I was reading the Canadian Living Magazine's Green Living Blog today and Daniela (blog owner) wrote about a contest for kids age 6-13 to become one of Canada's greenest kids. The details are at www.sunlightgreenkids.ca so if you are a green kid or you know one - go check it out! There is an honorarium involved, plus a great opportunity to make a difference. Worth writing a 150 word essay for I'm sure.
I just wanted to share this as I think it's a fantastic opportunity for a child to do something important, for themselves and for the world they live in. Pass it along!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Winning the War on Weeds
Ok.. I'm not really, but I loved that title! I am now in a house, as you may know, and weeds seem to be something that come with houses. Who knew? It looked so well tended when we put the offer in. By the time we took possession (a mere 30 or so days later) the weeds were out of control. Yikes! And being very pregnant at the time, I just gave up. Now I'm paying for it as apparently they sowed themselves and are back with a vengeance. Sigh...
I'm adamantly against using pesticides. My husband wants to agent orange the front under the trees where the weeds are taking over. I want to dig it over, pull the weeds, lay down the landscaping fabric and cover with rocks. I'd like river rock I think. Ummm yeah.. I priced it - I need 10 yards and it's.. are you ready for this... over $800!!! And more to just put bark mulch. Goodness me!!!
We have rock in part of the yard, so I'm thinking of pulling all that and using it under the trees, then avidly watching freecycle/craigslist for free river rock nearby and building it that way. I just can't bring myself to pay that much money for rocks.
I've been using Elimaweed and Scott's ecosense weed killer. they are good for the stuff growing in sidewalk/driveway cracks and kind of along paths, but if you don't keep up at it, it all grows back. Grrr. And it cost a fortune. So the next step is to just get down there and dig it. You know.. when I have time. Which I have so much of with two wee ones, lol. I need to teach the toddler to pull weeds for fun.. Only problem is I envisage him pulling anything green. Hmmm. I thought about hiring a student for a few hours to help with the rocks - gotta pull them out of the bed they are in. Hmmm...
I do plan on trying this approach. I've done it here and there and it does work, but you have to maintain the approach, something I'm not good at. Just take 15 minutes and do it. Do all you can as quickly and well as you can, focus on nothing else, for 15 minutes. The kids do sleep, so I might try it consistently everyday. That's an hour and 45 minutes of weeding each week. More than I'm doing now.. Might just work - I'll let you know.
If anyone has any other ideas to tame the scourge that's invading my garden, just let me know. My mom says sometimes you just have to start over.. Ummm. no.. I dont' think so. I'm blessed with some really nice plants - it's just those other ones I dont' want. Please feel free to share. I need all the help I can get to do it and not have my desperate husband grab a bottle of Round-Up.
I'm adamantly against using pesticides. My husband wants to agent orange the front under the trees where the weeds are taking over. I want to dig it over, pull the weeds, lay down the landscaping fabric and cover with rocks. I'd like river rock I think. Ummm yeah.. I priced it - I need 10 yards and it's.. are you ready for this... over $800!!! And more to just put bark mulch. Goodness me!!!
We have rock in part of the yard, so I'm thinking of pulling all that and using it under the trees, then avidly watching freecycle/craigslist for free river rock nearby and building it that way. I just can't bring myself to pay that much money for rocks.
I've been using Elimaweed and Scott's ecosense weed killer. they are good for the stuff growing in sidewalk/driveway cracks and kind of along paths, but if you don't keep up at it, it all grows back. Grrr. And it cost a fortune. So the next step is to just get down there and dig it. You know.. when I have time. Which I have so much of with two wee ones, lol. I need to teach the toddler to pull weeds for fun.. Only problem is I envisage him pulling anything green. Hmmm. I thought about hiring a student for a few hours to help with the rocks - gotta pull them out of the bed they are in. Hmmm...
I do plan on trying this approach. I've done it here and there and it does work, but you have to maintain the approach, something I'm not good at. Just take 15 minutes and do it. Do all you can as quickly and well as you can, focus on nothing else, for 15 minutes. The kids do sleep, so I might try it consistently everyday. That's an hour and 45 minutes of weeding each week. More than I'm doing now.. Might just work - I'll let you know.
If anyone has any other ideas to tame the scourge that's invading my garden, just let me know. My mom says sometimes you just have to start over.. Ummm. no.. I dont' think so. I'm blessed with some really nice plants - it's just those other ones I dont' want. Please feel free to share. I need all the help I can get to do it and not have my desperate husband grab a bottle of Round-Up.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sharing just feels good
I've been holding on to some things leftover from the garage sale. I had good intentions of putting them up for sale, but haven't gotten around to it. The other day I decided that I would share them on the FullCircles network - so I have gifted a nice wall shelf and my grandfather's old slide projector and screen to people who will make great use of them. In fact, the projector went to someone who had a ton of slides, but an old projector whose bulb burnt out and can no longer be replaced - a real gift to them!
I've noticed that when you share with others, the things you need seem to come your way, too. For example - we have a shed at our new home that really needs siding put on it. We were chatting with a friend about it, and wouldn't you know it, they had a big lot of used vinyl siding that they didn't need. So with a visit to us for lunch, they brought it over and we now have siding!
It's quite interesting to see that when you just take the time to ask for something - or help - how people want to share or help you. This is the ultimate in recycling. You get something you really need and they get something they didn't need passed on for another use. You may not make a straight trade with someone, but in the end it all somehow works out. You get what you give, you reap what you sow... funny how that works.
So my advice to you all is to share - give things to a friend, share them on craigslist, or freecycle or fullcircles or your local website, bulletin board or by word or mouth. And when you need something - just ask for it. Tell your friends, post an ad, put it out there and you might be pleasantly surprised at what comes back to you.
I've noticed that when you share with others, the things you need seem to come your way, too. For example - we have a shed at our new home that really needs siding put on it. We were chatting with a friend about it, and wouldn't you know it, they had a big lot of used vinyl siding that they didn't need. So with a visit to us for lunch, they brought it over and we now have siding!
It's quite interesting to see that when you just take the time to ask for something - or help - how people want to share or help you. This is the ultimate in recycling. You get something you really need and they get something they didn't need passed on for another use. You may not make a straight trade with someone, but in the end it all somehow works out. You get what you give, you reap what you sow... funny how that works.
So my advice to you all is to share - give things to a friend, share them on craigslist, or freecycle or fullcircles or your local website, bulletin board or by word or mouth. And when you need something - just ask for it. Tell your friends, post an ad, put it out there and you might be pleasantly surprised at what comes back to you.
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