May Plant Update

May was another great month for plant observations in and around our neighborhood. Mostly I only want to look at flowers! We have seen so many iris variations this spring so far! We’ve also seen some fantastic evening vistas. We observed some critters (goslings!, baby starlings! bunnies!), some beaches, and some fields but we stayed home mostly and enjoyed our near surroundings in this month.

Someone’s amazing lavender plant.

All yellow.

All purple (from our yard).

Golden light!

Gorgeous pine bow.

The light and color of this plantain is amazing. Even the chip bag.

I love finding beautiful ground cover…

…but I don’t know what any of them are.

This is our orange thyme which has been growing for years and makes these little purple blossoms.

The color on this unknown bush is stunning!

Like a firework.

Crane on Sunset Lake.

This poor catbird dashed itself on our front window. My husband went to help it, but it was already breathing it’s last breath. We mourned for it and buried it in the back yard. No catbirds came to our house for a week. Now they are retuning.

Are you still isolating at home? Maybe your sequestered some where not your home? What have your plant observations been for May?

May in Review

Phew, is every month is 2020 just gonna be a whole new rollercoaster, or what?

I went back to work this month and my husband continues to work from home. So it May we had to make adjustments to our schedule about how things get done around the house and when we take our evening walks, etc.. We were still able to tend the garden and eat well at home.

We have been trying to support local restaurants by eating out occasionally, but mostly we eat at home. In May we were able to start eating from the garden! Radishes and lettuces were our first harvests, but we were able to try snap peas and kale and a few other things as well.

Adjusting to a new work life has been interesting, but I feel that my work is doing a really good job at trying to keep the public and it’s employees safe where possible. We wear masks and gloves and work in teams. It’s hard to get used to taking these precautions, especially when you see so many people walking around as if nothing is happening. But to me it feels good to know I am thinking of others as well as myself. And it makes me feel as if I’m living in a not too distant sci fi future. Which I guess I am.

#watchercats were plentiful this month and it’s hard not to pet them when they let you! But to protect them I have to restrain.

Once again, this month I have to give thanks that my family and friends are safe and well. That no one I know has been in mortal danger bc of a virus of or the police. I have to give thanks that my community supports it’s members regardless of the color, race or creed and that I am part of that. I hope that your community provides the same for you and the world can realize that as well.

May was full of many things. June might be even more jam packed.

Man in the Dark

One of my goals in 2020 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I avoided reading this book for a while, as it looks vaguely political (it is) and violent (it really is), but last month I finally read Man in the Dark by Paul Auster.

August Brill can’t sleep. After his wife dies and he gets in a car accident, after he goes to live with his daughter in Vermont, after his granddaughter’s boyfriend is killed and he can’t help her heal, after he can’t finish his memoirs from grief and self loathing, August Brill can’t sleep. So he tells himself stories at night instead.

Theres something I find comforting about Paul Auster’s books, even though many of them have deeply disturbing aspects. I think it’s his plain writing style but also that his books are often set in places that are familiar to me. We both lived in Brooklyn, we both visited the same areas in Vermont. When I read his books, I feel like I know where they are set, like I’ve been there, and that makes them all the more compelling. I struggled to get into this book, and once I did, I struggled to know that there would be a violent event that would be hard to read. But I ended up really enjoying Man in the Dark. This is the most outwardly violent book I’ve ever read of Auster’s, although I would say that City of Glass is strangely violent. I thought it was interesting that this book takes place in two stories, one in real life (although this book is fiction) and one in a frictional story that the main character is creating within the book. I’m not sure I have ever read a book with this devise that reads so smoothly. I would recommend this book for those who feel comfortable with reading about violent acts, those who like stores about people reflecting on thier lives, and those who like alternate history stories. But I would also give a warning that this book has disturbing graphic violence, military violence and should not be read lightly.

Have you ever put off reading a book bc it was political in nature?

