Put A Cork In It!

What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?   

~ W. C. Fields

 

So, is yours one of those families who like to save corks?  Well, mine is.  It's a habit that seems to go on throughout the generations of my family.  At one point in time, I remember a scare about the worlds supply of natural cork running out and the eventuality of having only synthetic corks to use.  This, I must admit, is not something that I can verify nor have witnessed at all.  There seems to be no shortage of wine, and no shortage of natural cork.  

Still, I still continue my obsession with saving corks!  Several years back, my brother gifted us all with hotplates made from some of the corks he had collected.  This was especially appreciated since my brother's good taste afforded a nice display of a wide variety.  Kits for projects like this are available in many common house-ware stores.

It's always a good idea to have an end purpose in mind (like my brother's cork hotplates) for anything that you like to collect.  Collecting can be a fun pastime, but finding a way to enjoy and share your collections is a way to enrich your life.

  

Giving, Receiving and Giving Again

"And the tree was happy"

— Shel Silverstein (The Giving Tree)

The average American uses approximately one 100-foot-tall Douglas fir tree in paper 
and wood products per year.  - EPA Website statistic

Electronic correspondence is truly a wonder.  
We can keep in touch more than ever with our families, friends, associates, clients and acquaintences.
We are able to set up holiday, birthday, anniversary and special event reminders and then to follow up by sending an "e"-card to acknowledge them - amazing!
Yet, there are still many of us who enjoy checking the snail-mail box and and finding an actual piece of correspondence.  

For instance, the Hallmark company estimates that Americans send out approximately 57 million cards.  We will send about two and a half times that for Mother's Day.

Acknowledging important people in our lives 

in this time-honored and meaningful 

way can be a treasure more than any other "thing" we might give.

But giving doesn't have to stop there.  Our life cycles continue and it is important for us to continue to thank, honor and return the favor to the givers.

Here's how: 
Keep one manila envelope in a file.  Shred the envelopes and toss in the greeting cards you have received and are done with.  When the envelope is full, send it to St. Judes Ranch for Children to be made into new cards.  They accept all types of cards (Thank You, Get Well, Birthday, Mother's Day, etc).

The path to conservation starts on your doorstep.