So I guess when we do something day in and day out, we don’t realize that it could be completely foreign to someone else. Let’s take composting for example, well not for example because this whole post is going to be about composting but you get it. Anyway, for composting, we have a bucket under the sink, we throw our kitchen scraps in it without thinking anymore because it’s now apart of who we are. We take it out to the compost bin or to the chickens, again without thinking. Then someone asks as question like, can I put moldy fruit in my compost? My response is, um duh! Then I realize it may not be part of everyone’s daily routine and I should stop being a dick when I respond! So here it is, let’s get down and dirty about composting, I won’t be a dick I promise.

What is compost?

Composting is a way of recycling organic matter such as kitchen scraps, coffee grounds and leaves using an aerobic environment, which means the presence of oxygen is needed to thrive. Compost is used to fertilize plants and brings much needed good bacteria back to the soil.

What do you do with it?

Compost is made up of two parts, nitrogen and carbon. The ratio between these two elements really make a difference wth the way your compost will react. Most times when you set out to build a compost pile you think of this big pile of steamy beautiful goodness. But in reality you are wondering what in the world you did wrong. Don’t worry, we will talk about a sure way to get that steamy pile of goodness. There are a few methods to composting. I am going to talk about one here but first let’s find out what we can put in compost shall we.

What the F goes in compost?

Nitrogen material:

Coffee grounds

Banana peels

Egg shells

Avocado peels and seed

Fruit (All except citrus fruits)

Veggies

Tea bags

Carbon materials:

Napkins

Newspaper

Leaves

Straw

Sawdust

…I mean the list can really go on.

Here is what NOT to put in your compost:

Meat

Dairy (besides the egg shells)

Onions

Tomatoes

Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes….)

Can moldy foods go in the compost bin?

YES!!

That is what the food is going to be doing anyhow so throw it on in there yo!

But what about the flies?

One trick you can use is throw some shredded paper on top. Or lay some newspaper on top of each layer. This will not only keep the fly issue down but also the smell.

So, let’s move on to how we actually make this beautiful stuff for our garden. I am going to talk about, “Quick Method Composting” Are you ready?

Quick Method Composting

With this method we are going to make a mixture called Drunken Compost! Why is it called that? Because it’s fun, thats why!

First thing is first, find yourself a pile of compost. Preferably a 3 foot high pile. If you are impatient like we are, gather yourself up some leaves and some coffee grounds. This is really the basics of what you need. Now I am sure you may be thinking to yourself, “where do I find that many leaves and that much coffee grounds?” Well, start a raking yo! Rake your yard, rake your neighbors yard, rake the whole damn neighborhood. Don’t shake your head and giggle, this is how we acquired ours. My husband, after working his buns off all day, went around the neighborhood and gathered us up some leaves. Hey man, if you want it, you find a way.

Coffee grounds, seriously, any coffee shop should be cool enough to save their grounds for you to pick up at the end of the day. Just give them a call the day before or that morning. Make sure you give them plenty of time to gather some up. They won’t just have a plethora for you at a moments notice. Now on to the mixture.

Drunken Compost Mixture: 

1 12oz can coca cola (yes that is right coca cola, the kind you drink)

8oz ammonia

1 12oz can beer ( and you are right again my friend, BEER)

Sprayer We use this sprayer

What!?! Are you serious?

Yes, yes I am. Let’s break each of these ingredients down shall we.

Coca Cola: The sugar in the soda will attract much needed micro- organisms that help break down the materials in the compost. The acidity in the soda helps with this process as well.

Ammonia: Is a super high in nitrogen. Nitrogen is what helps heat up the carbon material within the compost pile. So this is where your heat will come from.

Beer: The yeast in beer helps to break down organic materials, particularly wood materials.

On with the mixture…

Mix this weird concoction in a sprayer. You do not want to just dump the ingredients listed above on your compost, you want a spray of evenly mixed ingredients.

