Green Thumbs

o our garden is growing! We have some agressive little plants on our hands. Our watermelon is about to take over our garden (note to self: don't plant it in the middle next time). We are starting to get flowers on the plants which means the actual fruits and vegetables are on their way! And we didn't even use any fertilizer or magical potions. Hopefully the growth won't stop here! We had only one plant that didn't make it..red peppers. That's ok though, our watermelon needs the extra room to spread.

A Weekend of Varied Emotions

This past weekend one of my best friends, Lindsey, got married to an amazing man. So we went up to northern Indiana. It was a fun yet challenging weekend. Being her right hand woman was an honor. I was happy for her, and a bit envious of that chapter of life..new and exciting. Getting married you feel like your life has just begun and that the amount of love you feel at that moment could make you do anything. I missed that feeling. Not that being married for 3 and a half years has taken that away, it's just different, I think most "marrieds" would agree. Plus, who doesn't want to go to a Sandals resort in Jamaica for a week?!

Trish was there too. She is a "comfortable" that always puts me at ease no matter what. I am so glad she was there!

Then I got to see a dear dear part of my heart, Amy, who I had not seen in almost 4 years since the day of my wedding. As soon as we saw each other it was like we had never even been apart. I felt, once again the completeness that TRUE, real friendship gives. I met her daughter, Lily, who is probably the smartest most verbal child I have ever met. She loved John, or John McCain as she called him, and they began playing immediately. I felt assured by his interaction with her. He is a natural at connecting with little ones. I look forward to that period of life when we have our own kids. That feeling of something to look forward to, and adventure ahead is now rekindled in me. Being in Winona Lake altogether was surreal and strange. So much happened during college. Every area of my life went from one extreme to another during those years and as soon as I pulled into town a wall of weirdness hit me. I was up and down the whole weekend. Every point of that campus and town held a memory of some sort. Many of which I hadn't recalled in years and wasn't too jazzed to experience again an others which brought warmness in remembering.

All in all, the weekend was a "worlds colliding" moment. It was good to remember, good to be back and good to leave it behind all at the same time.

I'm Lovin' It!

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I love coffee. It's pretty obvious, if you know me. But I adore GOOD coffee. The premeasured stuff is NO GOOD and I can't say much for flavored coffees, they leave me with weird tastes in my mouth and while they smell nice, they aren't my favorite. My Papaw always had a pot on (Mexicans need a constant coffee drip, it's in the blood). So when I would go over to Nana and Papaw's house I got coffee too, never mind that I was 4. From then on, I have been short and addicted! I'm not complaining though. Surprise! I LOVE McDonald's coffee! If I was given the choice between Starbuck's and McD's I'd choose the latter. It's great. Who knew that Ronald would make much such a delicious brew!? ( I believe Ronald McD invents all of the McD food..) I just love it

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Growth

Yay for growing green things!

The rain has been sort of annoying but is doing amazing things for the garden and my flowers. I guess the sinus trouble is worth the prettiness the rain and sun combo produces!

Green Moves Me

"..if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, Rejoice, for your soul is alive.” Eleanore Duse

Our garden is a bit sparse looking but it's on its way. We both were so excited when we saw the little bean bud pop up. They say that if you can raise a plant you can have kids..hmm. Something to think about! Anyway, we both felt pretty accomplished for just getting the seed to germinate and sprout successfully! Along with the watchful eye of Miguel our plastic owl,

John(nyappleseed) is doing a fine job of upkeeping the garden. We are trying to keep this organic becuase John found out from his science professor that plants make their own food so there really isn't such a thing as plant food, atleast not apart from what is already available from you plants. And for that reason we aren't fertilizing with any Miracle-so-and-so. We put the water from our steamed veggies on it, used coffee grounds, egg shells..it's like a mini compost without the official heap. Let'e hope our buds turn into actual food!

We are growing : three different kinds of tomoatoes, a watermelon, beans, peppers, peas, zuchinni and some other things I've forgotten.

My flowers are sad looking. I don't know why. Last year I did the exact same thing and they flourished. This year, they droop- any suggestions for reviving my fleurs would be great. The only thing I can figure is that I was home all of the time last year and not working so I tended to them, talked to them, spritzed them often. They weren't as lonely. Hopefully they perk up!

Changes

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies.

Light Green

I am trying to take steps to be more GREEN...

however, the occasional cat food can makes it into the trash.

So I have decided I am "light green"

almost but not quite..

• we are thinking about composting

• I love nature- that counts for something.

• we are trying to grow our own veggies this summer (pre planted in poo pots)

• we recycle

• I planted 2 trees last summer and John mowed them down (poor wittle twees!)

• we use those swirly light bulbs that reduce GHG's

• I've boycotted buying plastic bottles..(john isn't caught up yet)

• I try not to not get plastic bags anymore..I've invested in the recycled paperish-cloth bags at the grocery store. But throwing away the plastic bags (the cat litter bags) is another story.

• We've switched a majority of our cleaning products to naturally based ones-

I recommend Clorox Greenworks, Seventh Generation, Method, Mrs Meyers Clean Day (they have amazing aromatherapy formulas- you don't get that "oh-my -nose-hairs-just-burned-out-from-the-smell-of-this-cleaning-product-and-I-think-I-may-have-cancer-now" feeling)

• any suggestions?

Our cat litter is NOT SO NATURAL...whatever takes the stink away is what we buy..we tried pine chips and cedar chips and the cats looked at us like we were the dumbest humans in the whole wide world and refused to use their 'facilities'..this is one thing I really want to change though. I am a crazy cat lady, I admit it, but I'm pretty sure that cat litter causes cancer in some cats and I want to make sure my two aren't in that number..

These are the the things I want to do

1. Stop eating fast food

reason #1 my hips

reason#2 they are one of the top producers trash mountains. ( I doubt that this will happen b/c I love a good nugget -I'll just be responsible with MY trash)

2. Stop buying aerosols..however, my hair would not poof as well without it..

3.Get a hybrid car

4. Stop eating processed, chemically altered foods

5. Start yelling at litter bugs