When it comes to abiding by Homeowner’s Association rules, one writer’s penchant for decor needs to be checked at the door.

My husband and I love to play on the brighter end of the color spectrum, or dash into any color at all. When we purchased our first home in 2010, we did just that. The kitchen, we painted yellow, the living room walls a dark sand and the office/guest room (originally our bedroom), a deep scarlet.

But we both wanted even more color. While our clothing colors of choice are most often black or gray, when it comes to our home we like to go polychromatic and wild – at times feral. Take for instance our sofa carved out of one piece of solid teak, a hanging produce “basket” that used to be a scale at a market in Peru. You get it, we like to be different.

When it comes to doors, I’m of the opinion that making a proper entrance matters as much as the colors you’re festooned in. The root of this is rooted in, well, a quest for rootlessness. When I left my hometown and began to travel literal miles instead of the literary ones I explored through travel memoirs, I went from being seen as a confident and outgoing explorer to a timid and shy outsider. It was an unfamiliar cloak and I’ve been trying to find something a bit more harmonious with the dichotomy I am from travel ever since.

Case in point? Our front door. In deciding what kind of entrance we wanted for our home, we set out to dictate the terms. We really wanted the first (and last) image of our home to leave everyone seeing red after having fallen in love with colorful doors while traveling.

Red – the color of passion, of life and death, of warmth, and in many cultures, of prosperity and joy. Red is creation and destruction. Red is not slinking into the background of life. Red means setting ourselves apart from a sea of bland doors and perhaps even bland lives behind those doors so neatly painted in our neighborhood.

Straddling the Wainscoting

As a first-generation American, my husband grew up navigating between Texas and Mexico, two very different worlds. His parents were once told by his school that they were doing an awful thing by raising their children bilingual. (When Kiko and his sisters tested better than their monolingual peers, the issue was finally dropped.)

As for me, the daughter of hippie parents who decided early on not to send their children to school, or even institute bedtimes, I was still, nevertheless, steered towards organized, suburban sports. I too, grew up caught between two worlds within the same culture.

The “Breastfeeding is Best” and “Home’s Cool; Homeschool” stickers that covered the bumper of my mom’s van made me and my siblings stand out amongst the rest of our friends. It’s funny, though, now that Kiko and I are older, how much we appreciate our unique childhoods. I guess what I’m saying is, the “weird” stuff, only serves to make us more interesting adults with a desire for broader color spectrums. To stand out is not a bad thing.

Board Rules

When we inquired about the red door, our homeowner’s association wouldn’t have it. All doors must be white, they said. Potted plants on the porch must not reach heights above the railings. Should we ever want a new screen door, it would have to be approved first.

So what do we do? Do we fight it? With so many battles in life, this one doesn’t seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Plus, fighting this one small battle might bring attention to the fact that some of our plants creep up towards the ceiling, well above the sanctioned porch railing height.

We could just rebel, paint it anyway and retract by whitewashing the red when someone notices. Perhaps we’ll just paint the inside of the door red so that when anyone exits the house, they get a warm, passionate send-off.

In the meantime, I put two more coats of stark-white paint on the door to brighten things up. As I looked around the complex afterwards, I realized that most other doors seem to be painted off-white. I smiled to myself, and gave thanks to the universe for small victories and minor insurrections.

Images: writer’s own

These vibrant fair trade baskets are available care of Indego Africa, a non-profit that aims to end poverty by empowering women.  

It’s hard to choose just one lust-worthy basket, so we snuck in three handmade Plateau baskets: in black, green and white; white and brown; and a zesty green/tea. These hand-crafted home décor pieces were crafted with needles and imigwegwe plant threads by women of the Covanya cooperative in Rwanda. Each takes up to seven days to weave and a great deal of skill and technique.

The baskets retail for around $30 – $45  and can be purchased here or found through the organization’s website. Regardless of your basket-buying intentions, we highly recommend a visit to the latter.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

Is taxidermy too macabre for home decor?

