Do you know if your child’s school has tested for the invisible gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer? Few public schools and day care centers have tested for radon, and only a few states require them to. If your child is attending a relatively new school, chances are better that building […]
Appalachian Heritage on Display at Heritage Day
October 16, 2010
Fall Student Heritage Day offered several opportunities to sample the culture at the Museum of Appalachia this October. Two resident mules took turns doing the heavy work of squeezing juice out of sorghum cane. Then, Mark Guenther and his crew from Muddy Pond Sorghum (Monterey, Tennessee) showed how the cooking process turns the juice into thick, sweet sorghum syrup.
Storing Up Christmas Treasures
October 16, 2010
Another gorgeous autumn morning gave my family the perfect opportunity for a leisurely few hours of tag sale treasure hunting. I’m always on the lookout for great buys on seasonal décor that I would not pay retail for. This particular morning, we found ourselves at two different sales offering Christmas decorations. The first sale we […]
Continue Reading By FlourSackMama on October 16, 2010 in Christmas, conscious consumerism, frugal, thrifty
Weaving Tradition Continues in Appalachia
October 7, 2010
I had the privilege of meeting a third-generation handweaver this morning at the Museum of Appalachia in East Tennessee. Stella Lamon had her loom set up in order to demonstrate the artform to schoolchildren and parents. She had a variety of woven placemats, tablerunners, and more that she’ll continue to sell this weekend at the […]
Tag Sale Tips
September 30, 2010
Limit Purchases My 2-year-old recently chose a stuffed animal to purchase for 50 cents at a garage sale. The small brown dog with the realistic-looking nose has become a favorite of hers. It seemed like new when we bought it, but I gave it a bath and a fluff anyway when we brought it home. […]
Continue Reading By FlourSackMama on September 30, 2010 in conscious consumerism, frugal, green, thrifty
Barefoot is Not Backward at Home
September 16, 2010
You’re dressed to the nines for a dinner party, including the perfect pair of matching shoes. When you arrive at the home of your host, you are promptly directed to remove your stylish heels. What’s your reaction? Your toddler constantly crawls along the floor of your house, putting anything she finds directly into her mouth. […]
Continue Reading By FlourSackMama on September 16, 2010 in environmental, environmental health, green, green cleaning, home, parenting, sustainable
About Money & Happiness
September 10, 2010
More green in your wallet still can’t really buy happiness, but it can color your view of your life a bit rosier. Researchers at Princeton University have published their intriguing study titled “High Income Improves Evaluation of Life But Not Emotional Well-Being.” In the study, professors Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton looked at Gallup Organization data […]
Appalachian Hand-Quilters
August 26, 2010
I recently dropped in for “Hand-Sewing Day with the Quilting Department” at the Appalachian Arts Craft Center. Heading south from Kentucky, it’s a mile east of Interstate 75, off the exit to historic Norris Dam, in the heart of East Tennessee. When I approached the cedar-sided building with the painting of a quilt block on […]
Continue Reading By FlourSackMama on August 26, 2010 in Appalachia, quilt, sew, textiles, with our own hands
Household Air Test for Radon
August 19, 2010
Did you know that a simple test in your home could help prevent the second leading cause of lung cancer? If you haven’t already done so, Flour Sack Mama encourages you to test your home for radon. This naturally occurring gas can sneak into the places where we live, learn and work. Radon is produced […]
Continue Reading By FlourSackMama on August 19, 2010 in clean air, environmental, environmental health, home, radon
Unscrambling Egg Labeling for Consumers
August 5, 2010
Perhaps part of your busy day involves shopping at the local store for groceries. When you stop at the dairy case for eggs, you spot a carton with a picture of green pastures or some other bucolic scene. Here’s a happy looking chicken. There’s another carton with some reassuring words such as “natural” or “free […]
Continue Reading By FlourSackMama on August 5, 2010 in 350.org, conscious consumerism, eating better, flowers, Yo-Getters, yogurt
