I'm not a big coffee drinker.
That might be the understatement of the century. I like the smell and the taste is ok, but I rarely drink coffee. My most notable exceptions to this are sleepy mornings of which I have few since my back has been corrected, Saturday mornings at my parents house which are for bonding with my mum and sister and prior to tattoo appointments for my obligatory get psyched up and maintain the sugar levels intake. Because of this, I've never had a steady supply of spent coffee (grinds? grounds?) to use in my garden.
Until! Until I used my little noodly brain and realised that I work for an internet company. People who work at internet companies are normally composed of coffee. They subsist on it. At least, the nerdy sleepless ones who are compelled to spend hours of their time post-work time playing computers games do. Luckily, I work with those people and we have coffee machines everywhere. Different kinds, too. Fully manual enormous cafe style machines which I have no idea how to use and which have handy little buckets placed conveniently close for emptying coffee grounds into. Automated machines into which you place whole beans and which dispense the energy giving elixir at the touch of a button and hide coffee grounds within neat little buckets for the taking.
I've even thought about asking my local coffee shops if they do
anything, you know, special with their coffee grounds or if they'd like
to save them for their friendly neighbourhood..me.
That's right. I'm that girl. The one who uses the things that no one else wants. I really have been getting a bit of a reputation for it as well, since I prance around the kitchens on several floors of our building with a resealable bag, explaining the benefits of adding coffee to acid-loving tomatoes and compost bins to every fellow staff member who raises an eyebrow. My tomatoes seem to have appreciated the addition of coffee to my garden beds, although some of my workmates seem to have visions of over caffinated vegetables when I explain my plans to them.
I don't mind though. The best part about bringing home the spent coffee grounds, better than getting something for nothing, better than saving something so useful from landfill...
My compost smells amazing.
Wednesday 9 November 2011
Monday 7 November 2011
I'm a terrible blogger. I always find a way to forget to record my
thoughts. Come to think of it, routine is not my strong point (my
physios' face let me in on that one when I mentioned I'd forgotten to do
my exercises for five weeks - straight).
Now that part is over, on to things I have been doing, keeping up with and accomplishing!
Home
I'm steadily working towards making my little piece of land more useful. I've added four hanging pots to my front verandah. My two little garden beds have been joined by another small bed and an enormous bed thanks to some colourbond, metal flashing and some pop rivets. I've moved my compost bins to a new area (by the back fence) to make more effective use of my yard. J has been invaluable in doing more of the heavy lifting work (moving soil etc) and pruning the hedge in our front yard. I also (finally!) have two chickens now who I have been letting out for a few hours every day to poke around the backyard and help to reduce the local bug population (those girls will be happy when they find out how many spiders can live under a pair of oversized gum trees!).
Derby
Amonsgt these small home-based victories, I've also taken up derby again. This time I joined a new league at the outset of its existence which has a significant point of difference - it's a co-ed league. Women and men skating together. It doesn't seem so intense for the most part because a lot of people are unaware that men don't tend to have a strong playing role in roller derby. I've got several male friends who are great skaters and I love being able to skate with them as players. We've had a couple of new people start with us and it's amazing when you see the lightbulb moment of derby-understanding that hits them as soon as you do even the simplest scrimmage based drill.
Part of the reason that I'd stopped skating with my old league was because I'd been spending a lot of time on the sidelines due to a nagging lower back injury that wouldn't go away. This settled down considerably when I stopped skating and flared back up again quite severely when I resumed. I saw a group of excellent physiotherapists who created an improvement plan for me and I have now been cleared to discontinue regular visits. I can't even begin to explain how nice it is to know I can start working on my core muscles again (and no more pesky Saturday visits to the other side of town!).
Finances
I had a stunning realisation a few months ago on a drive home from derby practise with J.
"I am terrible with money. I have been terrible with money for years. There is a difference between being a scroogey tightarse (like myself) and being good with money (like other people)."
This stunning realisation was blurted out in a very excited manner (no one should even be that excited about realising their not good at life-management). J gave me his best "amusing Bunny is amusing" reply, but the following things really hit home at that stage;
1) I have let other people manipulate me into getting into debt for them (very stupid)
2) I have let my fear of taking control set me back vastly
3) To fix it, I would need to actually do it. Take control myself.