Taxidermy, a Greek word meaning skin arranging, is something one might associate with cat obsessives or hunter-types that rely on hoofs and antlers to mount their egos. The collection of artistic taxidermy meanwhile, which was traditionally a rather Victorian pursuit, has given the practice a new pelt of cool thanks to antiquarians with a new vintage aesthetic and Lower East Side kids with a flair for the macabre.

My first run-in with a stuffed rodent happened in the West Hollywood apartment of a friend of mine whom I’ve long considered a style clarion. She’s an eco-conscious vegetarian and animal rights activist, to boot, who stopped buying leather shoes back in the early 90′s. That got me thinking: perhaps taxidermy should be considered from an eco point of view.

I reached out to Connie Reeves, an artist, florist and taxidermist in the UK who refers to herself as a Road-kill Romantic on her Twitter profile, for some insight.

“You could call it a form of upcycling, sure. Reanimating old objects and giving them a new life,” she explains. Connie is one who considers trophy taxidermy, “something that’s done to prove ownership over an animal,” a bit on the grotesque and weird side. Like the artist Polly Morgan, who works exclusively with animals that died a natural or unpreventable death, Connie also crafts her subjects from road kill remains and donated pets. She has a whole freezer full of them. “Twenty or thirty,” at last count including a Sparrowhawk that’s been in there for over three years.

“I’m just going to keep him until I’m ready.” The hawk was given to her by a friend who was very close to the bird, thus giving him flight anew must be approached delicately.

Thawing now is Connie’s next project: a baby mobile featuring a deceased seagull she was given by some friends. “Birds are my main subject that I come back to again and again,” she says. “I’m so enchanted by them and their freedom.” Her partridge Eugene (pictured below), is a personal favorite. “He and I go back a long way. He was saved by the gentleman who taught me how to taxidermy.”

Decorating with taxidermy – using a bird here and a rabbit there – goes completely against the look at the moment. It’s the anti-minimalist, using a mish-mash of patterns and objects to undecorate and celebrating a potpourri of objects as discrete and unique talking points. Taking us back to, sustainable chic or completely eek? It’s certainly reused…definitely recycled. Whether you love it or are completely repulsed by the idea of using taxidermy as décor, it’s a topic that is sure to liven up any dinner party conversation. Just wait until after the main course to show off your latest piece.

Images: James Coughlin for Diamond Tooth Taxidermy and Connie Reeves

Architects have clients and clients set the creative parameters for a project. But when an architect is his own client, all rules and artistic limitations disappear and the result is the ultimate self portrait.

Home is where the heart of an architect can fully and completely be expressed. We take a look into the hearts of six of the most renowned modern architects of our time – the homes built and inhabited by Aalto, Eames, Gehry, Neutra, Niemeyer and Lloyd Wright.

Alvar Aalto - The Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto built his home (above and below) in Helsinki in 1936. It is now a museum and open to the public. If you don’t recognize Aalto by his name or his buildings, you might know his furniture or glassware designs.

Charles and Ray Eames – Case Study #8 (above and below) was built in 1949 and is located in Pacific Palisades, California. In 1948, the Eames’ were commissioned to design and build an inexpensive and efficient home as part of the Case Study Housing program. Case Study #8 is considered one of the first “pre-fab” buildings and is open to public tours through the Eames Foundation.

Frank O. Gehry – Do you know the Guggenheim in Bilbao or the Disney Music Hall in Los Angeles? Yes, Gehry is that guy. In 1978, he built his Santa Monica, California home (above and below) in all its barbed wire, corrugated steel and asymmetrical glory. It caused quite a stir with the neighbors who were not accustomed to Gehry’s avant-garde sensibility.

Richard Neutra – In 1963 a fire destroyed Richard Neutra’s Silverlake, California home (image above) that he designed and built in 1932. The Austrian-born architect’s redesign, the VDL Research House II (image below), is a close interpretation of the first, with its bands of vertical glass windows and alternating horizontal planes of steel and white stucco.

