztN3yXSPB0x3bCBfjdVUUwfQ97wqobRdyAXhT5eGHED_xs8wq3V58qXQrIo6FVO3zUFRG_pFkL2-eH_6Ks17082oTBP47DnV2SIPVaVreWJ8bEMB_gYctG_aHTm8n1Ab-hlEbvvyyk/s1600/IMG_1340.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After photo. We did it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3hN0yUJckf5mK0tClmPsBGzkZ4k2XK7BOEFadR8n-f3Q-FOfY5qUe3N_aXAJxLHvPieMKP0JFoBmvQH3EbHgKUbino-3PrEoxwgpj5Y0FCPVFXlDWQ6f9_0a1eO4i5cZjMKJdrK7MNOV/s1600/IMG_1342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3hN0yUJckf5mK0tClmPsBGzkZ4k2XK7BOEFadR8n-f3Q-FOfY5qUe3N_aXAJxLHvPieMKP0JFoBmvQH3EbHgKUbino-3PrEoxwgpj5Y0FCPVFXlDWQ6f9_0a1eO4i5cZjMKJdrK7MNOV/s1600/IMG_1342.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We rallied 30 miles before noon on the last day in order to make it over to Slickrock...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbTo6871FhKds2C4NmrmFhQS9VDUEtLKkeF_pWIQrL9poVGj0xM0Gt9Zcdwr1zVytsd3nrVe2GOelwk0_CvYOcfAsvvEZxTicwF-VFZ5kmd9CcOEDT7UVe1Uj1AsvIwv3vv-kqTl1bjBy/s1600/IMG_1352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbTo6871FhKds2C4NmrmFhQS9VDUEtLKkeF_pWIQrL9poVGj0xM0Gt9Zcdwr1zVytsd3nrVe2GOelwk0_CvYOcfAsvvEZxTicwF-VFZ5kmd9CcOEDT7UVe1Uj1AsvIwv3vv-kqTl1bjBy/s1600/IMG_1352.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow, that rock is sticky.</td></tr>
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Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-25036092724783895632014-03-09T10:39:00.001-07:002014-03-10T12:15:33.905-07:00Bob's Red Mill<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv10LmaiJ11W2iPC05_Rn-gG0ipRUJa0Nxd05UveIk3Qr1qJQhRY6jA3DBvnFQLD9PMA5fv8-YtHStzEoPxsGB-jo02ipM7N9zLvmnPiH0xBcimb3NIkbQeJTVSPnO0uir75sk43w3Cd3X/s1600/IMG_4474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv10LmaiJ11W2iPC05_Rn-gG0ipRUJa0Nxd05UveIk3Qr1qJQhRY6jA3DBvnFQLD9PMA5fv8-YtHStzEoPxsGB-jo02ipM7N9zLvmnPiH0xBcimb3NIkbQeJTVSPnO0uir75sk43w3Cd3X/s1600/IMG_4474.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this company.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiz3aypcjGIMUy4QbosRSHNOYZQS7HCr4Zf_SRstmQTae7zKvpo7uncYerYIYG9Xr-hIyj-wgoHQLEaQX6rL2VuXvxb0y7AwRVgNDsbgJYZfObG5DvDsp_9M56x3uX7-S60OwMycuGCv4/s1600/IMG_5490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOiz3aypcjGIMUy4QbosRSHNOYZQS7HCr4Zf_SRstmQTae7zKvpo7uncYerYIYG9Xr-hIyj-wgoHQLEaQX6rL2VuXvxb0y7AwRVgNDsbgJYZfObG5DvDsp_9M56x3uX7-S60OwMycuGCv4/s1600/IMG_5490.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More function than feng shui,<br />
our bulk supply of whole grains.</td></tr>
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Anyone who visits our kitchen remarks on our bulk supply selection of <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/" target="_blank">Bob's Red Mill</a> whole grains. "It's like being in a bulk co op," says our neighbor. The metal shelving and recycled white buckets provide easy access to our favorites: we eat oatmeal pretty much every day for breakfast (Gene likes dried fruit toppings; I prefer nuts and dried berries), regularly make 5-minute-a-day artisan bread (a shared pursuit and requested for most pot lucks), and often prepare an awesome 13-bean soup (Gene's forté) and lentil soup (my specialty, plus the soups go well with the bread). <br />
<br />
To support our whole-grain habit, we head over to Bob's Red Mill Store in Milwaukie located just a few miles down the road from us a couple times a year and pick up some 25-lb bags of supplies. It's a really fun scene, has great products, and is even more fun to support since Bob <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/employee-stock-ownership-plan-ze0z1204zsch.aspx" target="_blank">turned the company over to all of its employees</a> a few years ago.<br />
<br />
Last fall, I had been hankering to take a tour of their manufacturing facility (just a mile down the street from their Store with tours <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/Tour-Our-World-Headquarters.html" target="_blank">offered every weekday</a>), when serendipitously I attended Zenger Farm's annual fundraiser where Bob's Red Mill -- a huge supporter of <a href="http://zengerfarm.org/" target="_blank">Zenger Farm</a> -- had offered a VIP tour as part of the auction. I won the bid and get excited to go behind the scenes at the mill! To prepare, I read Bob's inspiring book, <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781592997268" target="_blank">"People Before Profit" by Ken Koopman</a>, met with Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing <a href="http://blog.bobsredmill.com/uncategorized/an-interview-with-dennis-gilliam-executive-vice-president-of-sales-and-marketing/" target="_blank">Dennis Gilliam</a> and assembled a party of 9 friends interested in whole grain goodness. Last weekend all the planets aligned and we took our wonderful VIP behind-the-scenes tour.<br />
<br />
Thank you so much to Dennis for your time on a rainy Saturday when you could have been paging through the <i>NY Times</i>, to Lori and Julie for behind-the-scenes cuing up, to my friends for joining me on this adventure (thanks Mitch for sharing your photos), and of course to Bob, whom I've met briefly at the store and admire from afar. For anyone interest in the well-being of the planet, be sure to keep your eyes open for <a href="http://www.thelundreport.org/content/maternal-nutrition-and-fetal-development-focus-ohsu%E2%80%99s-new-research-center" target="_blank">OHSU's findings about maternal nutrition</a> and wellness - fascinating stuff.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vi1nUq3EuW3CfuveSShNzun9N3bmRJYrYJ3Q2SEmO_8QwuZUl-4XbIqquCr6GJOJgZ3WNyHiFH3OWXueMQaTsPEGqHTNRcC2JYdN1cAi1Q8ykzAxH6w0i4blwhC4vh6lSyzo-pjNa3IL/s1600/IMG_0445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vi1nUq3EuW3CfuveSShNzun9N3bmRJYrYJ3Q2SEmO_8QwuZUl-4XbIqquCr6GJOJgZ3WNyHiFH3OWXueMQaTsPEGqHTNRcC2JYdN1cAi1Q8ykzAxH6w0i4blwhC4vh6lSyzo-pjNa3IL/s1600/IMG_0445.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dennis invited me to turn the corn sheller, a restored relic from days of old. Famous hands have touched this piece of equipment so now I've joined the ranks!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a_2pk71HXKzvzGicplECJPq5RjTrAKmcD8-0fUq7-8YYXiTzLI9JIcPOH1knIGDUr27yn4U2uamb_lGYdiuDSO6UeSTHchWOkIMXx26GJDXRVCG2PlkhFYHhlScvls6C4cyfK_1MhZgu/s1600/IMG_0449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a_2pk71HXKzvzGicplECJPq5RjTrAKmcD8-0fUq7-8YYXiTzLI9JIcPOH1knIGDUr27yn4U2uamb_lGYdiuDSO6UeSTHchWOkIMXx26GJDXRVCG2PlkhFYHhlScvls6C4cyfK_1MhZgu/s1600/IMG_0449.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This book is how it all began -- Bob's wife, Charlee, got into whole grains and nutrition, then Bob read this book and got inspired to try his hand at milling with his sons.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWQUclQdRfLHui43xHrYNkaVPsgCHROnnfqnSxRK13XZTlg-Y1M878wPXDQly6KteATakIbWlnx2X0gUVJrzVYkBUD9zZQcd3dL12R4w_KWUTTyUPYrnFWMRAc3qQKtv3WaECIY70xj-i/s1600/IMG_0455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWQUclQdRfLHui43xHrYNkaVPsgCHROnnfqnSxRK13XZTlg-Y1M878wPXDQly6KteATakIbWlnx2X0gUVJrzVYkBUD9zZQcd3dL12R4w_KWUTTyUPYrnFWMRAc3qQKtv3WaECIY70xj-i/s1600/IMG_0455.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meredith Sorensen and Dennis Gilliam connect over an antique quartz millstone.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_0OqyZjC7szZVsujZsrz7lnFbIz-dWyVdL9giN_ljKhVxm0QPvPuJwRky3BlX8RAORxxnkxJPdTJS87W8TZ0pcAVT2WNzAl0Nl-DulZb8zxiv9xrdzOPJrSkklqq8tC0FYntjmgc2H7m/s1600/IMG_4486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_0OqyZjC7szZVsujZsrz7lnFbIz-dWyVdL9giN_ljKhVxm0QPvPuJwRky3BlX8RAORxxnkxJPdTJS87W8TZ0pcAVT2WNzAl0Nl-DulZb8zxiv9xrdzOPJrSkklqq8tC0FYntjmgc2H7m/s1600/IMG_4486.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We donned hair nets and went behind the scenes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqumy97U1MX-5E-jUi2OL7tSiVuYxq82LJQ_8yNhZr4pEuI4J_PfHPEaVyIBEj_Z-TYv5El7JkSIDdHMXlMmDj1y7YmYpsgC9fBTdIuUSc9VzVA9htpF-R6eS6HtGucjNRm_vbNChqu2I0/s1600/IMG_0457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqumy97U1MX-5E-jUi2OL7tSiVuYxq82LJQ_8yNhZr4pEuI4J_PfHPEaVyIBEj_Z-TYv5El7JkSIDdHMXlMmDj1y7YmYpsgC9fBTdIuUSc9VzVA9htpF-R6eS6HtGucjNRm_vbNChqu2I0/s1600/IMG_0457.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG<br />
(Oh My Grain)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLbDRwTvgH4BXn82xkCQJe3jf9FM0zLunru_t_zrVPJ8lEE5N1LbccKsR0gQsnHPU8_PR0If9gV7UpQN5oomUrko2fi9IZ-cC7DcShBYJgnyYT6CzGfq_4woBs2LBZEYbi8oHoLe1hGH9/s1600/IMG_0458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLbDRwTvgH4BXn82xkCQJe3jf9FM0zLunru_t_zrVPJ8lEE5N1LbccKsR0gQsnHPU8_PR0If9gV7UpQN5oomUrko2fi9IZ-cC7DcShBYJgnyYT6CzGfq_4woBs2LBZEYbi8oHoLe1hGH9/s1600/IMG_0458.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friendly staff.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOY6pTHTpyFd22iAxfO55baCAUyW88v4g5DIvkhvz30lyHUF4fsW_eg3cYS5ZKZCmKl8gpZdnm_D0NKfSaQb5XJ0eC0rj_zTRk0Nj8GoYiKgYVmkO6cZ5-wpsWLwXMgUbMA3tFII9PrFB/s1600/IMG_0459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOY6pTHTpyFd22iAxfO55baCAUyW88v4g5DIvkhvz30lyHUF4fsW_eg3cYS5ZKZCmKl8gpZdnm_D0NKfSaQb5XJ0eC0rj_zTRk0Nj8GoYiKgYVmkO6cZ5-wpsWLwXMgUbMA3tFII9PrFB/s1600/IMG_0459.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surrounded by 300,000 square feet of whole grains.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hVopLf2TKlCFwI2GqbQZ2PTsjzCPW8ZY844KuewNYjS7aa2GXiJCOhqubY2RFyPN829mgx30wUWYnHu4MMqVB7pD56MSOHGJvHP7jkkOpuOLBGpJh6_QTWwksQL7bngb9ccr2VLgKu4j/s1600/IMG_0463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hVopLf2TKlCFwI2GqbQZ2PTsjzCPW8ZY844KuewNYjS7aa2GXiJCOhqubY2RFyPN829mgx30wUWYnHu4MMqVB7pD56MSOHGJvHP7jkkOpuOLBGpJh6_QTWwksQL7bngb9ccr2VLgKu4j/s1600/IMG_0463.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of their many bagging machines with the labels embedded into the film plastic.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZqnXovcneJOqk4gjkPpu8-7vi_2epCtvu6Hu3gftcA4WzG7yo9KS1t-5TNpyw29K5ZhNTCVkvE49s-lRRiCZoHIKfWyOzztucD9mIgBm9dpFVkbb-650ksTIoj_B3kBCucQwLP14Z0Ip/s1600/IMG_0472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZqnXovcneJOqk4gjkPpu8-7vi_2epCtvu6Hu3gftcA4WzG7yo9KS1t-5TNpyw29K5ZhNTCVkvE49s-lRRiCZoHIKfWyOzztucD9mIgBm9dpFVkbb-650ksTIoj_B3kBCucQwLP14Z0Ip/s1600/IMG_0472.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garbanzo bean flour, apparently very good for making crepes. Who knew?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqV6s9krjhnIrZm8nc8HxX4JkIBP7LyjHrNBhE_ZpGBDqeevFpNWml_2zjcaNDpcn3-udOH80ar3bb1OejtQs1Tg0rMXiASLd-GP5NOYTtkHjIILlCtWif1iLGamUJpnTWi7WWWL00nlD/s1600/IMG_0475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqV6s9krjhnIrZm8nc8HxX4JkIBP7LyjHrNBhE_ZpGBDqeevFpNWml_2zjcaNDpcn3-udOH80ar3bb1OejtQs1Tg0rMXiASLd-GP5NOYTtkHjIILlCtWif1iLGamUJpnTWi7WWWL00nlD/s1600/IMG_0475.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie, Alexis, Meredith, Becky, Jonathan, Ethan, baby Amelia, Gusty, Mitch, Nancy, and Gene.<br />
The good times continued to roll at a yummy lunch down the street at the BRM Store.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlECWvNsz5QZKBiOr6GRwZUhf8AP8n00TUVJkMHr8zddBxzpjr1sIOOc94I-pzH7Pzj40-WYHZ5k-vD2syfdStAs9nskppzB6eospqhr9aO04qVmNSEU18QpnaM-YuNVmyfvPnJHmCtBs/s1600/IMG_4494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlECWvNsz5QZKBiOr6GRwZUhf8AP8n00TUVJkMHr8zddBxzpjr1sIOOc94I-pzH7Pzj40-WYHZ5k-vD2syfdStAs9nskppzB6eospqhr9aO04qVmNSEU18QpnaM-YuNVmyfvPnJHmCtBs/s1600/IMG_4494.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parting shot: Looking forward to trying out the Irish Soda Bread mix.</td></tr>
