i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;
this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings:
and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth.

e.e. cummings

Photography by Denise Blasor

TOILET TALK


Earth is in trouble:  pollution, global warming, severe droughts,
vanishing bee colonies, contaminated bodies of land and water,
diminishing fish stocks, depletion of natural resources, these
are just some of the issues the planet is facing.

As nations delay what needs to be done to handle these serious
concerns, we, as individuals,  need to get in the act. In fact, as
consumers we have a tremendous power to shape the
marketplace of supply & demand by buying products that are
mindful of the environment.

One such product is Scott Naturals Tube-Free Bathroom Tissue.

Bathroom tissue typically comes rolled up around a paper tube
but the Scott company hired engineers to develop a tubeless
toilet paper roll.

So what's the big deal?

According to the company, some 17 billion cardboard tubes
are thrown out each year and the tubeless toilet paper roll is
one way to cut down on this huge amount of waste.

Most of the tubes that are thrown out each year are not
 even recycled but end up in landfills and even sewage
 systems because of people who flush them down the toilet.

The tube-free toilet tissue is currently sold at Walmart but
as demand grows it is sure to be carried by many other
stores as well.

Scott Naturals Tube-Free Bathroom Tissue Mega Rolls,
400 sheets, 12 rolls for $8.87, or four rolls for $2.97.

   

Photography by Denise Blasor

 The hardest thing to see
is what is in front
of your
eyes.

Goethe

THE SIMPLE VEGANISTA

If you like trolling the internet for interesting
blogs about food, here is one worthy of your
attention: The Simple Veganista, devoted to
the vegan lifestyle.

In welcoming visitors to her site, creator Julie West

notes that  "Eating vegan is not about restrictions,
it's about creating new habits, healthy habits
that encompass the world around us making it a
better place for all."

Her recipes are simple and from the looks of
the pictures illustrating her choice dishes,
quite delectable.

So check it out: even if you don't turn into a vegan,
there are recipes you might like to incorporate into
your cooking repertoire for variety and health.

www.thesimpleveganista.blogspot.com

 A journey of a thousand miles
must begin
with a single step.
Lao Tsu

FISHMONGER ON LOIZA STREET

San Juan -- They call him Mr. Fish but his real name is
Nelson Lebrón and if you are looking for fresh fish,
then head over to Loiza Street where he keeps
shop on the street, au plein air, on Thursdays and
Saturdays.

 The fish is plucked from the sea by fishermen from
the town of Naguabo, on the eastern side of Puerto Rico.
Lebrón buys it at a fishtore located on that town's seafront;
he heads there early in the morning, just when the
fishermen are coming in with their catch. Then it's off
to San Juan to sell the fish.

He can usually be spotted on the block that is home to the
Banco Popular branch and Ferreteria Madrid, the hardware
store, across from Church's Chicken, or he might be a little
further up, outside the pawn shop on the corner of Jefferson
and Loiza St.

He waits for people to spot him, or maybe he'll approach
you and politely ask whether you might be interested in
some fresh fish.

The choice is varied: there's mahi-mahi, red snapper, grouper,

he may even have shrimp  and lobster, everything individually

wrapped in plastic bags stored in foam coolers filled with ice.
He also carries coconut arepas and pastelillos de chapin (trunk-
fish) made by a Naguabo cook.

Mr. Fish is an amiable fellow. He's been doing this for a long

time and he seems to have gotten to know many of the people
who frequent this section of Loiza St. where he does business.

And people have gotten to know him too. He was recently
written up in a blog devoted to Loiza St. He is definitely
a part of the street's charm.

But if you're looking for fish, don't come too late. Once
he starts selling around 10 a.m., it goes fast. And once the
last bag is sold, he's out, gone, and back to his home in
Naguabo.

One word frees us
of all the weight and
pain of life;
that word is love.

Sophocles

Photography by Denise Blasor

 ⓒ  2014 Lorraine Blasor All rights Reserved☂