Water Drum to Composter

We're getting ready for spring around here and I thought I'd share an idea the hubby came up with a few years back for an easy, clean composter.

First, take an old water drum. This one is 55 gallons and has a screwtop lid.

Drill holes on the bottom (for draining the dirt), then two on the side to put a bar in the middle for rotating the dirt. Attach to a pallet to keep it off the ground and the lid keeps critters out. The drum can be spun to shake and mix the dirt and create some yummy, yummy compost!

Here's a peek inside to see how the spinning mechanics work. We ended up donating this one to our son's school garden because our dirt needs are ever growing, but this would be a great option for the backyard gardener in areas with critters or pets.

What kind of spring and garden prep are you getting ready for right now? Share in the comments!

Love from the Garden

Sending a little love from our summer garden to you!

Saturday Mornings

I'm not usually a morning person, but weekends have me waking up early to feed my neighbor's horses.

What started as a chore has become a peaceful, almost zenlike approach to the day. I appreciate the intention it brings and any moment to connect with animals is a good one in my book.

These are my "neigh"bors Entrigue and Val, so you can catch a glimpse of their cute faces before they get covered in fly masks.

Entrigue doesn't like to come up for air until he's had every morsel of his breakfast.

I then take a moment to admire the vegetable garden. (Not my work of course- my thumb is more gangreen than green.)

The last chore is letting out and feeding the chickens.

And trying to stay out of the rooster's way. I don't know him very well, but he always seems to be in a bad mood.

Not me! I'm looking at the best start to my day.

Tahoe- Day 1

A couple weeks ago I went to Tahoe with my dad and his friend, Maddy. It's a three hour drive from the East Bay, which means that you still get the better part of a day after you get there. Our first stop was the lake, of course, where we found a couple new friends.

The irony was that the little guy was a far more enthusiastic swimmer than the retriever.

At Tallac Historic Site, we got to walk on trails by the lake and get a little culture at the same time. This once upon a time resort had a museum and restored cabins capturing the essence from its heyday at the turn of the century.

Here's an old icebox from the kitchen. I love old kitchens.

And old laundry rooms. It makes my visits to the laundromat not seem so bad.

I took the opportunity to snuggle up with Smokey the Bear. We were next to the big fireplace in the lobby, but he didn't seem to mind.

The grounds were full of beautiful gardens to explore.

This is where I would sleep if I lived here- the nanny's bedroom!

When there's more time relaxing on the porch than walking, it's a good indication that happy hour is near. Until tomorrow!

Another Vintage Picnic at Daisy's

Sometimes I wish I could buy a magazine company just so my friend, Daisy, could organize all the shoots, spreads, creative content and distribution of it. She just makes everything pretty.

To kickoff an especially great weekend, she hosted a gal party at the pond down the road from her house. I laughed and bonded in great company, with sunshine, music, food, and an invigorating swim across the pond to make me feel like an Olympian (with a floating noodle assist).

A preparty shot from Daisy

It really doesn't matter how pretty the place is, how classy the drinks or how artfully prepared the food is. Despite matching linens and handmade decor sewed fresh for the occasion, I know that at Daisy's place, I will always feel welcome and special.

Meyer lemon finished campagne from Della Fattoria with local cheeses.

Fresh cherries, apricots and raspberries with St. Germain cocktails.

And that was only the beginning of the weekend ...

It's Our Right to Know!

Busy weekend getting those garden beds started? Well, before you plant all those tomatoes, check out the Label GMO's site. They even print the reminder on seed packets.

Pretty scary to think of how many innocent little seeds are genetically modified! We can change it, or at least make people even more aware of their food choices.

Happy planting!

And here's the link to Rare Seeds for all your heirloom needs.

A Nice Little Jaunt

I got another local spot under my belt this weekend when I took a walk around the grounds at Westminster Woods right next to Bohemian Grove. (Technically, it's not open to the public, but I got some connections and seized the opportunity.)

What immediately grabbed me about this place (aside from devastating beauty in the quiet mystery of redwoods), was the lack of conflict between modern science and its Christian belief system. On a walk through the grounds, each step represents a million years. Signs are posted showing the evolutionary development of the planet for that particular time, as well as information about the whys and hows of our own unique ecosystem here in west county. Take note, science and spirituality can mix!

Also a climbing wall with lots of potential. Love that kids get to be exposed to this!

And my personal favorite of the ground features was the outdoor kitchen and herb garden. Not that I'm biased.

A homemade "cob" oven. I wonder why they call it that?

Oh, now I get it. See the cobs jutting out from under the mud and clay?