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<br />Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-2488391429706936972014-03-07T22:04:00.000-08:002014-03-10T12:17:53.207-07:00Energy and VitalityEnergy. That's what I'm noticing the beginning of this year. Whether it's running through parks looking at the fresh buds pushing out on trees branches, creating collateral about anaerobic digestion and biogas through my work with <a href="http://www.harvestpower.com/" target="_blank">Harvest Power</a>, or connecting with family and friends in-between work trips, lately I have been keenly aware of the forces of nature pulsing through each of us and our environment. A few energetic snapshots from January and February of this year…<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuCQVZuB_pzsB4ud1YU9s_z0QXUQBjbbx4AFL9DEx6fnY8u8USfI9sFjbohIrl7zvO8VP87Cx8nq_K97HJAPdfHjnA7zVvyyIo_3Nz4JQEEIw1WLPPFTTz23GDs25jsZoNyRLkSkzzuKu/s1600/IMG_5398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuCQVZuB_pzsB4ud1YU9s_z0QXUQBjbbx4AFL9DEx6fnY8u8USfI9sFjbohIrl7zvO8VP87Cx8nq_K97HJAPdfHjnA7zVvyyIo_3Nz4JQEEIw1WLPPFTTz23GDs25jsZoNyRLkSkzzuKu/s1600/IMG_5398.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running through Tryon Life Park with triad-mates Hanisi and Katie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6_Wu7ML4gS3abMNC2H6JlxRsmTfQUGexT-E_mR25UPHKlehsPn5k-5kxLT87spgKRqP29KkLy8Eq-2f7WwVdla7ZtUgmgcvLAdwRutEQytE8Ege3zyB_WRe1UwkH3DHUOvYtmG8t1OeW/s1600/IMG_5402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6_Wu7ML4gS3abMNC2H6JlxRsmTfQUGexT-E_mR25UPHKlehsPn5k-5kxLT87spgKRqP29KkLy8Eq-2f7WwVdla7ZtUgmgcvLAdwRutEQytE8Ege3zyB_WRe1UwkH3DHUOvYtmG8t1OeW/s1600/IMG_5402.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tapping into <a href="http://thugkitchen.com/" target="_blank">Thug Kitchen</a>'s awesome spinach smoothie (thanks to amazing blender from Rachel) in <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/harvestpower.1109443130" target="_blank">Harvest Power pint glasses</a>. Yum!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeChmDhb4QYJ8S8JJ9OZ5ODqFCNvAGEBJlbi6IML6TSw5PghiCwU-MrxVefAYAWx95LNX8d0C70y2LyI4ucBv_nWgNUZWZEVnZlddQVlmJjQb6IcXEk-8KNGQSpKaljJdlSajt976qMD7x/s1600/IMG_0283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeChmDhb4QYJ8S8JJ9OZ5ODqFCNvAGEBJlbi6IML6TSw5PghiCwU-MrxVefAYAWx95LNX8d0C70y2LyI4ucBv_nWgNUZWZEVnZlddQVlmJjQb6IcXEk-8KNGQSpKaljJdlSajt976qMD7x/s1600/IMG_0283.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up Harvest's booth at the US Composting Council Conference</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfetn24p87sLEqKtspx8WLfsxDuwgCz6PcK8G8gWYDl48X_ZsVjR7bBM9cz9ks85qk9NeCAP_6iBznq0JLCI5EJize5tkJsLf4aY1S2e38gfbZvTLCw4ODLC30wfb9P4UaCMcI_ilqCSSu/s1600/IMG_5428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfetn24p87sLEqKtspx8WLfsxDuwgCz6PcK8G8gWYDl48X_ZsVjR7bBM9cz9ks85qk9NeCAP_6iBznq0JLCI5EJize5tkJsLf4aY1S2e38gfbZvTLCw4ODLC30wfb9P4UaCMcI_ilqCSSu/s1600/IMG_5428.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Soren-Wald kiddos finding endless amusement with my luggage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWipnmlCa2_tPXIylgE2AA2GMOzgqvWbB_J0IRW2626TssNCmUq9kTYZzUzYLbHsa3qZt6LFEy0beEC7QkuOc1Zr4phUndfYlb1jbD5A1XdO0MX3v_23CgPlFKhs3GBhEOxImuFFwM_P9/s1600/IMG_0306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWipnmlCa2_tPXIylgE2AA2GMOzgqvWbB_J0IRW2626TssNCmUq9kTYZzUzYLbHsa3qZt6LFEy0beEC7QkuOc1Zr4phUndfYlb1jbD5A1XdO0MX3v_23CgPlFKhs3GBhEOxImuFFwM_P9/s1600/IMG_0306.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom pushing her ice boat out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraPwWSKGssijFddytHDsejUonrptKTZzZt_d6mn8IKN6KaHBeug7Dkr40oTDUVorfARo49k4k452dBPppBqCoC6g0pzal8Hshyphenhyphen2dCRR4sT43yxLKYtob7faDrDW7pxXyosnO6DMLHofSo/s1600/IMG_0307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiraPwWSKGssijFddytHDsejUonrptKTZzZt_d6mn8IKN6KaHBeug7Dkr40oTDUVorfARo49k4k452dBPppBqCoC6g0pzal8Hshyphenhyphen2dCRR4sT43yxLKYtob7faDrDW7pxXyosnO6DMLHofSo/s1600/IMG_0307.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Sandy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXWrJxvlMPMoahuSE-Lf7f3xvFHewN4zYUX1K5qNFj4tCz5G_FeMlv_vQ46gFMa8iGIDN0zALlkSFU0WqJ1ALzTqGViLjSJ8SI5iL9vIsNlXGs-QxbYQxGMTFyopdmLY8ezqUZGFb7qXr/s1600/IMG_0309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXWrJxvlMPMoahuSE-Lf7f3xvFHewN4zYUX1K5qNFj4tCz5G_FeMlv_vQ46gFMa8iGIDN0zALlkSFU0WqJ1ALzTqGViLjSJ8SI5iL9vIsNlXGs-QxbYQxGMTFyopdmLY8ezqUZGFb7qXr/s1600/IMG_0309.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leigh and Me</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_jviGsaJLKDwtHNdHfPG_HRIjSuRgYl_E2vzMoXcEEH9AKNjo2OPro4rC_9CQqNDsJHKArBijYqEzsQttzBAZvjV3lfryL2YMgdLeIBd5umBlobNghQ0MJZUySwy8Nalwl1HjCJ9bHOT/s1600/IMG_0312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_jviGsaJLKDwtHNdHfPG_HRIjSuRgYl_E2vzMoXcEEH9AKNjo2OPro4rC_9CQqNDsJHKArBijYqEzsQttzBAZvjV3lfryL2YMgdLeIBd5umBlobNghQ0MJZUySwy8Nalwl1HjCJ9bHOT/s1600/IMG_0312.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's such a cool landscape to be out on the ice. This is in the middle of the Navesink River.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnyxk5civa-yYxBY9ECBPxpIosYV3NN5LeYEl7bh8vKRB0chz4tieVnmH8QInODWunbSepwI7uTm9HJnUHtrKtwL9Ylnwx797mn7qtLyGex6W1NHlMi7a5OA-5ynzWTED60UkpnAvGFw2/s1600/IMG_0320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnyxk5civa-yYxBY9ECBPxpIosYV3NN5LeYEl7bh8vKRB0chz4tieVnmH8QInODWunbSepwI7uTm9HJnUHtrKtwL9Ylnwx797mn7qtLyGex6W1NHlMi7a5OA-5ynzWTED60UkpnAvGFw2/s1600/IMG_0320.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An ice boat has a flat bottom and is perched on runner planks with blades. When the wind is blowing it goes so fast -- it's essentially sailing minus friction.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswKMFNDybTk6MyTxbBvt_rrUmV9dWuO5Snd7DUh0_ohu2ECiPBBEq90JLcC8KaPWWIK6G_Z4XFak30MovSfuZrqNPrshDaHjYV_117XomTSHDOH9S2zyL8asfPYJ-Euju82pNEe48u1Im/s1600/IMG_0316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswKMFNDybTk6MyTxbBvt_rrUmV9dWuO5Snd7DUh0_ohu2ECiPBBEq90JLcC8KaPWWIK6G_Z4XFak30MovSfuZrqNPrshDaHjYV_117XomTSHDOH9S2zyL8asfPYJ-Euju82pNEe48u1Im/s1600/IMG_0316.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup, that's my mom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCiOFIAkLMBsOWqIm3PyITnVmZwE3Vi7kpQg4DQGueX_VFoQHc0OXys_4HLz7sJaUHFZ7RtQHCLD5XScGRY-73dLs6S8LwlHQCcfL_KfL03DXCmqXW3RzfN6Dtgk877jvt_dURK3MCylD/s1600/IMG_0325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCiOFIAkLMBsOWqIm3PyITnVmZwE3Vi7kpQg4DQGueX_VFoQHc0OXys_4HLz7sJaUHFZ7RtQHCLD5XScGRY-73dLs6S8LwlHQCcfL_KfL03DXCmqXW3RzfN6Dtgk877jvt_dURK3MCylD/s1600/IMG_0325.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill R and my dad rig up his boat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp26Scis48KU7WFy-WErIs_009J-MqKUjL3S-QH4_xvTKSOT2WDamkH_RfZPHwekEAosTiDEqC9FojfLL-PuoGUE_Wapp-35GyMZ2wcS6SbXPgiSzJxWiyfcjr5RW2fAnPzIUytK3EYscO/s1600/IMG_0334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp26Scis48KU7WFy-WErIs_009J-MqKUjL3S-QH4_xvTKSOT2WDamkH_RfZPHwekEAosTiDEqC9FojfLL-PuoGUE_Wapp-35GyMZ2wcS6SbXPgiSzJxWiyfcjr5RW2fAnPzIUytK3EYscO/s1600/IMG_0334.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paddle Tennis Champion Sandy with Meredith, Alicia, Mark and Basil. Such a fun, quick game!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmR9PLNhxlc2S1s2-u8Lgb-tcdJWLZ4V9_fphuFV2bBl1Qgb2evQgW9q2_toFsIzvtDYdprzyXZ2h5tLnlFVBMPqCsnGalBunwMW3EAqlznZDOYhnGWgzcnzpiIxqb8koQJ-wtfMPrieQ/s1600/IMG_0340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmR9PLNhxlc2S1s2-u8Lgb-tcdJWLZ4V9_fphuFV2bBl1Qgb2evQgW9q2_toFsIzvtDYdprzyXZ2h5tLnlFVBMPqCsnGalBunwMW3EAqlznZDOYhnGWgzcnzpiIxqb8koQJ-wtfMPrieQ/s1600/IMG_0340.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gotta squeeze in a walk on the beach.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvzyUzxxInABgeRTshOuM_gGGGqjz3CcNvJFZIVApzfnNiw5Il0OxHco9_Sgm_6XG7bj-HT6XsYZc1-HmPmfTDQuHd6AUnOlb3BZyQv9h1hSp1yS1yNTlLrEI0dnwZwozKg8tj3Y7h9Wx/s1600/IMG_0344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvzyUzxxInABgeRTshOuM_gGGGqjz3CcNvJFZIVApzfnNiw5Il0OxHco9_Sgm_6XG7bj-HT6XsYZc1-HmPmfTDQuHd6AUnOlb3BZyQv9h1hSp1yS1yNTlLrEI0dnwZwozKg8tj3Y7h9Wx/s1600/IMG_0344.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony and his ball.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicttKlUm02v1xuDnZn2MOm-uorIAbnjjTUCMPScvs_vvpYicW-PxfziN4tBrjVomJWmJt0g7Dt6UKeaRrKADmw-i5G89KXh2Tdmf4pBwOKAFw0bPRUdymLFCVQbdkmqO-ahVg_2OHU_a2C/s1600/IMG_0348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicttKlUm02v1xuDnZn2MOm-uorIAbnjjTUCMPScvs_vvpYicW-PxfziN4tBrjVomJWmJt0g7Dt6UKeaRrKADmw-i5G89KXh2Tdmf4pBwOKAFw0bPRUdymLFCVQbdkmqO-ahVg_2OHU_a2C/s1600/IMG_0348.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpcr7yNp91NAYNm_cVX8KKzSsaL3nXOE4j6wYfRVLn9kJCc2VWIB1k8raQlLCDjg9x9Fqqd4RYfZcXaFPAiNwAqOqo8Di2NepGLdk_cDUOta__ytEYteKVyF0M3Gx524S3P9hMa_ghsZH/s1600/IMG_0381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKpcr7yNp91NAYNm_cVX8KKzSsaL3nXOE4j6wYfRVLn9kJCc2VWIB1k8raQlLCDjg9x9Fqqd4RYfZcXaFPAiNwAqOqo8Di2NepGLdk_cDUOta__ytEYteKVyF0M3Gx524S3P9hMa_ghsZH/s1600/IMG_0381.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom's painting of Thomas and Hannah in Argentina.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEOFUM_QI8mNJ5hd5GSj1Rm1o6KU-4LDMA0JM1NPI32FTdhh_MLBIOorya-QTJnvCOzL8io7IfC53wHossAY-yUC0riHrA4xVeq60gaL1WdTOgiiY1EkhQCj9Lib_sS80926aCrQK_xsR/s1600/IMG_0382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEOFUM_QI8mNJ5hd5GSj1Rm1o6KU-4LDMA0JM1NPI32FTdhh_MLBIOorya-QTJnvCOzL8io7IfC53wHossAY-yUC0riHrA4xVeq60gaL1WdTOgiiY1EkhQCj9Lib_sS80926aCrQK_xsR/s1600/IMG_0382.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowed in at B'sie's in Connecticut</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBolHGhs9niwJ23cF-wwMPHFCXxPs3h6VaDSV9ORbmySOzsMC41wXkaz0xL5HVivSt_aNxno5dplnxlCduTc35Wy3r_qZmmmnCdJOUGvYVfHrV0d1so09Ks5-_fZX_Riq1v_ifh2ey7wG-/s1600/IMG_0391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBolHGhs9niwJ23cF-wwMPHFCXxPs3h6VaDSV9ORbmySOzsMC41wXkaz0xL5HVivSt_aNxno5dplnxlCduTc35Wy3r_qZmmmnCdJOUGvYVfHrV0d1so09Ks5-_fZX_Riq1v_ifh2ey7wG-/s1600/IMG_0391.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy feeding </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPTyzlwtZtdRiBGpFEhfc4bwR5r8MvBgwXt-yKLeAWqMg0Ec6MyNIkfNg1LUWepjV7GhiQAAo-mydKz5_5St2-dnT8HPBrOr3DMbkvlyn7CzLWRI0X6YKYa5_G-F6-HpbPL7Wfd45Qw27/s1600/IMG_0409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPTyzlwtZtdRiBGpFEhfc4bwR5r8MvBgwXt-yKLeAWqMg0Ec6MyNIkfNg1LUWepjV7GhiQAAo-mydKz5_5St2-dnT8HPBrOr3DMbkvlyn7CzLWRI0X6YKYa5_G-F6-HpbPL7Wfd45Qw27/s1600/IMG_0409.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boston prank, looked way cuter in real life.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwcxTSfzhGIAQK2A2QCGIu-aXkXX1yJ_Lkzsx8qqcaRKINAygiQ6uqFdIcfgInvekSCCkikgGec5QK3GALFvoDbElTVMR28RNxXQXg7CxM_8UOFLQaYtxVmg5pRGGrnrDtkTL2ZJEEOx8/s1600/IMG_0428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwcxTSfzhGIAQK2A2QCGIu-aXkXX1yJ_Lkzsx8qqcaRKINAygiQ6uqFdIcfgInvekSCCkikgGec5QK3GALFvoDbElTVMR28RNxXQXg7CxM_8UOFLQaYtxVmg5pRGGrnrDtkTL2ZJEEOx8/s1600/IMG_0428.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next generation abounds! Oscar, Victor, and Anne in Somerville. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMYeUqBYZp0De3W2_dEmapmmE83j7rG67_ogoXGfIAz8hA0KlZSl_6ykWdIWMUDR7btLE7hFYlZpchhq9VmlHj1ncGgQ_LwkPpPllTlgXgezDcD__SL2SNXx38MuZaLLbMhAqWYQ1QRPr/s1600/IMG_5460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMYeUqBYZp0De3W2_dEmapmmE83j7rG67_ogoXGfIAz8hA0KlZSl_6ykWdIWMUDR7btLE7hFYlZpchhq9VmlHj1ncGgQ_LwkPpPllTlgXgezDcD__SL2SNXx38MuZaLLbMhAqWYQ1QRPr/s1600/IMG_5460.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holy moley <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2014/harvest-power" target="_blank">Harvest Power was named 50 Most Innovative Companies</a> by <i>Fast Company</i> -- so cool!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu_ExV1_koMrqOUxhHdNIsfh8kDnwDUQTRvuaWR9l7mlBIHg7vgysy0eN0aXppyQDkk_SeFg-sOQynZBjg18J85jAYhCE7F7yCVK4lPd5tUMvTR9bMUEk2IGSeXVC9rwT_McBWJy1ZCLa/s1600/IMG_5469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu_ExV1_koMrqOUxhHdNIsfh8kDnwDUQTRvuaWR9l7mlBIHg7vgysy0eN0aXppyQDkk_SeFg-sOQynZBjg18J85jAYhCE7F7yCVK4lPd5tUMvTR9bMUEk2IGSeXVC9rwT_McBWJy1ZCLa/s1600/IMG_5469.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couldn't resist picking this up as a gift for a talented colleague.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JZZLmi_vCgHLmyDIeo-vCq8t4vdmqUjsW7_XUYXMbof9xA3_VCMRLsigo2sC-YlYjM1-sCWjp_6z73AmWLoOcR3uvYmLSYFJKJNXto5P7tC03GWpn-9JzqTyMK1cfvXXJxzEpyliexJZ/s1600/IMG_5471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JZZLmi_vCgHLmyDIeo-vCq8t4vdmqUjsW7_XUYXMbof9xA3_VCMRLsigo2sC-YlYjM1-sCWjp_6z73AmWLoOcR3uvYmLSYFJKJNXto5P7tC03GWpn-9JzqTyMK1cfvXXJxzEpyliexJZ/s1600/IMG_5471.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telly-ing with Sally outside of Eugene</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkMJ9QFnNcVaRzSTnK6L-xugsRLZCBoWU24Lwsw5K92hLL_vqMHPzjQ9lv25XmodHLrPFXG75o1qs6P1JDUYG_-_BXSUEZoIpIaa9QOdVNE6OxxBmbtyOXQjBK-KBdMUoKNStHBiiLr75/s1600/IMG_5489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkMJ9QFnNcVaRzSTnK6L-xugsRLZCBoWU24Lwsw5K92hLL_vqMHPzjQ9lv25XmodHLrPFXG75o1qs6P1JDUYG_-_BXSUEZoIpIaa9QOdVNE6OxxBmbtyOXQjBK-KBdMUoKNStHBiiLr75/s1600/IMG_5489.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A complete night o' fun with a Party Bus, Trampoline World, and dancing with (clockwise) Gene, Johnny G, Becky B, Katie P, myself and Patty B.</td></tr>
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<br />Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-80616638986415378222013-12-31T15:07:00.001-08:002013-12-31T15:07:40.142-08:002013 in ReviewTaking a moment to reflect back on the waves and patterns of 2013, it seems like the year was full of Harvest Power, gardening, Gene, running, family, and friends. Here's a recap of highlights:<br />