Oscar Niemeyer – The Brazilian architect built his Casa Das Canoas (image above and below) in 1953 in Rio de Janeiro. Niemeyer is known for his revolutionary use of reinforced concrete and the curvaceous, sculptural quality of his buildings. His own home is no exception.

Frank Lloyd Wright – The American architect built his first home in Oak Park, Illinois (image above) in 1889, where he and his family lived while he developed his practice and the “Prairie Style” of architecture. But Lloyd Wright’s favorite residence was his masterpiece, Taliesin West (top image and image below), built in 1937 in Scottsdale, Arizona. It seems to sprout from the desert and is typical of the organic style architecture that the architect promoted in his later years.

Images: Alvar Aalto Foundation, DesignCrave, ArchDaily, Archined, Design You Trust, TheCoolist, Reference Library, Wikipedia, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

It’s tough to re-feather the nest during hard times. That’s why the home design industry is struggling not to be nailed shut while weathering the storm. But you can make subtle changes to your decor that won’t add up to big spending. Here are a few tips we recommend:

1. Reface Rather Than Replace Cabinets

Innovative companies can work with your existing wood and reface those cabinet doors with sustainable woods rather than trashing and starting anew. Read this post for more tips for the kitchen cabinet facelift.

2. Swap Decor with Family and Friends

You don’t need a piano and I don’t need that daybed in the TV nook, so let’s trade and recycle our stuff and get what we really need. It’s a match made in eco heaven when it doesn’t cost you a dime to swap decor, especially with people who have a good eye like you do, and are low on storage space. It’s how they did it in the olden days before widespread consumer waste and climate change. Here’s more.

3. Baby Steps Can Equal Full Grown Changes in a Room

Rearrange the furniture, buy a few new pillow covers, paint a wall. These easy fixes will refresh your pad without sinking lots of cash. As you’ll discover in this handy how-to post, it can all be done for under $30.

4. Repurpose Excess Upholstery Materials

Those fabric rolls are not doing anyone any good just sitting in the closet. Cut them up and redirect them to your interiors for pillow covers, framed art, bedding, even wall coverage like the picture shown above, if you have enough for adequate padding. See these great ideas for repurposing your excess.

5. Clean Before You Replace

Perhaps that rug can come clean with eco spot remover techniques. Why rip it out if it’s still useful? Another option is to cover a damaged section of the carpet by layering with a small, affordable area rug, one made of eco fibers that won’t cost the same as new carpeting or a large are rug. Go shagging for answers here.

6. Seasonal Accents Make Great Distractions

A collection of seasonal organic blooms and greens from your garden, lanterns, greeting cards, photos and tablecloths – they all can act as happy distractions in a room that is begging for a redux. Don’t have a garden? Head to the farmers’ market, the flea shop, the vintage shop in your hood, and spend little to stage your spaces with renewed charm. Head over here for inspiration.

7. Paint can Perk it Up

Even a dingy clawfoot tub can look ultra modern and cool by finding the right low VOC paints and giving the bath a new coat. You will find sprucing up furniture with paint can be a great cheap fix that refreshes your spaces.

8. Be a Thrift Shopper

It’s no wonder second hand shops in cities nationwide do well during hard times. These are outlets that actually offer discounts while more upscale sights like 1st Dibs are peddling vintage treasures that cater to those with lots of spare cash. Do some research and check out the shops in various neighborhoods to find out where nifty castaways are being parked.

9. A Room of Her Own

Sometimes just carving out one room of your own in your dwelling can suffice until you have a bigger budget to fix up the place. Are you craving that Project Runway sewing room? How about a closeted dressing room out of a spare bedroom? Having a blast doing just one space for yourself can be very rewarding, even if it is a multi-use corner for working, painting and reading. Own it with visuals on the walls and a fun rug that speaks to you. Experts say you will accomplish the most in a space you gravitate towards.

