Humble Beginnings

Spring is finally here! Not that it ever really stays cold enough to say it's "winter" here in Texas. :P The birds are singing, the trees and grass are budding, and life is renewing in all forms. Such a beautiful and cleansing season, I just wish it would last a little longer before the state turns into an oven again.

I am still currently cooped up in my apartment with my broken foot and my puppy, but I am making the most of it. 3 months so far ( Jan 12th is when I got the cast on). Luckily Sagan is such a great dog and hasn't been making a huge fuss about not going on walks for the past several weeks. We've been hanging out inside learning the fine art of fetch, video games, and starting our little garden!

It's not much right now, but it's a start and works for our little family. :) I plan on building it up in the coming weeks as money and timing allows(I haven't been able to drive because of this cast, so I am at the mercy of others to get anything done - yay internet shopping!!!).

I broke down and purchased a "Wally" WoolyPocket . I read so many amazing reviews on it and was very pleased to learn that this pocket is very earth friendly (made from recycled, sustainable, and locally produced materials), as well as space saving for the balcony! It was a lot bigger than I had assumed it would be so I was able to fit four plants in and hang it off my balcony!




Stephen and I found this amazing nursery that is only a mile away, which is where we got our first four plants and soil fixins. http://redbarngardencenter.net/ If you live anywhere near here I HIGHLY recommend this place! The staff was very knowledgeable and the prices were really reasonable for all local ingredients. :)

Soil: Lady Bug Brand Vortex Potting Soil.
Awesome name AND microbrewed in south Austin with sustainable ingredients!
http://www.ladybugbrand.com/products/Vortex-Potting-Soil.asp

Compost: Back to Nature brand - Nature's Blend with alfalfa and humate. Nothing like cow poop and cotton to make your plants happy... >.>
http://www.backtonaturecompost.com/naturesblend.html

Base: Organics by Gosh Decomposed Granite and Sand. I put a layer a few inches thick at the bottom of the pouch to help with water retention and stability.





The herbs I chose to put in this little pocket are:

Boxwood Basil
Cilantro
Dill
Rosemary

They are all so fragrant and vibrant, I can't wait to see how they will grow!











Here's to hoping that these little spawnlings can grow and be strong enough to season our family's meals!












/love








Humble beginnings for this Irishwoman who is rediscovering herself in a world drowning in consumerism and selfishness. :)

More to come later, and hopefully more often...

Into the great unknown!

I've been thinking lately about the legacy I want to leave and the tiny impact I will have on our planet. I believe that deep down, we don't want to be a virus to this planet- constantly consuming and giving little to nothing back to the only place we call home. So my mission is to try to reconnect and realistically lessen my "footprint" in a time geared towards consumerism. I can't go to college atm due to some complications I am working on resolving, but I would like reconnecting with the earth to be a lifelong goal and something I always seek to learn and improve upon. Having said that, I know I can't change the world on my own, but I would like my legacy to be that of love and balance. That maybe I can share my knowledge with my little droplet of community in the ocean of the human race and inspire them to take up the same torch. And while I won't be able to change the world, I believe droplets can become waves over time.

So that's why I am doing two things this year - grow an urban garden, and maintain a blog about it. :P Both are something I have little to no previous experience in ... Yay adventure! Time to take chances, make mistakes and get messy! \o/

Here are the plants I have decided to take a swing at :
Leafy Greens
Peppers
Onions
Strawberries
Squash
Tomatoes
Basil
Rosemary

I am fairly certain this will keep me busy while my foot heals. :P

I actually found a lot of websites to be quite helpful so far in my research on making a small balcony able to support such a project, but I will figure out a permanent place for them soon.

I am going to be spending the next few couple of weeks doing more research and getting materials together and hopefully get some seeds started! Wish me luck!