Happy Arbor Day

"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters"- Psalm 24:1-2

Today is National Arbor Day and last weekend was Earth Day. I only felt it was appropriate to write a post about 'the Earth'. 

Michael and I spend a lot of time in the trees: 

I have to start by saying I did not grow up a 'tree-hugger'. We did not recycle, mainly because it was inconvenient. I didn't believe it was viewed as something important or necessary because the world will be destroyed in the end and was recycling really making a difference? I grew up hearing in Sunday school that the earth is not our home, we are merely passing by until we 'reach' heaven. I used to be annoyed with all the 'save the Earth' talk and I wrote it off because we were only temporarily living here anyway...right? I feel like protecting the earth became a political issue that is only talked about on one side of the aisle and in some circles even laughed at. 

Well, in the last two years my perspective has shifted. It all started with witnessing my first home birth October 6th, 2010 (I will definitely be writing about my experiences witnessing birth in the future!). This led me to start thinking about my body and how it was designed. I then started thinking about the food I was consuming. That led to wanting to shop local and buy organic. I no longer wanted to be on or use medications that weren't necessary. I started looking into natural products for cosmetics, toiletries and cleaning supplies. My husband bikes to work/school every day. We started walking to the grocery store, which is actually a lovely 1.5 mile walk. We planted our first garden and started composting and recycling. No, I am not saving the world but I am starting to see the importance of taking responsibility for your own lifestyle - and yes, I am now the 'crunchy, granola' friend. :)

Growing up in church I hear all the time how we are supposed to be good stewards of everything we have, mainly pertaining to money. I started to wonder why Christians were not the biggest hippies out there, as stewards of this planet. Also in the church many people use language like, "I feel most connected with God when I am in nature". I don't think that is by accident. If God gave us this Earth and God calls it good, why on earth are we not taking care of it? 

I just read the book "7, an Experimental Mutiny Against Excess" by Jen Hatmaker. I could probably take a whole blog to talk about my thoughts on this book but that will have to be another time. Jen takes 7 aspects of life and each month learns to minimize or improve in those areas. One of her months focuses on waste. She spends a chapter going through her family's experience learning to recycle, compost, garden, driving one car, etc. She quotes in her book author Wendell Barry who says it best:

"The ecological teaching of the Bible is simply inescapable: God made the world because He wanted it made. He thinks the world is good, and He loves it. It is His world...He has never revoked the conditions, bearing on His gift to us of the use of it, that obliges us to take excellent care of it. If God loves the world, then how might any person of faith be excused for not loving it or justified in destroying it?" 

As a believer in Christ I recognize that he came to redeem the world. I came across another author that said, "I think the message is that God loves this place. God wants to restore this place. It's not so much that we were made for heaven as that heaven was made for earth"  And often we limit that at a relational or spiritual level, but why not consider it ecologically? I cannot pretend that ecology and theology do not originate from the same source. One day there will be a new earth, one made perfect as it was intended to be. I want to be part of the process of bringing heaven to earth, both in my relationships and in the way I live my life. 

I put Gungors's version of "This is My Father's World, the lyrics are beautiful and speak to everything that I am feeling about the way we view Earth: 

This is my Father's world

and to my listening ears,                                            

all nature sings and ‘round me rings 

the music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world, I rest me in the thought 

of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, 

His hand, the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, 

the birds, their carols raise, 

the morning light, the lily white 

declare their maker’s praise. 

This is my Father’s world, 

He shines in all that’s fair. 

In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, 

He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world, 

oh let me ne’er forget 

that though the wrong seems oft so strong, 

God is the ruler yet. 

This is my Father’s world, 

why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!

God reigns; let the Earth be glad!

The presence of God is so tangible in nature and I want to do what I can to preserve the planet God created. I challenge you to look at your life and consider ways that you can better steward this earth. 

How does your garden grow, Part 2

Here goes for composting. 

So much to learn...

We went to a thrift store and bought these canisters. One is for eggshells, veggie and fruit scraps. And the other for coffee grounds.

We were going to build a compost bin of sorts but my parents had this composting container that they weren't using.

They had some extra compost in the bottom so we didn't have to create the foundation. All though it looks disgusting, those are just food scraps and coffee grounds on top of old compost and straw.

So I found tons of charts telling me what to compost and what not to compost. And how there has to be a certain part green (nitrogen) to brown (carbon).

I was starting to get overwhelmed. And then I realized that it will all decompose and become dirt. Hopefully it is not that hard. I found this great blog from Young House Love. Here is their experience composting. 

My personal handy man making frames for the garden beds. 

The beds are now framed and the garden is starting to come together. Michael built a cute little gate we will add once the chicken wire is all up. 

I found some bricks behind our fence and I plan on elaborating on the pathway.

Some sunny weekend I will level the pathway and get the pavers and bricks in their place. 

First round of seeds have been planted! My sunflower, marigolds and bell peppers are the first to plant. Next week I will start the cilantro, dill and basil. I had to create a chart to keep up with when to start planting seeds, when to buy the plants, when to transplant the seeds and when to plant the plants. So much to figure out. But I love it!

More to come next week....

How does your garden grow, Pt 1

So Michael and I decided to plant a vegetable garden...
Over the next few weeks and months you will get to witness what a beginner trying to garden looks like.
I had no clue so much was involved in this process. I looked at soil type, USDA hardiness zone, I had to consider rain run off in the yard, amount of sunlight, what plants need what amount room, which plants grow well together, which ones need rows and which ones need something to grow on, which ones to plant from seeds and which ones would be better to plant from an existing plant, when to transplant the seedlings, etc. So much to consider...My goal is to plant: Rosemary, basil, mint, cilantro, dill, sweet potatoes, squash and zucchini, corn, a blackberry bush, tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers, string beans, lettuce, sunflowers, marigolds, and lavender.
 Any tips you have will be much appreciated!! 

 I spent a few hours outside mapping out what I wanted it to look like. With the help of some scrap wood, sticks and yarn, I could "walk through" my future garden plot. I am visual person and I had to see what 20 feet by 12 feet looked like.

I spent hours planning and reading and researching and googling and blog reading...

 And I drew a nifty diagram with all veggies and fruit I want.

 I learned something about myself today. I don't know how to use a shovel. I was completely useless. I guess I don't have the weight to really make a difference. I broke a few blades of grass and suffered a minor injury. Oh well. So Michael dug up 10 pound clumps and I hauled them out of the garden. 6 hours of digging and lifting wore me out!! Muscles I didn't even know I had were hurting so bad!

Thankfully, Michael's parents came over and brought a second wave of energy and we managed to clear the plot before dark.

 We placed pavers and boards where they will tentatively go.

We ended the night with Lauren and Evan over for sweet potato fries and black bean quinoa burgers (like the ones at Burger Up). Delicious.
And I went to bed at 8pm. I was exhausted.

I will start my plants from seeds next week and start planting in the soil mid April. By the beginning of May I will have all the plants in the garden. Until then I will learn all I can about composting so I can have nice, rich soil by May!