10. Spa Makeover

So you can’t afford to tear out the old tile and tired tub to make way for stone and steam. Use zen decor touches and nurturing elements to turn your blah bath into spa bath: Ideas include indulgent, organic towels; sensuous beeswax candles in an array of holders; yummy creams and oils displayed in a vintage tray; and my favorite Nob Hill Day Spa element – a large pitcher of spring water filled with sliced cucumbers or lemons and a pretty glass.

Each week here at EcoSalon, the editors choose a post from the archives that we think you’ll love. The original post can be found here.

Image: Elle Decor

Your new carpet, toasty towels, or freshly painted bedroom are among a few things that could make you sick.

Here’s a quick look at 10 of the more common household toxins, and what you can do to get rid them.

1. Dare to Bare

You can start by removing shoes before entering your home. Toxicologists have proved that leaving shoes at the door will help keep out toxins such as lawn pesticides and factory chemicals, that travel as minute particles.

2. Toss the Teflon

Sure, Teflon certainly helps make cleaning up easier, but when subjected to high heat the non-stick coatings create toxic fumes that pollute the air. The Environmental Working Group published a report that found at least six toxic gases are emitted including two carcinogens, two global pollutants, and MFA (a chemical lethal to humans at low doses) were found. Another reason to go back to grandma’s cast iron.

If you shop Amazon.com through the Environmental Working Group, they will receive a percentage of the proceeds.

3. Ditch the Weed Killers

When caring for your lawn, opt for companies such as EarthEasy and check out Safelawns.org.

4. Clean and Green Laundry

Choose natural laundry detergents such as Soap Nuts or Seventh Generation, and avoid chemical laden dryer sheets that spew toxins onto your clothing and into your home.

5. Avoid VOC’s

According to the United States Geological Survey, a federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, many volatile organic compounds are man-made compounds, typically industrial solvents or by-products often in petroleum fuels, paint, paint thinners and dry cleaning agents. They’re also common ground-water contaminants. If you’re planning of some home renovation, look for low VOC paint for better air quality.

6. Go Natural with Furniture

Opt out of stain-guards as they contain Perfluorinated (PFCs) which are toxic to wildlife, producing reproductive, developmental and systemic effects in laboratory tests.

7. Filter Drinking Water

While the majority of our water does meet safety standards, the EPA provides a list of common contaminants, and information on home water treatment units to improve taste and remove heavy metals. Pitcher filters that stay in the refrigerator are also a good, and less expensive, option. Be sure to change filters as suggested by the manufacturer.

8. Rid the Radon

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon, a radioactive gas, comes from a natural breakdown of the earth, and can infiltrate any home that is situated in an area that contains it. One of the most important precautionary measures that you can take is purchasing a home radon test kit.

9. Check for Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide kills hundreds of Americans every year. Not only can it be a result of automobile exhaust, but also from gas furnaces. To reduce your risk of exposure the EPA recommends:

- Keep gas appliances properly adjusted.
- Consider purchasing a vented space heater when replacing an un-vented one.
- Use proper fuel in kerosene space heaters.
- Install and use an exhaust fan vented to outdoors over gas stoves.
- Open flues when fireplaces are in use.
- Choose properly sized wood stoves that are certified to meet EPA emission standards. Make certain that doors on all wood stoves fit tightly.
- Have a trained professional inspect, clean, and tune-up central heating system (furnaces, flues, and chimneys) annually. Repair any leaks promptly.
- Do not idle the car inside garage.

10. Home Air Quality 101

Air pollution is responsible for everything from allergies to serious illnesses. A few ways to rid your home of particles that can include pesticides and chemicals is to:

- Kill off dust bunnies, which can contain microscopic toxins
- Replace wall to wall carpeting with area rugs
- Look for HEPA filter vacuum cleaners (High Efficiency Particle Absorption) which keep debris sealed tightly a multilayer filter bag and exhausts through a filter before re-entering into your home.
- Consider purchasing a home HEPA filter. HEPA filters, by definition, remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 micrometers (µm) in diameter.

