Soaking up the sunshine

We finally got a break from the rain and were able to head outside and soak up some sunshine.  And we are rocking this Saturday!  Skylar and I laid under the rays and just enjoyed the heat and warmth of the sun for a few hours this afternoon. #Wearereadyforsummerhere

Wouldn't you want to cuddle with this sun buddy too?  :-)

Eco-Tip:  Harness your rain water throughout the season and use the water you've captured to water your garden, lawn, and flowers.  When you do this you use zero water and in turn you end up saving money too!  The best way to capture rainfall is with a rain barrel.  Check out the ones below to find one that works for you.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

    

Our Garden Currently: And the cleanup begins

Our raised beds took a beating this winter.  They have become overgrown and not very well kept.  It is fully our fault, but we have a plan!  We are going to just start over and actually put down weed barer to prevent this next season.  Although Skylar and I won't be here, it will at least make it good for Jeff when he goes to plant next year.  Here is what they look like so far......

Jeff had to use the weed eater on the beds first.  Yeah, they were that bad!

Our Cosmos are starting to show their pretty little heads.

And Skylar found the littlest snail.  

We decided to remove the beds altogether and flatten out the dirt that was in each bed.  Skylar is the biggest helper ever and loves to get his hands dirty with work.  Makes us proud!

Hopefully in a week or two we will have the garden back on track to where it should be.  

Weeding always goes smoother with a few of these.  Ha!

Eco-Tip:  Instead of buying your fruits, berries, and vegetables this summer consider having a garden.  A small garden, one that just has tomatoes, lettuce, or carrots, can be planted and offer almost zero maintenance throughout the growing season.  If you only have room for one or even two vegetables, start growing!  It will save you money and offer a plentiful supply of food.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

Spark of Loves this Week: Flute, Razzles, Taffy, Nook, Quote, Definition, Oil, Pie, Postcard, and Soap

This Flute.

Because it's Skylar's and he got it on the Pacific Coast.  He is actually getting pretty good on it too!

These Razzles.

  

Because they were yummy and worth it.

This Taffy.

  

Because in my opinion it's the best taffy around.

This Nook.

Because it helps me to organize my books when I travel.  If you're on Nook too, get in touch with me via my contact page and we can exchange book recommendations. 

This Quote.

Because green is where it's at.

This Definition.

Because it's a must now days.

This Oil.

Because it was pretty.

This Pie.

Because I will miss Marion Berry when I move.

This Postcard.

Because it's totally awesome, right?

This Soap.

Because I am sad that Burt's Bees stopped making it.  :-(

Eco-Tip:  Be sure and always opt to support green businesses in your own area.  Shopping local is a green practice that more people need to get into and shopping a local business that is also green is even better.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

Wednesday walks (5-22)

We had a pretty good down pour of rain on Wednesday this week and with that it kept Skylar and I indoors for the most part.  It was a bit chilly here in the valley too, so it definitely kept us inside for the afternoon.  We were a bit bummed, but given what others in other parts of the country are dealing with, we were happy with just snuggling up on the couch and I listened to Skylar read a bit from Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Cabin Fever).

Here's images of a few of my most favorite flowers around my home currently.

Peonies.

The right side of the 75+ year old rose bush.

My confused Christmas Cactus that seems to bloom year round.

Pink Dogwood Trees.  (These aren't at my home, but they are only a block away and are beautiful right now)

The bright red tulip, and the many, many California Poppies that bloom in masses this time of year here in the valley.

The left side of the 75+ year old rose bush in front of my house.  Love it!

Eco-Tip:  When exercising be sure to re-hydrate with fresh water and nothing else.  Water is the quickest re-hydrate that goes straight to where it's needing in your body.  Sugary drinks and fitness waters can't give you the same benefits as just plain water.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.