trying a hand at lettering!

hand lettering!
inspiration from another new fav blog has led me to daily doodles galore! ive always had a soft spot for a nice hand written letter and love to adorn packages with favorite quotes, sayings, and designs. check 'em out and let me know if there are any quotes or anything you'd like to see posted! enjoy y'all!

 

                

 

 

 

 

*several of you have already reposted the wu-tang quote! much love!

asparaguys!

asparaguy’s!

so last year I bought and planted second year starts in the spring at the old garden. when the skinny twigs started to surface it was difficult letting them sprout and bloom to ferns as everyone suggested I do. some of them I did nibble at, but most I just watched flower to beautiful little asparagus trees ornamented with red pods by the end of summer. A couple weeks before I had to transplant them (due to the move and also wanting to see if you could successfully grow asparagus in containers.. yes! and yay!)

I mulched the stalks/ferns and left them on the ground, covered with a little soil and left alone until the big move. i used a plastic tub from target (loving these for gardening, got three more this summer for less than 5 bucks, and just punched some holes in the bottom. This ones smaller but got some this year and they're 40 liters! its equivalent at the gardening store would easily cost $30-50. I’ve also used gallon drums left over from work, and just about anything else I can find. And aside from them being pretty darn cute, im all for saving and recycling things..)

the little guys made their big move late summer/fall last year. i starting by lining one of those tubs with thin wire mesh incase the patch got too large or, as im sure I will want to re-plant it (hopefully in the not so far future) at my own homestead, it’ll make for easy removal from the plastic tub. Gave it a heavy watering and topped with compost then left it to sit all winter. (*a few sprouts did continue to grow after the transplant so i was hopeful and keep my fingers crossed this was a promising sign of the season to come!  -see below)

It's been said that asparagus welcomes the first day of spring with its first sprout, and sure enough just a day before the first calendar day of spring, a tiny bud said hello. I was a little worried as it looked a little color-less, but by ‘spring’ it was green and purple and three or four more had joined the little guy. Some were thick and perfect and a few were skinny and lanky. But are they not the most amazing things ive tasted in a long time. And every couple days I have enough to grab on my way out the door to work to toss into a salad or to munch on when I get home (below is this years). And they're in a freakin' container! So exciting y’all.  

I encourage you to try the same way if youre limited on space or are interested in container gardening with something out of the ordinary! Asparagus does take a few years to be productive and become hearty enough to eat, so you have to be patient the first few years and just let them be. I know its hard, but like most things, its worth the wait!

 *some pictures from last year.. hope this inspires some of you to make the most of the space you have! although i lucked out this year with additional space, i was sad to give up the years of amazing, expanding garden space (below) that i had put my heart and soul into.

the spring bed last year, newly tilled and planted. an existing herb patch from the year before got turned into a spiral and went in the back right corner, potatoes in front of that, brussels lined the curve of the herb spiral , peas went beside it at the little teepee, and the asparagus bed was planted below the peas. kale and broccoli plants went in the left side of the bed and baby radish, lettuces, and beets are beginning to sprout here. i toyed with containers a little last year too

the view a little later in the season, the second bed in the back freshly tilled and ready for late spring/summer planted

they went right below the peas in the last plot, bought a total of four second year starts






you can see the little enchanted asparagus forest hiding (middle left) in the early bed of peas, radishes, lettuces, beets, flowers, brussels, and potatotes

*first little man last year! aint' he precious!

now they sit happily tucked away with parsley and the blooming fig tree and a few energizing crystals on the front porch of the tree house

 

*awesome containers for gardening!

sustain

found this while looking through some old magazine tear outs and thought it was fitting!


 1. make preparing fresh, wholesome food more about simplifying your life rather than complicating it

2. ease your own stress, learn to master the art of waiting

3. dont confuse being busy with being productive. achievement and purpose cant be rushed

4. make good changes slowly

5. the spiritual and the physical are not mutually exclusive. in order to experience one, you must be fully engaged in the other

6. before you expose the truth, ask yourself: who will benefit- and who will be hurt?

7. fresh insights emerge when you view the world from a different angle

8. wisdom comes with what you let go of, not what you hold onto

9. think of sleep as a form of nourishment. dont let yourself go hungry

10. aging isnt about losing yourself, but affirming who you are, who youve been all along

truer than true

One of my favorite yoga instructors often starts class with a mention of honoring oneself. She asks us to ‘listen and be aware of what you need and to remain true to that need, even throughout your yoga practice.’ Although at times, if I listened to what I thought I needed, I’d be in a whole heap of a mess, many times over, it is important to pay attention to what that means, and to honor those needs sustainably as much as possible, while incorporating almost every aspect of life.  After all, it is all connected somehow..