Once you have your pile and you mixture made, start spraying your pile with the drunken mixture as you turn your compost. What does turning your compost mean?

I gotcha, see I told you I wasn’t going to be a dick!

Turning means you are going to use a shovel or a pitchfork and shovel your compost into a new pile. You want to start with the outsides of your compost, that way they are now on the inside of your new pile. You want each part of your compost to experience the warmth that is being created so that it breaks down properly. With composting you want to make sure you have enough room for two piles. Throughout this process you will be moving your pile back and forth.

 Now leave it to sit for four days.

After four days you are going to make this mixture again and turn your pile once more, spraying each turn with the mixture. Now let it sit for two days.

After two days make your mixture, turn your compost and spray each layer.

Repeat every two days for a total of 20 days.

This spray is considered nitrogen.  While you turn your pile, you have to add a nitrogenous material in between. This is what keeps it hot. And heat is what you need to create good pile of compost. If you would like a ratio, which many of us need. You need 80:20 ratio carbon to nitrogen. To put things into perspective, the leaves are carbon and the coffee grounds are nitrogen. Newspaper is carbon. Kitchen scraps are nitrogen.

As you turn your compost and as you get closer to 20 days, your pile will begin to steam. And BAM son, you just made yourself a pile of steamy goodness that all your plants are going to thrive with.

A little note before we go…

Sometimes your pile is not broken down 100%. It’s cool yo, just sift it out over a wheelbarrow or bucket before you use it and throw the chunks back into a new compost pile to further decompose.

Happy Composting!

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Lets talk fish fertilizer for a bit. Fish fertilizer is an organic option to have when wanting to replenish your soil with much needed nutrients. Unlike chemical fertilizers, all natural fish fertilizers continually provide nutrients into the soil through different stages. Chemical fertilizers are quick release fertilizers which means, it will act quickly but will not be able to sustain past a certain point after use. Fish fertilizer is a slow release fertilizer. That means there are different stages to the release of nutrients or beneficial properties. Fish fertilizer need to be digested by bacteria, fungi and earthworms before they can provide the soil and the plant with much needed nutrients. This system not only gives the soil nutrients but as the bacteria, fungi and earthworms move through the soil to eat the fish fertilizer, they are also aerating the soil. This gives the plant room to grow and thrive. Fish fertilizer has a balance of burn free nitrogen as well as potassium and phosphorus and a slow release of calcium. This balance of nutrients is a sure way to provide your plant and soil with all necessities to grow and thrive time after time.

Let’s dive into how to make this stuff up and how to use it.

How you make it?

What you are going to do is take an empty 1 gallon container, fill it with water and add 2 tablespoons of the fish fertilizer to it.

How you use it?

Use every 3 weeks during growing season by watering your plants with this mixture.

And that is it my friends. Now go out and fertilize your plants the natural healthy way. Utilizing Kelp fertilizer the same way as you would fish fertilizer can add more beneficial properties to your soil and plants. Mix the kelp concentrate with water and water your plants. It’s that easy.

Happy Fertilizing!

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So, I am going to be honest here. I tend to kill plants. I don’t mean to, I really love them. But holy moly I’ve killed more than I’d really like to say. I am sure my husband is shaking his head right now as he reads this. Possibly even rubbing his face with exhaustion. But you love me hunny, remember that. Anyway, the odd thing is that I have been able to keep orchids alive. Which I hear are ones that can feel close to  impossible to keep alive. For whatever reason I have been able to hang on to three little plants.

Well these three little ladies have been yelling at me to give them more space. So I did a little research and found some very interesting things.

1. Orchids do not grow in soil. They need ample space to grow so by using “medium” such as bark, moss and/or perlite, it gives the orchids exactly what they need to thrive. Enough coverage to stay protected but enough space and air to grow.
2. Orchids grow in the air. Their seeds are made to float in the air. However, they need a fungus called mycorrhiza in order to actually germinate.  Once germinated they eventually land on trees and continue to grow. Their long roots will grab much needed nutrients from the tree they attached themselves to.
3. They do not need to be watered often. They do not like to be wet constantly. This is why soil is not needed for them to thrive. They need air flow and room.

