Gardening: Outside, Inside

One of the things I love this time of year, is the planting and gathering of our garden goods.  And that is exactly how we've been spending our days, gardening outdoors a bit here and a bit there and then bringing in doors some of that beautiful nature and sprinkling it through out the house.

The herbs I planted last year are coming back beautiful.  I think this year I'll actually be able to dry enough to gift during the holidays.  (To see how I dry them click here.)  The basil though (an annual) I have been watching grow patiently, since I decided to start it from seed.  It is taking its time, soon enough  we'll be enjoying the lovely flavor it gives to our food.

Do you see some Calla Lilies peaking through?  I am super excited about them.  They are one of my favorite flowers.  I had been meaning to plant some for a long time and finally this spring I did!!!  Oh I just cant wait to see how beautiful they look when they bloom!

Aside from planting lettuce in our usual veggie garden out back, we decided to plant some in planters and keep on the deck for easy access.  Well, it is doing great and we've been eating salad galore around here.  Did you know that if you cut the leaves and leave a bit on its trunk, it will continue to grow through out the season?  Indeed it does.  So don't pull that whole thing, out, leave some and you will see how you have lettuce all summer long.

My hydrangea bush is doing amazing once again this year.  It if at it's fullest.  Filled with vibrant ocean blue flowers.  I plan to clip some and use them to decorate a bit during the kids annual b-day celebration, next week.  On the mean time, I have gathered some and placed them indoors.  Aren't they just breath taking?  They make me happy just looking at them.

The kids and I have also been crafting with some of the nature we've brought indoors.  Have you tried using a leaf as a transfer?  Just place the leaf on the bottom of a blank piece of paper, then rub a crayon (laying flat) over the leaf until you see all the beautiful details on the paper.  How about drying out leaves?  Super simple to do.  You can place them in a leaf and flower press like I've done above (I bought mine on clearance several years ago from a local craft shop), or you can place it between the pages of a large book.  The hard part?  Hearing the kids ask over and over, "Mami, is it dry yet?"  No chiquitos, it is not...not for a week or so.

Hope you are enjoying the out doors and sprinkling bits of it indoors.

herbs

I've been drying them little by little before the winter months come our way (which happen to be right around the corner, I do say.) 

It is mighty easy.  

Just cut, rinse and let them sit out on the sun (or indoors.)  You can hang them to dry or simply place them on a tray (like I've done.)

 
Some herbs-like rosemary-dry very quickly.  Others-like basil- take a several days to dry, you just have to be a little patient.

I have big plans for all these lovely herbs and lavender.  Aside from using them to enhance flavors in my food, I want to collect enough dry herbs and give some away as gifts come Christmas.  I do think they would make lovely gifts.  How about some lavender satchels for drawers? Or cute cups filled with mint chocolate?  Or simply,  jars filled with herbs and tied with a cute ribbon? The possibilities are endless. 

What are your favorite herbs to dry? Give away?  Any gift ideas?

Celebrating earth day (a little early) ♥ Celebrando el dia de nuestro planeta (un poco temprano)

How did we celebrate?

¿Como celebramos?

Together with some friends from our local mom's group we journeyed into a local park and picked up any trash we could find.  Along the way we tossed a few rocks into the river, admired (and picked) wild flowers and crossed paths with some wild animals (like a snake.  Ahhhh!) and enjoyed a visit of a cute green caterpillar. 

Nos juntamos con amigos de nuestro grupo de mamas local y nos fuimos a limpiar un parque.  Mientras caminábamos recogiendo basura, también paramos a aventar piedritas al rió, admiramos (y cortamos) flores salvajes, y hasta encontramos una víbora en el camino (aaaaah!)  Por ultimo nos visito una linda verde uruga.  

Earth Day is this Friday April 22.  How do you plan to celebrate?

El Dia de Nuestro Planeta es este viernes 22 de Abril. ¿Como planeas celebrar?

 

Here are some books (that we love) to help you out:

Unos libros que nos gustan, para ayudarte:

 Love Your World by Dk Publishing.

 

A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry

(Tambien lo tienen en Español)

Do yo have any favorite books about Earth Day or taking care of your planet?

¿Que tal tu?  ¿Tienes algunos libros que nos puedas recomendar?  Me hacen falta mas en Español.

green gift giving :: envolviendo regalos con nuestro planeta en mente

Living greener has been something we work on every day in our home. We have gone from using paper napkins to cloth, from using paper towels to rags, we recycle everything and anything possible, we have changed our cleaning supplies to earth friendly ones (someday I even plan to try and make my own laundry and dish detergent), we try not to use any paper goods, we plant a lot of our own veggies and fruits, we shop local and/or organic, the list goes on...and yet there is so much more we can do.
Vivir mas "verde" (como decimos por acá en los Estados Unidos) es algo en lo que trabajamos todos los días aquí en nuestra casa. Poco a poco hemos cambiado de servilletas de papel a servilletas de tela, en vez de usar toallas de papel usamos trapos, reciclamos todo lo que se puede, hemos cambiado nuestros productos de la limpieza a productos echos mas naturales (con decirles que tengo planes para el futuro de hacer mi propio detergente para la ropa y jabón de los trastes), tratamos de no usar platos, vasos y otras cosas desechables, plantamos muchas de nuestras verduras y fruta, compramos local y/u orgánico, la lista continua...y siento que todavía nos falta mucho mas por hacer.

One of those things is how I wrap my gifts. Well I tell ya, I love, love, love wrapping paper, gift bags and tissue. But then, isn't that just a waste of paper? And then I saw this savvy little gift bag made out of old shipping envelopes. In a recently new magazine called Green Craft. I loved it. I made it. In fact, I've made a handful since. To be exact- The kids and I have made them. They love to stamp and add stickers. I use either old ribbon or a long scrap of fabric for the handle and Ta Da! The bag is done. Simple and unique and each one is decorated according to what the recipient likes.
Una de esas cosas es como envuelvo mis regalos. Les cuento que a mi me gusta- me encanta- comprar papel para envolver, bolsas y papel de china. Pero, no creen que es una desperdicio? Pues sepan que encontré en la revista Green Craft una gran idea, donde usan sobres de correo para hacer bolsas de regalo. Me encanto. Las hice. Con decirles que he echo varias. Mejor dicho, mis nenes y yo hemos echo varias. A ellos les encanta estampar y añadirles calcamonias. Y yo después las termino añadiéndoles agarraderas de liston o echas de algún retazo de tela ¡ Y listas! Sencillas y únicas, cada una decorada según el gusto de la persona que la va a recibir.
Cards are another way to be green. As you know I like to make my own if possible. Well, one of the things I love to use to make kids gift cards are my kids art work. I don't know about you, but I often find myself overwhelmed by the amount of artwork my kids manage to create and thought I would love to save each and every piece, it is just not realistic, so instead I pick and choose the ones to keep, date and save for them and the rest I turn into cards (or other projects).
De la otra manera que trato de vivir mas verde es al hacer mis propias tarjetas ya sea de cumpleaños o para cualquier otra ocasión. Una de las cosas que mas me gusta usar son los dibujos o pinturas que mis hijos han creado. No se si a ti te suceda, pero los míos crean un montón, que aunque me gustaría guardar cada uno, no se puede. Es que lo que hago es después de escoger, fechar y guardar todos los que si quiero guardar para el futuro, los que quedan los uso para las tarjetas (u otros proyectos).


Any other green gift giving ideas? I would love to hear them.
¿Tienes algunas otras ideas de como envolver regalos siendo consciente de nuestro planeta? Me encantaría oírlas.