moms & gardening

Since we just passed Mothers Day, I've been reflecting on the moms in my life, and on my own status as a  mom. (Here's me with my mom and sis last weekend!)

For the record, I wish that Mothers Day was Women's Day or something (and Fathers Day changed likewise), because I feel like it means we only celebrate those who have kids, as if only parents are valuable members of adult society. Having kids doesn't make us somehow whole or better, and it is not only our parents/grandparents who've shaped us. Why not celebrate all the women and men in our lives who have influenced us into being who we are today?

Anyway...growing up, I lived on 5 acres a few miles outside of a small town. (That is NOT me in the photo at left--this is my eldest last weekend when we went to the Bloom Festival at Tryon Life Community Farm.) Our 5 acres had a forested canyon, wide open fields and a huge garden. It was mostly my mom who grew vegetables, raspberries, kiwi, blueberries, rhubarb and strawberries. I remember my own little section of a bed one year in which I grew nasturtiums and cucumbers, but I wasn't really much of a gardener. My parents paid me 5¢ a hallek to pick berries, but other than that I was mainly tromping around in the canyon or inside reading books. My mom spent hours out in the garden and she enjoyed growing things, for reasons I couldn't really fathom as a kid.

My mother-in-law is a very talented landscape designer and she is also an excellent gardener. She and my father-in-law have transformed their .91 acres in town into a beautiful space that also produces a lot of food for them. They work together: my mother-in-law creating the plans and using her wealth of plant-knowledge to grow things, my father-in-law doing a lot of the weeding and harvesting, as well as picking fruit from the trees and drying it. We all worked together in the last 10+ years to create a trail that winds through the yard and a brick patio just outside the back door, but it's my mother-in-law who had the vision and could make the plan. Through her vision they've created a sanctuary back there that is beautiful, kid-friendly and lush, meditative and fun, practical and exotic.

(My step-mom has taught me a lot, too, but I've talked about her influence before, and though what I've learned from her has been similar in terms of creativity and the importance of doing things that are literally life-giving, her influence has been on slightly different topics. Many, many of the novels I've reviewed on this blog have been ones I've received from her. She's taught me a lot about what it means to live art, to cultivate and honor feminine spirituality, and to love dark chocolate and tea!)

My mom and my mother-in-law are very different people, but they both find joy in growing things. They, like the physical spaces they create, are beautiful and practical, joy-filled and in-process.

This year, we're putting a lot more time and effort into our little suburban farm. It's interesting, because I really don't like the concept of land ownership, especially since we took this land from Native Americans. It bothers me that this land is "mine" (at least it will be once we pay off the mortgage). It helps somewhat that it's not just mine, but it's my husband's and my mom's and it also belongs to my kids--we live in community, we bought this house and the lot on which it sits together. I struggle with the idea that we can "own" land.

And yet, having a sense of "ownership" for this land has been really helpful, too. We're learning to care for a physical space in a way we never have before. We're making it our own, but we're also attempting to make it beautiful and functional in order to better sustain life here and around the world. We have our own chickens, as I've discussed before, and we have a small garden this year. My mother-in-law made us an absolutely beautiful landscape plan for the back yard, which we mainly implemented last summer and are still working on this year. Incrementally, the space is coming together. And little-by-little, I'm learning to grow green things. In our garden we have raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, various lettuces, carrots, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, squash and pumpkins, peas, and we'll soon plant beans.

We also joined a community garden this year. We have a bit of space but not tons of space, so it's good to be part of a community of people who are growing some more things. Each individual or family is in charge of a bed, growing a particular thing. We meet for a few hours on Wednesday nights to weed, plant, harvest and share a meal together, and then we tend the garden when we can throughout the rest of the week. We're in charge of the peas and beans, and EP wanted to plant some flowers, so he has a little bed where he planted sunflowers. Hopefully it will turn out a little bit like the sunflower house pictured here. I'm excited to be part of this community! I want to learn what others know, experiment together and build community in the process.

I reviewed the book Dirt & the Good Life a few weeks ago and I'm excited to start putting this into practice in my own life. I'm grateful for the moms in my life who have cultivated me, even when it's messy and tedious and takes years and years and doesn't always go as planned and feels more like an experiment than something about which we have real expertise. By now they're "expert" moms, though, and I can go to them for advice not only about actual gardening but about growing up kids!

