nesting

Spring Has Sprung

The other day I was reaching into our big corner cupboard, in the kitchen, where we seem to store a lot of those items that don't get enough use or are just simply too large for any other space, and out popped this crazy tentacle.  At first I thought I had come across a dead mouse, or worse a rat. This long tale- like thing looked very much like a rat! Then I looked closer and remembered- Potatoes! Check out these guys.

Back in the winter I had stored some fingerling potatoes hoping that the depths and darkness of this cupboard may produce some 'offspring' and... sure enough! I was so excited, as I often buy my seedling potatoes from a supplier and had never tried from scratch.

So with Spring upon us, we planted them up, in our back lane raised beds, where root veggies and corn grow tall and lush all summer long. Raised beds against a south facing fence, 1' deep and 2' tall, are a great space saver for those with not a lot of 'garden bed' in their own back yard. Plus these veggies are all grown underground or in husks so the yucky lane dust doesn't effect them. So far no veggie thieves either!  This is our tribute to using every inch of our land. Because, well lets face it the garden doesn't have to stop inside the gate!

Ready. Set. Grow. Happy Easter everyone.

Summer Dreaming

Most of you who know me, know my minor obsession with Jack Johnson. I have been to his concerts in California, I own every album and surf dvd, I've book marked his site, and I have claimed that if he were to meet me, well we would just become best buds. So you can only imagine my excitement when I found out a month back that he had a new cd release out. Busy with meetings, I even subjected my mom to an hour long wait on ticket master for his upcoming summer show at UBC. Thanks mom!

After a long read of his updated site I am proud to learn, like other celebs, he has gone seriously eco conscious, recently recording his new album with 100% solar energy. So very cool! For further info check out his recently launched initiative to create a local and interactive network for change, at All at Once.

The yummy, soothing tunes and laid back surfer vibe that is, Jack, is about all I need right now to get me to warmer sunny days. So while the weather continues to remain bleak and winter-like (Is Spring really around the corner?) I will dream blissfully while listening to my ipod, about summer!

Seattle Garden Show 2008

With all this yucky rain, we have really been itching for spring and some garden inspiration. So, O and I headed down south to the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle. We took a break from it last year, so we were pretty excited to see what was in store for 08'. Lots of great goodies. We managed to complete it in a day and were definitely inspired by some great ideas. Some of the highlights:

1.0 Going Native:

It seemed a few years back the overall theme was bulb mania, this year it was replaced by lots of exhibits featuring indigenous plantings and mild mulches, which as we all know requires little maintenance and drought tolerance- an easy recipe for any urban gardener. One we loved: A Weekend Adventure- by New Leaf Creations.

2.0 Eat Your Greens:

Thanks to the Northwest Horticulture Society we were so thrilled to see that a large amount of the show was dedicated to kitchen gardens. From small container arrangements to large potagers this was definitely my favorite part of the show.

I was just as ecstatic when I saw the live chicken coop at the Seattle Urban Farm Co display. This was way to cool for its own good, with a vegetable garden lined brick pathway, edible green roof, mini orchard, farm kitchen and the beloved livestock. Way to go guys!

3.0 Contemporary Arrangements:

We always seem to gravitate to the modern, but there were so many great container arrangements this year. Check out these sleek planters.

 4.0 Think Green:

Sunset sponsors this event, so I felt like a kid in a candy shop trying to make sure we made enough time to hear some of the speaker series. The most memorable was, by one of their editors Lauren Bonar Swzey who spoke on the design savy sustainable gardens she has visited over the years. Can we say job envy!

5.0 Designer Spotting... And A Little Bit Of Crush Really:

To say that I didn't go bright red and a bit sweaty would be completely lying, when I got to meet one of my favorite international designers Jamie Durie. He was just as gorgeous and lovely in person. I talked with him for a bit about his books and even scored an autograph. O was thoroughly embarrassed for me.

6.0 Monrovia Plants:

Monrovia is in my opinion one of the best plant suppliers out there. If my long desired job at Sunset doesn't pan out, I think these guys would be my second choice. It was great to see some of the new species they have developed. Two that intrigued us were: Baby Bliss Flax Lilly and Wates Golden Pine. Now if only our nurseries carried more of their stock.