Each week here at EcoSalon, the editors choose a post from the archives that we think you’ll love. The original post can be found here.

Image: thekitchendesigner

The light is on and someone’s home. This was once a sure signal for would-be criminals who might be deterred from a brightly lit space in the days of mindless energy use. Crime experts have warned us that a dimly lit residence sends the message the owner is on vacation. While most crimes occur in daylight during the summer months when people aren’t home, those desperate to break in at night can find harbor in a dark front lawn with dense bushes – a frequent hiding space for intruders hoping to remain inconspicuous until getting in and out with stolen valuables.

But in these days of doing our part to curb phantom energy waste by switching off and unplugging, we are left wondering if going dark is dangerous. A growing number of cities have been cutting back on street light usage to save on the electric bills and energy use.

Lights out San Francisco, an eco advocacy group campaigning for energy awareness, has targeted downtown buildings – urging owners to switch off non essential lights and appliances every night to make the city the first dark skyline in the country. It was estimated that as much as 15 percent of energy consumed on an average Saturday night can be spared by turning out lights for just one hour. You can imagine the savings from a blackout every night.

While the goal can spell a greener planet, the notion doesn’t sit well with all homeowners, including women living alone who have relied on street lights, as well as their own lamps and ceiling lights to provide an added sense of security. Even if it is simply the flickering lights of the holiday tree, the warm glow seen through the window can make us feel we aren’t really alone. So what’s the happy medium?

According to self-proclaimed crime doctor – Chris E. Mcgoey – there are steps we can take to light up more efficiently and guard our homes with other measures that don’t require draining resources. In terms of the lighting, which he deems necessary for both the interior and exterior of a home, he highly recommends buying inexpensive light timers and using them daily – establishing a routine neighbors can observe and detect when something is off. He tells us the exteriors should provide 100-feet of visibility to your pathway and door.

“Typically, you want to use light-timers near the front and back windows with the curtains closed,” he says. “The patter of lights turning on and off should simulate actual occupancy. It’s also comforting not to have to enter a dark residence when you return home. The same light timers can be used to turn on radios or television sets to further enhance the illusion of occupancy. ”

He also advised lighting the exterior and perimeter of your home, using timers to show the appearance of occupancy at all times, including common area lighting on apartment buildings using timers or photo-cells to shut off at dawn. He adds that security lights with infra-red motion sensors are cheap and serve as a good alternative to an exterior porch light or side door light.

Beyond the lighting, here are other security precautions you can take allowing you to be a good green citizen who feels protected:

1. Improve doors and locks, including securing the garage door (a favorite point of entry); According to Consumer Reports, nearly two-thirds of burglaries involve forced entry, so why make it easy? Install solid metal doors at all entrances with heavy duty knobs with deadbolt locks with a dead lock mechanism to prevent slipping with a shim or credit card. Use a heavy-duty, four screw strike plate and a wide-angle peephole.

2. Sliding Glass Doors require Secondary Blocking Device: These doors are vulnerable but can be secured with a wooden dowel or stick inserted into the track to block movement. During the winter, nailing these doors shut can also be effective.

3. Close Windows and Install Anti-Lift devices: Open windows seen from the street are also inviting to burglars looking for a way in. Use secondary blocking devices on these as well, ones that comply with fire codes (i.e. screws halfway into the upper track).

4. A good alarm system property installed and maintained: These systems deter crime, according to a study from Rutgers University. Make sure response calls are up to date.

5. Be a good neighbor and stay vigilant for others: The National Crime Prevention Council urges us to get to know our neighbors, even in these days of disconnect with humans while we stay connected to our computers. Bring back those block parties, work together on improvements, form a caring community in your cul-de-sac. Call your neighbors if you see something suspicious or hear of any thefts in the neighborhood. Offer to collect someone’s mail if they are away or to help in other reciprocal ways. In other words, the old fashioned methods of making our homes safe still work the best as we work together to spare dwindling resources.