On My Mind On Friday Morning

I LOVE to look at what people display in the windows of their homes or apartments!!
I’ve never eaten Congee, but I’d like to try it.
Would someone buy me this little house? It’s so cute! Yes, I know it’s only 10 minute from where my house is now.
Some interesting ideas for the future of renewable plastic bottles and packaging.
I’m always looking for inspiration to draw more. I really enjoyed this little interview with Jonathan Edwards about his travel sketchbooks.

Something to Try: A New Morning Routine for 2020

I've been trying to be more producticve in the mornings for...oh, my whole llfe. 

Here is the morning routine I’ve been in for the last few years, modified for isolation (no taking my husband to the train any more!) over the last few months:
Wake - no phone
Bathroom
Make coffee, feed cats
Write down dreams
Bujo than check internet
Blog work
Dishes
Something to eat
Husband gets up and “goes to work”

Like many routines, this is the basics but often changes due to random circumstances. This is just loosely what I do each day. Although in some ways I make an effort to stick to aspects (like not going on the phone before writing down my dreams, or trying to fill out my bujo before I check the internet), I haven’t been very discilpined about any of it. I feel like I’m really missing out on time to be productive as well as a way to start my day in a slow and healthy manner. Since the future of what mine and my husband’s work life looks like and how much time we get to stay at home is up in the air, I want to create a better more productive routine to get the most of my mornings. This includes getting more work done, but also being more mindful and happy.

Building routines take work and effort and sometimes those are the last things I want to exert in the morning. But I also know that when I start my day on the right foot (so to speak) I feel better all day. So I’ve been thinking for a few weeks now about what my ideal morning routine would look like and how I can achieve that.

Here are some things that I really want to incorporate into each morning:
Going outside
Early morning walk
Reading
Staying off the computer
Sourdough
Cleaning and tidying

I think one of the most important aspects of this new routine and one of the things that will be hardest for me will be to change where I do certain things. In my current routine, I sit in front of the computer almost immediately and this allows me to use it very easily, almost without thinking. In an effort to be more mindful about each aspect of the routine, this needs to stop.

Here’s what I would like to work on in the month of June. This doesn’t incorporate every aspect that I want to have, but it’s a good start:
Wake up - no phone
Bathroom
Cats and coffee
Write dreams (at computer)
Read and bujo (either away from computer or outside)
Go outside, even just to check the garden
Dishes, breakfast, tidy
News for 15 min only
Blog work
Sourdough
Into the day

I don’t want to put a time stamp on any of these action bc I although I want my mornings to be more productive, that doesn’t mean that have to be rushed. But I would like to get back in the habit of getting up “early” and have this entire routine done, at a leisurely pace, before my husband gets up to start his work day or, before I have to go to work myself.

What routines do you find helpful in the morning? What is the one things your morning would not be complete without doing/having? Do you have any advice for sticking with a productive and midful morning routine?

Pandemic Pantry: The Use First Bin

A great way to keep your Pandemic Pantry organized and make sure you are getting the most out of what you buy, all while reducing food waste is to create a Use First Bin. It doesn’t have to be an actual bin, it can be a shelf, the counter, or just a list where you keep all the food that you need to eat first sorted.

This is a simple concept but one that will save you time, effort, and food waste. It’s especially easy now that we are taking time to make a food inventory and extensive lists each week or so. Simply group any items that you need to eat together. Reasons why things need to get eaten might vary. Perhaps they are veg about to go bad, or the last little bits of your dry goods, or items that are getting past their expiration dates. Or maybe you’ve just been putting off eating these items. Remember when you got those grits six months ago for a recipe and still have half the box today? Put them in the bin.

I don’t use an actual bin, but I keep a running list when creating my pantry inventory to remind me what I need to eat. I will add items that are going to go bad, or that have lingered in the pantry too long. I also make notes on what I can use them for on the same list and then refer back to it when deciding what to eat for the day.

Have you organized your pantry like this? Do you find it hard to eat up items in your pantry?

Catherine (Cat) Agopcan, who I follow on insta, recently had a great post about her Eat First Box. She has a great page with lots of helpful advice and is fellow New Jerseyian.