With all this in mind, let repot ourselves some orchids, shall we.

First thing to do is water your plant the day before so that all the roots are rehydrated but not soggy.

Then you want to build your “medium” which is essentially what protects the orchids root system, like what soil does for plants. I used a mixture of moss and tree mulch. Fill a bucket with however much needed and fill with water. Let the mixture soak for 15-30 minutes.

While your mixture is soaking, take your orchid out of its pot carefully. My roots were so overgrown that it took some massaging to get them loose. Once you have your orchid free, cut all roots that are black, hollow, or over grown. You want to use clean scissors or cutting shears, you do not want to transfer any diseases to the plant.

After you trim all the roots, sprinkle some cinnamon over the roots you cut. Cinnamon is a anti fungal. It will prohibit fungus or bacteria to enter the plant through the root system. After I put a little of my medium mixture on the bottom of the new pot, I sprinkled a little cinnamon on that to.

Place your orchid as high as the rim of the pot and fill the pot with your mixture. You want your plant to be stable. So if you think your are done filling it, take your pot and gently move the plant back and forth. If your plant does not move, then you are good to go. If it moves then pack more mixture in your pot.

There is no need to water your plant after repotting because your mixture had been soaking already. The plant will pull moisture from the bark, moss or perlite that you used. Over the next two weeks you will need to water a little more then usual but after that return to your normal watering schedule.

I have to admit, the thought of repotting my orchids scared me. I didn’t want to mess with them and chance killing my little beauties. I was nervous of the process until I actually researched it. But I have to say, it was super easy and my plants, fingers crossed, seem very happy in their new little homes.

So, if you have some orchids that have roots saying good morning to you everyday, get them into a bigger home yo!

Happy repotting!

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Mother Nature is an incredible mysterious being. She brings energy, life, questions, answers, beauty and everything in between to this world. She can be loud and intense. She can be peaceful and serene. She is everywhere and the more you accept and work with her, the more you feel connected and grounded. When you do right by her, she sends this energy toward you that allows you to feel, see and love. It is when you fight against her that you feel disconnected and confused. There is no rhyme or reason to her but if you allow yourself to be open and accepting, she shows you the answers you seek.

When gardening, or even just having a yard, there are so many factors that play into feeling “successful.” You want that perfect looking tomato with no blemishes. You want strawberries that don’t have any holes from bugs. You want the brightest most green grass on the block. Sometimes you go to any extent to have these things. Sometimes that involves using pesticides or other chemicals to achieve it. But what that can do is disrupt mother natures plan to keep everything in order.

Weeds in the garden feel like you’re going into war. You knock a couple out and feel like you have won. Then BAM, ten more follow in its place. But if you just stop for a second and allow Mother Nature to really speak to you, you will find that those weeds are there for a reason. Weeds are Mother Natures way of restoring balance to the earths soil. So we are here to say it loud and say it proud, “LET THE WEEDS LIVE YO!” Change that image in your head of that picture perfect garden. The garden with a white picket fence and perfect garden beds that stay neat and orderly. Having that image can really bum you out when reality hits. Weeds are here for a reason. To restore balance. To restore nutrients. To restore life. Each weed brings something different. Something that your soil is lacking.

I want you to stop and take a deep breath and look at the weeds that surround you. Are they all the same weed? Are they different? Is there the same weed in the same area? Do you see a pattern to the weeds? Do you notice that the same weed pops up at the same time of year? Do you notice that when you pull it this really long root comes up with it?

These are all questions that can lead into some really good reasons as to why your should let your weeds thrive. In permaculture, you allow nature to play its role and trust that she is providing exactly what is needed to create harmony and balance. Permaculture is the development of tiny little escosystems that allow the growth of sustainability and self sufficiency.  Allowing the weeds to do what they were intended to do, creates this system that requires less and less work on your end in the long run.

