Freegans Without The Dumpster

Freegans are people who employ alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources. Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed.-Freegan.info

I thought freegan meant getting your food out of a dumpster, which I have not yet attempted. I do get a lot of stuff without setting foot into a store though. Today, I made this print with the kids at the free day at the art museum. As we often do, I brought the neighbors' kids, minimizing our carbon footprint by filling all of the seats in the car, and also making it "way more fun-er" with friends.

They had a print making workshop, and I may not be 8 years old, but I participated gleefully, thank you. Here is my print.

Here is the top part of the huge, amazing fountain that I rescued from the trash the other day.

Yesterday, while helping out on the paper route, I screamed,"Stop the car! Fucking insane Americans are throwing away canvases still in the wrappers!" Look at this haul, people! It wasn't even my birthday! That's an easel in the wrapper, too!

Here are the kids, inspired by their museum trip, painting. The little boy is our neighbor, and my buddy. He has the most genuinely positive attitude of anyone I know. He is the subject of my print. Doesn't it kinda sorta look like him?

Elder Daughter's Hanna Anderson dress? Free, too! It was lovingly handed down by another little girl who had outgrown it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, whether you are buying or re-using, I highly recommend Hanna Anderson. Those little dresses seem like they are made of galvanized steel...completely indestructible, soft comfortable and well-suited for real life.

I drove to Walmart yesterday for the first time in about six months...cat litter and laundry soap was calling me. Do you have a recipe for homemade laundry soap? The re-use children's clothing store is gone. The used bookstore is gone. The candle store is gone. The kitchen supply store is gone. Empty storefronts and for rent signs dot the main drag. About half of our friends are out of work. When I get down about not being able to provide the lifestyle I grew up with to my children, my mother tells me,"hunker down and wait it out. Be thankful you have a job and don't stick your neck out too far."

We live on a tiny income, but we also live in a time when so many are relearning the simple ways. The time has truly come.

Free Sunday Things I Love:

• Mountain Stage Radio Show
• Public Parks, just now showcasing daffodils and magnolia buds
• Making Love
• Free Day at The Art Museum
• New York Times Magazines (free if your married to the paperboy!)
• Make Cookies. Borrow Baking Powder from a neighbor.
• Sit Out Front in a Wicker Chair With a Cup of Tea. Smile at dog walkers going by
• Yoga
• Read Twilight, and feel totally cliche doing it, but forced to soothe your (my) curiosity, and then really enjoy it, and then feel mundane for enjoying it
• Watch Your Beautiful Yet Nocturnal Husband Sleep, and take his picture