With this in mind, I have recently set up direct deposits for each of my bills (divided by the amount of pay periods in each cycle) so I only really have to worry about top up payments for things like electricity and water. I applied for and received a consolidation loan for my personal loan and two credit cards. One credit card was closed; the other I've kept for emergency purposes. I set up a Savings bank account for my car registration, and two more for saving (one with another bank so I can't see the balance increasing, the other as a buffer if I need additional cash). I'm about to pay out my oven so I don't have to worry about that any more.
I used to have a very head in the sand attitude when it came to my finances and cannot possibly explain the feeling of freedom that I have right now, which is amusing since I have a mortgage and those are supposed to make you feel trapped. I was frugal through necessity, not because of a desire to live as cheaply as possible. I'll never out-cheap others, but I can give it my best shot and try to reduce that mortgage so I can experience some real freedom. This also comes back to the Home-based gardening as I'd like to become even just a little bit more self-reliant. I'll never be one of those dedicated off the grid people living as I am in the middle of suburbia but I can take something back and turn this oversized for two people plot of land into something useful and engaging.
Now that part is over, on to things I have been doing, keeping up with and accomplishing!
Home
I'm steadily working towards making my little piece of land more useful. I've added four hanging pots to my front verandah. My two little garden beds have been joined by another small bed and an enormous bed thanks to some colourbond, metal flashing and some pop rivets. I've moved my compost bins to a new area (by the back fence) to make more effective use of my yard. J has been invaluable in doing more of the heavy lifting work (moving soil etc) and pruning the hedge in our front yard. I also (finally!) have two chickens now who I have been letting out for a few hours every day to poke around the backyard and help to reduce the local bug population (those girls will be happy when they find out how many spiders can live under a pair of oversized gum trees!).
Derby
Amonsgt these small home-based victories, I've also taken up derby again. This time I joined a new league at the outset of its existence which has a significant point of difference - it's a co-ed league. Women and men skating together. It doesn't seem so intense for the most part because a lot of people are unaware that men don't tend to have a strong playing role in roller derby. I've got several male friends who are great skaters and I love being able to skate with them as players. We've had a couple of new people start with us and it's amazing when you see the lightbulb moment of derby-understanding that hits them as soon as you do even the simplest scrimmage based drill.
Part of the reason that I'd stopped skating with my old league was because I'd been spending a lot of time on the sidelines due to a nagging lower back injury that wouldn't go away. This settled down considerably when I stopped skating and flared back up again quite severely when I resumed. I saw a group of excellent physiotherapists who created an improvement plan for me and I have now been cleared to discontinue regular visits. I can't even begin to explain how nice it is to know I can start working on my core muscles again (and no more pesky Saturday visits to the other side of town!).
Finances
I had a stunning realisation a few months ago on a drive home from derby practise with J.
"I am terrible with money. I have been terrible with money for years. There is a difference between being a scroogey tightarse (like myself) and being good with money (like other people)."
This stunning realisation was blurted out in a very excited manner (no one should even be that excited about realising their not good at life-management). J gave me his best "amusing Bunny is amusing" reply, but the following things really hit home at that stage;
1) I have let other people manipulate me into getting into debt for them (very stupid)
2) I have let my fear of taking control set me back vastly
3) To fix it, I would need to actually do it. Take control myself.
With this in mind, I have recently set up direct deposits for each of my bills (divided by the amount of pay periods in each cycle) so I only really have to worry about top up payments for things like electricity and water. I applied for and received a consolidation loan for my personal loan and two credit cards. One credit card was closed; the other I've kept for emergency purposes. I set up a Savings bank account for my car registration, and two more for saving (one with another bank so I can't see the balance increasing, the other as a buffer if I need additional cash). I'm about to pay out my oven so I don't have to worry about that any more.
I used to have a very head in the sand attitude when it came to my finances and cannot possibly explain the feeling of freedom that I have right now, which is amusing since I have a mortgage and those are supposed to make you feel trapped. I was frugal through necessity, not because of a desire to live as cheaply as possible. I'll never out-cheap others, but I can give it my best shot and try to reduce that mortgage so I can experience some real freedom. This also comes back to the Home-based gardening as I'd like to become even just a little bit more self-reliant. I'll never be one of those dedicated off the grid people living as I am in the middle of suburbia but I can take something back and turn this oversized for two people plot of land into something useful and engaging.
