Cool off when it's HOTT!

Free things to do in Eugene, Oregon when it's too hott outside!!

~Visit the library! I know it sounds lame but with a library card you can:
-get on the internet
-choose from thousands of books
-enjoy air-conditioning and some great views
~Go out to the Human Societies and play with some pups. Most shelters will have pools for the pups to splash around in or slightly cooler rooms to play in.
~Head up to the rock slides, nearby lakes, or rivers for a dip. Swim at your own risk and always bring a buddy!
~Starbucks is so freakin crowded that they won't know if you sit in there without a drink.
~Your front yard! Put sunscreen on, turn on the sprinkler, and enjoy:)
~The mall, you don't have to buy anything and you can get good gift ideas for the not-as-far-as-you-think holiday season.
~Make some friends who have pools at their apartment complex.
~The ocean is a 45 minute drive for pure, cold saltwater. Bliss!
~There are many volunteer programs to get involved in that will put you in cooler situations such as volunteering at Planned Parenthood, hospitals, old-folks homes etc. Or better yet, visit your own old folks. There aren't many grandparents that don't have air-conditioning and they will probly feed you as well!

That's all I have for now. If you have any other suggestions that I can add to my list shoot me a tweet at twitter.com/Mariesleeps and I will add it with your name next to it! Thanks for reading:)

~Ky

My Photos are to be Featured!

So I attempted a new technique the other day called shift-tilt photography. It basically focuses one part of the photo while unfocusing the rest of it giving it a "miniature" feeling. It can make large buildings look like little models of those buildings. My third attempt at this technique was my favorite and I posted it on my twitter account so that others could see. On Twitter I am following a group called MyEugene. They loved my photo and asked to feature it and four others from my art website! Here are the five photos side by side:







Photos will be found at MyEugene.org

Enjoy!

~Ky

My First Year at the Oregon Country Fair

Oregon Country Fair

My first year at the Oregon Country Fair filled me with the whimsical feeling of being at Disneyland for the first time when you are five. There were interactive performers juggling bowling pins and Hindu Gods painted blue from head to toe. There were large colorful tents and stages; and tall pirates on stilts with raised benches for their raised bodies. There were little, tiny mushrooms and trees carved into tables and signs. Women dressed as fairies and men dressed as tigers waltzed by in character. There was people absolutely everywhere. Two year old princesses and 60 year old grandfathers were wondering the Oregon Country Fair.

It’s too large to even wrap your head around. In miles of thick forest the Oregon Country Fair is made up of little tunnels surrounded by trees that lead you to wide clearings occupied by stages. Food smells waft through the air along with the sound of music stimulating all your senses separately and yet all together. All of this excitement and unique scenes can only be found here at the Oregon Country Fair, and yet all around you is nature; trees, tall grass, and dirt. In the winter I imagine the magic is gone. Packed up like the tents and tables, booths and leftover food. Flooded with rain waters and dotted with bare trees, the fields filled with laughter would seem more like a lost memory.

After hearing about it for a few years I was so happy to be wondering the booths and natural aisles but so so sad to be missing some of my friends. To the ones I saw and spoke to; thank you. I was thinking about you throughout the weekend and I hope you had a wonderful time. Perhaps I will see you there next year.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup is a term we have all been hearing a lot of lately but what is it and why is it discussed so much? I'm going to tell you...

High Fructose Corn Syrup or HFCS is an alternative sweetener that is used in most foods to replace sugar. Now this doesn't sound too bad since people often cut sugar out of their diet to live healthier lives hence the reason we have Splenda and Sweet n Low. However, HFCS is obviously made from corn which is an iffy subject as far as American foods go.

Most corn that Americans eat and buy is grown buy large corporations who have bought land in other countries. The corn that these companies typically grow is genetically modified. Not sure what that means? I'll briefly explain. Scientists who work for these large companies such as Monsanto or Del Monte have been genetically modifying food so that it repels insects and they don't have to use as much pesticides. This is simply another way around the "We need to eat healthier" lifestyles that many Americans are trying to adopt. Something that is genetically modified but not sprayed with pesticides could be considered "organic" by some standards even though it's obviously not. Genetically modified foods and HFCS are mainly used in America and aren't seen elsewhere.

Another reason to avoid HFCS is it contains reactive carbonyls which are linked to tissue and cell damage that lead to diabetes even though there is no direct evidence that leads HFCS to diabetes. But hey! There is also no direct evidence that leads smoking cigarettes to lung cancer and we all know that many lifelong smokers get Emphysema!

Also, because so many large companies produce high amounts of corn for corn products that go into every other product it has a large impact on our poor environment.

The last and final reason that I researched to avoid HFCS is there is no significant metabolic difference between sugar and HFCS.