Credit

Something Nice

Two very different bird’s nests both using quite a bit of found plastic.

The Black Tower

One of my goals in 2020 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I have several copies of The Black Tower by PD James. They mostly came from book sales, as I recall. At the point in April when I read this book I was on a roll of reading! I read this book in less than 24 hours, something I haven’t done since I was young.

On the day that Detective Dalgleish is told he doesn’t have cancer after all, he makes a serious decision to quite the police force and change his life. But first he must visit a friend who has written for help.

James’ writing is so effortlessly inviting, so smoothly enticing, I’m always surprised at how easily I’m sucked in to each book. Especially since the plot of the last three I’ve read are basically exactly the same. In this book, a small isolated town near the sea is rocked by death and suicide. But were either of them natural? Although I have read other books by James with this basic plot, this one was unique bc she had put the seed of doubt in the mind of her main protagonist. It was interesting to read about a detective actively trying to discourage his detective nature. It’s an interesting literary device to have a hero so torn over his role in the proceedings. If you’ve read any of PD James’ other novels, I would suggest this one as an interesting balance But one that still contains all of her amazing talents for writing and engaging the reader. This book has it’s fair share of mystery, intrigue, and suspense. I would highly recommend The Black Tower for those who are already fans of Detective Dalgleish, those who love detective novels with strong male leads, people who like suspense, and those who like mysteries set in small communities.

Have you read any of the Adam Dalgleish books? Do you read them in order? Or as I do, when they come your way?

Fast Fashion, Slow Fashion, Ethical Fashion, Sustainable Fashion, Second Hand

In this series I explain terms used in the low impact movement, lifestyle terms, and other verbiage that I use on my blog and in my daily life. Simply, in case they are new to readers. In some cases, I have done some research on them, but these definitions are mostly what I understand them to be and how I use them.

Last month, we talked about capsule wardrobes and and some terms surrounding that idea. There are many reasons to keep a capsule wardrobe but one of the biggest reasons in the horrible impact the fashion industry has on the environment and our global community. Here are the explanation of some important terms to know as I understand them.

Fast Fashion
Most simply put, Fast Fashion is the business of making clothing as cheaply and quickly as possible to keep up with changing trends.
But the byproduct of fast fashion takes a horrendous toll on the planet and the global population. Sweatshops, inhumane conditions, slave labor, child imprisonment, millions of tons of wasted water, millions of tons of garbage in landfills, mircoplastics, air pollution from incineration, animal cruelty, land dispute, clear cropping, pollution of water, air and land, use of pesticides, are only some, not even all, of the terrible outcome of fast fashion. Almost all fashion brands use some or all of these methods but a general rule is the bigger, less expensive, more widely available clothing is going to be the worse for fast fashion’s damaging practices. A few brands to avoid at all costs are Forever Twenty One, H&M, Target, Walmart, Zara, Primark, to name only a few.

Slow Fashion
Slow Fashion is the reaction to the devastation Fast Fashion has created and a movement to return to better quality made, ethically produced, clothing and a return to personal style without the need to follow trends. Slow fashion suggests buying few items, that are better made and made in humane ways, and take better care of them throughout their lifespan to be able to have them longer and enjoy them more.

Ethical Fashion
By using the term Ethical Fashion, a brand is letting consumers know that the clothing was made under ethical conditions. This usually indicates that there were not sweat shop conditions and there were fair wages for workers used when creating these clothes. It may also indicate that no animals were harmed but to be sure, check that a brand is also vegan. It may also mean the clothing was made sustainably. Each company’s use of these terms is different so make sure to research the companies you buy from carefully.

Sustainable Fashion
This can fall under Ethical clothing or Slow Fashion but brands that specifically advertise that they are Sustainable use practices to reduce their impact on the world and environment. This can encompass less water usage, less pollutants released into the environment, better working conditions, use of renewable resources and more.