Sunday 22 May 2011
Sunday 17 April 2011
This can't be described as a really successful weekend, the way I hoped it would pan out, but it did pretty well!
On Saturday I made my first batch of cold process soap; I'm very pleased that I finally tried my hand at it, though it doesn't seem to have been completely successful. In fact, though I won't know for sure for several weeks, I think I need a bit more practise. I overpoured one kind of oil by 10 grams so left another low by 10 grams, but that's not really how soap making works! I'll try again, I really want to make a coffee soap to help me wake up in the mornings during winter.
Today I had a family lunch to attend (meeting a cousin from Queensland!) and asked J to run an errand for me and pick up some wood from the disposal yard so we can build a chicken coop this Easter. He got everything I asked for, so as soon as I got back to mum and dad's, we went to the hardware store to pick up some screws. We need to go back for chicken wire as well, but while we were there I couldn't resist a visit to the garden section. I've been wanting to get a lemon tree for ages now, but couldn't justify the price; we wandered past the citrus and found Meyer lemons reduced to $15! There's now one sitting out the front with a new little strawberry plant to keep my crazy strawberry happy.
Fortunately this week is a short one, and a very rare calendar means a five day Easter/ANZAC holiday, so J and I should be able to get plenty done this weekend (and hopefully still have lots of time to mooch around and be lazy, too).
On Saturday I made my first batch of cold process soap; I'm very pleased that I finally tried my hand at it, though it doesn't seem to have been completely successful. In fact, though I won't know for sure for several weeks, I think I need a bit more practise. I overpoured one kind of oil by 10 grams so left another low by 10 grams, but that's not really how soap making works! I'll try again, I really want to make a coffee soap to help me wake up in the mornings during winter.
Today I had a family lunch to attend (meeting a cousin from Queensland!) and asked J to run an errand for me and pick up some wood from the disposal yard so we can build a chicken coop this Easter. He got everything I asked for, so as soon as I got back to mum and dad's, we went to the hardware store to pick up some screws. We need to go back for chicken wire as well, but while we were there I couldn't resist a visit to the garden section. I've been wanting to get a lemon tree for ages now, but couldn't justify the price; we wandered past the citrus and found Meyer lemons reduced to $15! There's now one sitting out the front with a new little strawberry plant to keep my crazy strawberry happy.
Fortunately this week is a short one, and a very rare calendar means a five day Easter/ANZAC holiday, so J and I should be able to get plenty done this weekend (and hopefully still have lots of time to mooch around and be lazy, too).
Wednesday 6 April 2011
Today has been the first day that I have really, truly missed daylight savings. We've just set out clocks back an hour (effective last Sunday) and the sky darkening so early makes me sleepy on the bus. Sadly it also means that any after hours yard work needs to be done in the dark.
In trying not to use nasty litters, my cats and bunny use a biodegradable made from rice leftovers (no, I'm not really sure how that works..). Tonight I decided to empty the litter trays and water my veggie patch, and afterwards decided to pull an old crate from my shed to empty into the bin. After I did all of this, I took a look at the shed in the darkness and saw my old enemy; the wolf spider.
I really don't know if it's the same one as last time I scared myself silly, but it wasn't small, and this time I was the one who stood my ground and the spider was the one who started dancing like an idiot and running away. Unfortunately last time we met, the spider was the one who kept its nerve. I must be getting less wussy as I spend more time in the great outdoors, because I'm sure the neighbours heard me screaming like a little girl last time. This time they might just have heard me taunting it.
I might look into getting some extra lights out there though..
In trying not to use nasty litters, my cats and bunny use a biodegradable made from rice leftovers (no, I'm not really sure how that works..). Tonight I decided to empty the litter trays and water my veggie patch, and afterwards decided to pull an old crate from my shed to empty into the bin. After I did all of this, I took a look at the shed in the darkness and saw my old enemy; the wolf spider.
I really don't know if it's the same one as last time I scared myself silly, but it wasn't small, and this time I was the one who stood my ground and the spider was the one who started dancing like an idiot and running away. Unfortunately last time we met, the spider was the one who kept its nerve. I must be getting less wussy as I spend more time in the great outdoors, because I'm sure the neighbours heard me screaming like a little girl last time. This time they might just have heard me taunting it.
I might look into getting some extra lights out there though..
Monday 4 April 2011
So, my first post was slightly wrong. Only very slightly.