Each weed brings something beneficial to your soil. Let’s take a few common weeds and discuss why you want to let them live.

Dandelions (taraxacum officinale)

Besides having multiple medicinal properties and being edible, dandelions show up in gardens that have hardened clay soil. They have large tap roots that draw up nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, Iron and calcium. Having a large root system also helps break up that hardened soil creating a much more desirable growing area.

Oxalis strict (aka sour grass)

I think we all have experienced this weed as kids. Did you not stick this little bad boy in your mouth and find out it’s sour? Come on, admit it. My grandma use to tell me they were sour because dogs peed on them!?! That’s grandma for you. This little weed is actually edible and packed with vitamin C. It is also a nitrogen fixer for your soil. It helps pull nitrogen out of the air and bring it down into the soil by storing it in its roots. So instead of killing it off, enjoy a refreshingly sour treat and allow the magic to take place in your soil.

White clover (trifolium Repens)

Those clover like pedals and those little white flowers actually bring so many benefits to your garden. The white flowers attract bees, which help pollinate. The plant can be used as a ground cover, which helps retain moisture in the ground. It can also be used a nitrogen fixer.

Plantain (plantago major)

This little bad boy pops up where you have compaction in your soil. It has a tap root that allows air and other nutrients to go deep into the soil. Plantain is also a highly use medicinal herb. It is a great antibacterial and anti inflammatory. It helps speed up the recover process of wounds and insect bites.

Shepherds purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

This little weed takes care of the bugs. It has a sappy substance that attracts and traps insects. So if you are having some trouble with little bugs in the garden and you happen to notice this little weed around, it might be helping. Shepherds purse is actually edible, in moderation, and helps with reducing internal bleeding. It was also used during childbirth due to its ability to contact the uterus. Do not eat while pregnant.

Mallow (Malta neglecta)

This lovely little weed is found in moist soil. It is edible and quite delicious in salads. Mallow has a single tap root, which helps draw up nutrients from down below in the soil. Nutrients that you forgot you even had!

So what have you learned? LET THE WEEDS LIVE YO! There is nothing wrong with having life in your garden, no matter what kind. So take a deep breath in and allow Mother Nature to share her wisdom with you. She was here first, we just have to learn how to work with her and life will be alright.

Share your weed story with me. No, not that kind of weed story, a garden weed story silly. Leave a comment below or shoot me an email.

Happy weeding!

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Everyday I find something new in the garden. Something that has bloomed or sprouted. Something that says life is here. Our garden is slightly on hold due to our new little ladies, the chickens. We are waiting for a fence to be broken down just to be rebuilt back up in a different area. We are waiting for a new space to speak to us. A new canvas to be loved. But we still have all this life popping up. Every time I am out there I see more and more bees. Spreading pollen and love as they go from flower to flower. I see the few seedlings we have, starting to poke their life leaves through the straw they are under. I say it every time, it is the most peaceful place on earth.

This is a succulent, can you believe it. It is just the most vibrant shade of red you have ever seen. I see this every time I stand at my kitchen sink and it makes my heart smile.

Those little delicate purple buds are about to bloom delicate little flowers that are going to turn into the most deliciously sweet Meyer lemons.

Chard that seriously just melts in your mouth. We have been making salads with these chard leaves, beet leaves and kale and man oh man…..

Our little strawberry patch that is just loving life right now.

Can’t wait until this gets a little bigger to add to our salads.

Kale……I mean come on.

Yellow yarrow blooming like crazy.

Remember this little guy…..

It’s actually becoming a peppermint plant.

And do you remember this little branch…..

It’s actually got peaches growing on it.

It’s a full on tree, people.

And that big ol’ bush to the right of our little apple tree, is our goji berry bush that is seriously taking over the world. It is popping up everywhere.

That bout does it for my little walk through the garden. I continues to amaze me how this whole thing works. I feel so blessed every day that I get to experience the beauty that surrounds me.