Images: Darkpatador; Treevillage; Jdigger; Axelharmann; jepoirrier

Rain is beating down on the filmy window, yellow lights are blinking like friendly fireflies on the spruced up pine, and your couture edition Snuggie is nowhere in sight. Now is the time to bypass that chalice of chilly organic grape and sip a warm eggnog or Irish Coffee by the toasty fire. In addition to tasting delicious, hot cocktails take the edge off of shopping at the mall and visiting with intense relatives for weeks at a time.

Dirty little secret: I store my own personal flask of peppermint schnapps in a drawer in the guest bathroom at my mother’s manse. You never know when the mood will strike for something hot and medicinal while lounging with Nana and watching marathon reruns of The Nanny and Golden Girls.

If you aren’t leaving home and entertaining during the holidays, offering these options is a way to bring the ambiance of the ski resort into your pad. Here are a few recipes to consider for adding cheer to your holiday this year:

1. Burning Bush

This new spin on the old Hot Toddy calls for Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey (this is where its name is derived, not from the book Exodus) along with honey, hot water and a lemon wedge garnish. Created by New Yorker, Jim Meehan, it is simple to prepare:

Place the lemon wedge in the glass, add 1 1/2 oz of whiskey , 3 oz of the hot water. Stir, don’t shake, and chill.

2. Orange Anise Mulled Wine

You can have fun with varieties of mulled wine in your crockery cooker this time of year, and this recipe delights all your senses with the aroma of seasonal spices and citrus. It requires 2 bottles of Shiraz; 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar; 1 stick of cinnamon; 3 star anise; 1 tsp whole cloves; 1 orange; Orange peel strips.

First, remove the orange peel with a peeler and cut and peel into strips. Then squeeze the juice and discard the seeds and pulp. In a 5-quart crockery cooker combine the juice, wine and brown sugar. For your spice bag, tie the orange peel, cinnamon, star anise and whole cloves in a cheesecloth bag, and add to the cooker. Cover and cook on low for six hours to simmer the flavors. Serve in punch cups or pretty mugs.

3. Starbucks Hot Mocha Cocktail

If you’re a coffee or cocoa hound, you will love this espresso drink made in a saucepan using Starbucks coffee liqueur. It calls for 4 1/4 cups whole organic milk; 4 oz. Starbucks liqueur; 3 cinnamon sticks broken in half; 3 cups espresso; 1 1/2 cups healthy sweetener; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 cup whipping cream; 1 cup cocoa powder.

To make, mix milk and cinnamon sticks in a heavy saucepan and simmer over a high heat. Remove, cover and steep for 15 minutes. Whisk espresso, sweetener and 1 cup of cocoa powder and bring the hot chocolate to a simmer, whisking frequently. Throw out cinnamon sticks and add the Starbucks coffee liqueur. Add the cream and whisk until thick. Ladle the cocoa into 8 mugs. Spoon chocolate whipped cream on top and serve.

4. Hot Apple Pie Cocktail

Apple cider is a popular winter treat and this cocktail is easy to make and very pleasing. Put aside 2 1/2 cups Simply Apple Juice and 4 cinnamon sticks; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp. allspice; 1/4 tsp ground cardamon; 4 small scoops of organic low fat vanilla frozen yogurt; 4 oz. apple schnapps.

Place the apple juice, cinnamon sticks, lemon juice, vanilla, allspice and cardamom in a medium saucepan and warm it for two to three minutes over a medium heat, stirring until mixture is hot and spices are blended. Add in schnapps and divide among 4 mugs, topping with the yogurt.

5. Christmas Punch

An ideal choice for a big group, this English favorite blends rum with citrus and seasonings and has a pretty presentation – whether in a common bowl or grandma’s punchbowl. The recipe includes 4 pt. water; 1 lb. sugar; juice and rinds of three lemons; one bottle of rum; one bottle of ruby port; grated nutmeg; a sliced apple and a sliced orange.