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<b>January</b> - Connected with Wellesley friends in Boston. Mike made amazing croissants. Also did Tellyfest at Hoodoo Mountain with Sally and Chris Bell! So much fun. Also, Gene and I became graduates of the <a href="http://www.landmarkworldwide.com/" target="_blank">Landmark Forum</a> (if you feel a block in life, need to blow up your current paradigm of life, or want to get touched, moved and inspired, do Landmark).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsY32jtYzvF-AdShynL-bAHLMYxlrbZ6BBa-d7hYHpz4bMGFyGurFPtd6_IH5LNxxE4wJp-NqPtcblMtALdgQN_vAGCEQKrpR2PVbrjTKtvyqfsCk1IqioBJFuTx6O1LyxvNndveq5N7G/s1600/IMG_3209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsY32jtYzvF-AdShynL-bAHLMYxlrbZ6BBa-d7hYHpz4bMGFyGurFPtd6_IH5LNxxE4wJp-NqPtcblMtALdgQN_vAGCEQKrpR2PVbrjTKtvyqfsCk1IqioBJFuTx6O1LyxvNndveq5N7G/s320/IMG_3209.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petra, Erin, April, Theresa, Ashley, Meredith</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfV9j1s43rfvrphVOgMJyURkllPgYihXeDGAjtyGFPyQyewkg_JNjOiPLDaighck9jpRQpi-ayR-GxM0xVB2GueL70E7sBSvjA1uzcbGt2S3h6RrZUq2144mFXTVsE-0_ZHsDGiYsAXie3/s1600/IMG_3197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfV9j1s43rfvrphVOgMJyURkllPgYihXeDGAjtyGFPyQyewkg_JNjOiPLDaighck9jpRQpi-ayR-GxM0xVB2GueL70E7sBSvjA1uzcbGt2S3h6RrZUq2144mFXTVsE-0_ZHsDGiYsAXie3/s320/IMG_3197.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike's homemade croissants. Oh my.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaKvLQwEW3yAVCbO4SkvIcAJ6loTKfERI4fU-FkezybfPVIZUSB1DggEJtktCl28yhoj4WA080CIeCpnydVefPB4BW5SuyybnxWuoFqvN6ZULTYluWiRbZluiQYTCuG0UZGtNm7KMnfb7/s1600/IMG_3185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaKvLQwEW3yAVCbO4SkvIcAJ6loTKfERI4fU-FkezybfPVIZUSB1DggEJtktCl28yhoj4WA080CIeCpnydVefPB4BW5SuyybnxWuoFqvN6ZULTYluWiRbZluiQYTCuG0UZGtNm7KMnfb7/s320/IMG_3185.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoodoo Telly Fest with Chris, Sally, Gene, and Meredith</td></tr>
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<b>February</b> - On Amy Yates' bridal shower weekend getaway at the coast -- where Patty introduced us to the awesome game of lawn bowling -- I decided to commit to training for the Pac Crest Half Ironman which shaped the next few months. Also marveled at our solar panels' production -- if you are in Oregon check out <a href="http://www.rs-s2s.com/" target="_blank">RS Energy</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiuWcoDMUL-qKNCb8cOtgCmQUbZYwXQeABdgh2Lt-1d1Ob8nZddIyxt1EtJsr6PAPRyrY73JHnGN7AhNt7_7Yv2P19DPGz9qsvYAslHP2OJGIhA6OqIL0XU-PyjdEkuG8r69pBIPv5Ofl/s1600/IMG_3241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiuWcoDMUL-qKNCb8cOtgCmQUbZYwXQeABdgh2Lt-1d1Ob8nZddIyxt1EtJsr6PAPRyrY73JHnGN7AhNt7_7Yv2P19DPGz9qsvYAslHP2OJGIhA6OqIL0XU-PyjdEkuG8r69pBIPv5Ofl/s320/IMG_3241.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy Yates. Read her socks if you can.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsk4tvJJXMHU670eEOx-yTRUJ0hQ1YAW-UjciQvYtcUjE0EIEQfkBsaeX6GsWvJ904_0mBxOYlrk83WwV1tCqQLHm6vbg4hgMEfEGl_3VXijBnMOITeJ8KS8sOQP4ri1hcSL2gIcqBYq3c/s1600/IMG_3255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsk4tvJJXMHU670eEOx-yTRUJ0hQ1YAW-UjciQvYtcUjE0EIEQfkBsaeX6GsWvJ904_0mBxOYlrk83WwV1tCqQLHm6vbg4hgMEfEGl_3VXijBnMOITeJ8KS8sOQP4ri1hcSL2gIcqBYq3c/s320/IMG_3255.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRB324TyRk6gM2Cr0spVbvOVBvAKNwy4oWzVh0HzVMZAmFmsXHVCGRnMkPxghEtufT9tvgzPErAoelOQIrchd8GLFRYVlyaFCWjVgQW2_-_N1UuHtqb5w0E25X5sUFJJCCB4Wf5LvESct2/s1600/IMG_3270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRB324TyRk6gM2Cr0spVbvOVBvAKNwy4oWzVh0HzVMZAmFmsXHVCGRnMkPxghEtufT9tvgzPErAoelOQIrchd8GLFRYVlyaFCWjVgQW2_-_N1UuHtqb5w0E25X5sUFJJCCB4Wf5LvESct2/s320/IMG_3270.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aw yeah!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbmfJsExNUo4GebHTiHq73ScTYwoyEwCfzccTGlEqfdD4GgLVTr_Cu9UeFUXtMaG9Lo7ukecb0q_zIv34VCcUa85dy_zgh-6rVVBbQe87QS9sw_AKQiI_Utf2XbPPycICICf9mGCQMY63/s1600/IMG_3287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbmfJsExNUo4GebHTiHq73ScTYwoyEwCfzccTGlEqfdD4GgLVTr_Cu9UeFUXtMaG9Lo7ukecb0q_zIv34VCcUa85dy_zgh-6rVVBbQe87QS9sw_AKQiI_Utf2XbPPycICICf9mGCQMY63/s320/IMG_3287.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the highest I've ever seen our 3.2kw array hit.</td></tr>
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<b>March</b> - An 11-mile ski into <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mthood/null/recarea/?recid=52816&actid=101" target="_blank">Flagpoint Lookout</a> with Becky Brun! So nice to get offline for a bit, though it was hard-pack coming back down the hill. Ouch. Tahoe the Dawg often spends the day in my office reviewing important documents and giving very good advice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87Ddq0Cxk0W1NK6HQzuEgcShzVcjQoSCWUenapgB5tzB0dApVd_ovje6qd_HHgVJt_9IIsuUmnBxAswrPoJY2u5N2vSYWfJ6GLgHkj2PWD1pB54N8uUjIO2E9ZKD7Msv6_V3r1zp6CcOq/s1600/IMG_3367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87Ddq0Cxk0W1NK6HQzuEgcShzVcjQoSCWUenapgB5tzB0dApVd_ovje6qd_HHgVJt_9IIsuUmnBxAswrPoJY2u5N2vSYWfJ6GLgHkj2PWD1pB54N8uUjIO2E9ZKD7Msv6_V3r1zp6CcOq/s320/IMG_3367.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BB at Flagpoint</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzd0FiGwy3wA6qJHJdWXyp2HYJ50xeE5cRFYf4yFuEZyy5XbEN57jigjmROu06G29Bwa0sbpbdft7qSyjp0u_TNvL_XK2W7oh-udQG2OWT4Tn6RoJz-9u7mnYCAb9-VlVsMSXlZI_uES4/s1600/IMG_3368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzd0FiGwy3wA6qJHJdWXyp2HYJ50xeE5cRFYf4yFuEZyy5XbEN57jigjmROu06G29Bwa0sbpbdft7qSyjp0u_TNvL_XK2W7oh-udQG2OWT4Tn6RoJz-9u7mnYCAb9-VlVsMSXlZI_uES4/s320/IMG_3368.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Hood</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXqwPxQzzJCM6QgxIbSCqYMPwRDy5D1FtzLd_ZF6HKDuvAw9DRe55YzWv9nzY4Q9aUsmXM-kkeWZzVlhBa6JPZuLsIaHR2-RdUTLSdbaRr56eciTH7fLgVZBqVnxiWNvbrll-8bHCwLiT/s1600/IMG_3370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXqwPxQzzJCM6QgxIbSCqYMPwRDy5D1FtzLd_ZF6HKDuvAw9DRe55YzWv9nzY4Q9aUsmXM-kkeWZzVlhBa6JPZuLsIaHR2-RdUTLSdbaRr56eciTH7fLgVZBqVnxiWNvbrll-8bHCwLiT/s320/IMG_3370.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPT6rs4Ll9wvDXvb91KfmiYCiHrLNm9dJCQPnzzJeSkW2l897B7CmehNwi1f69p8hTft-4eO2lTH8SyQJRHrX9YL4EoGX2DcIEan8JKJhDp7bd-fB486PpNnkVe2MaQ7zurMoYnWVBJR8/s1600/IMG_3382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPT6rs4Ll9wvDXvb91KfmiYCiHrLNm9dJCQPnzzJeSkW2l897B7CmehNwi1f69p8hTft-4eO2lTH8SyQJRHrX9YL4EoGX2DcIEan8JKJhDp7bd-fB486PpNnkVe2MaQ7zurMoYnWVBJR8/s320/IMG_3382.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tahoe picks out some summer reading.</td></tr>
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<b>April</b> - Harvest Power won the <a href="http://www.harvestpower.com/about/awards/" target="_blank">Bloomberg New Energy Pioneers Award</a>. I was particularly proud because I filled out the burly application. Also, did a video shoot for some of Harvest Power's soil products. Gene started finishing houses at the <a href="http://waverlycommons.com/" target="_blank">Waverly Commons</a> project and I dabbled with soil blocks.<br />
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<a href="http://www.harvestpower.com/about/awards/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkS1hrwvEyJp7KSbu4F9IYxsCtivmyBng1dgzh8c7Vlarlv2JwYsf9ZuTYNjasm6Ex2o1y7JYBOb-hQeZYbJlz9ByA8EXOCN6tMzB0QxfNcClJrsiy4Z0OebQ1P-2xkBpVLOnTSLhr0Qzp/s1600/Bloomberg.png" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrJpQtrAuccVC8DkKbAfr4R85XJf9_nV3fXpv6dR1BQNsAyknOL-jlN1eVa7kKQaQ1IKPFVNG5MDoZ4R4pISWOjVJ3hMabyM1OZl7-KLW1D-tqF5jucqCqSzWqBkJQW9LOeR34Th-yvXh/s1600/IMG_3500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrJpQtrAuccVC8DkKbAfr4R85XJf9_nV3fXpv6dR1BQNsAyknOL-jlN1eVa7kKQaQ1IKPFVNG5MDoZ4R4pISWOjVJ3hMabyM1OZl7-KLW1D-tqF5jucqCqSzWqBkJQW9LOeR34Th-yvXh/s320/IMG_3500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Video Shoot with Harvest's Superpowered product line.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11SwAeIkcrjshmXN3bmONLuBfQ_2vuqBAAbZWdCHnZDxtE7e5P_5GSBG1zKQM1hP-FxyIcjAV3H1pfjzBWS_hKwNxRkupMt73CX1JtQeJRrsVS3EvMvL-nkj3Sz0X7haZR2DNyUjNUgLu/s1600/IMG_3708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11SwAeIkcrjshmXN3bmONLuBfQ_2vuqBAAbZWdCHnZDxtE7e5P_5GSBG1zKQM1hP-FxyIcjAV3H1pfjzBWS_hKwNxRkupMt73CX1JtQeJRrsVS3EvMvL-nkj3Sz0X7haZR2DNyUjNUgLu/s320/IMG_3708.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first house Gene finished at Waverly Commons.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyemEJnCuPDUwR2wwqBV4EduL3vWFpwu9fd9_C6OxWHspHM6HMyoSh1dI82SsBQrgza7gmuy9Trc7gBH_T2Exo58Wd6JjsL5C-BmGpgCx5rXBzT03_D0LRBGmTWj_BHyD1Spf8WJLOGN5/s1600/IMG_3709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyemEJnCuPDUwR2wwqBV4EduL3vWFpwu9fd9_C6OxWHspHM6HMyoSh1dI82SsBQrgza7gmuy9Trc7gBH_T2Exo58Wd6JjsL5C-BmGpgCx5rXBzT03_D0LRBGmTWj_BHyD1Spf8WJLOGN5/s320/IMG_3709.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soil blocks</td></tr>
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<b>May</b> - Training peak with lots of swimming, biking, and running. I kept a sticker chart to stay true to my workouts (and also make sure I did good things for my body like yoga, massage, and chiropractic adjustments). Gene was a champion supporter calling out in the early morning as I crawled out of bed, "Go Meredith. You can do it." Katie P and I ran almost every Tuesday, Thursday and weekend either up Mt. Tabor or around the neighborhood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigV7IQyhRoe6p-JETig_KINh9E_X7sGROwKTtHdJtuY_KtIRyXyq7xQqOU86u_VTbc8NQmV8eWuiBHiK-nvFgmPBd05BQ01AjxkhLKCxj0tXdMLy2_Z6WPB4ljO3tpt3nAqT9Ok-k2LRIi/s1600/IMG_3606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigV7IQyhRoe6p-JETig_KINh9E_X7sGROwKTtHdJtuY_KtIRyXyq7xQqOU86u_VTbc8NQmV8eWuiBHiK-nvFgmPBd05BQ01AjxkhLKCxj0tXdMLy2_Z6WPB4ljO3tpt3nAqT9Ok-k2LRIi/s320/IMG_3606.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sticker chart to track training.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EAPciz8EWbDtPanPyBravFxxNw7iPECpemzyu7A7mrCL_oNi8AbfN5WBSK0veDZ0rV4fCXY-1rN7uQ4ud17d8acz_RYKf40QqAD0-C1eYnUwyZQ0VhydA708EcFThuZCQim4CybOEos-/s1600/IMG_4026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EAPciz8EWbDtPanPyBravFxxNw7iPECpemzyu7A7mrCL_oNi8AbfN5WBSK0veDZ0rV4fCXY-1rN7uQ4ud17d8acz_RYKf40QqAD0-C1eYnUwyZQ0VhydA708EcFThuZCQim4CybOEos-/s320/IMG_4026.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie P! </td></tr>
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<b>June</b> - This month was jam packed with good things. Backyard fun with friends from near and far (Reb, Huck and tractor, plus good time with Jess and Mark's Baxter and Sunny). Catching up with colleagues on the east coast (see mulch). My cousin Alica Peake Henning married Mark Bublitz over an amazing wedding weekend in New Jersey (oh my, they are adorable -- see tennis court photo). Gene and I went on top of a neighbor's roof to stretch our calves. And bros-in-law Chip and Zac kept it real (why do I take more photos of my brothers-in-laws than I do my sisters?). After the wedding we got some more family time in timeless Point O' Woods, Fire Island (my parents jumped for the ferry as we left; it's a tradition but still, sheesh, that's love). The month got even better when my CEO Paul Sellew presented a TEDx talk in Boston; I went with my colleague Arjun. Then, as a cherry on top of the June cake I got 3rd in my division in the Pacific Crest half ironman (1.1 mile swim, 58 mile bike, 13.1 mile run). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPEie7JISJHjQWogEjENleioHu5aXr70w-UUcSDWq70CFNcT-kemD5uY4MVVEcUmcK0NlWG0CprecEi6ajfLdOp6iw40F8wYw98WNBEAl0YlbQbCoAcDWYLQHxJLMeV65pQvJMkYO6PCx/s1600/IMG_3718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPEie7JISJHjQWogEjENleioHu5aXr70w-UUcSDWq70CFNcT-kemD5uY4MVVEcUmcK0NlWG0CprecEi6ajfLdOp6iw40F8wYw98WNBEAl0YlbQbCoAcDWYLQHxJLMeV65pQvJMkYO6PCx/s320/IMG_3718.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huck loves playing with the tractor Gene had when he was a boy.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWe6sGSoxaGTMHLPdPsZHDFSmtfQD3-iQp89R1JvxgJeVLvwyPm8F4K2hjfbjIgvoHraF6vX34ssW7nsmVc-KIMMbuGWm1bKHG2NkFrKF76tv80WQmh3KvaPnMIhRBCQi4t9G8_R3jBLm/s1600/IMG_3724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWe6sGSoxaGTMHLPdPsZHDFSmtfQD3-iQp89R1JvxgJeVLvwyPm8F4K2hjfbjIgvoHraF6vX34ssW7nsmVc-KIMMbuGWm1bKHG2NkFrKF76tv80WQmh3KvaPnMIhRBCQi4t9G8_R3jBLm/s320/IMG_3724.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reb, Huck, Baxter, Jess, Sunny and Mia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudQY0BWZ7Rfn9s9LqrslLw-uW894oNc5XmqJVjc624z7KJRCMMDKsxUwdrrTDtVucHb9tah_RBsSo3laOVShikzj6cr_OMT1ROtltmr7yFuDx9Kv85bIMEv4ojiaa9Mzy0Ob99qRNydvH/s1600/IMG_3731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudQY0BWZ7Rfn9s9LqrslLw-uW894oNc5XmqJVjc624z7KJRCMMDKsxUwdrrTDtVucHb9tah_RBsSo3laOVShikzj6cr_OMT1ROtltmr7yFuDx9Kv85bIMEv4ojiaa9Mzy0Ob99qRNydvH/s320/IMG_3731.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baxter and Gene</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmp4oeKvKPhFhBJQtjiYe-5YfamvdaW_QI3QnAY0fHuh767cTj8yhR_HYs4k2PFWBl7Mbrg4jTBCbgl506eZpRJ2z0AYxGLjsZKwIZsspzdgqVUfkqALq9lAHs3EXUZITqZl8oCA4yGQkb/s1600/IMG_4039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmp4oeKvKPhFhBJQtjiYe-5YfamvdaW_QI3QnAY0fHuh767cTj8yhR_HYs4k2PFWBl7Mbrg4jTBCbgl506eZpRJ2z0AYxGLjsZKwIZsspzdgqVUfkqALq9lAHs3EXUZITqZl8oCA4yGQkb/s320/IMG_4039.