Earth Day is today

What are you doing for Earth Day 2009?

How about plan your next vacation and do it green. Here at The Craftsman B&B, you can purchase Green-e certified renewable energy certificates, Green Tags, to help offset the carbon footprint of your travel. A $1.00 Green Tag equals 24 Kilowatt/hours of wind energy and prevents 33.6 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable Travel International is providing U.S.-based Green Tags from the portfolio of activities managed by the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.

As I mentioned a few blogs ago, for Earth Day try to do something. A walk in a park, whatever. Make a decision to think about our impact on this planet. Me, I plan on hanging out in the yard and watch Mike doing his chores and keep watch on the neighbor hood. Maybe I'll eat some grass, it's really good this time of year.



The house finches are back in Pacific City, so I'll watch them flying around the yard. They are too fast for me to catch, but are real busy this year. As most of you know, the NW and the Oregon Coast is prime ground for moss and lichen. The window in the pantry is across from an apple tree. Mike has a great views from his desk. Anyway, the finches come up to the window, land on the sill and tap on the glass. They are eating what ever is growing at the base of the window. It's very entertaining to watch. I lay on my rug and they are only a few feet away from me. Hey that's a good reason to not clean the windows, we are feeding the birds.

Mothers Day Fundraiser

I came up with a great idea today. I was watching Mike read a story in our local paper about the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. They are raising money to build a house in South Tillamook County. So I nudged Mike into raising funds for Tillamook Habitat for Humanity.

The Craftsman B&B thinks you should treat your Mother to a stay at the B&B. Any gift certificate purchase made today through Mothers Day, we will donate 20% of the gift certificate amount to Tillamook Habitat for Humanity. The money raised will be directed toward the building of a house in South Tillamook County.

Mike and Laura know about how construction costs go after restoring this house and feel they will need money more than anything.

The Craftsman B&B suggests you hug your mom, or "mother of your children," as they say in the Soaps, and give her a gift certificate and help them build a strong community. You can purchase online at their secure website page, or call the B&B at 503-965-4574.

Earth Day 2009

Every year, Earth Day is on April 22nd. This year it is on a Wednesday, so there is a lot going on, events the weekend before and after, let's call it Earth Week.

So most of you know, my home, The Craftsman B&B is a certified green lodging property. So we do our best to be green every day, not just Earth Day.

So I'm not going to tell you what you should do on Earth Day, I just ask that you do something. If it's planting a tree, picking up litter or just learning more about a green practice. Google composting, or wind power. Find out if your utility has a home energy audit and sign up for it.

Green is a choice, all we ask is you decide to make that choice. Staying with us on the Oregon Coast or choosing lodging that is green when you travel is a good step. We don't charge more because we are green. We don't cut back on the service you get either. We think it's a smarter way to run our business and we get back what we put into it.

So with that, do something for Earth Day, anything!

It's all about me!

Well, I have been asked a lot lately on how I have been doing. I'm glad to report that I'm doing great! I have reduced my pain pills to one dose a day and have become an expert hopper. I don't like the taste of the pills, so Mike puts them in peanut butter inside a bone. I am getting pretty good and finding the pills and will spit them out about 10% of the time. I don't get to go on many walks because I can't go too far. So the bank is about as far as I go. I don't go to Twist because the floors there are too slick for me. I also have a hard time turning right, as it's my left rear leg that I don't use.

Playing in the yard has become the latest activity for me, just like when I was a puppy. Mike takes me out every day and I fetch a found tennis ball for a few minutes. I still go around and mark everything in sight, or should I say, smell. I have to patrol the yard counter clockwise as I can only lift the left leg to do my thing.

I am no longer allowed to help the guests check into their rooms. The main staircase is all wood and too many steps. I have had a few failed attempts, and I had a successful trip up the stairs last week. Mike got mad at me, so now I just wait at the bottom on the stairs, laying on the rose inlay in the floor.

So don't feel too sorry for me, I did catch a cat last week. I was out on patrol in the yard and spotted a cat, I chased it up on to the deck and it was on the railing. I just want to be friends, but I don't think the cats around here understand that. This cat was hissing at me when I tried to smell it. Then Mike came out and sent me off the deck to chill by the greenhouse. He went over to rescue the cat, but it ran into the corner of the fence, thinking it could squeeze out, probably the way it got in to the yard. Well the stress the cat was in clouded it's judgement and I had to find out what all the fuss was, so I ran up to the cat and pinned it to the ground with my front foot. I have done this before and I must say, I am getting quite good at it. I only got a few whiffs in before Mike told me to leave it and this time the cat had enough adrenaline to hop to the top of the fence. I haven't seen it again!

So life here at The Craftsman B&B in Pacific City is pretty good for me. I have slowed down a bit, but still able to get to roam the yard and hop up onto the couch.