OK, I know I’ve technically wrapped up ye ol’ Green as a Thistle, but something very exciting happened! Those who’ve read Sleeping Naked is Green through to the end will know that the epilogue is all about how one of my best friends became my boyfriend. Well, now my boyfriend is also my fiancé! Yep, he proposed while we were on vacation, sitting in a hot tub on the deck of a treehouse (which had a solar-powered composting toilet… but that’s another story). He didn’t yet have a ring, so he reached over and grabbed a palm frond instead:
We’re both very giddy and stupid in love. Already in full eco-wedding planning mode… but again, that’s another story (or maybe another blog). Hoping all of you are keeping happy and healthy and green.
– Vanessa
Green as a Thistle 
Awwwwwwww!!! Congratulations, Vanessa. I’m so happy for you!
Congratulations, Vanessa! AWESOME ring.
Btw, if you decide to wear jewelry, there are a few eco options out there (I have one made of recycled gold, there are also fair trade options and of course non-blood-diamond options).
So happy for you! Have fun planning your eco-wedding!! Can’t wait to hear about it. 😉
Thanks, guys! And not to worry, Melinda — he ended up giving me his great-grandmother’s ring, so there was no need for any new diamonds or gold. 🙂
That’s so great congratulations! I would love to read about it if you find the time to write!!
Funny Internet story….I actually found out last week that you were engaged! Since I follow MushyPony on twitter, I read that you and your sister went dress shopping. And now that I just feel like a total cyber stalker, I would just like to say that I’m very glad you decided to blog about the amazing news!
Also, if you’re looking for some wedding inspiration my sister writes a blog about wedding themes! www. arneriinspirations.blogspot.com
Now that I have completely used social media to communicate with you, I will perhaps go meet an actual person for coffee!
Heh. I just got back from my pilates class, and Erica hollered “So much happened while you were gone! Thistle posted!” Since I knew you were retired, I figured out pretty quick it must be big news 🙂 I’m so happy for you!
Having never actually walked down an aisle, other than as a bridesmaid, I always like to hear wedding horror stories that reinforce my complete lack of desire to have any sort of wedding. (Not that I’m expecting your wedding to have horror stories…but dude. THEY ALWAYS DO.) New blog! New blog!
That’s awesome! I had to do a double take when I saw you had a new post. Congratulations. If you decided to start blogging again (or just update this one from time to time) that would also be great!
Awwwww, that’s sweet! Mucho congrats!!!!
Congratulations! Glad I don’t remove old blogs off my reader. You should most definitely start a new blog or revive this on to focus on your eco-wedding planning. That would be so interesting and would be a great example for other people!! Yes Yes Yes!
AWESOME!!!!
that ring is so public tomorrow
Parabéns!! Congratulations! Hope you continue the blog, or a new one.
Congratulations! 🙂
Mazel Tov. An engagement and a potential sequel!
wonderful news, may you be as happy and blessed as we are, married 44 years.
Congratulations, Vanessa!
finished your book and came here to see your blog. it’s was funny to find a new ending 🙂
congratulations!
I also just finished reading your book (which you will be proud to know that I purchased at a used book store 😉 and came here to check it out and share how much I enjoyed your book!
What a BEAUITFUL ending to such a great adventure! Congratulations and best of luck with all the planning and loving! 😉
Namaste!
Vanessa, I am soooooo happy for you. I love what you’ve done with your book and with this blog. It’s so cool to see everything working out for you in your personal life too!!
Congratulations!! I’m actually now reading your book and found out the good news on this web site before I finished reading the book. Oooops!! 😉
Congratulations! Talk about instant sequel, I just finished your book two minutes ago! It’s about to change my life; I think it’s about time I practice what I preach and green up.
Thank you!
Congrats!!!! You should have kept the green ring 😉
Re some green wedding planning blog title ideas – ‘My Big Fat Green Wedding’ has already been done but ‘We’re Making it o’ thistle’ would be even worse. Maybe ‘Non Compost Mentis’?? I’ll have to get back to you…
[At least it won’t be an Apple-themed wedding like a friend of mine’s. ‘iDo’ just doesn’t.]