For me, in this amazing place we call ‘home’, it’s not too difficult to take hints and cues given off by our beautiful surroundings, but also to be lifted up by this wonderful community. Not only are there 'mountains beyond mountains' there are also beautiful people with like-minded attitudes and interests. There’s always something going on, be it “free” yoga, dance classes, live music, events downtown, digging in the dirt, or a walk with nature; there is always a way to honor yourself also, by doing something that you love, with people that you love. 

We all know that I love to have a good time and I will treat myself to some of the finer things in life (another quality I picked up from my diddy) but with that being said, eating well and living right are important ways to honor yourself too..  I do share this passion for food, good food and good spirits, with a lot of friends, and it has become a place for gathering and sharing; a 'home' in itself.

for ex. i like the good chocolate (bacon, salted, local, yum yum) don’t get me wrong, there’s no right way to eat a reese’s, or a rhesus), I have an endless 'collection' (hehe) and a love for shopping (bargain and splurge; ie: if i see an old pyrex i want, ill pay up to $20.. yes, for a used bowl.. a very cute and functional bowl at that), this winter friends traded jellies and sauces we'd made as gifts, but I'll buy books because I like to write in them, instead of renting them from the library. i treat myself to the organic and heirloom seeds; may I suggest checking out your local seed store for seeds, or even volunteering, did this last year and love sow true! -or you can get super lucky and find a sweet boy who gets them for you :) but I love, love live music and traveling. So last summer when widespread panic announced they were playing in mexico for four days to close out their tour, I was all in. and although, it was a tough ticket to get and I almost backed out, it was well worth it and one of the greatest times of my life.

*standing in the sand, roughly ten ft. from the ocean when i took this pic.. ah, vacation.

(...I started to write this post before I left for mexico, almost a month! ago, and I can’t believe its been over that long!) so not only did I treat myself to a wonderful week partying and playing with some really old and some really new friends, but before I left I was preparing myself to put on a bathing suit  :) treating myself to almost daily yoga classes, noshing on healthy delish homemade food (*see images), downing elderberry, vit. c & warm things to ward off a looming cold. And although I did have my selfish reasons, I realized, in doing all of this, in consciously being aware of what my body and mind need, I am able to honor those needs and take care of me. And in doing so, assure I enjoy myself, and y.e.m. :)

sooo, even though I will buy nice things and treat myself, I do try to counteract that by living a healthy lifestyle. Although I splurge on the good food, I’m often supporting local businesses and because of the gardens, I haven’t bought jelly or tomato sauce in almost three years. during the summers/
falls I don’t have to buy a lot of produce and with seed saving, or volunteering, and sharing with family and friends I don’t have to seek out many seeds now (although I always see something exotic in the catalogue I must try..), and because I’m willing I haven’t bought meat in months, thanks to my other uncle who gave me his xmas deer :)

I try to split my 'me' time by doing something i love and something that is good for me, be it yoga or a burlesque dance class, or traveling to mexico to re-charge for a little while with some of my favorites!... it all comes back to me! And I truly believe that this life does give back to you thousands of times over what you put into it. and although at times I may splurge (everything in moderation), I do try to remain true to myself and honor my wellbeing in a sustainable way.

so as I do my morning, or if im running late, evening stretch, I try to remember to reach my arms around myself and (because I hate dislike pats on the back) give a little squeeze for being true to me.  

 

Whatever you do to honor yourself, may it be true and beneficial to you and support the place you call ‘home’.

                          

*i store just about everything in mason jars: dry goods, canned goods, buttons :) but recently found that lettuce stored in mason jars will keep forever! for a quick salad, add dressing to the bottom, top with veggies/add-ons, then add the lettuce. i prefer the larger jars so its not smushed. when you're ready to eat, just shake!

*new favorites to roast this fall/winter (if we can even call it that...)brussel sprouts and cauliflower! -toss with a little olive oil and whatever spices are calling to you! ...i've been loving an italian spice mix recently

 *gettin' down on this quick snack.. edamame roasted @325 with oo, s&p, and parm til crispy, yummm.














  

                                                *first venison end result
 

let it be grand!