Second Hand
Second Hand clothing is clothing that people donate to thrift shops, churches, vintage shops, or other places that people can buy them. Second hand clothing is usually inexpensive, off season, and pre worn. Some say second hand clothing is the most sustainable and ethical bc it is reusing of clothes that others have gotten rid of. This is a very budget friendly way to shop, good if you like to try new things or new trends, and helps clothing get a longer life before ending up in landfill or incinerator. But as a whole society we must change the way we shop, stop buying fast fashion, stop allowing it to be made, in order to really solve the problem.

Did you find these terms helpful? If you want more info on these or ant terms we have explored please leave your questions in the comments!

On My Mind On Friday Morning

I really enjoyed this photo essay of people still working during the virus outbreak.
You would think someone dropping of and annonomouly tipping off the police to not one but two huge bags of snakes would be weird enough, but the mystery only starts there. I would love to read a follow up to this story. Does anyone know of any later articles?
This was a fascinating true article about 6 boys stranded on a deserted island for 15 months.
I really want to try this one pan biryani recipe.
A dear friend gifted us his collection of childhood toys and we have been so happy going thru them and playing with them.

6 More Month Of Zero Waste

For more then the last 12 months, we have been on a journey to become more Zero Waste in our everyday lives. Big changes start with each and everyone of us, so breaking down each step into a month long challange and breaking down the over all chanllages into 6 months periods, makes change easy and simple.

Over the last year or so we have:
given up fast fashion
grown our own food
thought more about how we move in the world
rethought what we give to others
made over our spaces
changed our diets

Each 6 month block we try to take the challenge further, push ourselves more, and strive harder to become better. As we are all adjusting to how we cater our lifestyles to a new way of living, as we think about the aftermath and what we can do next, we might need to take some time to settle in. In May, let’s reflect and reset and get ready to pursue our Zero Waste Journey with purposeful mindfulness.

Once we’ve had a little time to rest and reflect, here’s what the rest of the year will look like:
June - Say NO, Say Yes
PLASTIC FREE JULY
August - carry no disposables
September - back to school/educate
October - beach clean
November - Hidden plastic
December - Repair before you replace

Feel free to follow along for the next 6 months (7 if you count Plastic Free July) or look back at the other monthly challenges.

Our 6 More Months to Zero Waste Journey began in early 2019:
January 2019 - Trash Audit
We separated and looked our trash to see what we are throwing away and what we can reduce.
February 2019- Declutter Everything
We went thru what we have to declutter and reduce.
March 2019- Switch to Paper
This month we moved to paper to get one step closer to reusables.
April 2019- Compost
Composting is an easy way to reduce food waste and prevent it from reaching the landfill.
May 2019- Meatless Monday
One of the best ways to improve the environment is to stop eating factory farmed meat and industrial fish. Small steps lead to big change so this month we gave up meat (or dairy or fish) for at least one day.
June 2019- No Bottled Water
We gave up bottled water as an avenue to give up more disposable plastic in Plastic Free July.
July 2019 - Plastic Free July!
Go plastic free this month!

In late 2019, we continued our journey to becoming more zero waste. The current list has changed a little since the beginning. See the list below to follow our progress:
November 2019 - Zero Waste Kit
We created a zero waste kit to help us be more zero waste in our day to day life.
December 2019- No Gifts
We took Dec to give no gifts and get no gifts.
January 2020 - Clothing and Fast Fashion
This month we explored what fast fashion is, and how we can stop buying it forever.
February 2020- Use Mass Transit
The shortest month seemed like a good time to explore alternatives to driving our cars.
March 2020 - Bathroom Make-over
You’ve swapped out a few items to more sustainable choices around the house. It’s time to tackle a full room.
April 2020- Grow Your Own Food
April marks the start of spring in the continental USA, and when we can start growing food easily. But there are many ways and time to grow your some of own food.

Last Chance to See

One of my goals in 2020 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

I couldn’t remember if I had ever read Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine all the way through: Now I have. I’ve had this copy which I’ve, ahem, borrowed, ahem, from The New School of Monmouth County’s library for many years.