(By the way: another backyard project right now is the clubhouse that Joel's building for the boys! This blog post wouldn't be complete without some pictures of that! We also built a raised bed. By "we" I mean I cleared the space and measured things, Joel and Mom built it and I took pictures. There are also some pictures of us clipping the chickens' wings.)

book review: the hunger games (& american politics)

I jumped on the bandwagon. I had emphatically decided I wasn't going to jump on this one, due to what I'd heard about the books' theme of children killing children in a Roman arena-like setting. I didn't want to support that. Even when I heard that the hero is actually a heroin and even when several of my friends read it and liked it. I also kept hearing stories on NPR, of all places, in the weeks leading up to the release of the first film: about the explosive popularity of the sport of archery, especially among girls; about women archers training for the summer Olympics; and of course buzz about the movie. (Warning: if you haven't read these books and plan to, go read the books first so I don't spoil anything for you!)

Then my husband threatened to go see the movie with or without me.

OK, OK, I'll go see it with you--but wait till I've had time to read the book first!

That was on a Saturday night. We watched the movie two days later on Monday night. And I'd finished the first book that afternoon, between taking care of kiddos (mine and my niece), prepping for and giving a lecture, doing my normal Sunday routine including meeting and an evening worship group which we hosted and for whom I made dinner. I got the whole trilogy on Kindle, which meant a) I didn't have to wait to buy the book at a store or have it sent to me, and b) I got the whole trilogy, which meant that immediately after I finished the first book I wanted to dive into the second book! I tried to show a little more restraint on the second one, but I started it Tuesday and finished it Thursday that same week. That's when I put my foot down and decided that I had to save the third book for the end of the semester, after I'd finished all my grading.

So as you might have guessed, I found these books extremely addicting, in a good way. I don't know that there's anything particularly amazing about the writing style in itself, but the story is compelling and the plot development is excellent. It's told in the first person from the perspective of the heroin, Katniss Everdeen. (Katniss is a cool name, by the way! If I had a daughter, and if I didn't think that name will soon become too popular, I'd totally name her that.) The world in which the Hunger Games books are set is a dystopian version of the future United States. It's no longer the United States, but it's set in the land where the USA is now. The government reminds me of the one in 1984: a centralized government  that has eyes and ears everywhere due to technology as well as human informants; theme of escape to the wilderness for respite; attempted control of the people via specific work assignments not based on aptitude but on location, etc. In The Hunger Games, the government is run from "The Capitol," and there are (or were) 13 districts, each in charge of certain things needed: agriculture, coal, weaponry, seafood and so forth. Each year they have what's called "the Hunger Games," where two contestants are chosen at random from each district to fight to the death in a human-made arena, but it's made to look natural (i.e., it's in a forest or whatever). Thinking about these Games defines the lives of most in the Districts (and in the Capitol): teenagers can get extra food for their families if they put their name in more times for the lottery. Watching the Hunger Games on TV is mandatory for all. In this way, the Capitol keeps its subjects...subjects.

Obviously, Katniss ends up in the Hunger Games. If you've read it, you know how--if not, go read it. The author, Suzanne Collins, created an interesting world where the contenders in the Games have to play to the crowd in order to have a chance at winning. As a reader you end up hating the people from the Capitol--but there's that point in the story where you have to realize, "As an American, I'm from the Capitol." We watch other people's struggles for existence on TV, and if their story captures our imagination it's possible that we'll send little gifts into the "arena" of life to give a little edge over competitors. This is "entertainment" for us and nothing more. As a middle class, educated American, I can spend my life learning about wars and conflicts, perhaps, and I may be genuinely sad when favorite "contenders" die, but I move on, happily raising my kids in this safe zone where they'll never have to fear becoming a contender in the real-life (life-or-death) Hunger Games.

And then there's the issue of politics and "spin." Katniss recognizes she's being used as a peon in a political game by everyone possible, and she (rightly) resents this. First she's used by the politicians of the Capitol to continue their game of subjugation through fear and degradation of the human spirit. When she later becomes the symbol of the rebellion of the Districts against the Capitol, she realizes she's being used again. She's willing to be used as a symbol--but only so long as this symbol is a rallying point for changing the political landscape into something that is more fair and equitable for all. When she realizes the politicians of the new order are going to reinstate the Hunger Games against the people of the Capitol (and several other inklings before this), she can't stand it anymore. She knows the political system that is going to be put in place will have exactly the same result as the former government did. The people at the top will be different, but there will be a "top" and there will be a "bottom." The system will remain the same, though the individuals will be shuffled around a bit.