As we began our journey we constantly talked about how we had to get out of here. We talked about Australia, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and landed on Oregon. We felt like we couldn’t do what we truly wanted to do unless we were somewhere else, on a huge piece of land. But then I look around and see what we have created and we are in it. Right here right now and to see that, I feel is a blessing. Sometimes I find myself longing to get out of here still. Then as I am talking about a story or sharing what we do, I get a comment like you are able to do all that where you are, you must have land? That is when it hits me, we don’t have land but yes we are doing it. And it feels amazing. I remember reading my homesteading blogs in the beginning wishing we had more so that we can live that kind of life. I am sure those thoughts might have popped into your head as well. But you can be living in an apartment in the city and still create this kind of life. It is all about how you utilize what you have to make it happen.

I am very proud of how far we have come and where we plan on going. No matter how small or big your homestead is, remember to stop and take it all in.

I would love to hear your journey, leave a comment below or email me and share. 

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Happy Living!

 

The day starts with a beautiful little voice yelling “daaaaddy, moooommy I’m awake.” Half eyed and still in a sleep daze he gets right out of bed to greet the beautiful soul we created. As I lay there waiting to cuddle with the sweetest thing in the world, I give my thanks to the higher energy that grants me this incredible life. Wild hair and all she climbs into bed with us. “How did you sleep baby?” “Like a princess!” She slides right under the covers and melts her little body in her mama and daddy’s bed. A place that she feels the safest, where nothing else in the world matters, where time literally stops and this moment is cherished. A little while later the sounds of little man stirring in his crib sound on the monitor. That’s our cue to get this day going.
We are greeted with the second most beautiful soul we created. These big blue eyes look up at you with the greatest smile. His whole 20 lb, dense little pound cake like body sinks into me as I pick him up and say good morning. Nothing else in the world matters.
Breakfast time is always entertaining. One side of the table is a screaming little chipmunk demanding more food before he starves. The other side you have a curly hair babes that has not touched a thing on her plate but is yelling “I’m done daddy, frozen yogurt please.” My God these frozen yogurts, every second of everyday it’s, “frozen yogurt?” Now little mans  getting hooked on them. I guess it could be worse right?!
Then we travel outside to our backyard, a world that is only for us. A world where you feel life and love and everything else that matters. A world where you forget that there is an actual world beyond our fence. He goes straight to planting our fall/winter garden. Full of lettuce, spinach, carrots and kale. I go to planting my pineapple sage that finally rooted. The sounds of laughter fills the air. The sound of a bouncer rattling. The sound of daddy explaining how to plant seeds to our curly haired babes. The sound of Mia cat meowing and rubbing her face on my knee as I bend down. The sound of feet running and yelling “hi boy!” His response, the sweetest deep laugh followed by the rattle of his bouncer. It’s warm out but the breeze is cool and filled with energy that brings a calm over all of us. An energy that allows us to soak in the moment.

 

A moment is taken to, you guessed, have some frozen yogurt. We sit as three on the cool asphalt. Mia cat shortly joins in. He is still planting our soon to be food. After frozen yogurt, little man naps. I start to get a planter ready for planting. I pull up the old planter and dig out the grass. I lay cardboard down to help block the weeds. I fill two buckets with soil so that my area is flat. I hear,
“Mama, what’s that?”
“Soil, baby.”
“Oh, can I touch it?”
“Sure.”
“Oh sure! Ok. Mama can I throw it?”
“ In the planter only.”
“ Planter only? Ok”

 

We catch each other’s eyes and smile. We both know the thought that’s in our heads, that we can’t believe we made her. We fill the planter with soil, together her and I. We plant, lettuce, arugula and kale. We water our new little seedling and send it good juju.
We move on to plant some more seedlings. Chamomile, peppermint, calendula, and white yarrow will soon fill our garden.

“Mama, can I pick apple?”
“Sure, baby.”
“Oh sure! Ok. Mama help.”
“Here you go honey.”
“Mama, wash it?”
“Yup we have to wash it.”
“Ok!”