Acclaimed sci-fi comedy writer Douglas Adams had long been interested in conservation but when he met up with Mark Carwardine, things really got cooking. Together, with various guides, BBC photogs and producers, as well as a host of random characters, they travel the world in search of rare and endangered animals. They even find a few.

Once I had completed this book, I realized I had read it before and I realized why I probably couldn’t remember having done so. This book is depressing.
Here’s some history about me and Douglas Adams; I’m obsessed with him. I have been since I was a kid. I listen to his voice almost every night and have done so for as long as I can remember. That’s pretty weird. But Adams shaped a lot of who I am and still does. Reading (or I guess, rereading) Last Chance to See, I was struck by his humor, but also his pessimism and his perseverance. Mostly remembering his comedic work, I didn’t really think that that is how the tone of this book would be. In Last Chance, Adams travels to amazing places, sees amazing animals, and meets amazing people doing amazing work, but all the stories end the same, with doubt and uncertainty. And the crazy thing is, reading this book 31 (!!!) years later, the story is still the same. Recently the kakapo parrot, which Adams got to visit at essentially the beginning of their preservation, is still holding on by a thread. And that’s one of the best cases.
Despite it’s depressing nature, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in conservation, animal studies, environmentalism, or those who want to learn about the human impact on the world. This book holds up amazing well, bc so much of the information is still relevant on all these subjects. I would also recommend this book for Douglas Adams fans.

Do you enjoy books on nature or environmental issues?

Lady Celestina's Book Reading Method

My friend, Lady Celestina, reads a lot of books. When I asked them how they did it, they let me in on thier special method. It’s quite simple, really, but I was excited to try it, especialy bc I have more time to read than in many years. After using this method since the end of March, I can say that this totally works! I’ve read 8 books in about 7 weeks as of writing this.

Lady Celestina’s method has more to do with commitment and a mindset change than it does with an elaborate trick.

Simply, take the total number of pages of your book, divide by the number of days in which you want to read it (7 is suggested), and read that amount each night rounding up to the nearest chapter or page break.

Super easy, right? But if you stick with it, it gives you the right motivation to get thru books super quickly while being attentive and engaged. My previous problem was that I would read only a few paragraphs or pages at a time. I thought any reading was better than none. Reading so little never gave me enough to sink my teeth into. I was easily distracted, and would put the book down right away. Once I was on to The Lady’s trick, once I committed to trying it and using it, it allowed me to really get into each session and often times I would read more than the allotted number of pages. Having a method to rely on, I found it easier to put away distractions. I would highly recommend Lady Celestina’s Method for anyone trying to read more productively!

Do you have any tricks for reading?

On My Mind On Friday Morning

When we first went into lockdown, I started an embroidery project. I haven’t finished it. But here is a photo essay of Victoria Rose Richard’s work for inspiration.
I really love Stacy Snack’s blog (she updates almost every Sunday!) and will definitely try this gnocci recipe!
Would you live in lockdown in a zoo?
This is an AMAZING interview with the father of modern recycling (which started in in NJ, who knew!). Here’s a quote: “That’s the hardest thing about recycling: changing habits. We have to be willing to do things differently, even if it’s harder or not as convenient at first.”
One tattoo for each day in lockdown. I better get started.

Weird Zero Waste Things That I Do - Food and Drink Edition

There’s a series of youtube videos going around the zero waste world where people in the lifestyle reveal all the weird and sometimes disturbing ZW habits that they have. I have quite a few habits that fall into this category, but I’ve narrowed them down. Here are a few weird things involving food and drink I do in the name of zero waste.

Eat expired food
I’ve been shocking instagram during quarantine bc I’ve been proudly displaying that I’m eating up items in my pantry that are past their sell by date. Remember, these dates are rarely when food will spoil, only when manufacturers want to have them sold and restocked by. Read them carefully. “Sell by” is for the store more than the consumer, “best by” might mean the product might not be as fresh after the dates listed. There is still a need to be careful when eating expired food. Always inspect it and make sure it hasn’t gone off, there are no bugs, or that the can hasn’t gone rusty.