Congrats!
YES!!! I was so hoping for this! Excited for you both!
Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. I hope this new chapter in your life will lead to a new outlook on the problem of sustainable living. The Green movement as it stands is akin to a fad diet. Full of promise, but misguided, unscientific, and ultimately pointless. I suggest you look at what some are calling the Turquoise approach. There is a good article in yesterday’s New York Times (For Earth Day, 7 New Rules to Live By, John Tierney).
It includes these undeniable truths:
–“Let them eat organic” is not a global option.
–Frankenfood, like Frankenstein, is fiction.
–“Green” energy hasn’t done much for greenery — or anything else.
I think it’s time for the Green movement to marry up with reality.
Congrats Vanessa! A blog about your wedding would be great, but another book would be even better! Please keep us posted 🙂
Thanks, everyone!! I actually did keep the palm frond… although it’s kind of dried up now. And as much as I’m tempted to start up some green-wedding blog, we’re hoping to tie the knot in August or September — so there won’t be a long, 12-month engagement period or anything. Think I’ll just enjoy the process without publicly documenting every aspect of it.
Savouring all the good vibes! xoxo
I finished reading your book a couple days ago, and loved it! Congrats on the engagement, I’m so happy for you!! You’re an awesome writer, so if you ever write another book, Green or not keep us posted!! Good luck planning the wedding 🙂
Congratulations! So glad I check here every so often to see if just maybe there is a new post! May your future be blessed with much health and happiness (and, of course, eco-friendly choices!).
Congratulations!!!
Or in portuguese: Parabéns!!!
All the hapiness in the world for you.
from your fan and follower…
CONGRATS!!! I read your book and i was rooting for the two of you to get together from the first time you mentioned him. yay!
you really HAVE to write a blog on green weddings! Have you ever seen the show “Rich Bride Poor Bride”? It’s awful how wasteful (and over priced, but that’s another story…) the wedding industry is! Maybe you’d be able to inspire the wedding phenomena to shape up a little. (and I secretly want to steal tips and ideas from you when I get married)
anyways, best of luck on your new life together.
PS thank you for your book, I’ve gone through a couple of years verging on melancholic apathy. You have re-kindled the green in me.
Greetings from Ottawa! I found your book completely by chance at the Central library and I wouldn’t allow myself to read your blog until I finished the book (in case of spoilers, of course). It’s enlightening to know I’m not the only one out there actively trying to green-up my lifestyle. I’m affectionate known as the organic health nerd by colleagues and beau alike, and thanks to the inspiration of your book my life is about to get a whole lot more nerdier.
I highly petition for Sleeping Naked is Green: The Sequel.
Oh yeah, and congrats on the engagement! I couldn’t stop fawning over your book that I completely forgot and rambled on like a complete dork, obviously
Hi Vanessa! Congratulations on the engagement!
I literally just finished reading your book two minutes ago so it’s nice to get the post-epilogue happy ending update 🙂
Thanks so much for writing your book – I read about it on the “Green is Sexy” website, ordered it immediately and, though I’m pretty sure that having a book shipped from the US to France is not green at all, I enjoyed reading it a lot.
You (and no Impact Man) inspired me to take small steps, like giving up on bottled water, buying organic and fair trade clothing and taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and I hope to keep my efforts up for the sake of Gaia 😛
Anyway, I’ll let everybody around me know about “Sleeping Naked Is Green”, your commitment deserves advertising.
Wishing you the best of luck for the future (and congratulations again!).
Hi Vanessa, I just finished reading your book yesterday and immediately upon finishing it went to your site. It was a perfect finish – I was hoping to get some follow up news! Congratulations.
Your book was very informative and entertaining – I enjoyed it to the last drop, with several laugh out loud moments! Thanks for that. You are an excellent writer and I look forward to reading more of you work in the future!