Make it by boiling the water, sugar and lemon rinds in a saucepan. Cool and strain. Add the rum, port and lemon juice and transfer the liquid into a pre-warmed punch bowl. Float the fruit slices on top and sprinkle with the savory nutmeg. After three or four cups, that home wax kit he gave you won’t seem as offensive. Merry mixing!

A popular invention for those who like it straight: If you dislike fruity blends and need that whiskey straight, you can get it to an excellent room temperature using Whiskey Stones - innovative soapstone cubes that look hot and do the trick.

Images: Silly Little Man, Sanfranannie; Charityworld; Insidious; Haleynealphotography; Polkadotcreations

Eyes on the prize: Google announces ‘Earth Engine’

Offering scientists and conservationists a better look-see at Mama Earth, Google Labs unveiled its Google Earth Engine yesterday at the International Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico. The product puts an “unprecedented amount of satellite imagery and data – current and historical – online for the first time,” says Google, allowing for monitoring and measurement of changes in the Earth’s environment. The images are designed specifically for environmental protection use, providing information on the “locations and extent of global forests, detecting how our forests are changing over time, directing resources for disaster response or water resource mapping,” among other data. One important value of the system is that it will function like a watchdog camera, supporting the development of “monitor, report and verify” (MRV) efforts to stop global deforestation. The company released an example image, generated in collaboration with Mexico’s National Forestry Commission, of a forest cover and water map of Mexico which is the finest-scale to date. The company says the map required 15,000 hours of computation, but was completed in less than a day on Google Earth Engine using 1,000 computers.

Happy birthday EPA!

Now more than ever is a good time to celebrate the Environmental Protection Agency. As the mostly on-our-side government agency is turning 40, it’s coming under severe attacks from a hostile new (corporate-sponsored) Congress, and other science and climate-change deniers around the the world. GreenBiz has it right when it says: “a testament to the scale and scope of the EPA’s successes over the past 40 years that they’ve faded into the background, or been woven into the fabric of daily life.” However, any take-it-for-granted attitude would be a grave mistake right now given the current political climate, and it’s good that sites like Green For All (ThankYouEPA.com), are out there helping to get the word out. There’s an informative quick take, too, from the Aspen Institute in a 10 reasons we love ‘em format. Among the highlights from the agency’s 40 years are banning the widespread use of DDT, addressing the acid rain problem, championing the reuse of waste, taking the lead on reducing vehicle emissions, cleaning up our water supply and being a  general conduit for public information.

Strange life forms found in (where else?) California!

While you would figure NASA would spend a lot time looking up, the organization just announced that one of its astrobiology research efforts that’s focused way down under one of California’s weirdest lakes has led to discovery that folks are saying will fundamentally shift the way we define life – and vastly expand the playing field in terms of how we look for life on other planets. These researchers have discovered the first known microorganism able to “thrive and reproduce using the toxic chemical arsenic. The microorganism, which lives in Mono Lake, substitutes arsenic for phosphorus in the backbone of its DNA and other cellular components.” Quoted in the NY Daily News, Mary Voytek, director of NASA’s astrobiology program, says, ”It’s terrestrial life – but not life as we know it.” The story adds that “all life discovered so far, from teeny amoebas to enormous elephants, are composed of combinations of the same six elements: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorus,” but the new bacteria (its catchy name is GFAJ-1) can live without any phosphorus and instead uses arsenic to build cells. Why do we care? “The implication is that we still don’t know everything there is to know about what might make a planet habitable,” says another NASA scientist. “Maybe we’ll be able to find ET now.”

Images: Google, jessica.diamond, NASA

I’m not much of a holiday decorator. I don’t spend two days unwrapping little chotskies out of bubble wrap (you know, the same ones I spent two days re-wrapping last year) and setting them up all over my home. I don’t hang hundreds of blinking lights from my roof or station large plastic figures on my front lawn. My holidays are a tad less elaborate and adorned. And I like it that way.

