These bright green grasshopper-esque insects looked so lovely on a wilted purple iris blossom yesterday that I just had to take their picture. And check out those crazy antennae. They must be at least three times as long as their bodies. Oddly enough, despite their sensitive head gear, they didn't seem the least bit annoyed when I got in their face with my camera.

So, what are they? Can one of my bug-loving readers help me identify them? I'm curious about their names and wondering if they're nice, beneficial insect friends or plant-devouring foes. Either way, I'll probably leave them alone.

They better be careful, though, because they're dangerously close to the coop and two hens who love gobbling up bugs.

In the last month, I have managed to acquire some very nice, and eco-friendly, new items for our living room.

The first was a new bed for Nigel, our faithful animal companion. Nigel firmly believes in living a green lifestyle, but he also has rather specific needs when it comes to where he rests his head. So, after looking around at various organic and eco-friendly pet bed options, I decided on the Tuckered Out model from West Paw. It was a bit pricier than the beds I usually get Nigel, but its design seemed perfect for the way he likes to sleep, and the cover comes off for easy washing, so it should last quite a while.

West Paw Design is a pet product company with a commitment to green manufacturing practices, including material reuse, waste minimization and energy efficiency. And, all their products are made in their Montana factory, where they believe in paying their workers a fair wage, including health benefits. Nigel's new bed is filled with IntelliLoft fiber fill, which is made from recycled plastic bottles. As you can see, he finds it quite cozy.



Last weekend, we made an even bigger upgrade and finally purchased a new fancy leather chair for our living room. Dakota and I have essentially been shopping for this chair for three years. We were looking for something that was comfortable but still slim and stylish enough not to overpower the space. Our house is quite small, and the living room is where we spend most of our awake indoor time. It seemed important to find just the right chair.

Happily, I finally found what we were looking for at the Cisco Brothers store on La Brea. Isn't it lovely?



Cisco Brothers is a furniture company headquartered in South Central Los Angeles. From what I have read, the owner, Cisco Pinedo, seems very committed to running a sustainable business and to being a positive force in the community. Since 2006, Cisco Brothers have used exclusively FSC certified hardwoods in their upholstered furniture and reclaimed wood in their cabinets and tables. In addition, they use water-based glues and environmentally friendly detergents to wash their fabrics.

Cisco has several showrooms around Los Angeles, and their style falls somewhere between traditional and modern. I felt very happy to purchase a chair that looked great and was made in Los Angeles with an environmental conscience.

The Good Girls celebrated the start of our fourth year of volunteering last month. For the last three years, we've done at least one volunteer project every single month. As the group founder, I am very proud of the Good Girls' record. We've helped quite a few people and organizations, and it's also been a great way to develop and maintain some amazing friendships.

For our first project of 2009, we went out to Animal Acres to help with farm chores. We'd done this project once before, in 2006, and it was just as fun the second time. Animal Acres houses all kinds of abandoned, abused and neglected farm animals, most of whom come from factory farms.

When we arrived at the farm, we were greeted by some huge, and very friendly, pigs. The pigs at the sanctuary split their time between sleeping their stalls and roaming around the brush on one side of the farm. Yes, these are free range pigs. Here's Meredith giving one a tummy rub, which, apparently, pigs love.



After we finished saying hello to the pigs, we were shown to a group of goat stalls where we set to work clearing out the soiled hay. It seemed to me that Animal Acres had even more animals than they did back in 2006, and they certainly had a lot of work that needed to get done. This was a project where we definitely felt like we were needed. I don't think Animal Acres could operate without volunteers.



Happily, the stalls where we worked were inhabited by a mother goat and her two cute kids. So, we got to pet and play with some adorable baby animals in addition to raking poop-covered hay. Here's one of the little guys, relaxing in the sun.



The Good Girls spent about 3 1/2 hours at Animal Acres and managed to clean out a large group of stalls and refill them with clean hay. We felt it was a good morning's work, and the baby goats seemed happy. Hopefully, we'll be back to the farm again soon.

Coming up in 2009, the Good Girls have plans to continue to help out at Los Angeles-area food banks, attend beach and river clean-ups, do some arts & crafts for charity and work with Tree People planting trees. In addition, we may organize some fund-raising events for charitable groups. It should be a productive year, full of service and fun.

First off, how ridiculously cute is this photo from Cute Overload? Yes, that is a mother hen sitting on a sleeping puppy. I love how annoyed her chick looks. I mean, that's where he's supposed to sleep!

Okay, down to business. If you live in California, this post is for you. On the November 4th ballot, you'll have some cool stuff to vote for, and a few annoying items to vote against. Lisa, Peggy, Tina and I would like to encourage you to vote yes on one particular proposition: Prop 2.

Proposition 2, also known as the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, would make some small but important changes to how farm animals are treated in California. Essentially, it would "prohibit the cruel confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to tum around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs." (Source) For chickens specifically, the law would mean they would have to be in a cage that allows them to completely spread their wings without touching the sides of the cage or another chicken.

As someone who owns and cares for chickens, and who has seen injured factory-farm hens in person, I think that Proposition 2 is an important first step toward treating our farm animals humanely. Just because we eat animals doesn't mean we can't have some compassion for them while they are alive. Chickens may seem like weird, dumb birds to some, but I can tell you that they do have "personalities" of sorts, and they can feel happy or afraid. I'm sure the same is true for pigs and cows and turkeys. I just don't know any personally.

