The Annual Dandelion Rant

It's that time of year again. A warm breeze inspires hope of cold days ending, the morning sun beckons the jewel-like glow of lime green new growth, and weekend gardeners gather their trowels, their poisons, and their resolve to annihilate the dreaded dandelion. How dare they dot your perfectly groomed carpets of thick grass. WTF? Those beautifully groomed green lawns are the bane of this planet's existence, while dandelions can do nothing but good... for the dirt, for the pollinators,... Continue reading

Done – It’s a four letter word.

  After years of yoga study and mindfulness practice, I thought I would be a little more Zen with my home tasks. But no. I barrel through them with a vengeance. I'm the worst boss I've ever had, and I'm trying to do a little work with that harsh and heavy-handed side of myself. I keep a lot of projects going, and I get overwhelmed way too frequently. A silly thing, I know. My self-inflicted stress is something only I can fix. But I don't have to give anything up. I just need to shift... Continue reading

Self-care in the New Year

  The title of this post may sound suspiciously like it's leading up to a New Year's Resolution, but it's not. Also known as, "The main things I plan to change next year but am not going to," resolutions are made to be broken. All my self-made promises of regimented workout routines, valiant housekeeping practices, and inspired money management programs were lovely suggestions that passed on by like dry leaves caught in the wind. Instead, I like to make a New Year's plan, and that... Continue reading

What do you get when you cross eggshells and coffee grounds with a banana peel?

  Fertilizer! One of my favorite ways to divert kitchen refuse from the landfill is by making homemade liquid fertilizer. We boiled eggs for breakfast one morning. I peeled the shells, returned them to the water I'd boiled them in, and poured the whole thing into the blender. To this, I added the morning's spent coffee grounds and the chopped-up peel of the banana we'd shared. The eggshells provide calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. The banana peels contribute potassium, and the coffee... Continue reading