bigger gas prices and smaller cars

i grew up pretty much every summer of my life on a small farm in rural quebec. and we spent parts of a few and one solid winter up there....never again. it was so cold. so snowy. so dark. a great expereince as kids, and i don't have unhappy memories of the winter, but i think my parents probably felt a little more sheltered. the gravel roads were snowpacked and icy most of the winter, that was when we coudl reach the road. our 1/4 miles driveway was snowed over for most of the winter. but when we did manage to get out, the grocercy store was hoppping on friday nights, people were socializing at the local french fry cantine and life continued as usual. people were bopping all around the roads in their tiny, and i mean tiny, cars. everyone there drove (for for the most part, still drives) small cars. i think it was mainly a function of economy; there wasn't/isn't a lot of money in that area, or in most of quebec and so people just bought smaller, cheaper vehicles. and, though i never thought of it at the time, much more fuel efficient vehicles.

now, gas prices are sky rocketing here in the US. i filled my little tercel up with $3.23 per gallon gas yesterday. it definitely makes me think twice before driving into town for something that could wait until tomorrow. but, i felt slightly better when my dad came home yesterday. he'd been in quebec for a few weeks and gas there is $4.74 per gallon...though they sell it by litres so it seems cheaper. so, we shouldn't complain.

not that i mind paying more...i think gas should be less subsidized and cost more, reflecting the actual cost of fuel, and hopefully people will act accordingly...use less fuel, buy smaller cars. (though, i do regret the oil companies just lining their pockets...continuously!) WHY do people think they need some fancy, gas guzzling, 4wd, vehicle to survive here (here as in all over the US). the only time we use 4wd in colorado is on the rocky roads in the mountains where you need high clearance and it's either 4wd, or off you go over a cliff. which brings me back to quebec... people drive fine in these tiny cars, over snow and gravel and ice. and use way less gas on average than we do. so, what's the deal? why are americans so caught up in this mind set that we need a big vehicle to survive out there?

and stretch hummers? ...don't even get me going...

vegan blog site

mmm. so, i'm not vegan, just vegetarian. but i thought this was a fun little blog with a random assortment of vegan treat recipes. Shmooed Food. and while we're at it, here's another site that has vegan ice cream recipes. Vegan Icecream Paradise. mmm. here's to a nice rainy weekend with lots of time to experiment with cooking up new, good-for-you-good-for-the-earth food. yum yum.