The wind blew cooler temperatures our way overnight, and as a result I pulled on a sweatshirt + comfy pants this morning instead of the breezier clothing I've been wearing for months. These pieces feel really good + even better when I take a moment to appreciate the time + effort that went into finding pieces made with intention + care.

This week I walked through rei thinking I might find a cozy layer to take on a camping excursion. I looked at a lot of fabric content tags + felt so much dissonance of purpose: a whole store dedicated to outdoor activity packed full of clothing that is made to pollute it. Polyester reigns supreme in outdoor clothing today.

Years ago, my partner worked at rei, where he learned about gortex + was smitten. Today, gortex is banned in several states, because its waterproof finish comes from forever chemicals that have been linked to cancer. In April, the Environmental Protection Agency addressed exposure to forever chemicals by issuing legally enforceable drinking water standards. Using these standards, forever chemical bans have been proposed in many states, but Republican lawmakers stand in the way of their passing. The Republican candidate for the presidency has told us that he plans to dismantle the agency + his record clearly shows us what he is willing to do.

​And so...what started as a post about lovely loungewear:

• unbleached cotton is my new black   :)
• organic cotton forever (for farmers, for planet, for garment workers, for us!)

...has made a soft turn toward what's at stake this week here in the US. Please, please vote, if your citizenship allows. There are things to dislike about each candidate...but, make no mistake, the choice is between Harris + Trump. State + local elections have great importance as well. Don't waste the opportunity to influence the future we will all live in.

Much love,
​Jane

When I saw the ad for Woolaroo at Outerknown, I got excited...and then I just figured it would be like other brand's partly wool, partly plastic-fiber fleece. But...Outerknown DOES have a couple of 100% recycled wool options! 

It's happening! Brands that care about the fact that microfibers are a very real problem...are making moves away from polyester fibers. They still offer partly polyester options which does not show a complete commitment, but I did want to highlight the fact that there are starting to be options for those who want their fleece without the microfibers.

A couple other longer standing 100% wool options:

• ​Engel :: made in Germany
• Ibex :: "fair workplaces" for garment workers

All photos via links.

Love,
Jane

Warmer layers that are free from plastic (+ in a style I like) are not easy to find, so Driftless feels like a magical find. Driftless's tag line is "Farm to closet fleece for people who prefer not to wrap themselves in plastic". Yes, please.

Driftless prioritizes organic + regenerative materials sourced close to home. They use 100% wool fleece + organic cotton + wood buttons with the idea that after the garments have been used + cared for for a long time, they will return to the soil as nutrients. Made completely in the USA. 

All beautiful photos via Driftless.

I've been trying to tell myself that I am a healthy person who does healthy things. I'm not always sure how to do all the healthy things, but I'm trying to make moves in the right direction.

Lunches are not always my strength. I try to eat mostly whole foods, and I think a good meal involves vegetables + protein. Salads with protein are what I think of healthy people eating for lunch, but I don't always want to eat salad. Lately, my favorite lunch is a green smoothie + a protein. It's a sort of pre-chewed salad along with something to chew. :)

If we want to take smoothies with us to work, we can make them the day before + freeze them overnight. In the morning, we can put them in the fridge + they will soften again. My favorite combination is currently:

• frozen mango (or whatever frozen fruit I have on hand)
• fresh spinach
• a splash of coconut milk
• a little maca
• a little cinnamon
• protein powder
• a squeeze of date syrup
• cold water from the fridge

Our other current lunch go-tos are:

• overnight oats (made in the morning) currently with frozen blueberries, pecans, chai + oat milk 
• leftover supper, of course  :)

I like to keep my grocery list easy to remember, and it's easy enough to grab frozen fruit, fresh spinach and chicken (yes, we are eating a little chicken again...but mainly legumes + tofu) each week. The other ingredients last for a while, so don't need to be stocked often.

Love,
Jane

The evening ritual I am in pursuit of involves:

• connection
• stretching
• recording gratitude
• a good drink

My partner + I both work jobs that keep us on our feet with minds darting from task to task. By the time we get home, we just want to plop down + not move. This little set of rituals is helping us bring a bit more intention into our evenings. We'd pretty much already mastered the connection + the additional hydration, but we knew that an evening stretch could benefit our bodies.

We love our Vessel journalling + had been sporadically doing it on the weekends. When Jo mentioned that she had finished hers by doing it every night, I knew I wanted to bring it into my every day. 

My partner + I decided to take on this challenge together, and we talked through the reasons we weren't currently getting to all of these desirable actions on a daily basis. We agreed to a time that we'd both be ready in the morning + a time that we'd head off to bed at night (in order to not be too tired in the morning). Are we perfect? Nope. Have we managed to show up for our ritual reset more often than before? For sure! And that feels pretty great!

Love,
​Jane