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King & Leigh's home -- new shingles where they got flooded in Hurricane Sandy.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoSPBzP60daADWiK7kOqiMeJvIIDZCJbIoCiWvCmlAU3wgZxvl-3q8-teDbAJek91gxDhvkqs8WcdhACoeNTcBnBLVnXwxlexe3QwZmAOf_Um4Kod9WNwEvde9ICH6_f4xvPiQpefCQz5/s1600/IMG_4043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoSPBzP60daADWiK7kOqiMeJvIIDZCJbIoCiWvCmlAU3wgZxvl-3q8-teDbAJek91gxDhvkqs8WcdhACoeNTcBnBLVnXwxlexe3QwZmAOf_Um4Kod9WNwEvde9ICH6_f4xvPiQpefCQz5/s320/IMG_4043.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom had one of her busiest years for her business.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5Zkx8s-S2L-SV-J6lbDT8-JeWiMYbSakJU_nIhetxNFkJtGX71IqPziquLW4WPdF1UaU8Du7tYd7zmfAyUOL0cFuEmh09XbUQTf9bmBQGY4oa8Ygv96BLYygzRiyBkJ2X9wH8XVkAGGQ/s1600/IMG_4051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5Zkx8s-S2L-SV-J6lbDT8-JeWiMYbSakJU_nIhetxNFkJtGX71IqPziquLW4WPdF1UaU8Du7tYd7zmfAyUOL0cFuEmh09XbUQTf9bmBQGY4oa8Ygv96BLYygzRiyBkJ2X9wH8XVkAGGQ/s320/IMG_4051.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfha06al5LXkLxPGWBfgMoVqMiCXC6oH-Vbui6xM3HgqW_-ImGBSvhzYm2sahdwQyWNc9iV_KY-wId2lgX1TL4aA4JiAUUvyOYIa9ztP3se4W0e3WP3ibRkdsjf7HIpOGSCx2JfCo0BWE/s1600/IMG_4132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfha06al5LXkLxPGWBfgMoVqMiCXC6oH-Vbui6xM3HgqW_-ImGBSvhzYm2sahdwQyWNc9iV_KY-wId2lgX1TL4aA4JiAUUvyOYIa9ztP3se4W0e3WP3ibRkdsjf7HIpOGSCx2JfCo0BWE/s320/IMG_4132.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King, Leigh, Meredith</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcznK2ywGpXq-kDXQGBudNChLb3QRSN66Fs4xGh83Xp4q1ErpBS5EXCDLoM779WalJKXJrd39HyT2jx8VH2R5TBv1ESo2nQANcC_UQD0Csth8jpndxQ9piwhVbRdYbOq_BQ7dP-Z42QIqq/s1600/IMG_4202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcznK2ywGpXq-kDXQGBudNChLb3QRSN66Fs4xGh83Xp4q1ErpBS5EXCDLoM779WalJKXJrd39HyT2jx8VH2R5TBv1ESo2nQANcC_UQD0Csth8jpndxQ9piwhVbRdYbOq_BQ7dP-Z42QIqq/s320/IMG_4202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmm…..mulch</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmy_kaN_L5f-wvca8RPkab2aVM637A1DHDycsVmN2oKOm_fdYVZHCUOqyzYHKyT41Kw2aUq8g9PqErR_dP3XlO09OooiRzAlS3q9QgQ_5pWLt8Q8n7gID_cEFqpFAazd0UKUsbwflQT1g/s1600/IMG_4233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmy_kaN_L5f-wvca8RPkab2aVM637A1DHDycsVmN2oKOm_fdYVZHCUOqyzYHKyT41Kw2aUq8g9PqErR_dP3XlO09OooiRzAlS3q9QgQ_5pWLt8Q8n7gID_cEFqpFAazd0UKUsbwflQT1g/s320/IMG_4233.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and Alicia, so cute.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtORKHKVmljDboIL8u2D0JBdIQ6tfVoN9xVb5EUSJUgl4kyV3CW8egbJHeVYL1MUJ_Bpz4y9ryexU2MmOxUMMA-FgJk00DQAAeaY9H6qYh7fX5TD8jaGcIr_uJItaUeDQtnCvufWP0E77n/s1600/IMG_4243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtORKHKVmljDboIL8u2D0JBdIQ6tfVoN9xVb5EUSJUgl4kyV3CW8egbJHeVYL1MUJ_Bpz4y9ryexU2MmOxUMMA-FgJk00DQAAeaY9H6qYh7fX5TD8jaGcIr_uJItaUeDQtnCvufWP0E77n/s320/IMG_4243.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gene and Meredith and the Shrewsbury River / Atlantic Ocean</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_z6ojFb3cbSLUyj5CmLh2En404quHsf2awhZPyVhQQuSAdVv2aEG5mtbBBx4Tgo0ft7pCNXzudmOMEM1plPPTxvWEfUbu2Jft_88Cvqu2TNZq1wQMqsUp7-HSMsPhSUHe3zEZQGnJqxx6/s1600/IMG_4283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_z6ojFb3cbSLUyj5CmLh2En404quHsf2awhZPyVhQQuSAdVv2aEG5mtbBBx4Tgo0ft7pCNXzudmOMEM1plPPTxvWEfUbu2Jft_88Cvqu2TNZq1wQMqsUp7-HSMsPhSUHe3zEZQGnJqxx6/s320/IMG_4283.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chip and Zac. (I need more photos of my sisters!!)</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAaTv7xmMEnkOLjkV2dqTrd9dAnmvfQBBYyuRB_x52AVcs7bqb8viiKQarG1T6YgEKP_9OBPiHO7pZGVyDjte-0VTB-Hl3xJ0cYbpHNrNgwpEme5LbkdFYIHXkYriWBGhkGqUFjr-46cs/s1600/IMG_4298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAaTv7xmMEnkOLjkV2dqTrd9dAnmvfQBBYyuRB_x52AVcs7bqb8viiKQarG1T6YgEKP_9OBPiHO7pZGVyDjte-0VTB-Hl3xJ0cYbpHNrNgwpEme5LbkdFYIHXkYriWBGhkGqUFjr-46cs/s320/IMG_4298.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlC-GCZ9_vRodH54aR86PzoVEdEcoczcRcqGLg5ShU7Vj-Le2-YfvcnImuulraMlQjAmNGmcfFO9dh5hV3BoJ4yjEI05zaA_Iwtsx7OK8PTlcOZbcTrbS99V9REnHNhAdY41ckfcT_QF7/s1600/IMG_4306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlC-GCZ9_vRodH54aR86PzoVEdEcoczcRcqGLg5ShU7Vj-Le2-YfvcnImuulraMlQjAmNGmcfFO9dh5hV3BoJ4yjEI05zaA_Iwtsx7OK8PTlcOZbcTrbS99V9REnHNhAdY41ckfcT_QF7/s320/IMG_4306.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellis and Arden</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAC6icjvoskAdT86rDGR9A0qBJvPvGjSng8XydUVTo4Uz-SADrn2a04OJ4TD5Wt3XATnVlzL0oGnANJkPlsPIImZ1A3vCh4qWz7GzAamiN4ERhpnXAjR0yfluLeeN52lIoiLcFLVWr6Bt/s1600/IMG_4308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAC6icjvoskAdT86rDGR9A0qBJvPvGjSng8XydUVTo4Uz-SADrn2a04OJ4TD5Wt3XATnVlzL0oGnANJkPlsPIImZ1A3vCh4qWz7GzAamiN4ERhpnXAjR0yfluLeeN52lIoiLcFLVWr6Bt/s320/IMG_4308.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandy and Gene</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUiKmtUA0ZTME3tikD9uAMP44nK8sOzfwoFzLbTBu1XaoEx4EboPjm0S3A6m5bdkgPj8Jr9MJY_T2auZieznvzn2vkTXp-umhAlNNYLybgEGz5f4LdEhE91uKzpnSs19zXdouAccfMAXV/s1600/IMG_4330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUiKmtUA0ZTME3tikD9uAMP44nK8sOzfwoFzLbTBu1XaoEx4EboPjm0S3A6m5bdkgPj8Jr9MJY_T2auZieznvzn2vkTXp-umhAlNNYLybgEGz5f4LdEhE91uKzpnSs19zXdouAccfMAXV/s320/IMG_4330.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arden and Eliza</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq369S8xcnUQ1gtirHs-_6G7SSV5G_6wEQsVfYDioSOB6TtArFAzkJpbb-v7NvipHCQydScn4huZv6qXx0YlYS2ajo5YqEtSHANV5EBc9gQ3EhT_pWIf5j9rw41xD3LKW49qV3OtE0HAe/s1600/IMG_4382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq369S8xcnUQ1gtirHs-_6G7SSV5G_6wEQsVfYDioSOB6TtArFAzkJpbb-v7NvipHCQydScn4huZv6qXx0YlYS2ajo5YqEtSHANV5EBc9gQ3EhT_pWIf5j9rw41xD3LKW49qV3OtE0HAe/s320/IMG_4382.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PO'W Jump Part 1: The Wave</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgbLqCX6HSk6N1IgR8ux5ZoazJWeOMA5Kwofi7KAdV2qH1PFxBah-bBDje4hGtPdm1jT6VAcN-xQOCNFevWX2W_vm6SbhHT6zJ7Edt2YqbOpY8rfgdh_kbm9ivUPApO2ORAGXd2HJBnPL/s1600/IMG_4383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgbLqCX6HSk6N1IgR8ux5ZoazJWeOMA5Kwofi7KAdV2qH1PFxBah-bBDje4hGtPdm1jT6VAcN-xQOCNFevWX2W_vm6SbhHT6zJ7Edt2YqbOpY8rfgdh_kbm9ivUPApO2ORAGXd2HJBnPL/s320/IMG_4383.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PO'W Jump Part 2: The Splash</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDPyS2Xta_9I2UriIbxa7ITnmg6FmeqwSiQ21HsnbViBziZDGSydQVdvWHDiiVeA2hGqRTbr_WOnJbVyr_59zeqf-I248bt741PcvqMJckTp1kn6v5VOe3tsyTNnjd7WhH0SV6bM_3eW5/s1600/IMG_4384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDPyS2Xta_9I2UriIbxa7ITnmg6FmeqwSiQ21HsnbViBziZDGSydQVdvWHDiiVeA2hGqRTbr_WOnJbVyr_59zeqf-I248bt741PcvqMJckTp1kn6v5VOe3tsyTNnjd7WhH0SV6bM_3eW5/s320/IMG_4384.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PO'W Jump Part 3: The Wave from the Water</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVYlz6fbA3LsSKIgQYBb4-z3hkRVIQ-Q4RjOrfgOm02L4QHxsZ-WJOywGEwsi5X1UVXQzhWDVK27jgi7D8NV3I30_SNhI7f4A45jlgeenqxYE5u20su7d4q2UzClnOU_dKXIogzZldybv/s1600/IMG_4517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWVYlz6fbA3LsSKIgQYBb4-z3hkRVIQ-Q4RjOrfgOm02L4QHxsZ-WJOywGEwsi5X1UVXQzhWDVK27jgi7D8NV3I30_SNhI7f4A45jlgeenqxYE5u20su7d4q2UzClnOU_dKXIogzZldybv/s320/IMG_4517.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Sellew of Harvest Power presents!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meredith and Arjun in the TEDx crowd. So cool to be a part of it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gene and Mer: Pre-race.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meredith, post 70.2 miles. Sore legs, happy heart.</td></tr>
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<b>July</b> - <a href="http://www.watershedrelay.com/" target="_blank">Watershed Relay</a> with Sally Bell. The climb up was stunning: basically a steady quick pace up from the parking lot to lunch counter to meet up with Becky, Jonathan, and others just as the sun was setting. The summit was a blast with costumes and high energy. The descent turned into a long day when Joc broke her tib/fib but everyone made it out okay.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meredith and Sally</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the summit with Johnny and Becky</td></tr>
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<b>August</b> - Summer adventures with Katie (note matching shirt with wall). Becky's bachelorette weekend with covered the spectrum of trails (the <a href="http://mckenzierivertrail.com/" target="_blank">McKenzie River trail</a> with a crew of awesome ladies) and sparkles (oh my). Launching the <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/harvestpower" target="_blank">Harvest Power Store</a> complete with CLASSIC Food Waste Flip Flops. Taking care of Ellis and Sevie, who came down to Portland OR for 4 days while Jenny and Chip went hiking. A circum-nav run of Three-Fingered Jack with the Portland Extreme Picnickers crew -- so pretty.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mid-ride breakfast stop.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McKenzie River Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jess and Meredith: We clean up real nice.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cafepress.com/harvestpower.881782908" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtlhCr_95EP7hPfSmVyyY8z6w5xbdxr7TJ0jJN76L2J3KuRM1F1mDWyMBSc1si2tq-8H0KreO6qOytWjSHVVzwui3cnuVbmh6RbaLfI7xvrn1eC4e2TbeI9G4UyTxepr3hf6N156ALba2/s320/IMG_4727.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A highlight, 3 wordplays in 7 words: "Step Up to the Plate: Recycle Organics!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our garden burst with a zillion sunflowers this summer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellis, a voracious reader</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellis and Sevie Doo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sevie and Gene grab dinner from the volunteer squash plant.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIvoJjVAGMx1Td5_d6IUaYzlRjpOtSwcyDyAuU_fH8VUa_ahezmuqMJ7b8CmdoKYY28WubA5pNXctfNpDboru_LU2KOjNJPCBTAbkJ649n0qg-QSdW0HodfM1HM-Z22MHAG-ycaIZL4cK/s1600/IMG_4820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIvoJjVAGMx1Td5_d6IUaYzlRjpOtSwcyDyAuU_fH8VUa_ahezmuqMJ7b8CmdoKYY28WubA5pNXctfNpDboru_LU2KOjNJPCBTAbkJ649n0qg-QSdW0HodfM1HM-Z22MHAG-ycaIZL4cK/s320/IMG_4820.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Trappist Abbey</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnbDTKVUkR6P51QMWspdLwHHwhQzJ2mp-zf3iv8qAcgCDARMZ6NDi2kJVQRS94Bh2mXVwN3_0NKMGKqfv9_L4oyhyphenhyphena-VhC0_8GSrx7ZhRCoZfkUnKnY8cqDNc1owir6A_WX_MCoSpeZr5/s1600/IMG_4858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnbDTKVUkR6P51QMWspdLwHHwhQzJ2mp-zf3iv8qAcgCDARMZ6NDi2kJVQRS94Bh2mXVwN3_0NKMGKqfv9_L4oyhyphenhyphena-VhC0_8GSrx7ZhRCoZfkUnKnY8cqDNc1owir6A_WX_MCoSpeZr5/s320/IMG_4858.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3-Fingered Jack! Patty, Anna, Amy, Meredith, Jason</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2KCgt0xgDESVuQfrOes1L4ZFhwGL_sJYR8hKg6by6J1O_T6QHj7CWf_6lpidE2afKQPcIWyBuj-xxD11ty5U7FbvUl3tVwzlAZVvAHSleu4IfO3CXOPC5hrD9BSFdr6OIaRW0k86tcXL/s1600/IMG_4864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2KCgt0xgDESVuQfrOes1L4ZFhwGL_sJYR8hKg6by6J1O_T6QHj7CWf_6lpidE2afKQPcIWyBuj-xxD11ty5U7FbvUl3tVwzlAZVvAHSleu4IfO3CXOPC5hrD9BSFdr6OIaRW0k86tcXL/s320/IMG_4864.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrJZzmXscBobL5m_HYBMsY0NiMqL_4VcD1r36cSRMH36gDwldbVWfS4liLV1aX8TEeOu0QY1FJyns4HVlaDj8RucJjNV6cEocODOoa2WLAQz8bmpT5TFbzw-oojgF83hLo1VCB3Q5Osvn/s1600/IMG_4868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrJZzmXscBobL5m_HYBMsY0NiMqL_4VcD1r36cSRMH36gDwldbVWfS4liLV1aX8TEeOu0QY1FJyns4HVlaDj8RucJjNV6cEocODOoa2WLAQz8bmpT5TFbzw-oojgF83hLo1VCB3Q5Osvn/s320/IMG_4868.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>September</b> - Becky and Jonathan's wedding!! SO amazing. Becky was beautiful and poised as ever. Jonathan was funny and present and loving. All of us gathered together in a small circle in a clearing in the woods and while I almost bubbled over with tears at the beginning of the ceremony I held it together and officiated their union. It was so powerful. Crazily, I have about zero photos of this event. We danced under the stars late into the night. Later that month was Brooke and Darcy's wedding in North Carolina where a highlight for me was the rope swing (I think that's a photo of me). Clearly I did not document September very well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUl3QQIBkkMKFmM3_oJgVEyQSpahLGwcmODmqBtarTshtOiHR0-n5NhVcBllC55u-zIDzhWKdMCBD60r-9IphNncqBEDyupigI5MGVtkNbFaHAIG-NqTUzN0sjfxnLpX1WXpzOVtHdzPx/s1600/IMG_4968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwUl3QQIBkkMKFmM3_oJgVEyQSpahLGwcmODmqBtarTshtOiHR0-n5NhVcBllC55u-zIDzhWKdMCBD60r-9IphNncqBEDyupigI5MGVtkNbFaHAIG-NqTUzN0sjfxnLpX1WXpzOVtHdzPx/s320/IMG_4968.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rope swing at Brooke & Darcy's wedding</td></tr>