Drink old coffee and tea
I know a lot of people who save their leftover coffee or tea for an iced version so this isn’t that weird, but it’s my normal practice to make extra of both of these and leave them in a jar on the counter to be heated (or not) and drunk at my leisure. As long as there is no milk in them, they last for a day or more no problem. If I have put something in them like milk, honey, etc… I pop them in the fridge.

Drink flat sparkling water
We drink a lot of seltzer in cans in our houes, and similarly to coffee or tea, we don’t always finish each can. Rather than wasting what’s left, I collect the cans the next day and drink them flat.

Wash plastic bags and cheese wrappers
When I’m doing the dishes, I am often washing cheese wrappers, the plastic film tops of food containers, plastic bags, etc… Where most people will just throw these ways, and some zero wasters are lucky enough to have eliminated them from their consumption, I have to do the best I can. I take all my plastic film to be recycled, and to be recycled, they must be clean and dry.

Do you practice any of these ZW habits? What weird things do you do all in the name of reducing your waste? Leave your weird habits in the comments.

Also, here are a few of the videos I’ve seen if you are interested.
Sedona Christina
Blue Ollis
Gittemary Johanson

The Problem with Wanting Too Much is Having Too Much

I really want to buy new underwear. New fresh, cotton, ethically made, sustainable underwear. I would love to get rid of basically all my old ones and buy all new.

I would love to go on the internet and buy every little thing I want, like artisen jewelry, zero waste skin care, a comfy tye died sweatshirt, all the jeans, even more of the records. And now that most of us are spending basically all our time at home, this is even more tempting.

There are several reasons why I don’t do that but what they all boil down to is that we should do now what we want for the future. People’s greed and shortsightedness definitely played a part in getting us into our current situation and certain people are taking advantage of the situation in which we now live. It’s up to us as individuals to think more carefully and mindfully about our decisions and how they impact the world, especially while we have the time to make really informed, thoughtful, decisions. While the whole world is forced to move a little slower, let’s move slower within ourselves.

I am now even more mindful of my space, and what I want from it. Our spaces are directly related to ourselves. We’ve all heard the expression “cluttered home, cluttered mind” and we know that for the vast majority of us this is true. I see that in my own life, even more clearly while I’m spending so much time at home. I won’t be becoming a minimalist, but I’m working on ways to decide what is most important in my space. People who are busy buying instead of thinking might come out of this time of covid 19 with more stuff but feeling less safe and whole and “decluttered” in their homes and minds. The problem with being taught to want so much is you will end up having too much.

One of the biggest changes zero wasters and minimalists have to make is the mindset shift from what society has taught us (bigger is better, more is never enough, buy stuff to feel better), to what we know to be true (simple is satisfying and we have a responsibility to ourselves, our world and our community to be better then before, self reflection is healthy). Now that you have a minute, take that time to think about what you want to survive from this time and how to best achieve that in your mind, life and the world.

Zero Waste Recipe: Vegan Sourdough Pancakes

I have been eating so. many. pancakes.

I’m not mad tho. It’s been a log time since I had such a hankering for them and now that I have extra starter, they are even better! It took me a little while to develop this scratch pancake recipe, but it’s simple with only 10 ingredients, and so tasty with a little sourdough tang!

You may have noticed from other recipes that I hate to measure. And you would be right. I don’t truly measure this recipe when I make it at home. Here I have provided measurements for a small batch of pancakes. Feel free to scale up or down.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup starter (fed or discard)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 tb sugar
2 tb oil (I like olive)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 baking powder
Pinch salt
Nutmeg
Oil for cooking

Equipment:
Medium mixing bowl
Fork
Measuring cups
Measuring Spoons
Frying pan
Spatula

Add starter, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and oil in a medium bowl and whisk with fork to combine. The batter will be very thick. Mix in milk, a little at a time, until you have the desired consistency. Make sure to mix well and get out any lumps and clumps (you can sift in dry ingredients if you wish but this is one too many steps for my taste). I like my pancakes to be thin so my batter is pretty runny. Heat frying pan and add cooking oil (I use a canola oil/olive oil mix). Once hot, pour in batter and cook like normal pancakes. Heat each pancake all the way through on one side until many bubbles form in center of pancake, then flip. Each pancake should be golden brown in the center and slightly crispy on the edges. This recipe makes about 8 small cakes or 4 large ones. Serve with butter, vegan butter, syrup, jam, etc… and enjoy!