This is what it feels like in our country right now. I vote, but I vote without a clear conscience. I vote for the least of two (or more) evils; I vote because I think this is the best system we human beings have thus far come up with--but I think this system is broken. Or maybe it's us who are broken--maybe it's me. We're so broken that it really doesn't matter which party is in power; we're going to bomb Iraq, Afghanistan and who-knows-how-many other countries almost daily. We're so broken that most politicians in both parties are cozy with Wall Street tycoons, special interests and lobbyists. We're so broken that if you get down beneath the rhetoric of most politicians, everything they do seems just about the same.

I believe there are good people in positions of political office, but we and the other lawmakers are making it pretty much impossible for them to get anything done that is actually good for anyone (or anything). We demand that they not change their mind, that they hold an extreme viewpoint on everything (either extreme right or left), and this makes it so no legislation can pass--and if it does, it's bogged down in loopholes or special interests. It doesn't matter who's in power--these things occur.

This brings me back to the Hunger Games. I guess I'm excited to see if this book catapults us into thinking about government differently. Can we see ourselves in the people of the Capitol? Can we see the obvious critique in the text of a simple change of hands of the same old power? Can we begin some kind of revolution to change what's going on--and do it in a way that will usher in something truly different rather than more of the same? Will Friends lead this charge, or back off until it becomes trendy?

bike experiment results

Last week saw the end of our self-imposed, month-long biking experiment, so I thought I'd share our results and my reflections on the experience. The experiment consisted of my husband, Joel, and me trying to bike (or walk) as much as we can and trying to drive less. We kept track of the number of miles we biked, walked, drove our car for fun or necessity, drove our car for work, carpooled in our car and carpooled in other people's cars. So first off, the numbers (based on 20 mpg and $4/gallon):

Miles biked: 189.3     (saved about $38 and 9.5 gallons of gas)
Miles walked: 10.6     (saved about $2 and 1/2 gallon of gas)
Miles carpooled: 270.9     (saved about $54 and 13.5 gallons of gas, since otherwise there'd be two cars driving that distance)
Miles driven for fun/necessity: 527.7     (spent about $106 and 26.4 gallons of gas)
Miles driven for work: 333.5     (spent about $67 and 16.68 gallons of gas)

So...we didn't do all that well, by any stretch of the imagination. I mean, we certainly biked more than usual, and saving $94/month and 23.5 gallons of gas is SOMETHING, but it's not huge. At the same time, if we did this every month, that would start to feel a bit more significant. That would be close to $1200/year and close to 300 gallons of gas. What if every family in the United States did this?

A few things that stand out to me: first, there was only one day in the entire month that I didn't ride my bike. I rode an average of 4.4 miles/day. But if you average out all our driving, we drove an average of 36.52 miles PER DAY! Ouch. Some of that was for work--Joel had a couple work trips and several photo-oriented shorter trips. Even if you take out all the work and carpooling, we still drove an average of 17 miles per day for fun or what felt like necessity at the time.

Partially, this experiment was just humbling. I don't tend to think that we drive that much, but keeping track for a month really made me aware of how much we just randomly decide, "Hey, let's go do such-and-such," of an evening or weekend, and we just go do it. This month we even kept ourselves from acting on some of those impulses because we were trying to be more intentional about not driving as much. Sometimes we tried to combine trips so we only had to go once instead of a number of times, so that was good. Imagine what a normal month looks like where we AREN'T being that intentional!

This month was also strengthening. It was physically strengthening, in that my muscles are much stronger. I noticed a huge difference from the beginning of the month where I could hardly drag my two boys up the last hill to our house, to the end of the month where I could do it without being too out of breath in a higher gear. It also reminded me of how much I enjoy biking and being outside. I really enjoyed the fact that I got to be outside a ton more this month than usual. It's spring so I noticed things budding and leafing out. My resolve for biking in the rain was also strengthened. I had my rain gear all organized and ready to go at all times, so it wasn't hard to just pull on the rain gear and be on my way just as if it were sunny. My resolve for biking in general was also strengthened. I plan to keep working at this and try to increase the number of miles I ride each month, at least for the summer (or maybe do better on the ratio of walking and biking to driving.)

Biking every day became a habit. At the beginning of the month my then-16-month-old would often ask me, "Go? Go? Go? Car? Car?" By the end of the month he'd changed it to, "Go? Go? Go? Bike? Bike?" He hated wearing his helmet at the beginning, but now it's just normal. The boys do get a little frustrated if I forget to bring snacks for them to have in the bike trailer, though! (Fruit leather, string cheese, cheddar bunnies...)