First of all, I hate packing and unpacking of any kind. I’d rather stick needles in my eyes. And I don’t like excess stuff sitting around, especially theme-oriented, color coordinated stuff.

Having said that, autumn is upon us and with the changing weather and falling leaves comes a feeling of nostalgia and celebration. But not to worry – there are plenty of simple, subtle ways to express the approach of the holidays without going over the top.

I’ve gathered an idea or two for garnishing your home – from tabletop to mantle to martini. Things that aren’t always exclusive to the holidays but that celebrate the seasons nonetheless. Here’s hoping you’ll see something that tickles your yearning for decoration, in the simplest most sensible sense.

On the top of my list but the farthest from reality, is this platinum and diamond encrusted skull (image above, For The Love of God). It’s the creation of British artist Damien Hirst, who has a morbid fascination with death and dying, and it sold for $100 million dollars in August 2007. No it isn’t simple or sensible. It’s glamorous and shocking, but I couldn’t resist.

Speaking of glamor, I’m a glutton for black. It goes with everything and makes everything look good. Just check out Leigha’s post last week for more details about bringing on the black.

I’m loving these touches of black with the slightest twist of orange or cream or candied apple (images above). And dried anything, from twigs to flowers, placed in a simple vase, turns an ordinary tabletop into interesting, without going gauche (image below).

All things metallic are hip right now, so use your imagination with gold paint and old buttons or beads. Preferably not all at once, just dabbing a little here and there does the trick.

So the table is set, but what’s the point of a party without a flavored martini?

Pumpkin Pie Martini (image above)

1/2 oz Sylk Cream Liqueur
2 oz Vanilla Vodka
1/2 oz Pumpkin Liqueur (or substitute pumpkin spice syrup)
1 tsp (or more) Whipped Cream
1 Cinnamon Stick for garnish

Pour the cream liqueur and vanilla vodka into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Add the pumpkin liqueur or syrup and shake again. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with the whipped cream, and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Serves 1.

Of course, you can’t have autumn without pumpkins, although I fly on the shy side with these gourd-like squashes. Carving with the kids is great fun, but when it comes to decor for your home, let’s leave the knives in the kitchen.

I’m needing a few of these velvet critters, so soft and snugly (image above). Or try your hand and paint them in plaid or polka dot; winter white or graphic delight (images below).

Draw a black raven or bats, use a doily as a stencil or monogram your initials (images below)….

…clothe them in old black stockings or leftover lace.

Let’s move on to flowers and wreaths; mantles and cakes.

Like I’ve said, crafts and such just aren’t my thing – I seek out simple and easy. So these orange calla lilies (image above) do just the trick. I’m loving how they’re arranged leaning to one side – asymmetrical is where it’s at.

I often have an aversion to wreaths – they are so easily overdone and embellished with too much garnish and frill. But these two gems (images above and below) capture the pure and crisp of the changing seasons and upcoming holiday cheer. You might even find one on my front door this year.

I’m crazy about these cheesecloth covered glass vases (images below), in all heights and sizes. Look closely and you’ll notice the black medical stitches down one side. Fill them with dried flowers or twigs and you’ve got a subtle way to share the Halloween gore without going too far. Add a spider if you’re so inclined.

Last but not least, these cakes made the cut. I’m not a pastry chef, nor am I competent in the ways of the kitchen, but I had to include them for the mere fact that they say Halloween at its most simple and sophisticated. Bon appetit and happy holidays.

Images: Better Homes and Gardens, Molly Findlay, this is glamorous, Delia Creates, Shelter Pop, Wise Craft, coco + kelley, green wedding shoes, style me pretty, Michelle Rago Ltd., Pinterest, Martha Stewart, Simply Grove, Country Living, Fina Art & Paper