There is something else I can keep alive. Aloe vera. I was ill today and decided to use a little of my afternoon to see what was going on in my pot of aloe vera.
The answer? Many babies. Many, many babies. I've pulled out most of them and have them spaced across three large and two small pots, but I don't have enough space for each to have their own pot. I'll need to work on that.
There is something else I can keep alive. Aloe vera. I was ill today and decided to use a little of my afternoon to see what was going on in my pot of aloe vera.
The answer? Many babies. Many, many babies. I've pulled out most of them and have them spaced across three large and two small pots, but I don't have enough space for each to have their own pot. I'll need to work on that.
Sunday 3 April 2011
I thought I'd best publish the photos I took with my phone yesterday (to prove to my mother that things are indeed alive out there) sooner rather than later. That way I'll be able to see a bit of change as time goes on.
First;
This is an accidental plant. This is presumably what happens when you use donated chicken manure from someone's backyard as a layer or two in your veggie patch. It appears to be a pumpkin plant, but I'm unsure.
These two pictures are why I'm unsure. The top one does seem to have a very plump lower section, but I can't tell if it's a female flower or not. The two flowers are from the same plant.
Easier territory to deal with; I planted this pea! Several of my little pea plants are flowering, and I'm excited to see them progress. I need to get out some wire to run across the patch so they have more to cling to. Ahh, progress, I love you!
These 'little' guys have sprung up behind my veggie patch near my back fence. I'm guessing they're fate's way of telling me to pull my head in; I only found them after complaining about my complete lack of luck with those mushroom boxes. I've love to have those work..fresh yummy mushrooms all the time would be amazing.
Size reference on the larger of the two. Not an inconsequential mushroom considering I have fairly large hands. Pity something ate it before I found it.
First;
These 'little' guys have sprung up behind my veggie patch near my back fence. I'm guessing they're fate's way of telling me to pull my head in; I only found them after complaining about my complete lack of luck with those mushroom boxes. I've love to have those work..fresh yummy mushrooms all the time would be amazing.
Size reference on the larger of the two. Not an inconsequential mushroom considering I have fairly large hands. Pity something ate it before I found it.
My name is Erin. I also go by Bunny, and I've started this blog as a companion to the changes I'm making in my life.
Until recently (about 18 months ago) the only plants I could keep alive were roses; not even cacti were safe from me! If it didn't make noise to remind me of its existence, I couldn't keep it alive. Every spring I had grand plans of starting a veggie garden, and once, I did. It was a terrible disaster, and the lives of the tomato plants sacrificed in my name will be forever remembered. I forgot to water everything, we planted directly into the soil (which was really clay). I just didn't seem to be cut out for it.
Somehow that seems to have changed. I built a raised garden bed. I planted things. Most of them didn't die (corn right before a cold snap was not a good idea). In fact, some things have appeared that I didn't plant. I planted another veggie patch. I made my own seed tape. I water, I weed, I keep things alive. I'm getting there.
That's what this blog is about. I'm planning to document my transition from a black thumbed plant killer to a green thumbed gardener, through blood, sweat and tears. Hopefully someone else's, because blood makes me a little faint. I want to learn to do things for myself, from keeping my turf alive to making things, helping others and being less reliant on external sources. I'll always be a suburbanite at heart, but every little helps.
Until recently (about 18 months ago) the only plants I could keep alive were roses; not even cacti were safe from me! If it didn't make noise to remind me of its existence, I couldn't keep it alive. Every spring I had grand plans of starting a veggie garden, and once, I did. It was a terrible disaster, and the lives of the tomato plants sacrificed in my name will be forever remembered. I forgot to water everything, we planted directly into the soil (which was really clay). I just didn't seem to be cut out for it.
Somehow that seems to have changed. I built a raised garden bed. I planted things. Most of them didn't die (corn right before a cold snap was not a good idea). In fact, some things have appeared that I didn't plant. I planted another veggie patch. I made my own seed tape. I water, I weed, I keep things alive. I'm getting there.
That's what this blog is about. I'm planning to document my transition from a black thumbed plant killer to a green thumbed gardener, through blood, sweat and tears. Hopefully someone else's, because blood makes me a little faint. I want to learn to do things for myself, from keeping my turf alive to making things, helping others and being less reliant on external sources. I'll always be a suburbanite at heart, but every little helps.