Many have pointed out that Prop 2 provides the bare minimum of quality of life for chickens, pigs, calves and other animals--and they're right--but I think it's a good first step for California. Hopefully, in the future we'll be able to take further steps to improve the lives of farm animals. Or, you know, maybe everyone should have a coop in their back yard. It is pretty fun.

The opposition to Prop 2 claims that the law will increase food costs and cause farmers to move out of state, but I doubt that. Estimates indicate that the law would cause a mere 1 cent per egg cost increase, and I seriously doubt that transporting eggs and meat from out of state will really be cheaper that treating animals more humanely in state. (Plus, nearby states Arizona, Oregon and Colorado already have similar laws in place, so I'm not sure where those farmers would move to.) And, honestly, I think people should be willing to pay a bit more so that an animal can stand up and turn around during its short life.

So, that's the end of my little political message. This election is going to be really exciting, and I feel hopeful that things will go the way I'd like them to in all the races I'm watching. Fingers crossed!

Today is the fourth anniversary of the day I adopted Nigel, the cutest dog ever. I got him as an adult dog from a Los Angeles dog rescue group called Perfect Pet Rescue. They found him at an LA County animal shelter.

Nigel is truly one of the sweetest, quietest, calmest dogs I have ever known. Plus, as mentioned above, he is the cutest dog ever. I am really glad that I was able to adopt him.

For his birthday, Nigel received a few tummy rubs and... a bath!


Poor guy! We'll have to give him a special food treat tonight as well.

Nigel is around 7 years old, we think. The other day the vet called him a "senior citizen," which he did not appreciate. He's still in good shape and we hope to have him for years and years to come. I just hope he doesn't get too mad about the chickens.

For our most recent Good Girls activity, we took Merete's suggestion and went out to the farm. Specifically, we woke up early on a Saturday and drove to Animal Acres to help out with some chores. Animal Acres calls itself a "farmed animal sanctuary and compassionate living center." They take lost, abused or injured farm animals and either get them adopted or care for them for the rest of their natural lives. In addition, Animal Acres educates people about animal cruelty, specifically in terms of factory farming.

Jen, Merete and I made the 45 minute drive North to the farm on a scorching-hot July day. When we got there, we were met by a very nice farm intern who showed us what needed to be done and where to get our tools. Then, we got to work cleaning goat and cow stalls.

Most of the animals were very cute.

Here's a cow we met, and a super fat goat who made me laugh every time I saw her (in a compassionate way, of course).



After we finished picking the poop out of the stalls, we got to feed a super-cute lamb as a special treat. The lamb had actually been following us around a lot, like a curious pet. I found myself petting it just like I'd pet a dog, which was strange, but fun.

Here's Jen feeding the lamb (with milk in a beer bottle).



After our vegan picnic lunch, we moved on to the chicken area.

I must say, the chickens affected me most of all the farm animals. Most of them had pink, bald patches on their bodies, the result of being crammed into wire cages with other chickens. Despite the fact that the chickens had been at Animal Acres for about 6 months, their feathers still had not grown back, and probably never would. But that wasn't even the saddest part. Once we got close, we saw that the chickens' beaks were short and blunted. It turned out that the tips of their beaks had been cut off by their former owners at a factory farm. Apparently, this is a common practice used to prevent the chickens from pecking each other as they sit in their tiny cages. Their beaks looked awful, and the intern told us that sometimes the chickens starve to death after their beaks are clipped because it's too painful to eat. The turkeys in the chicken area also had clipped beaks, and clipped toes as well. It was very sad.

But, on the bright side, these chickens and turkeys seemed pretty happy at Animal Acres. Merete even petted one of the turkeys. Apparently, turkeys are very sweet-natured animals.





Once we finished scraping poop up in the chicken area--not the most fun job ever--and Jen finished cleaning out a crate used to house some adorable stray kittens, we were done with our chores and ready to head home.

On our way out, we said farewell to the biggest, fattest pig I have ever seen. Merete, who has been to Animal Acres before, had told me about this huge pig, but I don't really think I believed her until I witnessed it's enormousness myself. The picture doesn't really do it justice, but here it is anyway.



What I took away from this Good Girls adventure, beyond an appreciation for goat butts, is that free range chicken is the way to go. I know that phrase sounds kind of silly to some people, but I really think it's important to treat the animals we eat with some compassion. Cramming them in tiny cages and cutting off their beaks just doesn't seem like something that we should allow. Luckily, free range chicken and eggs are readily available in California grocery stores.

Is the same true in the rest of the country?

*Special thanks to Jen for taking these great pictures!

Dakota had this good idea about how to reuse those inflated plastic bags that are used to fill shipping boxes these days. We use them as poop bags to pick up after Nigel the dog. Basically, you can just cut off one end of the bag to deflate it, and then it's a nice, small bag for picking up poop. I guess this wouldn't work if you have a large dog, but they are the perfect size for our needs.

I went on the website for the inflatable shipping bag manufacturer, and they claim you can recycle the bags as #4 plastic, but I have some doubts about that.

When we're not recycling shipping bags or vegetable bags to pick up Nigel's "business," I use this brand called Oops I Pooped. They are biodegradeable dog poop bags. They work well and come in a nice compact pack of 80 or so bags. I'm not a big fan of the name, but what can I do?