Begining a Journey

    The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet."

--J. R. R. Tolkien

     Welcome to Rainchains and Wildflowers, a record of my twisty-turny, topsy-tervy road towards being as eco-friendly as I would like to be. I know about the danger to our habitat and home, but actually going out and doing something about it is a very different thing. I had several names in mind for this blog, Beyond the Pale and Environ-Mental being my favorites. Both were taken, but they express my views on environmentalism. You cannot be a true environmentalist and work wholly within current societal norms. You have to seem a bit crazy to your peers, to push the envelope, to go a step beyond the pale. Eventually, however, I hope that environmentalism will just be a part of everyday life. 

     Already, I know I am far from alone. I read amazing, breath-taking books like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and No Impact Man, glorious blogs like Zero Waste Home, and I know there are places like Warren Wilson College where composting, recycling, and ethical meat are an intrinsic part of day-to-day life.

Pretty picture of a hiking trail...do I need a reason?

 

     My personal revolution starts with rain chains and wildflowers: rain chains to replace a too-short drainpipe that wouldn’t let me harvest rainwater effectively, and wildflowers in my vegetable gardens to attract beneficial insects. I already do some “green” projects, but I have a long way to go to achieve my dreams. Want to come along for the ride?