4.22.2009

{ the garden }


Happy Earth Day everyone! I spent the past weekend and free time this week working on our garden and getting the chicken coop ready! Who-hoo! I am so excited! I've been really inspired by this nationwide revived approach to the {victory gardens} concept. Check out this post too. And if you need even more inspiration to start your own, check out this article about 10 Ways Gardening can help you through a recession and reasons why gardening is great exercise.

In addition to planting a vegetable garden this spring, in honor of earth day we also put up a clothesline and I am giving up using paper towels (why does this seem harder than it should be?) We are also doing some trail work this week and cleaning up some trash along one of our bike routes. What are you doing in celebration of Earth Day?

Speaking of the recession, I've joined in a voluntary {spending hiatus} for the remainder of 2009 at Mostly Mod. More on this soon - what my exceptions will be (handmade products, birthday gifts that I can't make, garden supplies, and a few things on our list of things to buy this year - eg. our landscaping project and belay device for our home climbing wall and items that help organize and simplify our lives.) So there won't be NO spending going on, but there will be totally mindful consumption and LESS spending overall and my Dave Ramsey envelope system wallet. I need to buckle down if we are going to meet our lofty saving and debt payoff goals and have our pot of travel funds this year. Anyone want to join in?

Adorable garden illustration via My Tiny Plot.

5 comments:

Melita said...

that is great. i really enjoy gardening now! nothing like having something out of your own garden!!

Anonymous said...

really great ... love this!

and off to check out the spending hiatus thing ... something i really want to try to implement in our home [even just a little bit].

Anonymous said...

so, on the no spending thing...

what if you need new skin care? does that count as no spend?

are you simply buying necessities? no extras?

tell me more (when you have a moment).

LobotoME said...

Hi Denise - I am going to do a post next week about it --- but I think you can essentially set it up to your own rules. I kind of lump my skin care stuff into my jenny take care of me fund (where i also put my yoga classes, one girls night out a month, etc.) - some people would call that part of your blow money each month - if you choose to use your designated fun or take care of yourself money all on skin care then there might not be any left for anything else. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that this will be different for everyone. My personal motivation is that I've been fortunate to never have to go {without}...I've generally just purchased what I wanted and not necessarily what I needed...so I am trying to make more mindful purchases...and on necessities (which for me does include YOGA classes) but would eliminate the new yoga pants for example since I have like 8 pairs of black yoga pants already... Wow, long comment - sorry! I'll post more next week. Check out Mostly mod's blog about her personal rules & exceptions! j ;)

Anonymous said...

thanks Jenny for explaining this in more detail and I look forward to your post about it. I like your way of thinking vs. a total no spend. With 3 kids and life, there is always something that comes up. I am with you about being overall more mindful. It helps really to just not go shopping : )

oh, guilty on all accounts on the yoga pants thing too.