This experiment brought me face to face with my own sense of entitlement. I had a hard time knowing when I should sacrifice what I or my family wanted to do and when it was OK to drive somewhere, just this once. I felt entitled to go hang out in a coffee shop in the next town with some friends on a Saturday afternoon. I felt like it was necessary to meet a couple for whom we're doing premarital counseling in locations 40+ miles away more than once this month. Sometimes we "had" to drive to meeting because we had to get our two kids plus a guitar there. Sometimes I drove because I was late. I felt entitled to drive to another city for date night. It was really interesting hearing my internal justifications, and noticing how I set up my schedule and my expectations around assuming I'll be able to drive. One thing I didn't even TRY was public transportation. We have a new system of public transit in town and I have yet to set foot on it, though I think it's great. But if I'm honest I must admit that in some ways I think I must feel entitled to not have to take a bus.

Overall, this experiment was a good experience. I probably showed up places a few minutes late and overly-bedraggled and sweaty, but hey--my conscience was relatively clear!

So I'm going to keep working on this. It's kind of exciting because I recently heard about something they're doing in our little town called the May Walk & Bike Challenge. They've been recently promoting biking a lot more: there's a new bike map and some new bike symbols on the side roads. There's going to be a summer bike festival! So it's cool that our little town is really trying to do something to promote this healthier way of living--healthier for each of us and for our world. I'm going to participate in this Walk & Bike Challenge, and I hope many others will, too!

pedagogy

I've been adjunct teaching at the undergraduate and masters level for about a year now, so I thought I'd reflect a little on what I've learned and my own personal pedagogy (teaching style) at this point.

First, in this day and age, one has to be fairly careful about what one puts out there online when one is a teacher! It's a little weird to write publicly about teaching, because who knows which of my students will find my blog at some point--or if they're my "friends" on Facebook, then they will see that I post. (If I taught underage kids I probably wouldn't accept them as Facebook "friends," but since I'm teaching adults, some of whom are my friends in "real" life and not just online, it ends up that some of my students are also my Facebook "friends.") I sometimes post things about sitting around on Friday nights grading papers, or I post my lecture topics, but I'm definitely careful to make sure what I say online is responsible and respectful.

I feel like at this point I need to go read everything Parker Palmer has ever written! (He's a Quaker who writes about teaching.) I've read a couple of his books, but I need to re-read them, and read everything else. I really appreciate what he has to say about creating classroom space that is egalitarian rather than too teacher-focused. This is something I want to do better. I find it difficult to make sure this happens, but at the same time to make sure students feel they are getting their money's worth, or that they are learning the information they want/need to know. Part of this is the academic system we currently use. It is information-focused and teacher-centered, so that is basically what students expect. They expect that if they are taking a class, the teacher will be the "expert" (at least compared to them) and will impart knowledge, which they will soak up. Parker Palmer talks about a pedagogical setting where all participants are both students AND teachers.

I try to do this in that I have students give a presentation at some point during the class. Therefore, they are the expert-for-the-day at least once during the semester, and they get used to listening to one another and valuing one another's input. This doesn't go as far as what Palmer suggests, however, because the model is still the same: someone is standing at the front and imparts information that they learned from books and experts. But at the same time, it helps students to feel confident in something so that everyone has a chance to contribute something important to the discussion at some point. There are many students, it seems, who don't feel comfortable speaking up in class, but if given the microphone (so to speak) they will talk for a long time!

I also try to incorporate quite a bit of discussion and to make sure that people feel comfortable asking questions. My best-laid plans don't always work out, however, and often the class time is all used up by lecture and other details and there isn't enough time for discussion. I try to set aside specific days for discussion only.

Grading is one thing that I've found is not my favorite thing. I know this goes for most teachers! I am learning to assign things that I enjoy grading, but with undergrad general ed classes, it seems like it's necessary to assign things that will encourage students to process the information and to learn it in-depth, and that this learning doesn't really happen unless you force them to do it. Students complain about how much work they have to do, but the prof has to do the same work x40! It's definitely a challenge to keep up with all the grading and to give them helpful, constructive feedback.

One thing I really try to do is to require an active element outside of class. I taught a class on spirituality and social justice, and required that each student do some sort of social justice volunteer work or action of some kind. For Bible survey for undergrads, I asked them to do a research project that incorporated a paper, a presentation and a creative or active element. It was amazing to see the creativity so many of the students used! Some wrote poetry or music, some made movies, some served in their church, one person memorized a passage of scripture in sign language, some students incorporated what they learned into their sport, some made art projects, some had conversations, one created a dream journal and another started a spiritual journal, and many other things. It was wonderful to hear how they connected with God and connected with their biblical topic in new ways through their creative or active portion.

