I have been dancing around the idea of a blog for so long, and finally settled on the theme that fuels my muse like no other: the
Recycling Barn in my small town of
Bowdoinham, Maine. I go to the barn each week to recycle my mixed paper, my plastics (No. 1-7), my newsprint, Styrofoam and items that I am no longer in love with. I launch these items and take other things home with me from the barn’s “Gift Shop” or put-and-take area. For some of us, the "Gift Shop" is the heart and soul of the barn; Open shelving to put your once-loved-but now-not-so-much items, lots of room for books and 3 big bins for clothes, shoes and toys.On each visit to the barn, I try very hard to stick to the simple rule:
Drop Off More Than You Take Home. Often the rule is broken with the simple justification that I will make something wonderful with what I have found. In this blog I hope to chronicle that process; what some have called “upcycling” or “repurposing.” I hope to share with my readers (will there be readers?) the joyous process of finding something discarded and giving it new life. I am not alone in this quest. My little village is chock full of people doing the same thing. I will invite them to share their stuff, too. So there it is, my first post. I dedicate this post to Ramona (pictured above), who was working at the barn one particular day when I was ooohing or aaahhhing over some treasure I had found, overheard my joy and said "Kate, that's why we call this place 'The Barn of Opportunity'!" I hope you will enjoy my posts and join me in the great quest to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
I have been dancing around the idea of a blog for so long, and finally settled on the theme that fuels my muse like no other: the Recycling Barn in my small town of Bowdoinham, Maine. I go to the barn each week to recycle my mixed paper, my plastics (No. 1-7), my newsprint, Styrofoam and items that I am no longer in love with. I launch these items and take other things home with me from the barn’s “Gift Shop” or put-and-take area. For some of us, the "Gift Shop" is the heart and soul of the barn; Open shelving to put your once-loved-but now-not-so-much items, lots of room for books and 3 big bins for clothes, shoes and toys.On each visit to the barn, I try very hard to stick to the simple rule: Drop Off More Than You Take Home. Often the rule is broken with the simple justification that I will make something wonderful with what I have found. In this blog I hope to chronicle that process; what some have called “upcycling” or “repurposing.” I hope to share with my readers (will there be readers?) the joyous process of finding something discarded and giving it new life. I am not alone in this quest. My little village is chock full of people doing the same thing. I will invite them to share their stuff, too. So there it is, my first post. I dedicate this post to Ramona (pictured above), who was working at the barn one particular day when I was ooohing or aaahhhing over some treasure I had found, overheard my joy and said "Kate, that's why we call this place 'The Barn of Opportunity'!" I hope you will enjoy my posts and join me in the great quest to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