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<b>October</b> - Ran the length of the Wildwood. Saw Dar Williams in the Gorge! Farm to Table auction at Zenger Farm's fundraiser with Bob's Red Mill. At BioCycle in Columbus OH, I got to circulate the 3 videos we produced over the summer to promote compost and mulch. Check 'em out -- Hilarious.<br />
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<b>November</b> - Friend time in Portland. Birthday run with Katie (and the perfectly-toasted bagel at Albina Press). Then family time in Oakland (the kids got crafty with leaves and a glue gun), a train ride up the hills, and then Thanksgiving in Truckee, CA with the Andersons and Sorenwalds. Paddle boarding on Lake Tahoe was dreamy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZ-xsamJ0jOpddR0rieURBJOtNGWQ4P7NnZCStXSR2rfOX_0gfO6YMCHv11TtvYHVJ3Q6rRJS7U2fuSFgudPiI-LSXqEfp2jnxNSijJqexQ-H3TBDwxfQuP-F8w2JeRPQriUapfmn591f/s1600/IMG_5186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZ-xsamJ0jOpddR0rieURBJOtNGWQ4P7NnZCStXSR2rfOX_0gfO6YMCHv11TtvYHVJ3Q6rRJS7U2fuSFgudPiI-LSXqEfp2jnxNSijJqexQ-H3TBDwxfQuP-F8w2JeRPQriUapfmn591f/s320/IMG_5186.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenny, Irving, Katie, Becky</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimD274vqkKNqDhk3hoDJKNWUIsiiNXw4_VQowGwaPfhoVfLOTeX77WpTxphg0pJxEP6XYr1XnQGGnPbXDsQAeq4wGLxuvlMFy4Iulm_V0Mn-78W0Sgm1YmYlgr97DAjYIk0tSvehv-cVI-/s1600/IMG_5233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimD274vqkKNqDhk3hoDJKNWUIsiiNXw4_VQowGwaPfhoVfLOTeX77WpTxphg0pJxEP6XYr1XnQGGnPbXDsQAeq4wGLxuvlMFy4Iulm_V0Mn-78W0Sgm1YmYlgr97DAjYIk0tSvehv-cVI-/s320/IMG_5233.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday Breakfast!!!!! Albina Press toasts their bagels perfectly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwn3PykBc5XybdUrvTmfyVEZUGJACFGhWMYoLvvOluV561BMbiUsnxKlPHuyLt351drcDWB_8akfDQsgMiyk9RwQLpXMdjrxqJR1tYQ0Q1xe5Ys6tSwtib9IG7ucdnB9tm9VbGUhWPMba/s1600/IMG_5236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwn3PykBc5XybdUrvTmfyVEZUGJACFGhWMYoLvvOluV561BMbiUsnxKlPHuyLt351drcDWB_8akfDQsgMiyk9RwQLpXMdjrxqJR1tYQ0Q1xe5Ys6tSwtib9IG7ucdnB9tm9VbGUhWPMba/s320/IMG_5236.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cozy moment with Eliza and Arden, and Macki the dog-sitting dog.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVNorkNJTi4tG4LwZ3Y_DgVXslNXJJFN3L2bVaQGQ2Euz9PQj96U2FlxcU9Z6wIDOdvCh78pxLnA5qXmZK3c2RUOtfZ_FWqnn_eYttPPLaQBYQCMi-fqWa75UPLvjOXMZuhRAU0idlzYL/s1600/IMG_5239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVNorkNJTi4tG4LwZ3Y_DgVXslNXJJFN3L2bVaQGQ2Euz9PQj96U2FlxcU9Z6wIDOdvCh78pxLnA5qXmZK3c2RUOtfZ_FWqnn_eYttPPLaQBYQCMi-fqWa75UPLvjOXMZuhRAU0idlzYL/s320/IMG_5239.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pmebpnyWSazRNqoavydwks619NKa4aAenPbP0dz2sfF7md9Gl1KB252ZZPyH5aJxwilbxAWd0ZT3Mn7sn3Bxq8rv_upn0FSaS5dJABeZtFktebrU9QB_McqkgOagMujnOwINCAMnBfQ-/s1600/IMG_5273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6pmebpnyWSazRNqoavydwks619NKa4aAenPbP0dz2sfF7md9Gl1KB252ZZPyH5aJxwilbxAWd0ZT3Mn7sn3Bxq8rv_upn0FSaS5dJABeZtFktebrU9QB_McqkgOagMujnOwINCAMnBfQ-/s320/IMG_5273.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids know how to rally.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86-PVlXMXtyOKKukQ1Bsp3g2mvsOI6qAbXzyMXGKFLwvvgDNq5Zz8hi8EqAooxuf8hzbYEz8Gp7-ETyuRKhOoIYt7mCmJNFHuG0PtaOUC2wTOh-sigR9ZD9iWD4eKbYfL_Elg18_kI_si/s1600/IMG_5282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86-PVlXMXtyOKKukQ1Bsp3g2mvsOI6qAbXzyMXGKFLwvvgDNq5Zz8hi8EqAooxuf8hzbYEz8Gp7-ETyuRKhOoIYt7mCmJNFHuG0PtaOUC2wTOh-sigR9ZD9iWD4eKbYfL_Elg18_kI_si/s320/IMG_5282.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amtrak up to Truckee: the way to ride.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mKv7XL0VwAC32ZYVHqZlxtuAY3qmwB-4KW5pN2O5R-19XCUcoWDA5C7Qj5oAZiDeKwqiwjXlEt3WsrxzEzl6ksDKxPuxCQv1QdAGmhURZMMjqSByFixnyVS7znMG-6udIRqbr70hvHbQ/s1600/IMG_5286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mKv7XL0VwAC32ZYVHqZlxtuAY3qmwB-4KW5pN2O5R-19XCUcoWDA5C7Qj5oAZiDeKwqiwjXlEt3WsrxzEzl6ksDKxPuxCQv1QdAGmhURZMMjqSByFixnyVS7znMG-6udIRqbr70hvHbQ/s320/IMG_5286.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book worms Sophie and Reb</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkSBgRxhjUApJDJp0WaoPZDGDdJ_xmZ4V5PpUYGpMyaOAUk8Bo0vIpZ772I-1YqMj1GUUbm15bi3hwe8yXuLiWTjFEh8RqtC5CIAf216f_HCROHSpJUmKg8XqTEGfik7AFpnA25DQ5trd/s1600/IMG_5288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkSBgRxhjUApJDJp0WaoPZDGDdJ_xmZ4V5PpUYGpMyaOAUk8Bo0vIpZ772I-1YqMj1GUUbm15bi3hwe8yXuLiWTjFEh8RqtC5CIAf216f_HCROHSpJUmKg8XqTEGfik7AFpnA25DQ5trd/s320/IMG_5288.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spencer and Arden = Card Sharks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8ZI_YuE2-OhYLi6L4hVq2mOhHClY8XermKfypL4VdHnvyZwJugC_OaS0PC3DUj_mGRu3iV4R125f8wG_VosGBZLcauJ6IWy_G0ZNi7lpbbAMD-N_ga1ST9uuKKh_xvxecQ3_LLxmbbYM/s1600/IMG_5294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8ZI_YuE2-OhYLi6L4hVq2mOhHClY8XermKfypL4VdHnvyZwJugC_OaS0PC3DUj_mGRu3iV4R125f8wG_VosGBZLcauJ6IWy_G0ZNi7lpbbAMD-N_ga1ST9uuKKh_xvxecQ3_LLxmbbYM/s320/IMG_5294.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spencer, Sophie, and Arden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNsaLw0EkAPTDqkGpLTtHhDhC99YPfWPhqunKTtdh2wvOgavf87xAu9E5LVm7NgP8cgzQU5DYLZQYzcHFdSUuGEEYSjgIPh7wZhrq5AJ7zupw105gAM2-Wb7Hws5vFc36hTU2jZApu1Cl/s1600/IMG_5300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNsaLw0EkAPTDqkGpLTtHhDhC99YPfWPhqunKTtdh2wvOgavf87xAu9E5LVm7NgP8cgzQU5DYLZQYzcHFdSUuGEEYSjgIPh7wZhrq5AJ7zupw105gAM2-Wb7Hws5vFc36hTU2jZApu1Cl/s320/IMG_5300.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reb and the paddle board</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4WJ934_reZnfkmexU-dj8MaM1E6KNqolLG4WGCJCboN-8eepriHwsuwPz-NyjqMV5Xs_oY5tFr90L3zYk515xIhifR2Hcu1xgggu8wz9W7IYWAYkpH4K8dcnR4v6287wJZVMlrAw_Lx_/s1600/IMG_5301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4WJ934_reZnfkmexU-dj8MaM1E6KNqolLG4WGCJCboN-8eepriHwsuwPz-NyjqMV5Xs_oY5tFr90L3zYk515xIhifR2Hcu1xgggu8wz9W7IYWAYkpH4K8dcnR4v6287wJZVMlrAw_Lx_/s320/IMG_5301.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJ-2HAxWTOznB5A6dQaf_d_dInSoN5lWqivcWbjpwF0BRWVeHfbyI1CHQ07ajGtDl6hitfkLlmLMes00vL5rW7wBC6wecwXRRplWduyKQGjwF7AadEWdAsrV4RSKZKW6wdJV54VcPjtK4/s1600/IMG_5306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dribble castle Lake Tahoe" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJ-2HAxWTOznB5A6dQaf_d_dInSoN5lWqivcWbjpwF0BRWVeHfbyI1CHQ07ajGtDl6hitfkLlmLMes00vL5rW7wBC6wecwXRRplWduyKQGjwF7AadEWdAsrV4RSKZKW6wdJV54VcPjtK4/s320/IMG_5306.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>December</b> - Year end wrap up stuff with <a href="http://harvestpower.com/" target="_blank">Harvest Power</a>, and family time. Onwards to 2014!<br />
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<br />Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-19717046145251717542012-11-25T18:27:00.002-08:002012-11-25T18:29:15.635-08:003 Moments When The World Made Sense<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well I better write at least one post a year to keep
this blog alive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve recently been reflecting on how things often don’t make
sense to me. How I’m still figuring them out, and probably will be for a long
time. However, during at least three points in my life things made sense – if only
for a few seconds.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’d like to share
those moments here.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxILaBibywZ5rlBmo_92zPGOt7p37ySpvSglcDA7A6Uctjnw0tY8E5cH0hU9NVFq7GGKSqRKZGaFd33_rBeupfNt_b8pKAreT9Z_WwL3tFCTqGeUUJQov7gLtH550bEtb5w6s1oZgLjmg/s1600/crispy_and_strider_max_patch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxILaBibywZ5rlBmo_92zPGOt7p37ySpvSglcDA7A6Uctjnw0tY8E5cH0hU9NVFq7GGKSqRKZGaFd33_rBeupfNt_b8pKAreT9Z_WwL3tFCTqGeUUJQov7gLtH550bEtb5w6s1oZgLjmg/s1600/crispy_and_strider_max_patch.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The world was at my feet on the Appalachian Trail.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">1. It was the fall of 2001 and I was hiking up a
hill on the Appalachian Trail. It was more of a mound – imaging a large grassy
knoll called <a href="http://www.romanticasheville.com/hot_springs_hikes.htm" target="_blank">Max Patch</a>. I was planning to sleep there that night with my
then-hiking buddy, Crispy; he had gone ahead as I could not match his crisp
4mph+ pace. The sun was on the descent over the western hills and the grass was
perfect. With 1900 miles under my belt and a glimpse of the future ( I had just
received word I had been accepted as a <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/" target="_blank">Peace Corps</a> Volunteer in the Ivory
Coast) I felt strong and confident. It was something about the angle of the
slope and the descent of the sun that made the hill feel like a gigantic
treadmill, a rolling canvas of green possibility. Extrapolated out <b>I felt like
the entire planet was literally at my feet – a playground to explore and
discover step by step.</b> That was one moment when I felt like I understood the
world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHwfds2MzDk1UWDiwQBYWGOltsILut4_INib0dg1H1k_zK2J_3rpUlaj7KABoHvZ6F7RkhzD6pgDU5ovpmibW-Lq1shYWE9FacM_Ttv2yhdiSLh5o_PZbQUcZYckuFT_8DqsLwnQha4kG/s1600/dungo_boiso_in_Toumbo_Yaga.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHwfds2MzDk1UWDiwQBYWGOltsILut4_INib0dg1H1k_zK2J_3rpUlaj7KABoHvZ6F7RkhzD6pgDU5ovpmibW-Lq1shYWE9FacM_Ttv2yhdiSLh5o_PZbQUcZYckuFT_8DqsLwnQha4kG/s1600/dungo_boiso_in_Toumbo_Yaga.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was able to connect the dots of our galaxy in West Africa.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. It was the fall of 2002 and I had been living in
my village – Toumbo Yaga, about 3 hours west of Bondoukou in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast" target="_blank">Cote d’Ivoire</a>,
West Africa. A few months into adjusting to a new culture, overcoming language
hurdles, and getting comfortable with this pocket of the world with mango
trees, scarce water, thatch roofs, and 400 villagers trying to feed their
families and stay healthy. I had just finished dinner with the chief of the
village his wife, and their 10 children – a simple affair near the fire with
some mashed up cassava.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">As I padded my way
back to my house in flip flops, I stopped a moment oto look up at the sky
sparkling with stars.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Now when I was a
little girl my dad would stand out on the deck and learn the stars.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I thought he was silly, but over time I
bought my own <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stars-H-Rey/dp/0547132808" target="_blank">H.A. Rey</a> book of the stars and started piecing together the sky
during fall nights at <a href="http://new.wellesley.edu/" target="_blank">Wellesley</a>, at sea during my time at <a href="http://web.williams.edu/williamsmystic/Home.html" target="_blank">Williams-Mystic</a>, and
southern hemisphere stars during my 6 months in Christchurch, New Zealand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">So it was on a dark, clear night in Africa that I started my usual journey
across the sky – arc to Arcturus, pointers to Casseopeia, onwards to the square
of Pegasus, and on.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I reached the
horizons and continued in my imagination, connecting the dots. And bam! For a brief
moment, kind of like in the Celestine Prophecy, I understood our galaxy.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Well “understood” might be an exaggeration
but at least <b>I felt at a base, primal level that everything was connected.</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS5zq7E-0SRPYedsHfInUogls5L1-zbTpI42CxMXtkGU3NRCPPGONrMXqSiVaEo6fqSutBAn-b04QiAmvPqZ06dnOa5ybbdFVgu38H7SfWB3LgU-lUZQVADWb4-DKcG1KD_YdFeuYOy3v/s1600/woman_sweeping_in_Madagascar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHS5zq7E-0SRPYedsHfInUogls5L1-zbTpI42CxMXtkGU3NRCPPGONrMXqSiVaEo6fqSutBAn-b04QiAmvPqZ06dnOa5ybbdFVgu38H7SfWB3LgU-lUZQVADWb4-DKcG1KD_YdFeuYOy3v/s1600/woman_sweeping_in_Madagascar.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photograph marks the formal start of my career.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">3. It was the middle of 2004, and I was <a href="http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0927-megatransect_of_madagascar.html" target="_blank">walking down a road in Madagascar</a> and saw a woman sweeping her stoop. I stopped,
snapped her photo, and asked a few questions such as, “How often do you sweep?”