Hopefully by now you are saying, "Get that crap outta my cupboards and outta my life!" Sadly it is not that easy...because Americans are hypnotized by corporations advertising or lack thereof people don't have much control over the foods that are being sold on our grocery shelves. Where other countries are protesting mass-produced and mechanically separated beef or genetically modified corn we simply sit back and let million dollar companies give it to us. Almost %80 of grocery store foods contain HFCS. Lucky for you I am including a list of foods that do not contain HFCS...if you don't see a food on here that DOES NOT contain HFCS let me know and I will add it.

Sources for this list and information are at the bottom of the blog.

Foods that do NOT contain High Fructose Corn Syrup:

Baking and Cooking ingredients

Kellogg's Corn Flake Crumbs
Nabisco Oreo Cookie Crumbs
Shake n Bake - Tangy Honey Glaze
Shake n Bake - Honey Mustard Glaze
Stove Top Stuffing
Beverages:

A&W Root Beer
Capri-Sun Iced Tea
Capri-Sun Juice Drink
Capri-Sun Refreshers
Capri-Sun Sport Drink
Darigold Chocolate Milk
Hanson's All-Natural Soda (all flavors)
Hanson's Tonic Water
Jones Soda
Newman's Own Pink Lemonade
Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice
Orangenia
PowerAde
Snapple -Cranberry Raspberry Juice Drink
Sprite
Starbucks' Frappuccino
Thomas Kemper Soda's
Tropicana OrangeAde
Tropicana Smoothies
Village Lemonade

Breads:

Brownberry Breads
Pepperidge Farm's line of 100% whole grain breads
Sara Lee Heart Healthy Whole Grain Bread.
Thomas English Muffins
Wonderbread
Amana Multi Grain Bread
Aunt Millie’s Old Fashioned Butter-Top Wheat
Brownberry’s Arnold Natural Health Nut Bread
Country Hearth 12-Grain Bread
Earth Grains 100% Natural 7-Grain Bread
Milton’s Bread (most, if not all)
Natures Own 100% Whole Wheat bread (note, other varieties do contain HFCS, but not this one)
Oroweat Mult-Grain Bread (but watch out for HFCS in their other varietes)
Martin’s Breads & Rolls (including hot dog buns/rolls and such)
Pepperidge Farms 100% Natural Breads
Pepperidge Farms Whole Grain Wheat Bread
Rudi’s Organic Bakery Buns
Vermont Bread Company breads

Breakfast Cereals

Cheerios
Most Kellogs products
Giant brand Instant Oatmeal - most flavors
Kashi (most, if not all)
Kix
Life ceral (regular and cinnamon)
Nature’s Pride Organic (most, if not all, varieties)
Kellogg’s Reduced Sugar Froot Loops
Trader Joe’s Graham Bites Cereal
Kellogg's Cran-Vanilla Crunch
Post Blueberry Morning Cereal

Breakfast Pastries

Eggo Pancakes Buttermilk
Eggo Waf-Fulls Blueberry
Eggo Waf-Fulls Strawberry

Candy Bars:

Hershey's Watchamacallit
Most lifesavers
Optimum Opti-Pro Meal Lite Bar
PowerBar
Cadbury - Most Varieties
Hershey’s Symphony
Hershey’s 100 Calorie Wafer Bar
Hershey Skor Candy Bar
Hershey Special Dark Candy Bar
Dove - Most varieties

Condiments:

Heinz 57 Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Hunt's Catsup
Miracle Whip
Annie’s Naturals Organic Ketchup
Annie’s Naturals Organic Honey Mustard
Annie’s Naturals Smokey Maple BBQ Sauce
Cascadian Farms Sweet Pickle Relish
Frenchs Honey Dijon Mustard (I don’t think most regular mustard contains hfcs, but a lot of the “honey” mustard does, which is why I’m listing some honey mustards here that don’t.)
Frontera BBQ (Barbecue) Sauce
Gates BBQ Sauce (a barbecue sauce mainly found in the Kansas City area)
Heinz Organic Ketchup
Hellman’s Mayonaise
Meijer Organic Sweet Relish
Nature’s Best Organic Tomato Ketchup
Vlasic Sweet Gherkins
Woeber Sweet And Spicy Mustard
Consorzio Bbq Sauce Organic Original
Trader Joe’s Hot and Sweet Mustard

Cookies and Cakes:

Mos Kellogs products
Nabisco
Nutri-Grain
Grandma's Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies

Cough Syrups:

Delsym
Children's Dimetapp Decongestant Infant Drops
Children's Dimetapp Decongestant Plus Cough Infant Drops
Robitussin
Vicks
Pediatric Vicks 44E Cough & Congestion
Pediatric Vicks 44M Cough & Cold
Vicks Casero

Crackers:

Kraft Cheese Nips
Nabisco
Dare Vinta Crackers
Milton’s (most, if not all)
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish

Dairy:

Breakstones Cottage Cheese & Toppings - Peach
Breakstones Cottage Cheese & Toppings - Pineapple
Breyer's Yogurt -Fruit on the Bottom - Strawberry Lowfat
Cool Whip
Knudsen


Drink Mixers:
Saratoga Salsa Bloody Mare Mix (spelling is correct)
El Paso Chili Key Lime Margarita Mix

Frozen Foods:
Ben & Jerry’s (most, if not all, varieties, but watch for the kinds that add bits of candy bars and cookies)
Breyer’s All Natural Ice Cream
Dreyers/Edys Strawberry Fruit Ice Cream Bars
Haagen Dazs Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Bars
Breyers Pure Fruit Strawberry Fruit Bars
Stoneyfield Farms

Fruits and Vegetables:

B&M Original Baked Beans
Contadina Tomato Paste
Claussen Pickles
Del Monte canned petite diced tomatoes with italian seasonings
Del Monte Fruit Naturals Red Grapefruit
Heinz Pickle Relish
Mott's Applesauce
Mt. Olive Sweet Relish
Mt. Olive Bread and Butter Pickles
Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Jams, Jellies, and Syrups

Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
Knott's Boysenberry preserves
Smucker's Grape Jelly

Meats

Oscar Meyers

Pastries

Nabisco Nilla Wafer Pie Crust
Nabisco Oreo Pie Crust
Jello No-Bake - Chips Ahoy
Jello No-Bake - Oreo
Pepperidge Farm's Puff Pastry sheets

Salad Dressings:

Emeril's Italian Vinegrette
Kraft Salad Dressing
Maple Grove Farms Caesar Fat Free
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
Wishbone Ranch Dressing
Wish-Bone Classic Caesar
Annie’s Naturals Goddess Dressing
Annie’s Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
Blanchard & Blanchard (Country Italian & Caeser Parmesan)
Brianna’s Blush Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Drew’s Salad Dressings
Olde Cape Cod Traditional Caeser Lite

Sauces:

A1 Steak Sauce Marinade
Bull's Eye BBQ Sauce
Crazy Jerry's Alotta Bull BBQ Sauce - Torrid Toro (Hot
Holy Smoke - Sticky Wings Glaze
Holy Smoke - Bar B Q Glaze
Jim Beam Steak Sauce
Jim Beam Herb & Garlic Gourmet Marinade
Jim Beam Lemon & Herb Gourmet Marinade
Kraft Barbecue Sauce
Penn State Nittany Lions Lime Grilling Sauce
Pork Rubbers Original Competition BBQ Sauce
Tuttorosso
Virginia Gentleman Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Snacks:

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese Strawberry Cheesecake Bar
Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese Chocolate covered Strawberry Cheesecake Bar
Oscar Mayer Lunchables
Soda Pop
Bawls Guarana Soda (most varieties)
Boylan’s Sodas
Cheerwine (the glass bottle varieties)
Jones Pure Cane Soda
Goose Island
Dublin Dr. Pepper (Dr. Pepper from a bottling plant in Dublin, Texas)
Nantucket Nectars
Virgil’s Sodas (the cream, cherry and root beer varieties)

Soups
Campbells Vegatable soup (in microwaveable bowl)

Yogurt
Breyer’s
Brown Cow
Dannon All Natural Vanilla Yogurt
Dannon All Natural Coffee Yogurt
Dannon Lite & Fit Vanilla Yogurt
Great Value Light Nonfat Yogurt (most varieties, if not all)
Horizon Organic Fat Free Yogurt
Nancys Reduced Fat Plain
Nancy’s Whole Milk Honey Yogurt
Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt
Stoneyfield Farm Yobaby Yogurt
Tillamook yogurt

~http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup
~http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2005/06/09/foods_and_products_containing_high_fruct
~http://cookingschmooking.blogspot.com/2008/05/food-beverages-without-high-fructose.html

Grapevine Fires

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmpMQA0qfuM

I love this song! It's on Death Cabs New Album and the video just won an award at the L.A. Music Festival! It's called Grapevine Fires and it's based on a true story. For funsies I included the lyrics...

Grapevine Fires

The wind picked up, the fire spread.
The grapevine singing, left for dead.
The northern sky looked like the end of days, end of days.

The wake up call to a rented room.
Sounded like an alarm of impending doom.
To warn us it's only a matter of time.

Before we all burn...
Before we all burn...
Before we all burn...
Before we all burn.

Bought some wine and some paper cups,
Near your daughters school and we picked her up.
Drove to the cemetary on a hill, on a hill.

Watched the bullets paint the sky grey.
She laughed and danced through the field of graves.
There I knew we'd be alright.

Everything will be alright...
Will be alright...
Will be alright...
Will be alright.

News reports on the radio said it was getting worse.
As the ocean air fanned the flames.
But I couldn't think of anywhere I would've rather been.
To watch it all burn away.

To burn away...

The firemen worked in double shifts.
With prayers for rain on their lips.
They knew it was only a matter of time