You’re standing on the bath mat, dripping, holding a soggy towel, and the little clock in your head is ticking toward checkout. Do you drop it on the floor and look like you were raised in a barn? Or drape it over the tub so someone thinks kindly of you on the way out? I’ve … Read more
I bought my first rain barrel on a whim, wedged it under the downspout by the back porch, and felt oddly rebellious about it. Then a neighbor said something offhand about people getting arrested for that sort of thing. I laughed. Later that night I found myself googling it anyway, because the internet loves a … Read more
If I could have things my way, I would sleep with a mountain of quilts, duvets, and pillows. However, my husband isn’t someone who’s perpetually cold like I am, so our bed situation is pretty straightforward – fitted sheet, top sheet, one pillow each, and a thin quilt. If your bed setup is also along … Read more
I cut open a can of Spam one day and right away saw white lumps of fat in the Spam. My initial reaction was that they looked like mold. I just stood there staring at them, questioning if I had possibly ruined my lunch. If you have ever found white specks in your canned meat … Read more
There I was, standing over the trash can with a rinsed sandwich bag pinched between two fingers, doing that little internal math everyone does. Toss it and feel wasteful? Or keep it and feel vaguely unhygienic? I hovered there way too long. And honestly, that tiny stalemate is exactly why I finally sat down to figure … Read more
You’re out enjoying a walk. You’re minding your own business, maybe heading to the park or taking the long way home, and you see a dog with a yellow ribbon tied to its collar. Not a bow you would get for a holiday or an accessory. Just a yellow ribbon. You might stop for a … Read more
So, here’s a thing I have wondered, and I bet you have too. When you finish a shower, when it is warm and a bit steamy, you stand there and think, do I leave the door wide open? Should I let the steam come out, or do I close the door? Do I let the room stew … Read more
When you go out to eat at a restaurant, you’re usually asked by a server if you’d prefer flat water, sparkling water, or lemon water. And while lemon water offers a ton of natural health benefits, you might want to stick to drinking it at home. According to a number of studies, lemon water served at … Read more
How many times have you opened up your microwave and wondered what that peculiar little plastic ring is doing beneath that glass turntable? Probably never, right? It’s just… there. Quietly existing. And most people don’t even give it a second glance, much less wonder what it actually does. But here’s the fun part: that plain-looking … Read more
I have a fear of water—a phobia actually—oceans, seas, large bodies of water, and drowning in general. The first time I went to the sea with my family, I was probably 13 or 14 years old. I waded into the water with my mother and when she said, “Go ahead, put your face in the … Read more