Overall, I've learned that I really enjoy teaching! I actually love it. I really do like the grading, too, except for that since I'm kind of just teaching on the side at the moment, I don't have time to do it. But I like to read what they have to say and to find out whether or not they're learning the things I'm intending them to learn. I assign journals for the general ed classes, and although they take quite a bit of time on my part, they're some of my favorite things to grade because I can see their worldview growing right before my eyes. They open up to new concepts and new ideas, and so many of them are incredibly receptive to this new information and to the spiritual growth that the new information encourages. I love to see how God is working in their lives through their interaction with the texts and other materials we're learning about as a class.

My only hesitation with teaching is that I feel like I can so easily get sucked in to the academic world being my whole world. I talk about social justice and the equality of all people, but I just sit around in my suburban ivory tower. I don't really have time to do anything else! I think pretty much one could spend all of one's free time on one class and still not do it perfectly, because there's always more preparation or a more creative way or a little bit more attention to grading or any number of other things to be done--not to mention one's own research and writing for publication. So I'm not convinced that this career path is entirely healthy for me. By no means is it easy, but it's safe (in some ways)--I'm comfortable with academia and with the kinds of questions it raises. There are areas where it is not exactly safe--what happens when I disagree theologically with the institution I'm representing? Is it possible for me as a woman in academia to be myself and to still have a viable career? I'm not a big fan of dealing with politics in terms of "playing a game" to get ahead in a career, so I'm not altogether certain that I'll be able to get very far beyond adjuncting. But these are not the kinds of "safety" questions I would have to deal with if I chose a career path that was more social justice-oriented.

For now, though, I'm definitely enjoying teaching and I'm hopeful that it will lead toward a career that challenges me in all the right ways, and in which I can be my best self and encourage students to be their best selves, too.

book review: dirt & the good life

Dirt & the Good Life: Stories from Fern Creek is a wonderful book of stories and reflections that comes out next Monday, April 16, through Barclay Press. You should definitely pick up a copy, or get the Kindle version. I've been reading it this week and it is a great read! I happen to know the authors, Lisa Graham McMinn and Mark R. McMinn. They're professors at George Fox University, and I grew up with their daughters. Also, last summer I was a member of their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)--that's where you pay a lump sum for all your fruit and vegetables for the summer, and they grow them for you, locally and organically and amazing-tastingly! But even if I didn't know the McMinns, I would still find this book valuable and beautifully written.

The book is a compilation of essays and stories written by Mark and Lisa over the course of their year-long sabbatical from academic work (he in psychology and she in sociology). They spent their sabbatical year digging around in the dirt, feeding chickens, harvesting honey and reflecting on the "good life" of parenting, grandparenting and farming at Fern Creek. Each short piece is infused with a practical spirituality that does not ignore hardship, but focuses on the beauty of life and the importance of caring for the Earth. Their reflections are poignant and sometimes funny, deep and insightful, poetic and practical. Dirt and the Good Life reminded me of a cross between Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and Kathleen Norris' The Cloister Walk, with the poetic sensibility of Wendell Berry (though they write in prose). I love that Lisa and Mark each contributed about half of the book. I enjoyed hearing each of their voices, and taking in their own distinct thoughts as well as learning how their ideas and hearts have melded together and challenged one another over the years.

The McMinns are Friends (Quakers), and though their stories and thoughts would be beneficial to people from many walks of life, I find them especially inspiring as Friends. I'm not sure how they find the time to write, teach, farm and create amazing traditions with their families and friends (like a fall equinox party and an annual pumpkin-carving extravaganza, as they share in the book), but they also are noticeably grounded and wise. Perhaps they have tons of extra time now that they're empty nesters--I loved hearing about how this time of life, which some couples find so difficult, has been for them a time of deepening hope and living out of their shared dreams. But back to the importance of their book for Friends: they present a beautiful picture of what it's like to live simply, ethically, responsibly and extravagantly. They relish silence and simplicity, but they also know how to enjoy the Earth's abundance, and to see God in all of these things.

I appreciate Mark's vulnerability when he shares about a book he wrote that didn't make it to the best-seller list, and how he allowed God to give him a reality check through this experience. He talks about "downward mobility," and I think this is something we as Friends try to emphasize, though we (at least I!) struggle with exactly when, how and where to do this. Like John Woolman, who refused to grow his business and instead chose to focus on God's call on his life, Mark noticed he could continue to try to follow the path that led to critical acclaim, but it might not be God's best path for him. He and Lisa chose to move together on the path of "downward mobility," to buy a small acreage and spend time in the life-giving dirt.

