Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Don't stop me now...

Happy New Year!!!

I've started working out regularly again, because I need to, and I want to, and it feels good! Also I'm getting back on track to eat in a healthy way, a subject on which I kind of fell off the wagon. I have no more excuses- I know what is healthy and what is not, I know where to find local, seasonal and organic food, and I can afford to do it. I just have to DO IT.

So there's that. It's hard to eat local in the winter because I am pretty much a fruititarian and there is not a lot of fruit growing in Michigan in January :) But I manage, and I suppliment with the occasion grape or blueberry where needed!                                               

I got some great gardening books for Chanukkah/Christmas, including:

Michigan Gardener's Guide

The Michigan Gardener's Companion
                                                             
Of course I devoured them immediatley, and they were really informative. I would recommend them to anyone who is new-ish to gardening in Michigan. The Gardener's Companion is more reading whereas the Gardener's Guide is more pictures and specific plant descriptions, etc. Both great though! I also got a North American Bird guide, which I am excited to check out!

My Master Gardener classes start tomorrow @ the MSU Extension office in Ann Arbor- woo! I still need to finish reading my chapter on Plant Science which is a little baffleing and overwhelming. Now I remember why I tuned out science classes in high school... and college. But this science will apply to something I would actually like to do in life, which is gardening, so I think it will be easier for me to learn than it was the first and second time around!

I think some folks in the neighborhood are going to be meeting in a week or two to talk about sustainability in Ypsi and how to develop a community of folks interested in sustainabile living- I was invited as a result of meeting with Lisa, a neighbor who is a gardening and sustainability guru. I'm really looking forward to the get together!

Lisa told me about this idea that they were thinking about, which is to develop "pods" within our neighborhoods. I understood this to mean "folks who are interested in sharing food, rescources and skills with each other". Example: If my backyard turns out to be a tomato-producing machine (which I hope it will be), and Lisa garden can't grow tomatoes, I could exchange some of my tomatoes for some of her kale or lettuce or something! This could also work with tools, etc. My lawnmower is broken and terrible, so if I could borrow someone elses lawnmower as needed, then I don't have to buy another one, which is really not necesary anyway! It's kind of family-esque in a way, since I would be mooching off of my parents for all these things if they didn't leave three hours away :)

I hope to share cool bits of knowledge as I progress in my Master Gardener class, and hopefully I'll be a badass gardener soon haha. In reality, I know it will take years to develop a green thumb with any talent, but I am just a class person. If there is someone I would like to learn, I always prefer a classroom environment. Sign me up!

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