7.0 Farmers Rock:

We talked with some great suppliers in the 'Marketplace' but our favorite couple were from Half Moon Bay, CA. Farmer John Muller and his wife Eda run a pumpkin farm and and distribute Franchi old world heirloom seeds from Italy. We bought up some gems and successfully managed to smuggle them back home, yippee!

8.0 Classic Designs:

I have been on a serious search for some girlie- as- girlie- can- be- rain- boots. I finally found them at the Smith and Hawkins booth. As much as I am ready to see the rain disappear, maybe a few more days wouldn't hurt, so I can sport these cutsies.

9.0 Eco Friendly Products:

Two real interesting products caught our eyes. One is a non toxic organic pesticide spray that has packaging reminiscent of Method, called Pharm Solutions made locally in Washington State.

The other was a  5 gallon compost tea brewer made from a company called Keep It Simple.

10.0 A Resting Place:

After being on our feet all day we were ready for a seat and a tall one. We found the perfect answer in Ballard at Kings Hardware- a local watering hole that serves cold local brews and mini little burgers. A nice end to a great day.

 

Get Crackin'

It seems that I have come across a new idea for the 'Aloe Test Garden'. Call me crazy but I would love to house our very own Chicken Coupe. O thinks I'm nutz, and says that If I think the sound of an alarm clock is bad, then imagine chicken calls before sunrise. Crazy as it may be, how fun to have our own flock in the backyard, daily hunting for eggs and fresh home cooked omelette's all within a 50' radius. I would name my hens absurd names that your children would later thank you for saving them the humiliation. Names like: Lucinda-May, Carlita, Ruth and Matilda.

The other night over a family dinner we got onto the topic of chickens, the debate about brown eggs versus white, and if one was nutritiously better for you then the other- by the way the answer is, no. It seems that hens with white feathers and white earlobes lay white eggs, whereas hens with red feathers and matching-colored earlobes lay brown eggs. It got me pondering a somewhat, potentially city-dwelling question, that some farm bloggers out there may in fact laugh in my face.

If the hens know there is no rooster in site why do they continue to lay eggs? Could it be that these feathery ladies are not much different than their counter part female humans.

I will continue to plot out a spot in our back garden for my little girls and their ever so stylish house, nestled in between the unfinished shed and the tomato patch, quietly sitting where no city official or strata council member would ever  hear or see them. And in the meantime I will have to settle with my favorite brand from Capers: Rabbit RIver Farms where I can be assured the animals are treated fairly and get their daily run abouts, not too mention taste so very fresh! And I will continue to vicariously live through the postings from Sunset's blog, where in Menlow Park, California they are doing this very same thing.

Hotties

With all this cold weather and the daunting price of hydro these days, we have been trying to heat our home and office with alternative solutions. Aside from adding on more layers of clothing, buying woolly insulated socks, weatherstripping all the windows and doors, making soup for lunch, lighting fires at night, and dipping in a hot tub at the end of the day- what else can one do?

My favorite quick warm-me-up-its-so-cold trick, is a Hot Water Bottle. I swear this is the best method for super instant warmth. I have to admit this idea originated when I was visiting some family friends in England. They live on a beautiful country estate in a cottage house with very old heating. Their daily ritual when they get home is to put on the kettle, enough water for tea (of course!) and their individual hot water bottles- which they jokingly refer to as their "Hotties".

For a great weekend project find some soft vintage fabric or an old cashmere sweater and sew or knit a cover. It did however take me a while to find one- apparently other people in the city had the same idea, but now that I have it, the snowy cold days aren't feeling so bad after all.

Special Delivery

We have an old fashion mail box post at our house. You know the kind you see when you cross the border to the states. The ones that are on a stand, and have a little red flag to indicate when full. We found it at an old antique warehouse in seattle and fell in love with the idea. I can remember the first day we actually had the mailman deliver- we were very excited.