Awesome news about your engagement Vanessa. Congratulations. I hope you will write a blog about your upcoming nuptials and how to keep it green! Very sad to see the end of Green as a Thistle however, no doubt I am not alone when I say that your fan base is looking forward to the next incarnation – whatever it may be. You know you can’t leave us all in the lurch!
How green of him! May you both be very happy together.
You’re going to put a note here pointing to your next project, I hope!
greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen wonderful
PLLLLLEASE do a blog about your eco-friendly wedding. My boyfriend is about to propose (saw the ring…whoops) and I need ideas!
Vanessa, congratulations! That is so good to know 🙂 Sleeping Naked is Green was the most interesting book I’d had assigned to me thus far in my college career. It was not only a breath of fresh air, but it was so inspiring! I’ve integrated a lot of eco-friendly changes in my life, all thanks to you! once again, congrats! hope everything works out 🙂
YAY! The happy ending you deserve! I read your book for my AP Environmental Science Class assignment and couldn’t put it down! Your book was great and I am so happy about how everything turned out for you. Keep us all up to date on how the wedding goes and thanks for showing me all the things we can do to be green! Continue writing because your book was again great. Favorite line was about the Sense of Balance person shortened to SOB. I laughed so hard. Many people in my AP class are following me and I have seen several copies popping up at my school. I hope everything works out well for you and won’t forget sleeping naked is green.
Yes yes! Please do blog! I am very curious about how different people are organizing their green weddings.
Congratulations!
So, I’ve had you’re book(Sleeping naked is green) just sitting around until I’ve finally had time to read it. About a year ago i started doing things to greenify my life as well and I’m only on page 59 of your book and it’s inspiring me even more to make a difference!
You are one of the most real eco-friendly people I know. You see every side to everything and I think that’s really cool! Glad to hear you’re getting married though! congratz!
Wow! How sweet Vanessa.. congratulations!!
Even if your ring is just a palm it doesn’t matter, the most important is that the value that it has.
Hi, I stumbled upon your site and saw that you were getting married. You might want to check out http://www.thistlefarms.org for some eco-friendly, socially-conscious options. Seems like a natural fit! Congrats and good luck! Peace, Deb
I finished your book a week ago and finally checked out your website. I am so thrilled about the new happy end – or should I say beginning! May you keep each other warm for years to come 🙂
Best wishes to both of you from two Torontonians who jumped ship to do the organic farm thing.
Karen
Congratulations!
I picked up a copy of your book last year when I was in Canada and I have just finished reading it for the third time. I really enjoyed the book and it is a pity I did not know about the blog until after you had finished the challenge. Thanks for all the great ideas!
I hope you do another blog sometime in the near future!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
congrats Vanessa!!:)
I read your book and haven’t been on you’r blog before. still, congrats!
Weird how I happened upon this today – my parents anniversary. Congrats and thanks so much for writing your book (and for my library for buying it). Toronto seems like a real eco friendly place compared to Illinois as far as I can tell, which I suppose isn’t too much as age has crippled me.
Great ring too, I’ve been trying to make the jewelry I design more eco friendly, though not as eco friendly as a plant I must say.
Hi! From Portugal, i just read finaly your book about this week in half day, and i have adore!
Congratulations.
Vanessa i think in make you an enterview for our website…its possible…in english of course, then i translate to portuguese.
ecoKiss
LOVE THIS!!! Congratulations!
That is the best engagement ring I’ve ever seen. Just finished reading your book and this is my first time on your blog. Don’t know what took me so long. Anyway, LOVED your book and all of the tips it gave me. Congrats on the engagement! Best of luck to you!!
That is beyond beautiful! I just finished reading your book (like 90% of the other people who recently posted) and was truly inspired. I’m an architecture student focusing on sustainable design, and reading your book totally opened my eyes to other ways to green my life as well. Congratulations on your amazing lifestyle change, book, and engagement!
I know this web page provides quality depending posts and additional data, is there any other site which offers these
things in quality?
The petals are bonded together to form a flower shape.
Paying homage to your family’s delectable culinary prowess can be a thoughtful gift for a mother, grandmother or mother-in-law as well.
Perfect Red Lipstick – Find out if this is for you.