Some notes:
- I feed my discard starter a little each day so for me these pancakes are pretty active. I really enjoy the flavor but sometimes the sourness needs a little getting used to.
- Use whatever flour you would like to change these pancakes to taste. Rye, buckwheat, or wholewheat all sound good.
- Change up the spices. I love nutmeg, but cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger would all work, I’m sure.
- I like my pancakes on the flatter, chewier side, so I usually cut down the amount of baking soda, but if you prefer a more fluffy pancake up it instead.
- These are sweet pancakes, but probably could be made savory by omitting the sugar, changing the spices and toppings.

These pancakes are a great way to use discard starter which helps with food waste. Using bulk flour or flour that came in paper, oil in glass, and spices in bulk cardboard, or glass, all help with waste. Use your homemade non dairy milk if you have it!

How do you like your pancakes? Fluffy or chewy? Sweet or savory? If you try this recipe, leave a comment below!

Mad Cat Garden | April 2020

Spring is here and the garden is booming. OK, well not booming yet, but it feels like it after so many months of dormancy. We are making plans for even more beds, and the layout of the garden changes almost weekly right now. Always giving up a bit more grassy space to more food making space. Adding some touches here and there to make the garden functional but also beautiful. We feel incredibly lucky that we have the space and now time to make more of an effort in the garden.

Tom has always like to go out in the back yard, but he likes it now that the weather is warmer. He even went after a squirrel or two in April. Quite the feat for an old man of 16 years. We watch him closely, and he never put the animal at risk.

For most of April just about all the blueberry bushes had not only leaves but many bell shaped flowers on them as well. The are still filling out, but bees and bugs have started visiting regularly.

We’ve seen a lot of early azaleas in the neighborhood, but ours have only shown the slightest movement all through the beginning of April.

Our raspberry bushes are taking off this year! We didn’t cut them back, but we have seen a lot of growth and new plants shooting up. We have cauliflower, radishes, carrots and one potato in this bed by the raspberries.

Our lettuce bed took a bit of a beating from squirrels who were having a grand salad, but by the end of April, everything was back on track. We planted peas in beds and in pots, and by the end of the month we had some tomatoes in these beds as well. A lot of what we plant is still trial and error. We gathered buckets and have been trying to start things from seeds in some.

This shelf came with the house and was downstairs unused for years, so my husband modified it this month to be a new bed. We will purchase a few yards of dirt from a local landscaper to fill it and all the others we have planned.

Our friend gifted us a rain barrel she wasn’t using at the end of last year and we finally got it up and working. It collects water from the gutters and we repurpose our Dr Bronners and vinegar jugs to carry water. When the barrel is full or when we know it will rain, we fill all the jugs to make room for more rain.

Not too much happened in the front beds. The mint and catnip are starting to really take off. Other than that, they are waiting to get tomatoes and more veg.

Seeds are still growing up in our guest room. My husband is diligently taking them outside to harden off on nice days.

So many things changed in April from the beginning and the end, perhaps the most of any garden report. Is it the same for you?

My Favorite Books | Get Ready for the Apocolypse

One of my goals in 2020 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.

It was fun to recommend a few of my favorite books last month and I thought the apocalypse was a an appropriate theme for this month’s round up!