Another thing I like about this book is its online component. If you go visit the site for the book you'll see that you can look at a flipbook of a bunch of pictures of the places and things they're describing. Some of those pictures are present in the paper book, but in black and white. Being able to see them in color adds a lovely dimension to the experience. You can also read a sample of the book while you're there. My very talented husband, Joel, also did a promo video for them: 

Overall, I definitely recommend this book! Lisa and Mark invite you to kick back, relax into an easy friendship and ponder life with them. They share their joys and struggles, insights they've learned along the way, and the creative and deep way they view the world--especially when their hands are in the dirt. I hope you will find their stories and their lives as inspiring as have I.

update on (sub)urban chicken farming

Last year I told you about our foray into chicken farming! We bought two cute little chicks and inherited 4 adult layers (for the in-town limit of 6 chickens). Our eldest named the two chicks "Wet" and "Blanket." Why? No one knows!

Well, our experiment went pretty well in that we still have chickens and they lay eggs for us, and it's the highlight of our youngest's day to go out and feed the "bock-bocks" and collect the "eggies." They also have a chicken coop and a nice fenced-in yard with a 5-foot fence. Of course, I look out the window and none of them are actually IN the chicken yard right now...they are scratching around our landscaping looking for tasty treats. We REALLY need to learn to clip their wings!

The sad news, however, is that out of 6 chickens that we started out with last year, we now only have 2. One night shortly after we moved Wet and Blanket outside, a raccoon came and ate the two babies and, not quite satisfied, also got one of the adults. And then there were 3. A couple months later, Joel went out to let them out of the coop and one of them was dead, presumably of natural causes. One night they weren't locked in their coop so they roosted in a more open-air part of the pen and a raccoon came and ate one of the chicken's toes, but luckily couldn't get inside to get any more of her! She survived and is still laying.

We decided that even though we'd had a run of rather bad chicken-luck, we would try again, so last week we bought 4 new baby chicks! EP named them Wet the Second, Blanket the Second, Turkey and Light. He cracks me up! He's spent hours and hours with them, showing them all his stuffed animals, "reading" books to them, and complaining when I won't let him eat snacks while holding them. K asks incessantly, "Chickees? Chickees?" We also call them "baby bock-bocks" so he understands they're chickens. Sometimes if I'm not understanding when he says "chickees" he says "beebe bock-bock?" (which is funny especially since my mom's last name is Beebe and ours is Bock!)

The poor "chickees" are probably feeling quite overly-loved.

biking experiment

Yesterday, Joel and I started an experiment with trying to bike as much as possible instead of driving in town. We're trying to be more intentional about biking (or walking) to places that the only reason we would drive is for convenience. (Pictures are of the bike I have a a Burley double trailer similar to the one we have.)


Ground Rules of this Experiment:

• Keep track of the miles we bike this month, then figure out how many gallons of gas and how much money we saved at the end of a month by using the average MPG our car gets...which is a sad 20 or so.
• Keep track of how many miles we drive the car this month, and therefore how many gallons of gas we use and how much we spend on gas.
• When can we drive? 

• When we're carpooling (e.g., when I have my niece as well as my two kids and I have to drop them all off at different locations and pick them up within too short of a timespan to walk, since I don't have a bike set-up for three kids). 
• When it's snowing. That shouldn't be a problem in Oregon at this time of year...but it snowed more last week than it had the whole rest of the winter, so you never know!
• For work--Joel has a couple work-related trips, which won't count toward our total.
• We'll keep track of these as ones that were necessary to drive, but don't count against us.
• Keep each other accountable. By starting this experiment specifically, we're in this together!
• Hopefully this will also make it a lot easier to figure out who gets the car!

We started yesterday, and we did pretty well at first: Joel biked his commute (2.4 miles); I biked the kids over to a babysitter and to my office and back to the babysitter (7 miles). Then Joel and I decided to use a gift card we had to see a movie in another town, so there went that day (33.6 miles)! Gas saved: not quite 1/2 gallon, money saved: around $2. Gas spent: a little over 1.5 gallons, money spent: about $6. Of course, there's also the added benefit of fresh air and exercise, so we saved in that department!

So who wants to join us on this experiment? We can make it a competition! Start today, if you'd like, and go for a month, and let me know how you do after one month.