Some Great Links!!!!

Have You Read The Omnivore's Dilemma?
If so, do you just not know WHAT TO EAT ANYMORE?
Here's a great website for you that is a resource for grass-fed beef, lamb, goats, poultry, dairy, and wild edibles. It lists farms and markets by region that carry pasture based food:

Eatwild


Eco Friendly, Reusable Dry-Cleaning Bags Anyone?
Our Mar Vista Green Committee is teaming up with some dry cleaners in the area who will allow us to bring our own bags, leave them there, and pick them up later with our clean laundry. Did you know that 350 million pounds of single-use plastic bags end up in landfills every year??? Green Garamento, who sells the bags, will send one free bag to you (you pay the shipping). All the info is on their website...click on "get free bags" in the consumer section of their website to learn more!!!

LINK!!

FYI, here is a dry cleaner in Venice who will accept reusable bags:

Del Mar Natural Cleaners
701 Washington Blvd.
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
310-482-0060
Cross Street: Oxford St


And, last but not least, journalist Emily Green has started an incredible blog about water conservation in the West. She writes for the Los Angeles Times, and many other newspapers, primarily about dry gardening and urban water usage. Check out this site - it is packed with science and information, and is beautifully written to boot:

Chance of Rain

XOXO
Yvette

Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase - The Aftermath!

Filmmaker Samantha Lyon came to The Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase Tour and created this wonderful video. Her incredible and brave work can be seen at Videos For Justice. It was an honor to be a part of one of her projects, and to have been included in this Garden Tour.

Samm's mother, Elisa, has created a really wonderful blog for her Westside neighborhood, Reynier Village. Here is the LINK. She said that she was inspired by the community involvement in Mar Vista, and wanted to start bringing people together in her neighborhood as well. It seems as if we are starting micro climates in Los Angeles, a city so huge and so unmanageable that the individual, and the neighborhood, can be lost. It's encouraging to see what people are doing - to see them reach out and grab each others' hands...

Lastly, Sherri Akers, who is the co-chair of the Mar Vista Neighborhood Council Green Committee, and one of the main creators of the Garden Tour, was interviewed on the LA talk radio show "Green 'n' Easy Living". She talks about how the Green Committee came to be, and how the Garden Tour happened. She is joined by Joseph Treves, who reveals how he helped to start our local Sunday Farmer's Market. This is really community at its best. We are so lucky to be a small part of it.

XOX
Yvette

Dog Gone

Meet Coleus Cannis, AKA "Piss Off Plant"!

This strongly scented coleus is sold in Europe, where it’s said to be a big hit. Grown in full sun to part shade, this plant is said to keep cats, dogs, bunnies, and raccoons away. You can read about them out on the web HERE. I just saw them at Marina Garden Center last week.

Here's the thing. I'm also reading that coleus plants, as well as the seeds, are poisonous (and mildly hallucinogenic, but that's a whole other story). As much as I love the idea (AND THE NAME!), I care more about the puppies and kitties than about the cat poo I have ranted about in previous posts. Then again, if they can't stand the smell of it, why would they eat it?
I'm just sayin' is all...

XOX
Yvette

PS. THX to erowid.org for the cool photo!

HAPPY SUNDAY!

A few more from Wade and Alina's garden...the top photo is a beautiful plant, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, or Pride of Barbados (pulcherrima literally means "very pretty"). It's also called a Mexican Bird of Paradise, and is a favorite in Texas. It is a great, very drought tolerant plant that attracts pollinators including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. It was stunning!

The second photo...well, in one of my dreams my pepper plants would be five feet tall like these, and in my other dream, Fred would wear this hat every single day.


Happy Mother's Day
XXO
Yvette

Alina, Wade, And Lucie's Garden

We spent some time at our friends Alina, Wade, and Lucie's house in Austin last week, and here are some photos of their veggie beds, which are located in the backyard. Wade likes to garden after dark, and was seen that night among the fireflies, post beer(s), spreading around mulch at about 11pm.

A squirrel made off with all their tomatoes last summer, so this year they've decided to grow them upside down, hanging from the eaves. My favorite thing about the pot, which can be purchased online HERE, is that is says "As Seen On TV" on the side. If it's on TV, you know it's gotta work.

XXO
Yvette

PS. Thx Alina for the tomato photo!!!!

Austin

We just got back from an amazing trip to Texas...lots of mini road trips through the tiny towns of Hill Country, Amazing BBQ, and much late night fun with good friends. I saw some nice veggie gardens when I was there...this one was right in the middle of someone's front lawn, a little off to the side of the house. The bike was just leaned up against a tree. I love the bamboo tomato cage...

This garden is right around the corner from Jo's Hot Coffee on South Congress (GREAT coffee!), and the lovely Hotel San Jose.

As for the Brid Food sign painted on the fence, your guess is as good as mine.


XXO
Yvette