and “Where do you put your sweepings?” and “Do you use compost on your
garden?”</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">She was somewhat baffled and
amused by this blond lady speaking her language.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I smiled and continued on, pleased with that
exchange.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">At that moment I thought,
“Meredith, that’s just weird. No one else asks people about their garbage and
recycling.”</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">[insert pause]</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Then I thought, “Hmmm. I guess that’s what I
should do in life.”</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">And <b>that moment sparked my interest in pursuing a career in solid waste management.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">For these three moments in this lifetime where things made sense, connected, and seemed possible, I am grateful. These days I'm spending my time cultivating the conversation around organic recycling, anaerobic digestion and composting through my work with <a href="http://www.harvestpower.com/" target="_blank">Harvest</a>. Good times.</span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-21118417813521008272011-06-18T15:13:00.000-07:002011-06-18T15:33:07.297-07:00Compost Education Via Garlic<div style="text-align: left;">Through my work at <a href="http://www.harvestpower.com">Harvest</a> I write about the virtues of compost almost every day. But even I was floored by my wee public compost education experiment I did on the sideyard.</div><br /><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireyA8JrxYtWw_1MNP9VQ2o0SK1CqMI7XCCVDkymHrZDR-LTBzNASDaQKrIENnGtQ1_1XJb60Sq4Xy4LTvU3CrX6IUMGBqMkk2DMfm15h8sHYR0k80BUHJYQM5FxvTw9k-13-f10NKi8e1/s400/IMG_0032.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619687939172817842" />In the fall of 2010, I applied 3 cubic feet of compost to half the garlic bed, and zero compost to the other half. <div><br /></div><div>The difference </div><div>is striking: the garlic with compost is a lush, rich green, nearly twice as high as the half without any soil amendment. The garlic without compost literally pales in comparison.</div><div><br /><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyr4RxBbYvKyR3DJO7kOZ6E22eMCEZcyyIaplWZz-JG0l_AKViqxcz9aTPBGW8ZEE7b-9kJm5Dk7RKSaiaubDhYWkOzb42KMMuBMVqELUV4eUxnDFXpg1U_eWxfzJOvt-kWYdcr1O_A0l/s400/IMG_0031.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619687935729263538" />I'm infecting the neighborhood with excitement for adding nutrients to our soil. I hear people walking by exclaim, "Wow. Look at the difference compost makes!" and "Honey, we need to get some compost for our garden."</div><div><br />It feels great to raise the profile of compost in our local neighborhood.<br /></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYfkIey7-O_kJlQwXJK0AaRxm3ldORClEoCoKlT4eo6vvkA0pSofXF5bMuvVL8v9ABn_2yydBo4Q3d7Im7xnPOUz0SL9kq9bqChoijcHA9MEHuN8lld5G7tIwQAyMWBKVXcYwUtdum2xX/s320/IMG_0030.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619687738302806114" /><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllS13_ykROT5rC5-NYUjIWUyI0EJu5TbvnIOPSWEApvg5ceWJMzDFiSg_qafCrfLBxBv_b0Zzdkcu8gq1fbWW4C6078jAI2bxsqjxIWZI8Evj422S6SEqziCLSlIa63_zcrNqRYXKEqOv/s400/IMG_7088.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619687950744680018" />Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-7099584696280143172011-02-12T18:17:00.000-08:002011-02-12T18:21:13.342-08:00Hike Madagascar VideosEnjoy these 3 videos from my 8-month hike the length of Madagascar.<div><br /></div><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SI6eFn4xrdA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OfIu2MRgZs8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KZgQTD3mYq0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><div><br /></div>Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-8572970690788849982010-10-30T17:35:00.000-07:002010-10-30T17:41:22.872-07:00Garlic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6-ZRjMUXvRgNmSd6gGOTirPFC_UBo3vCP9mkdf0MuiA4doHUzrWn5_Lr4aThQ3u51ihT3kuKqkesPd6FIv5_CXhIqcI_vKyAHVECA3WseFJ_hZ4M8RfmWsx4q2RK5EibPm9_aUCX31r5/s1600/IMG_0024.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6-ZRjMUXvRgNmSd6gGOTirPFC_UBo3vCP9mkdf0MuiA4doHUzrWn5_Lr4aThQ3u51ihT3kuKqkesPd6FIv5_CXhIqcI_vKyAHVECA3WseFJ_hZ4M8RfmWsx4q2RK5EibPm9_aUCX31r5/s320/IMG_0024.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534003706744844274" /></a><br />Ahhh... garlic. Keeps away vampires. Maintains health. It's great.<div><br /></div><div>I planted my first batch of garlic ever with Nancy Pierce last year in her garden (see our harvest in the photo to the right). Last year we did hard neck garlic. This year she sent over some soft neck garlic, recommended highly by a local green thumb. My boss advises me, "Garlic needs FULL sun." So I've prepared a bed to the south of my fence that gets lots of sun.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bulbs going in this weekend. Grow well little ones. See you in the spring.</div>Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-2397978751094515592010-05-23T19:28:00.001-07:002010-05-23T22:02:04.727-07:00One Can a Month Challenge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWCxgA9NvHeBRFZb-zS-h32EXKqL7CUOb9_t1NwW5kitCFbc_gv-HaXv8b-qux2fYlDEJt8f_dYrDjKHvwfnLr4NtibQZ6LiJamwrj1enyCYyGoTbSEsheElS52DX8LTQPJZDKjtL1LvK/s1600/IMG_5549.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWCxgA9NvHeBRFZb-zS-h32EXKqL7CUOb9_t1NwW5kitCFbc_gv-HaXv8b-qux2fYlDEJt8f_dYrDjKHvwfnLr4NtibQZ6LiJamwrj1enyCYyGoTbSEsheElS52DX8LTQPJZDKjtL1LvK/s200/IMG_5549.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474685517949942402" border="0" /></a>For the last couple months I've been volunteering for the Richmond Can-A-Month Challenge. Ten families with kids and pets signed up to take the challenge to reduce their garbage collection from once per week to once per month.<br /><br />Allen Field was the brainchild and force behind the challenge. He called me up a few months ago. I haven't done much volunteering since my <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?">Peace Corps</a> days, and I'm a sucker for anything involving community and garbage, so I signed up to help get the situation sorted.<br /><br />First, we met and brainstormed the ways to set the families up for success. We figured they needed a few angles of attack to whittle their garbage ration down from once a week to once a month. First, they needed to do <a href="http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=13638/level=2">curbside recycling</a> (here in Portland OR that includes paper, metal and plastic bottles with glass on the side). Second, they needed to go "beyond curbside" which meant bringing rigid plastics, film plastics, and miscellaneous materials to <a href="http://www.farwestfibers.com/">Far West Fibres</a>. Third, they had to do backyard composting, or vermicomposting. Fourth, they needed to address <a href="http://www.tideedidee.com/">diapers</a> and pet waste (<a href="http://greenopolis.com/goblog/joe-laur/doggie-doo-doo-composter-because-poo-happens">here's one dog waste solution</a>). Finally, they would (ideally) start to wrap their head around "precycling," or buying things with less waste in the first place.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREjAv-9GoVublX3wkzhssioJwO-WU-het_MQoVMmz9s_oCFFcawtsPF5UfLvCsxB3Wg1JyZAPhrno9Z74jEZxVJ0x6OzvSvJBM_ePZWgWyRtLELnfwkE11iB6n6QMJVw2yTIyTutDbvub/s1600/IMG_5479.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREjAv-9GoVublX3wkzhssioJwO-WU-het_MQoVMmz9s_oCFFcawtsPF5UfLvCsxB3Wg1JyZAPhrno9Z74jEZxVJ0x6OzvSvJBM_ePZWgWyRtLELnfwkE11iB6n6QMJVw2yTIyTutDbvub/s200/IMG_5479.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474687508378745138" border="0" /></a>Allen led a two-hour intro session with the group mid-April 2010, with me acting as support crew. He kept the tone light and positive saying, "This shouldn't be a source of stress. If you get overloaded with garbage for whatever reason, just put out another bag one week. It's only $5.00." (We joked at one point about taking the "one flush a month challenge" next year.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7refH18MvVM5D_qCNNVjwwyaKDpRfhgB6Dp61YxVYeKMrIFDCNchyK-0MalN11uotm2KTddcx1rb2MzoIoIboDZwaWJVvj5BkMPWSVW84HmgX2nhQOkBsBUStNAQ7kHRGoGEm7ea-CvT/s1600/IMG_5546.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7refH18MvVM5D_qCNNVjwwyaKDpRfhgB6Dp61YxVYeKMrIFDCNchyK-0MalN11uotm2KTddcx1rb2MzoIoIboDZwaWJVvj5BkMPWSVW84HmgX2nhQOkBsBUStNAQ7kHRGoGEm7ea-CvT/s200/IMG_5546.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474688205098529090" border="0" /></a>Then, for the first few weeks in May 2010 we followed up with 1.5-hour in-home consultations with each family to do sorts and set up worm bins. The folks at <a href="http://www.pdx.edu/ces/">CES</a> and other volunteers helped too. We would dump their trash and recycling out on a big blue tarp. Then we would go through the garbage piece by piece, either confirming its pile (yup, this crinkly wrapper goes in the trash) or giving it a new life (this bread crust can go in the compost).<br /><br />It always amazes me how much you learn about a household through its garbage -- the hundreds of bits of scrap paper at one house told the story a recent school craft project.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Vzrj0xB7nlw6hjErcnN_oIqni0bjym8A7JEP-s10QKw30SPTDaT0j0l7EMP16WhvY46Rq9OPEk4KdqcnFp4WnYr1Rmp72omvsPre0HNi6sczSyYuG3r9vrp-VKN2VXlrHDyKujHdR-gH/s1600/IMG_5550.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Vzrj0xB7nlw6hjErcnN_oIqni0bjym8A7JEP-s10QKw30SPTDaT0j0l7EMP16WhvY46Rq9OPEk4KdqcnFp4WnYr1Rmp72omvsPre0HNi6sczSyYuG3r9vrp-VKN2VXlrHDyKujHdR-gH/s200/IMG_5550.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474685776421390450" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvBwGD0VoQ3SELqaaVqeROm66-iFN_qNBTwDJXbpkP1OW9_LvW-DSsd-UWgCxqzZwIVxJA7BZAztgrLycRUWJ5wiOs7pqyKdS2pvSWAX_dQRhbU6rs1WypNJMYgMJNeMj2DAPg1H5SBpW/s1600/IMG_5552.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvBwGD0VoQ3SELqaaVqeROm66-iFN_qNBTwDJXbpkP1OW9_LvW-DSsd-UWgCxqzZwIVxJA7BZAztgrLycRUWJ5wiOs7pqyKdS2pvSWAX_dQRhbU6rs1WypNJMYgMJNeMj2DAPg1H5SBpW/s200/IMG_5552.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474685788356899746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0upbniGr_GN9mUdTE98aUzH-4X_t33RWqwl2xTzRHkaVf-NpVGow27rPFWjUokMmpW9si99Ovu_TowfAwwJpPA7UCPjSckG22XfoXzwt1vRzRFfIoIp7e1Fm_H9AnusknkgLAz0UVDRX/s1600/IMG_5553.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0upbniGr_GN9mUdTE98aUzH-4X_t33RWqwl2xTzRHkaVf-NpVGow27rPFWjUokMmpW9si99Ovu_TowfAwwJpPA7UCPjSckG22XfoXzwt1vRzRFfIoIp7e1Fm_H9AnusknkgLAz0UVDRX/s200/IMG_5553.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474685797055904066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XZq8fv44m8Avz_bCJMqNPi5Z6CKczbzu0Cs-BpQUj-jfzuhcFONaOjcpt_3p2muGEf0Dgp-QRVY7lBK54jkNF_5f72wN6eYCKztbwSX680S7VoLalY5n1jECL4TwBBFE4r9SgYOkeo_u/s1600/IMG_5551.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XZq8fv44m8Avz_bCJMqNPi5Z6CKczbzu0Cs-BpQUj-jfzuhcFONaOjcpt_3p2muGEf0Dgp-QRVY7lBK54jkNF_5f72wN6eYCKztbwSX680S7VoLalY5n1jECL4TwBBFE4r9SgYOkeo_u/s200/IMG_5551.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474685781378414386" border="0" /></a>We took pictures of each pile. Most families were shocked at how little "trash waste" they had -- with the air squeezed out, it was oftentimes the size of a softball or basketball.<br /><br />I was really impressed with the delivery of this vision and project. Allen set up a <a href="http://richmondpdx.org/?cat=17">blog on the Richmond neighborhood</a> website. He got grants from local business and government agencies to help supply worm bins and other waste reduction supplies. He included a "pay-it-forward" element to the challenge to enable/coerce participants to extend their experience to their community. He pointed folks towards useful resources such as the <a href="http://www.enviromom.com/">EnviroMom website</a> and a <a href="http://cohomama.wordpress.com/">participant's blog</a>. The project has already gotten <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/pdxgreen/2010/05/portland_families_pledge_to_re.html">great press</a>.<br /><br />The idea is already spreading -- I just called up my garbage hauler and switched from a weekly 20-gallon can to a 35-gallon roll cart. I'll save about $5 per month. More importantly, it feels good to take on the challenge. If families with kids and pets can do it, I can-a-month, too.Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-39741123565198726262010-05-18T20:55:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:23:38.406-07:00An Evening with Annie Leonard - The Story of Stuff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxNLZvICpnUgbjBVQ87lu0Wiz5zI5j5314DhjN5FqxpL6zDKMMkpLhsZfIr45X9pFRq0O-pFfGMWj3KY_G7yQODCdIKSgMrb1QXvQA2ENe4vgBQe3tGVIrsyV1cgBNgwK7yu1arVrN_hm/s1600/annie_leonard_in_NW_seattle_home.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxNLZvICpnUgbjBVQ87lu0Wiz5zI5j5314DhjN5FqxpL6zDKMMkpLhsZfIr45X9pFRq0O-pFfGMWj3KY_G7yQODCdIKSgMrb1QXvQA2ENe4vgBQe3tGVIrsyV1cgBNgwK7yu1arVrN_hm/s200/annie_leonard_in_NW_seattle_home.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472830811956934482" border="0" /></a>In April 2010 I spent a delightful evening with Annie Leonard and Friends. Annie came out with a hit movie a few years ago titled <a href="http://storyofstuff.org/film.php">The Story of Stuff</a>. This year, she came out with a book -- aptly titled "The Story of Stuff" that goes into more details about "<span style="font-weight: bold;">how our obsession with stuff is trashing the planet, our health, and our communities</span>."