Ida and Potatoes

The title of this post is an ode to the background. I'm roasting potatoes and the smell is lusciously homey. Ida is baking a cake on TV. It must be between 1:30 and 2 pm because that's when she is on. The clock on my computer says 12:36. The clock on the oven says 2:36. Neither is right. She's baking something decadent and chocolate. A cake with buttercream frosting and a white pizza with arugula. The air conditioning is off and all windows open. The weather is absolutely perfect...it continues to be every day. I love it! I think it is a bigger determinate of my mood than I ever realized because I've felt so incredibly grounded, elated, relaxed, beautiful, sure, and comfortable these last couple days. My mood has been en sync with the change in weather from hot and muggy to heaven.

I splurged yesterday, well last night a little bit. My mom and I went to Wholefoods for lunch (I needed my Organic Low Sodium Refried Black Beans by Amy--only sold there) and then again at night because they were hosting a $5 wine tasting event that benefited Autism Speaks. I saw it on the calender at lunch and we decided to check it out. After eating my wonderful south indian dosa/sombar/rosum dinner and getting Shela's mom's phone number, my mom and I tasted Pinot Noir, rich dark chocolate truffles, brie, and candied picans. There was a dj and I danced outside wholefoods with 2 drunk middle-aged women. undeniably a little weird but wonderful all the same.

That's not what I was going to talk about though! So I pulled weeds yesterday at my sister's house with Shela. This morning, before my abs and butt class, I went to her house again and shoveled and wheelbarrowed mulch. Tomorrow morning I plan on going back and weeding more. I love it. I get to spend my mornings feeling productive and being outside and finally doing something (for myself) that feels less selfish than everything else I do. And I also love feeling like I'm 'in' on something good (the selfish part of this volunteering!). I'm making myself a part of this in the beginning (they started at the end of september) and can't wait to see, literally, 'the fruits of my labor' over then next months / years.

My mom asked about it and I told her I weeded and she seemed disappointed. I think she was looking for something more substantial seeming...like planting baby arugula or do something pleasantly gardeny (I'll be weeding around the baby arugula tomorrow). But I love that I'm starting out this way. That I'm joining the project before it looks like anything. It's rows of dirt and I'm learning exactly how much work and time and love and knowledge goes into it. (Well, I've only been out there twice, but I think it makes me feel so good that I won't slow down.)

And I asked the guy who started the garden, John, about a good method to go about composting and so he told me his method. Aj, your mom wants to know about this, so copy and paste this or tell her to read this post, or whatever.

He said that he uses two large trash cans (the plastic big ones with lids that you can buy from Home Depot..I think you use these at Seneca). Drill a series of holes in them (maybe 20 or so?). The holes should be large enough to let the compost breath but small enough to keep rodents out, about 1/2" diameter? Get hay or dry leaves or something. Put the dry stuff on the bottom and then put a layer of it down over whatever food/organic matter you are composting every time. It helps reduce the smell and accelerates the decomposition process. Just keep layering compost with dry leaves/hay until you fill up the trash can. Then just leave it be and start the second one. By the time you fill up the second bin, the first one is ready to be used as fertilizer. Keeping it in the plastic trash cans allows it to be self contained and portable and make sure to get trash cans that have tops that click or latch in to keep them closed, so animals don't invade them.