The sound of a crunch fills the air. A smile of pure delight is immediately followed from her innocent face.

A yawn happens, nap time. Oh but wait, little man wakes up. Time to fill his belly. He and I then share some time together and go to the store. He stays behind with her and makes fire starters using a rocket stove that he built.

As we return, she wakes up from her nap. “How did you sleep hunny?” “I slept tight.” We eat some burritos outside. And feel the cool air coming in. We con her into coming inside. I make toothpaste and lunches. I get coffee ready for tomorrow morning. I prepare dinner. We sit down to a screaming chipmunk demanding more food and to a curly haired babes yelling “I’m done! Frozen yogurt please.”
We finally find our way to the couch for a few minutes of relaxation. We all cuddle and laugh. Yell and play. Little man goes to sleep. We “brush ‘em” say good night to daddy and finally we get to hear one another speak. We talk, we share the parts of the day the other missed. I rub his back and type with one hand. And then I sink in and write.
This was our Sunday. A beautiful, blissful day that I could not be more thankful for.

Happy Sunday!

Listen yo, you have got to save your egg shells. Your soil and your plants will thank you. Just like your soil and plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium  it also may need calcium. Egg shells can help greatly with that. Saving your egg shells really is not that hard or inconvenient to do. They don’t smell and it’s just a behavior you make into a habit like composting. When my husband asked me to start saving them I thought, really? Now, it’s just second nature and our garden thanks us. Let’s get to it, shell we. Haha get it, shell we like egg shell, haha, ok no seriously let’s do this.

You want to find a container to keep your egg shells stored in everyday until you have enough to make a decent bags worth. The container is going to be stored on your counter, so pick one that’s decent looking. I didn’t want to go buy anything so we used an old dog vitamin container and I just arts it up a little.

Now, what you want to do before you dump these little shells of gold in your container, is microwave the shells for one minute and thirty seconds. This will kill of any bacteria left on the shell. It will also kill the odor that could form. After your done microwaving them, toss them in your container until full.

Now comes the fun part. Drop a little at a time in a food processor or high powered blender. The only thing I have against the blender is that some of the shells will get pushed against the sides of the bottom of the blender and tends to burn up the blender. So I just stick to the food processor. You want to process or blend until the shells become really fine, almost powder like.

Pour into a bag and label and your done homie. How easy was that!

To use:
You can mix them into your compost.
Pour into the bottoms of the hole when planting.
You can even use it for a light mulch on top of plants.

Happy egg shelling!

The beauty in life is learning how to be self sufficient. We have grown a deep passion for not relying on anyone or anything to keep us going. We have not mastered this homesteading journey, but strive to test our limits everyday. I have these moments when something just clicks and I think to myself, “hellooooo, YES, I’ve got this!” Then I have moments when I think, “man, I’m so far from the goal we have set.” But homesteading is just that, it’s a journey of learning and feeling and loving. We started our journey into homesteading 5 years ago. It started with a panic of “the worlds coming to an end!” Don’t laugh, it will hit you one day and then you’ll think oh shit I got to prepare! After a small breakdown due to pure panic, we stopped, looked at each other and said, what are we doing? We took a deep breath and found the journey of learning how to become self sufficient. Ahhh much better.

We learned how to make our own shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, lotion, toothpaste, laundry soap, cleaning products and …… He learned how to make a rocket stove out of cans, yes that’s right, cans. We sat in our backyard and learned how to start a fire without a match. We would go a day without electricity and use lanterns for light. We learned how to make a lantern and the how using olive oil works just as good as kerosene. We started our first garden and our second….and third. I learned how to can my first jar of jam. Man, that was exciting, that moment when my first jar sealed with the delicate sound of a “ping.” I learned what it meant to eat meat respectfully. To know where your food comes from and how that animal was treated really does make a difference.

