Going Green, Remembering Gene

Reduce: Today, I officially declared a no car day. At least once a week we are not going to drive. We will walk if we need to go anywhere. I am hoping it will turn into two days a week...but for now one will suffice. I am certain it will help me plan and organize my time in advance, get us exercising more and save gas. If not, it will allow us to hang around our house in the hammock, eat the food we already have and read books! In an effort to reuse, I am taking the hem out of daughter's 5 skorts and sewing on a cute coordinating ruffle (using fabric from my stash). Here is the before pic of two of them. We recycled by selling two of daughter's outgrown bikes on Craigslist. It was so easy and two other little girls have "new to them" bikes. Our shed never looked so good.

On another note, my neighbor two doors down passed away the night before last in his sleep. He was on vacation with his wife in Colorado. He brought great joy to our neighborhood and beauty to our backyard and will be missed. We love the pond he built for all of us to enjoy and I am proud my daughter can continue to feed the ducks for him. Most of the time ducks are gathered around the edges, and my favorite backyard sound is a duck coming in for a landing. The whoosh sound is lovely.

kitchen garden and lazy days

My kitchen garden is underway. We will have herbs and small fruits and vegetables right outside our front door! I'll have to share them with the birds, but that is fine by me. Here is the before pic. I had a wonderful garden on the side of our house before the remodel and have been waiting, designing and dreaming of this small courtyard garden for 2 years.

My husband is going to start working on it as soon as his nap in the hammock is finished. Which, btw, he waited 10 years for. We bought the hammock in Nice? Cannes? or Monte Carlo? in 1998 and have finally landscaped enough of our backyard for the the right spot.

birthday bunting and cupcake soaps

Oh, I just love bunting. It makes everything look so festive. I made quite a long span for my daughter's b'day party. I can see it hanging in my backyard for future summer parties as well. I also found wonderful cupcake soaps http://http//www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_3&listing_id=12537461 to give as party favors to our guests. I put them in candy colored ice cream dishes as the "soap dish" that I found at the dollar store. An inexpensive, cute and semi depletable party favor. YAY!

Mini cupcakes for friends

It's gotta be another lovely day when your biggest decision is what to pack for the last day of school picnic! Here's a pic of the fairy cakes (mini cupcakes) I made for my daughter to hand out to her friends. It's her last day of school and her birthday!