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQW_-onH3Xv0QFSnUzRk5UBoxIhRJcUZqL9BdVugmYYCqO48U1XlE2F-Tz6JofTvoLqJAHdNFPuR-Ke71WpoHQ6dFmP66DeHaif7o8VKWFEn_1gnNuAsHIxsxIw_kmVE5-d7yrN36o9LU/s1600/meredith_and_annie_leonard.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQW_-onH3Xv0QFSnUzRk5UBoxIhRJcUZqL9BdVugmYYCqO48U1XlE2F-Tz6JofTvoLqJAHdNFPuR-Ke71WpoHQ6dFmP66DeHaif7o8VKWFEn_1gnNuAsHIxsxIw_kmVE5-d7yrN36o9LU/s200/meredith_and_annie_leonard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472830892486001458" border="0" /></a>She was just as effervescent in person as she is in her movies: Spunky. Quirky. Passionate. She knows her stuff.<br /><br />I encouraged Annie to make a Story of Organics to add to her growing list that includes The Story of Bottled Water and The Story of Cap & Trade. She didn't bite, but I think her mother liked the idea...which is a good start.<br /><br />Anyways, thanks for the wonderful evening, Annie and Friends. (Delicious food, by the way -- I was stuffed.)Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-75029060329503967722010-03-09T21:49:00.000-08:002010-03-09T22:26:07.516-08:00Roz Savage Rocks!I have been horribly neglecting this "Trash or Treasure" blog because of my work with <a href="http://www.harvestpower.com/">Harvest Power</a>. It is a neat company that blends my favorite flavor of trash (organics) with a hot topic (clean energy). I am excited about shaping this new equation for organic diversion. I am inspired by my colleagues. I am having fun. But all of this excitement leaves little time for blogging, so if you want to see my world these days, tune into the high solids anaerobic digestion channel at <a href="http://blog.harvestpower.com/">blog.harvestpower.com</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbKmZ8cp85s71y3FtGyMwZpuy7S2379eyMYpEwkQxao4Sx5yvLh4yMi7E5WMcCFPiljR4F4MbRDJJe_Zpv5_PgSCW6EBaUOhbiXYZYRQG3JQfdWJSrVFAn97Nii-H5w00rNIunVkewvEJ/s1600-h/roz_savage_meredith_sorensen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbKmZ8cp85s71y3FtGyMwZpuy7S2379eyMYpEwkQxao4Sx5yvLh4yMi7E5WMcCFPiljR4F4MbRDJJe_Zpv5_PgSCW6EBaUOhbiXYZYRQG3JQfdWJSrVFAn97Nii-H5w00rNIunVkewvEJ/s320/roz_savage_meredith_sorensen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446885885722643698" border="0" /></a>HOWEVER, I did manage to carve out a couple hours last week to meet up with my hero, <a href="http://rozsavage.com/">Roz Savage</a>. She rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, solo. She is about to embark on her third leg of rowing across the Pacific Ocean. I have always been interested in trans-Atlantic Ocean rowers because my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Samuelsen_and_George_Harbo">Great Great Uncle (or one of those connections) was Frank Samuelsen, who rowed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1896 with his buddy, George Harbo</a>. They were burly (or stupid, depending on how you slice it) setting out in their open rowboat to paddle, stroke by stroke, across the sea. <br /><br />Anyways, my friend, Ken, tipped me off about Roz a couple months ago. I started following her tweets. Then, I suggested her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rowing-Atlantic-Lessons-Learned-Ocean/dp/1416583289/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268201807&sr=8-1">Rowing the Atlantic: Lessons Learned on the Open Ocean</a>, for my book club. (Everyone loved the book.) In this crazy world of social networking, a couple weeks ago, I noticed one of Roz's <a href="http://twitter.com/@rozsavage">tweets</a> mentioned Portland. I sent her a note. A few days later, we were drinking coffee on Hawthorne together. Amazing.<br /><br />Roz, in person, is exactly the way she comes across in her book: an incredibly endearing blend of gutsy, determined, down to earth, kind, caring, and somehow glamorous as she described how she uses her iphone to coach her on doing pushups. (She is <a href="http://rozsavage.com/2010/03/07/addicted-to-iphone/">addicted to her iphone</a>, but in a really great way -- I gave her my business card, and she said, "I don't have room in my life for little bits of paper." So she took a photo of the card, then gave it back to me. The waste reduction geek in me swooned.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqdDD0F9w0gSCHzo-hMa0MimGu7ZUr1rwMqTqA4osI1TdjvQ0OrwjraeLhAaO3SPVOyKPgqD9zRe8epaR2ooS1MP4-7t7xM8PXHX4flpC_T2eHiRf-5EfomyzPQ7G7RpsCoq_TjWWME5C/s1600-h/meredith_rowing_marsh.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqdDD0F9w0gSCHzo-hMa0MimGu7ZUr1rwMqTqA4osI1TdjvQ0OrwjraeLhAaO3SPVOyKPgqD9zRe8epaR2ooS1MP4-7t7xM8PXHX4flpC_T2eHiRf-5EfomyzPQ7G7RpsCoq_TjWWME5C/s320/meredith_rowing_marsh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446886093064351762" border="0" /></a>So we enjoyed a nice cup of coffee and talked about our life paths. We have some fun overlaps (rowing, adventures, environmentalism, public speaking) and I hope our trails cross again in the future. I looked back into my files and found this holiday card from my family in 1987 (or thereabouts). Here I am rowing in one of our little boats in the salt marsh estuary near our home in New Jersey, not 20 miles from where Frank and George set out from Battery Park on the outgoing tide in 1896.<br /><br />Roz, wherever and whenever you read this, good tidings on the last leg of your Pacific Journey. Have fun giving your <a href="http://www.ted.com/">TED talk </a>in the Galapagos (that is SO cool). Finally, do drop a line the next time you come through Portland. Till then,<br />MeredithMeredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-77893283691036230882010-01-21T15:44:00.001-08:002010-01-21T15:46:12.193-08:00Explore The Cycle VideoA friend recently sent me this link to <a href="http://www.explorethecycle.com">Explore the Cycle</a>. Check it out!<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gkQvN2ExjUY&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gkQvN2ExjUY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-4917066579620997372010-01-02T19:11:00.000-08:002010-01-02T20:00:07.304-08:00Yi Visits: PDX, Far West Fibers, Free GeekA few months ago, I got an email from a <a href="http://www.wellesley.edu/">Wellesley</a> student, Yi, who was applying for a fellowship to study zero waste around the world (like mine, only a Watson). Since then, we've kept in touch. Yi took advantage of the holiday break to come visit Portland for a few days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoez6my9bNgKPpbatHegNxpkte9GGBZjCwCYWwl3plbYzEKhl468hTY4pRQX_S69gNTn72ZnxE-KXdYWA7gn1SP_TWfKTc59UsQ-ZA-bthsnlLfW1dZYsUayrD9oR67iYvtqv6QvgLitOC/s1600-h/IMG_4882.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoez6my9bNgKPpbatHegNxpkte9GGBZjCwCYWwl3plbYzEKhl468hTY4pRQX_S69gNTn72ZnxE-KXdYWA7gn1SP_TWfKTc59UsQ-ZA-bthsnlLfW1dZYsUayrD9oR67iYvtqv6QvgLitOC/s200/IMG_4882.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422351991164834386" border="0" /></a>DAY 1: I picked Yi up from the train station...on our tandem. The trailer had a flat tire. Luckily, Yi was traveling light with one little shoulder bag. There is no better way to experience Portland than by bike. We pedaled through the neighborhoods. (I was secretly proud of using the 15mm wrench to change out the pedals, and using the other tool to change the seat heights. I don't usually deal with this stuff, but Gene is in <a href="http://www.heritage-antarctica.org/AHT/CapeEvans/">Antarctica</a>, and it was a crisp, clear day. Forget girl power; we wanted gear power!)<br /><br />DAY 2 (morning): We toured <a href="http://www.portofportland.com/PDFPOP/Env_WstMgtPrgm_Spring2008.pdf">Portland International Airport's Waste Minimization and Recycling Program</a> with Stan and Mitch. The established programs are humming: pre- and post-consumer food waste diversion; recycling of glass, cardboard, paper, metal, plastic; liquid collection station; spring and fall cleanups; the list goes on.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8hjoUlaP9IRNwZxErak4qVxfR-8-58YDzS67CoAHeTR75OEb_SZLVxv9zkK1WKiQ0oM2m5Ux8jK4fzJIDMVtjNPMAUz1Dm9G_WjnguYlF1-oBfc8eMy6dFpvZpOePd423A3wCylH3mny/s1600-h/IMG_4857.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8hjoUlaP9IRNwZxErak4qVxfR-8-58YDzS67CoAHeTR75OEb_SZLVxv9zkK1WKiQ0oM2m5Ux8jK4fzJIDMVtjNPMAUz1Dm9G_WjnguYlF1-oBfc8eMy6dFpvZpOePd423A3wCylH3mny/s200/IMG_4857.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422351985261563954" border="0" /></a>In addition, the recycling team expanded the "Save Our Supplies" program in anticipation of an office move. Through diligence and hard work, the Port of Portland is reusing tons of paper clips, binders, notepads, and office supplies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcAvYaowBAw6jn3nNN_e4vuy45IoKzQLrXVJ9Lg3_TiLg2WZUCLO1pSWAooVqz1v8TB_2oy8lt2x1CWUwDtR9Zn8TEwPpo6aHMXw-x2Y0wltVehU2nKo40WUKXfEZVAx5YSVwdYuF826M/s1600-h/IMG_4858.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcAvYaowBAw6jn3nNN_e4vuy45IoKzQLrXVJ9Lg3_TiLg2WZUCLO1pSWAooVqz1v8TB_2oy8lt2x1CWUwDtR9Zn8TEwPpo6aHMXw-x2Y0wltVehU2nKo40WUKXfEZVAx5YSVwdYuF826M/s200/IMG_4858.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422351997017626978" border="0" /></a>Finally, on our way out of the parking lot, we saw the new recycling bins in the bus shelters. This was particularly exciting for me because I did some research and evaluation on recycling at PDX bus shelters in September 2009. My recommendations in fruition: PDX retro-fitted <a href="http://www.clearstreamrecycler.com/">Clearstream</a> containers with strong signage and stapled them into the concrete. They looked great.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndKpexE3Dv4PW1AYvbDcPvrnpkPUIEy5RMREtzk1oAVEbq65Y4A0wgFizebVoHwcshR5VALQFQJ6Qt-vh_eKqHR6Bn_vkiUL32CI5iNtPqEzJbTMoyg62srnPnGIVJ2wonixLNS66k6fF/s1600-h/CIMG1584.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndKpexE3Dv4PW1AYvbDcPvrnpkPUIEy5RMREtzk1oAVEbq65Y4A0wgFizebVoHwcshR5VALQFQJ6Qt-vh_eKqHR6Bn_vkiUL32CI5iNtPqEzJbTMoyg62srnPnGIVJ2wonixLNS66k6fF/s200/CIMG1584.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422351975413623186" border="0" /></a>DAY 2 (afternoon): We dropped off plastic clam shells at the <a href="http://www.farwestfibers.com/">Far West Fibers</a> in SE Portland. I dug (not literally) the vermicomposting bin. It must have been too cold for the worms, because I didn't see a single wriggler.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcrWijzURrPemTpGt6NDjW54bF7zuCt_b9HqiO2hBNjZ3s8kDX0B-8WNoBtoqLSMKmgVicq6hSuFlvDvTuQlyBQiASA3EE4Mc-USIU5uem2wC3HtN_dpUBWTM8fH2W0gebQN5uhZg6P6q/s1600-h/IMG_4871.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcrWijzURrPemTpGt6NDjW54bF7zuCt_b9HqiO2hBNjZ3s8kDX0B-8WNoBtoqLSMKmgVicq6hSuFlvDvTuQlyBQiASA3EE4Mc-USIU5uem2wC3HtN_dpUBWTM8fH2W0gebQN5uhZg6P6q/s200/IMG_4871.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422351986783478066" border="0" /></a>DAY 3 (morning): We toured <a href="http://www.freegeek.org/">Free Geek</a>, an organization with a mission "<strong style="font-weight: normal;">to recycle technology and provide access to computers, the internet, education and job skills in exchange for community service</strong>." Through the program at Free Geek, folks can volunteer for 24 hours in exchange for a computer. It seemed really well organized; I was impressed.<br /><br />DAY 3 (afternoon): I drop Yi off at the train station (via car).<br /><br />Thanks for the visit, Yi! It's always fun to exchange ideas and information with other solid waste enthusiasts.Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-63656749047932890932009-12-27T15:55:00.000-08:002009-12-27T15:57:54.090-08:00Tree<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOttEhD6FNH7iw47uMC1sf32WVYgj8__m79QX9ytEn4rl8GmyFGJ3JuJSxTSH4ktgxGXvWUw1_dR7LDU06IIvenk4rj298sbuhVY1rvNaJaXr0tmHcSLYpdOY2-Z7B9JTz5qwoD8yfsKyp/s1600-h/tree_silhouette.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOttEhD6FNH7iw47uMC1sf32WVYgj8__m79QX9ytEn4rl8GmyFGJ3JuJSxTSH4ktgxGXvWUw1_dR7LDU06IIvenk4rj298sbuhVY1rvNaJaXr0tmHcSLYpdOY2-Z7B9JTz5qwoD8yfsKyp/s400/tree_silhouette.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420069199406432370" border="0" /></a><br />Caught this photo up on Mt. Tabor last week, with the sun coming up at a low angle.<br /><br />Happy holidays to all.<br /><br />MeredithMeredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-17496970130528953642009-12-12T21:25:00.000-08:002009-12-12T21:36:15.079-08:00Marine Debris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLf4R_wfD1_QTeCNe09fiY_TOSI0VYveiqOpuPJMSR9OFktmOyK15ocQJ8vRm_KKhQEqkPWNJl2paq-MZLtGGxN0NZZLAYC_2RMYePnwrSqhUjRQbu4OAQ4pLhR3aPeY6BrLQr9V9k-jJ/s1600-h/Marine+Debris+timeline.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLf4R_wfD1_QTeCNe09fiY_TOSI0VYveiqOpuPJMSR9OFktmOyK15ocQJ8vRm_KKhQEqkPWNJl2paq-MZLtGGxN0NZZLAYC_2RMYePnwrSqhUjRQbu4OAQ4pLhR3aPeY6BrLQr9V9k-jJ/s400/Marine+Debris+timeline.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414590045696414562" border="0" /></a>I recently finished a good book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rowing-Atlantic-Lessons-Learned-Ocean/dp/1416583289">Rowing the Atlantic</a>, by <a href="http://rozsavage.com/">Roz Savage</a>. Essentially, a 30-something woman with a good job, husband, and house realizes she's not happy with her current life (her life's currents?). She jumps ship... and lands in a 23' boat she paddles across the Atlantic.<br /><br />I've been following Roz on Twitter and like her approach to life. Also, I have an affinity for ocean rowers given that my Great Uncle (or some relation like that) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Samuelsen_and_George_Harbo">rowed across the Atlantic in 1896</a>.