Today's Reality Check: Child Labor

"Growing up without a childhood: Only 5 years old, Naginah stacks bricks at a brick factory where she and her family work on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan. Naginah earns 250 rupees per day, or $2.77."

Photo: Muhammed Muheisen / Associated Press

Today is World Water Day

Probably the most important issue of our time. One in seven people do not have access to safe, clean drinking water. The crisis effects women more than men, because women and girls are the ones that must collect the water for their households. They are put in danger and kept out of school.

There are many organizations working on solutions and providing water pumps to villages in developing nations. Find one. Help out.

Find out more at Water.org , or  Charity:Water or through the United Nations or google World Water Day. If you are in Portland, join the Water Walk on Saturday March 24th.

Today's Laugh

Paul Gilding: The Earth Is Full

A stunning TedTalk* by Paul Gilding that is a must see for everyone. Ideas worth spreading indeed. Watch now. It's about 16 minutes long.

*if you're not familiar with TedTalks, you should be. They are amazing, inspirational, educational and a bunch of other "als".

Today's Laugh

Best. Stick. Ever.

Just ask Koko...

 

At the dog park near my house in a carpet of fall leaves.

Pumpkin 2011

Here is this year's pumpkin carving effort. I was going for a happy smiling pumpkin, but it came out on the creepy side. Just as well for Halloween! Sorry for the quality of the pictures - these are cell photos.

Today's Artistic Inspiration

Too much fun! Joe Hill's pavement art.

See much more here.

Ghost Blue

I've had these patio chairs for very many years. I've moved them. Twice. They were a little worn - the original Hunter Green paint was chalky - and it was time for a refresh. After mulling over the myriad colors in which Krylon spray paint is available, I settled on what they call "Blue Ocean Breeze". But I call it Ghost Blue. I love the color on these chairs. It makes me happy. And, they will go with the colors I'm going to paint the house without being too, you know, matchy matchy.



The table, which is what Hunter Green looks like, will also get a new paint job just as soon as the strawberries finish fruiting. The trouble is that a few of the stringers grew through the table, so a fresh coat of Hunter Green will have to wait until those strawberries are eaten.

Sunflower Light

sunflowers caught by the morning sun. cell phone pictures.

Text 'AID' to 27722 to Help Save a Life

 

The United Nations estimates that a 1.5 million Somalis are displaced within the country and more than 100,000 of them have fled to Mogadishu in the last months due to the crisis. Hospitals in Mogadishu have been overwhelmed with new arrivals. The US government estimates that some 30,000 children have died in southern Somalia in the last 90 days due to famine and drought.
(left) Halima Hassan holds her severely malnourished son Abdulrahman Abshir, 7 months, at the Banadir hospital on August 14, 2011 in Mogadishu, Somalia.  
(All photos by John Moore/Getty Images)
This link is a list of organizations working in the area. Please give. http://www.interaction.org/crisis-list/interaction-members-respond-drought-crisis-horn-africa

Bucket o' Spuds

 Last year, I planted red potatoes in the garden. We did not this year, but we have had several volunteers* and decided to leave them grow. We have four or five robust plants. Unfortunately, since we didn't actually plant them, they have come up in some not-necessarily-convenient locations. With the garden in full bloom, one can get a bit tired of having to step over the giant potato plant that happen to come up in the path. After the umpteenth time, my lack of patience gets the best of me and I pull them up. This picture is the bucket o' taters I reaped from one (yup one!) of the plants. The big one in the middle is probably over 4" long.



*I'm guessing the volunteers are from tiny taters I missed when digging out the potatoes last year. They got spread around when we turned the soil and added compost this spring.