Then we grew out of the tiny two bedroom apartment with a yard the size of a garage. Just when we started to think, how can we do this on a bigger scale? This energy circled us and a door to owning house opened, with a huge yard and freedom to live. A yard now filled with a peach, nectarine, lemon, lime, pomegranate, two apple and a mulberry tree. Filled with more Lavender and sage then you could imagine. A passion fruit bush fighting with purple pole beans for the right to the archway that they share. Blueberry, goji berry, strawberry, zucchini, tomatoes, tomatoes and more tomatoes. Filled with best damn edamame you have ever tasted. A grape bush that will soon fill our bellies with deliciousness.

When we stop to think about where we were and where we are, we are completely thankful and humbled. When you watch a seed grow into a full on artichoke, it does something to you. You connect with this energy that brings you peace and you see and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. Yes, there are times when we fall off and get jaded. But something always pulls us back into that beauty.

 

 

This is our journey. It is beautiful, fulfilling and brings us peace. It is the world we created and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Happy homesteading!

This is our life. It is filled with beauty. It is filled with hard work. It is filled with the deepest sense of connection to the earth we walk on. Our passion is to give more back to the land then when we found it. Our goal is to make everything we use go full circle, nothing should leave our homestead. Everything we use has a purpose. Our life is filled with a love for being self sufficient. A love to grow our own food, to preserve that food, to use the scraps for the compost and to put that compost back into next years garden. We live a life were there are no gender roles but where we have found our place. He is out there in 100 degree weather day in and day out, weeding, watering, pruning, spraying, digging, thinking and loving to put food on our table. I spend an entire day prepping, chopping, boiling, sanitizing, waiting, thinking and loving to ensure that very food makes it to our dinner table. We have found our place and it works beautifully.

As we walk through the archway engulfed in passion fruit and beautiful purple pole beans your mind escapes for a moment. It escapes to the purest place, a place of bliss, a place of peace. As your hand grazes along the incredibly satisfied cherry tomato bush, it finds the most plump brightest red fruit. As you bite into that beautiful piece of fruit, the sweetest flavor bursts through your mouth and you can’t believe you get to experience this moment over and over again.

As you pass the flourishing apple tree with the most delicate white and pink flowers you have ever seen, to the most fragrant Lavender bush in the world, your heart smiles. It smiles because you cannot believe you get to inhale the most relaxing fragrance in the world. You witness bees devouring the sweet nectar that exudes from the long purple flowers that stand tall and proud.

You see the birds stopping by to grab a quick snack. Next to the island of sage that fills the air with a spiritual aroma that you will never experience anywhere else in the world.

You pass by our sweet Mia cat sleeping on the compost. You feel her appreciation for it all as she lays there in total peace.

There is a proud little lemon tree that is filled with hard green baby lemons that will soon find their way to the water that we drink everyday.

You admire the once potted grape plant that only stood a foot tall, now apart of the earth, extending its being along the wooden fence. You can literally hear the plant say, “ahhhhhhhhh thank you” while smiling. It is seriously the most happy little peaceful plant and right here in this moment,  your heart smiles.

You stand in the middle of this area filled with life, filled with love, filled with peace and you cannot believe you get to be apart of it. I thank my husband for this world he has created. But I don’t think he really knows what this garden means to me. We find ourselves in the middle of screaming kids as we try to finish a sentence. I feel like I can never really express the deepest gratitude I have for everyday he spends outside after working all day in the middle of summer, so that we have food on our table. So that we have this incredible world to be apart of. So that our son and daughter know what it is to find connection to the earth. To know where food comes from and how to sustain it all. Thank you my sweet husband. Every morning that I open our bedroom door to do my yoga, I am connected with this world you created. I feel the energy you put in to each of those plants. I feel the love and respect you gave to every seed he planted and that feeling transcends through my body as I take a deep breath in.

 

This is our life in a garden. Our way to give back to the land through utmost respect and gratitude.

for a video tour of our garden check out Harvesting a Green Life on YouTube

Happy gardening!