Bunny Modern by David Bowman
In the not too distant future, electricity has been wiped out by the Millennial Blackout. This makes childbearing and much more out of wack. Nanny’s take drugs to do their jobs, shrines to the current are everywhere, and one child actor has psuedo-psychic powers.
I love this book. Just thinking about it makes me want to read it again even though I have probably read it a dozen times before. I don’t know where found this book, but I still have my original beloved copy.
While researching this blog, I was sad to find out that David Bowman passed away in 2012. One novel was released posthumously, so I’ll have to get my hands on that. It made me want to check on some of my other favorite living authors and make sure they are OK.

Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Told from isolation after Ice Nine, a deadly compound discovered by the father of the atom bomb, destroys the world, Cat’s Cradle is a unique look at the apocalypse and it’s aftermath.
I have’t read this book in a while and it might be time to reread it. As I recall it has all the compelling writing and irreverence of Vonnegut’s best works with a more forward sci fi nature. I highly recommend this as a jumping off point for those who have never read him, or those who have only read Slaughterhouse Five.

World War Z by Max Brooks
Written as an oral history 20 years after the Zombie War started, we see how the war was started and how people are recovering in different parts of the world.
I’m shocked that during this pandemic more people aren’t talking about zombies in general and about this book in particular. What I really liked about this book was that it was more about how the world would recover from a global eco political pandemic than about monsters. Here’s an excerpt from the Wikipedia plot recap: “The United States does little to prepare because of its overconfidence in its ability to suppress any threat, and the desire to not cause a panic during an election year. Although special forces teams contain initial small-scale domestic outbreaks, a widespread effort never starts: the US is deprived of political will by "brushfire wars", and a widely distributed and marketed placebovaccine, Phalanx, creates a false sense of security.” Seems like the perfect time to read this book.

What are your favorite post apocalyptic books?

Asbury Park Gift Guide | Mother's Day in Lockdown

I’ve always wanted to do a gift guide for Asbury Park. My town has so many neat places to visit, cool shops, and great restaurants. I love to promote it. But something about promoting retail didn’t quite ring right with my blog. Once quarentine started I realized that this gift guide wasn’t promoting retail as much as it was promoting small business and community. That’s just right for this space!

This year is going to be a weird one for gift giving, but that’s all the more reason to put some mindfulness into it, instead of just picking something up from a big corporate shop. This gift guide is cutting it a little close but in a year like this, a belated gift is fine and welcome, I’m sure! Here are a few things that are great ideas if you live in or near Asbury Park.

Get flowers delivered (or to deliver) from local purveyors.
Meaberrie Market has amazing flowers, dinner, sweets, and specials every day they are open and for mother’s day.
BluebellNJ sells flowers, candles, dried bouquets and flower art.
AP Greenery’s site is still saying they have normal hours, but their instagram has more info. They have awesome floral arrangements and plants.

Since mom can’t go to her favorite Asbury Park spots, give her a keep sake from them.
Who knows when concerts will come back? In the meantime, get mom some Stone Pony merch. (Or is she’s more a foodie, try the Scone Pony. )
We love Silverball Pinball Museum and they are open for take away pizza, and have mugs, tshirts and more available to help support them through this time.
Rebel Supply is selling merch, mystery packs of vintage clothing, and selling masks. The store has got to stay closed but pick ups and delivery is available.

Now that many restaurants are back open for take out, get her a meal, or give her a gift card for pick up or delivery or to use after restaurants have reopened for guests.
Some of my favorites are Franks Deli (great for sub sandwhiches and the best local cheesecake!!), I hear The Galley Pizza has great cheesesteaks, we are super excited that Ada’s Gojjo reopened for takeaway (my attempt at injera was a bust, so I’ll be happy to eat some authentic Ethiopian food again!), and of course Talula’s has pizza, provisions, cocktail kits, merch and more!

I’m sure you can find similar things near where you live, also! Use this guide as inspiration for your own city or town. There’s so much more I could have listed. If you want to see more small business guides, please let me know!

This mother’s day I probably won’t see my mother. I haven’t seen her since the beginning of March. I hope we can be reunited soon. And I you are reunited with your loved ones soon as well!