<br /><br />Anyways, my friend, Joanne, recently sent me a photo (top right) she took in Viera Beach, FL, that documents the life cycle of marine debris in the water.<br /><br />Salty tales, unite!Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-21961108939448001312009-12-01T19:23:00.000-08:002009-12-01T19:28:26.124-08:00Watered Twice a Month<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3TRk-jZF7SrNypVq67tgUZvslxkyeMVpFoD0wvPHOHIPzjEXujIl-bvlyaoMS7FPEVOJlhn5lYM6CxzG1z4xQramK6Njh1BAWMANUgUpsRBXpbh3HYG8jluiwMUJLxx3cYL6HX99-5Gw/s1600-h/jade.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3TRk-jZF7SrNypVq67tgUZvslxkyeMVpFoD0wvPHOHIPzjEXujIl-bvlyaoMS7FPEVOJlhn5lYM6CxzG1z4xQramK6Njh1BAWMANUgUpsRBXpbh3HYG8jluiwMUJLxx3cYL6HX99-5Gw/s320/jade.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410474978908473106" border="0" /></a>A friend of mine, Annie, waters her plants the 1st and 15th of every month. The plants that don't make it, don't. Those that do, do.<br /><br />Tough love. I dig it.<br /><br />Today, being the 1st of December, I watered our budding jade plant.<br /><br />Grow, little one, grow!Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-81485404865663394202009-11-25T09:28:00.000-08:002009-11-25T09:32:09.217-08:00I could have studied garbage in college?<strong><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:100%;" >A friend just sent me <a href="http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2009/02/25/the-15-strangest-college-courses-in-america/">this article</a><a href="http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2009/02/25/the-15-strangest-college-courses-in-america/"> on strange college courses</a>. One offered at Santa Clara University explores "The Joy of Garbage." Nice!</span><br /><br />Santa Clara University</strong> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-27" title="garbage" alt="garbage" src="http://www.onlinecolleges.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/garbage.jpg" height="375" width="500" /><br /><br />The Joy of Garbage is a Santa Clara University course that actually deals with real science through the lens of garbage. Students study decomposition, what makes soil rot, the chemicals that give garbage an unpleasant odor, and they also learn about sustainability when it comes to the things we throw away. Classes don’t just study household garbage either, there’s also a section on nuclear waste. And topping things off there are even field trips, with students visiting local sanitation plants and landfills.Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-30745099275406762422009-11-21T11:15:00.000-08:002009-11-21T11:21:27.160-08:00Organic Filing System<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo16YgTA78iGFsntLdbhgD1XyNy5-PDO8lVAVxfIb784JavXtFCr1gK9H5G96aaLlrADxussuMOOmDQjYu_FwQCeM859mDfoGpeqr6Gq8rZ6-5GR2mYx7XCY55EXnJCbe7cGMe3oQMaLW/s1600/New_Yorker_Compost_Filing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo16YgTA78iGFsntLdbhgD1XyNy5-PDO8lVAVxfIb784JavXtFCr1gK9H5G96aaLlrADxussuMOOmDQjYu_FwQCeM859mDfoGpeqr6Gq8rZ6-5GR2mYx7XCY55EXnJCbe7cGMe3oQMaLW/s400/New_Yorker_Compost_Filing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406639121356348354" border="0" /></a><br />This cartoon from a recent <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/">New Yorker magazine</a> appeals to me.Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-79369194016055543652009-11-12T16:27:00.000-08:002009-11-12T16:33:32.017-08:00"Stuff" on OPB<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9JA3Mwi1eHLVxl2p2QdCW5qdYs0F7KvrRUWfq3iFD_CCFyi8gRh8aE9BahyphenhyphenxvUZ9VzPst4B0MvuMaJvkSAwknqjmWSSRq0TgSabpaHMbU39L13kmjDmG8wOTlbTGRMqknt9Cqhrm_0QH/s1600-h/think_out_loud_stuff.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9JA3Mwi1eHLVxl2p2QdCW5qdYs0F7KvrRUWfq3iFD_CCFyi8gRh8aE9BahyphenhyphenxvUZ9VzPst4B0MvuMaJvkSAwknqjmWSSRq0TgSabpaHMbU39L13kmjDmG8wOTlbTGRMqknt9Cqhrm_0QH/s200/think_out_loud_stuff.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403378728561702050" border="0" /></a>This morning,"Think out Loud" on Oregon's Public Broadcast (OPB) network, there was an interesting <a href="http://www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows/stuff/">story on "Stuff."</a><br /><br />One woman called into to say how she has 100s of bras, because she can't find the right one. <br /><br />Others posted a note on the last thing they had purchased.<br /><br />Amazing what people will share.Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-89183873315726070452009-11-04T17:19:00.000-08:002009-11-04T17:20:28.095-08:00JibJab: Big BoxMart AnimationHow have I not seen this before today?<br /><br /><div style='background-color:#e9e9e9; width: 425px;'><object id='A64060' quality='high' data='http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?templateID=202874&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=JibJab' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='transparent' height='319' width='425'><param name='wmode' value='transparent'></param><param name='movie' value='http://aka.zero.jibjab.com/client/zero/ClientZero_EmbedViewer.swf?templateID=202874&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=JibJab'></param><param name='scaleMode' value='showAll'></param><param name='quality' value='high'></param><param name='allowNetworking' value='all'></param><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true' /><param name='FlashVars' value='templateID=202874&service=sendables.jibjab.com&partnerID=JibJab'></param><param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always'></param></object><div style='text-align:center; width:435px; margin-top:6px;'>Try JibJab Sendables® <a href='http://sendables.jibjab.com/ecards'>eCards</a> today!</div></div>Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-85491675604229222332009-11-02T08:47:00.000-08:002009-11-02T09:00:52.239-08:00Two Old Toilets: Keep in Circulation or Flush Away?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyKnX8LW_X9shEsgvmo9Xm4FVdP6l5cu0Oedq95gsmW4tvQbiFu6IR0Xv-lnb-0Qd_7pZ-z8mAINAL3qlmu6QVIlcBMTnloQQP8I4aLyu5UwGdQkEVfXvruBwPeZLojjUXkOEfKPT4IzO/s1600-h/IMG_4549.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyKnX8LW_X9shEsgvmo9Xm4FVdP6l5cu0Oedq95gsmW4tvQbiFu6IR0Xv-lnb-0Qd_7pZ-z8mAINAL3qlmu6QVIlcBMTnloQQP8I4aLyu5UwGdQkEVfXvruBwPeZLojjUXkOEfKPT4IzO/s320/IMG_4549.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399551562649550978" border="0" /></a>Last week, after <a href="http://meredithsorensen.blogspot.com/2009/10/leaky-pipes-no-longer.html">replacing the main water line</a>, we were digging (heh) on water conservation. Gene went out and got two 1.28 gallon-per-flush toilets (less than $100 each) to replace the old ones. These suckers are designed so well -- they flush <span style="font-style: italic;">perfectly</span> using relatively little water.<br /><br />The former thrones, thrown into the carport, looked lonely. I went on Craigslist, posted them for FREE, and they were gone within two hours.<br /><br />I usually promote reuse. But in this case, was I wrong to put these water-hogging toilets back into circulation?Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-36852256416024495512009-10-29T15:23:00.000-07:002009-10-29T15:25:26.465-07:00"Get Trashed at Green Drinks"Lovin' the announcements for tonight's talk at Double Mountain Brewery in Hood River, OR. <a href="http://www.gorgeoutdoors.org/go1/?p=2014">Gorge Outdoors published a nice interview</a> in preparation for tonight's slide show on waste management.<br /><br />See you all, soon!Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-77133970974658618052009-10-27T11:04:00.000-07:002009-10-27T11:43:43.247-07:00Leaky Pipes No LongerOnce upon a time, I used to think that a "productive weekend" entailed going for a run, getting laundry done, lining up snacks for the rest of the week, and possibly doing some bike maintenance.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUkr7VZOTfAWGYlyRYCMU7PM_W9IVwsz_4tCkQFX9xGMfh3yXiK1XOYCesDYsLo-AimeZmovE0Uq6rEIlvRfLeyet5L3PZTJs1Dn2V2jspAADOJaM9CPuuUFP7ROTi-Lm-V6YK6_1cmxx/s1600-h/IMG_4536.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUkr7VZOTfAWGYlyRYCMU7PM_W9IVwsz_4tCkQFX9xGMfh3yXiK1XOYCesDYsLo-AimeZmovE0Uq6rEIlvRfLeyet5L3PZTJs1Dn2V2jspAADOJaM9CPuuUFP7ROTi-Lm-V6YK6_1cmxx/s320/IMG_4536.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397344994049547602" border="0" /></a>The bar has been reset: this Saturday, we replaced the main water line from the street to the house.<br /><br />Like most houses built half-a-century ago, the galvanized steel pipes that go into Nancy's house (where we're living) have been slowly been rotting away. Before, when I thought "leaky pipe", I envisioned a pipe with a little hole in it. No no. These things leak. Consistently. The water seeped into the ground and made a corner of the yard constantly damp.<br /><br />Here's a picture of the pipe(s) that we pulled out of the ground. You see the rust? You see the earth that has adhered to the pipe? It's almost like clay. They needed to be replaced.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJtdnUXryL61C7Mbte7ivO_BuWuJJxL_xB_CltnSq6OvK1SzYPMfm5pFVYgee645DDKlIgZPG7avGrEWJ-UGZLHDR44PnN8v6NWcHluTzabGKe9J1Q8NtulCH1xhqTwFlR35uNDC0RB7a/s1600-h/IMG_0090.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJtdnUXryL61C7Mbte7ivO_BuWuJJxL_xB_CltnSq6OvK1SzYPMfm5pFVYgee645DDKlIgZPG7avGrEWJ-UGZLHDR44PnN8v6NWcHluTzabGKe9J1Q8NtulCH1xhqTwFlR35uNDC0RB7a/s320/IMG_0090.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397344973291469506" border="0" /></a>First, we rented a mini excavator. This one has "CAT" controls. <br /><br />Then, after turning off the water and disconnecting some important bits, we dug a trench. Gene did most of the digging with the excavator while I hacked away roots with an axe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPA4MuwS-BsKNcnZ_j14p6037kOCPNGqMAxFLafwo6t-c9QNUfuqDcA9SU9wo414BSPLLOviYI3aq6Rl8akm7u7n8n8oUq-MbcJXobjMo9ZhfwRQkwtHEwe89ptQNCP3QHORaFtc4Vsvv2/s1600-h/IMG_4524.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPA4MuwS-BsKNcnZ_j14p6037kOCPNGqMAxFLafwo6t-c9QNUfuqDcA9SU9wo414BSPLLOviYI3aq6Rl8akm7u7n8n8oUq-MbcJXobjMo9ZhfwRQkwtHEwe89ptQNCP3QHORaFtc4Vsvv2/s320/IMG_4524.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397344977536371922" border="0" /></a>Then we pulled the old pipe out. At the same time, we threaded the new plastic-y pipe in. I could not believe the diameter of the pipe -- that skinny little thing brings water into the whole house? Crazy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTvbrgHYonsK9DXacIMSWjdFwcSkI0bh7Gk-k1zs-f-__iyGRg3WqTWdjhFovhegJ2civCyK-ELTiggb9JnHxoafstgauM3HyAYGkLncMiRntGJe9MP8HXdK2pIm0kNLSfgoQHbS1-QM3/s1600-h/IMG_4531.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTvbrgHYonsK9DXacIMSWjdFwcSkI0bh7Gk-k1zs-f-__iyGRg3WqTWdjhFovhegJ2civCyK-ELTiggb9JnHxoafstgauM3HyAYGkLncMiRntGJe9MP8HXdK2pIm0kNLSfgoQHbS1-QM3/s320/IMG_4531.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397344987952806802" border="0" /></a>Gene then connected the new pipe to the house and back to the main water line from the city. It was a little touch-and-go when water started spraying all over the basement. I started envisioning a week of bucket baths, but Gene was able to fix it. <br /><br />Finally, we turned the water back on in time for dinner! We even made it to <a href="http://dave.ross.name/archives/2009/10/">a pumpkin carving party that evening</a>, though, after carving up the yard all day, I didn't feel like carving any pumpkins.<br /><br />It is so satisfying to see the dial on the water meter -- which had chronically spun no matter if no one was using water in the house -- stay put.<br /><br />Yay, efficiency.Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-27112269268252365052009-10-26T09:19:00.000-07:002009-10-26T09:27:52.046-07:00350.org: International Day of Climate ActionSaturday, October 24, 2009, was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">International Day of Climate Action</span> put together by Bill McKibben and the folks at 350.org.<br /><br />What's 350? It is the number that "leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in "Parts Per Million" in our atmosphere. 350 PPM—it's the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change."<br /><br />Check out <a href="http://www.350.org/en">350.org, along with their beautiful photographs</a> from around the world.Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5570879612331085419.post-71197848818111545222009-10-20T14:51:00.000-07:002009-10-20T14:59:54.202-07:00There Once Was a Recycler on Nantucket<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsKHIDC5pfnPqCAqPUIsBtWB0HZt15X6n9cGJu2NkOdcH-IYGt49KNegOMuY32zNJ2qTylnIy9FcYbPLZICshxlfkOvWpPSncL9NZKz_m32cHgVQ_RWR2WK1XPb2vJ8YU2IsdG6O4S_Fq/s1600-h/m_weymouth.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsKHIDC5pfnPqCAqPUIsBtWB0HZt15X6n9cGJu2NkOdcH-IYGt49KNegOMuY32zNJ2qTylnIy9FcYbPLZICshxlfkOvWpPSncL9NZKz_m32cHgVQ_RWR2WK1XPb2vJ8YU2IsdG6O4S_Fq/s320/m_weymouth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394804996496654114" border="0" /></a><br />Edged out by just three other stories (Dementia, Toxic Parents, and Where the Wild Things Are), the New York Times article today on the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/science/earth/20trash.html?em">trend towards Zero Waste communities</a> is the fourth most emailed story. <br /><br />The island of Nantucket -- once whaling hotspot, now upperclass retreat with three shades of grey -- is leading the charge?! Ahoy.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo: Michael Weymouth</span>Meredith Sorensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862668076626664391noreply@blogger.com1