Well, I was just as excited when I reached in the other day and pulled out the 2008 Westcoast Seeds Catalogue. As many die hard gardeners can share, this is like Christmas all over again in January. Leafing through the juicy booklet, discovering new seed varieties and secretly plotting my vegetable patch somehow gets me through these dreary winter days. I must say the more I grow, the more I learn, and the more confident I get with seed planning. As there is only so much room in our little backyard, this year I am committed to growing only what we will actually eat. So for now the beautiful, colorful, big cabbages will have to find room in our perennial beds!

A few varieties I am looking forward to trying:

Beets- 'Chioggia' (Italian Herritage)
Broccoli- 'Purple Sprouting'
Carrots- 'Rainbow Blend'
Corn- 'Serendipity'
Eggplant- 'Fairytale'
Scallopini Squash- 'Sunburst'
Lettuces- 'Tangy Mesculan' and 'Buttercrunch'

Beauty Lost

   

I was recently on a walk, on one of our glorious Sunday afternoons and noticed two very alarming changes to our cityscape. One has occurred on 4th and Yew. The other on Drake and Seymour. The buildings are certainly heritage status, but what is going in- is far from that.

The once Koolhaus and Liberty stores are now being housed by Le Chateau and Shoppers Drug Mart. How is this allowed? More importantly how does it make any sense to de-beautify our streets, by adding two chain stores, into buildings that are both historically and architecturally distinctive?

This reminds me of when, Caban folded and turned into a warehouse type store that looks as though it has just set up shop temporarily- like those 3 week closing out sales you see dotted all over New York City. 10 more days, Everything must go!

I think we need more preservation in a city that is growing so rapidly. So whoever it is out there making these decisions- city official, whoever you are, consider this: Is it enough to retain a building because of its heritage, when the inside's soul and heart of the place, is lost?

A Mini Break

We took a few days to visit family down in Seattle and discovered a great neighbourhood called Ballard. It has wonderful restaurants, inspiring studio spaces and great window shopping. Some of the spots we loved were: Great Harvest Bread Company, Volterra, Blackbird, Greener Lifestyles, Tableau, Archie McPhee's, Olivine, and Twenty Twenty. We will be back again in about a month to head to the Seattle Garden Show and check out some more new hot spots. Now, if we could only get paid to travel!

Clean Sweep

There is something about January and the change into a new year that makes me want to clean house. Call me an organized nerd, but sorting through closets, pantries, cupboards and boxes makes me feel so good. There is something therapeutic about the process, and it reminds me about all the stuff that I have been collecting over the past year. It also gets me to evaluate for change.

I have to say that getting rid of the dirt and grime, although at the end pleasing, is not the fun part. But what has made this process actually- well, fun is my new obsession with eco-friendly products. Over the past year I have tested a few brands and have found some awesome results. The product that brings me most pleasure and a little smile each and every time I use it is, Method.

Not only is their packaging design savvy, their smells oh-so yummy, and their marketing ingenious people against dirty, they actually work too! So, if you haven't already become an addict, like me, go grab yourself some of this goodness. My absolute favourites are:

Method Daily Shower
Method Laundry Detergent
Method Dryer Cloths

Who knew cleaning could be so fun!

      

   

Turning A New Leaf

A New Year is upon us and with that always comes the sentiment of hope and a new breath for change. Like many of you I am sure, this step forward brings that overwhelming sense of resolution. So why is it, that this simple act of resolving, turns into a giant act of solving. Everyone is guilty of this. The long lists of changes we wish to make, habits we wish to break and new and wonderful lives we wish to lead.

There are the general ones that have no measurable effect at all:
Be more open.
Get in shape.
Volunteer.
Recycle.

And the concrete ones that will eventually crack after a month is up:
Eat 3 healthy meals a day.
Floss before bed each and every night.
Drink more water, less booze.
Take necessary vitamins daily.

So, as I attempt at some of the above and do plan to follow suit as best to my abilities, I am taking a different approach this year. O and I played this game the other morning. What will 2008 hold for you? In one word describe what you see for the year.

O said: Bigger
I said: Momentum

So with that we are off. 2008 here we come!