Ten Ways to Green School Supplies

This week I am again participating in David Suzuki's Queen of Green Better Back To School Brigade, to discuss ways to reduce the environmental impact of back to school, which can often be significant with the waste that is produced from shopping, lunches, and commuting. This week's theme is greening school supplies. Click on the badge to the left to visit the Queen of Green's site and read all the other amazing bloggers take on greening back to school.

In the school district where I work and my children go to school, the purchasing of school supplies is done by the individual schools (based upon teachers' preferences from a preapproved list) and families are asked to pay a very small fixed amount for the entire year's supplies. Aside from additional items not covered that a teacher may request, my back to school supplies shopping is covered. Therefore greening school supplies at the point of purchase it out of parents' hands where I live.

As a teacher, and an adult in my children's lives, however, I can have a big impact upon how they use the supplies. Schools use a tremendous amount of paper and there is the potential for great wastage. Below is a list of ways to be more green (be less bad) in the use of school supplies at school and at home. As parents we can encourage our children to be more mindful in their use of school supplies, but it is also good to be aware of what teachers can do to make a difference.

• Teach children to take good care of and keep track of their belongings, both at home and at school, so that pencils, erasers and other supplies do not go missing. This is just common sense, but I am always surprised by the number of students who do not keep their materials in a pencil box or who do not clean up their desks on a regular basis. I have helped many students clean out their desk because they have misplaced their work, only to find twelve barely used pencils in their desk. Or there are those students who do not clean off the surface of their desk at the end of the day who are surprised that the loose pencil crayons they left all over are now missing.

• Similarly, teach children to take good care of school materials in general, at home and school, so that things are not carelessly broken, requiring replacement. Kids drill holes in their desks, lean back in their chairs which weaken the legs, and bang on computer mice and keyboards. Yes, I know, easier said than done. I am a parent and I am constantly working on this one.

• Have a lost and found box for everything that is found on the floor so that new packages of materials are not needlessly opened. When a student says they have no pencil or eraser I direct them to the lost and found box to find one to use. 
  
  
  
• Building on the idea of a lost and found box, collect all the loose pencil crayons or felts and have in a big tub for students to use when their own materials run out or go missing. At the end of the year I have students go through the tubs to check for worn out felts and ensure that everything in the tub is in working order for the following year. They often don't need a whole new pack of felts when just one or two colours run out.

• Encourage students to use the whole page in notebooks. They often like to use one side of the paper and leave the back of the page blank because it looks neater, but this is very wasteful. It is easy for organizational purposes to leave the rest of a page blank at the end of an assignment but I teach students to skip a line or two (or even draw a line across the page for visual purposes) then begin the next one. We talk about why we do this and why it is important so that I guarantee more buy in, instead of having to remind them on a weekly basis.

• Children naturally opt for a blank, clean piece of paper for their work, and it is our job to teach them when they can use scrap paper instead. In many classrooms teachers have scrap paper bins for writing drafts, sketching, math thinking and computations, etc. It is also important to teach students to also put their used paper (still useable on one side, larger scraps) into the scrap bin for others to use rather than throw it into the recycling bin. I add leftover notices, worksheets, etc. into the bin as well.

• Before grabbing a new notebook, look through existing ones to see if there are empty pages. Toward the end of the school year, look through books for blank pages and spaces that can be used first. For new projects we sometimes flip a notebook upside down and backwards to use the back of the book. All it takes is a creative cover / title page to create a new theme.

• When using art supplies, teach children to only take what they estimate needing. For example, they can share a piece of construction paper to cut down on the scrap waste after cutting a whole piece of paper for a small amount. Or they can share a tray of paints amongst several students. 

• Encourage schools to have the option of electronic newsletters via email or school websites. 

• Cut down on the amount of photocopying! It is important for parents to know that often there aren't enough textbooks for every student, and for homework it isn't possible to share books. In those cases teachers must photocopy pages. For time management reasons it isn't possible, or realistic, to ask students to handcopy pages of work. As a teacher I am being honest when I say, however, that there is too much photocopying done in schools. There are solutions, such as a Risograph (or Riso printer) that can print on newsprint paper and are cheaper per click than photocopiers. But there are also alternatives to copying work, and I can't help but think about schools throughout the world that survive and thrive without this technology. My job share partner and I have made a pact that this year we will think of instructional alternatives before opting immediately for photocopying, and we will only use scrap paper (ie: used on one side) when we need to copy.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of ways to be more mindful of the use of school supplies, but it is a start. Do you have any additional ideas? I'd love to hear them.

Don't forget to enter the Queen of Green Better Back To Brigade week two giveaway. Enter the contest below for your chance to win!

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Baking Soda Love

I love baking soda. Along with my other love,  vinegar, and a little bit of elbow grease, it has so many uses around the home.

With so many harmful ingredients in commercial cleaners it is hard to know who to trust and what to buy. I'm not a chemist and I don't have time to research ingredients before I go shopping. I like the simplicity of baking soda. I also appreciate that baking soda is reasonable and now that I use baking soda for so many jobs I buy it in bulk, bringing the cost down even more. 

Ten Ways To Use Baking Soda:

1. Shampoo: I use baking soda, with water, to wash my hair (No 'Poo). 
2. Air Freshener: I put a container of baking soda in key areas of the home (near the garbage, kitty litter, and in the bathroom). When I notice the smells return I change the baking soda. I saw a great idea on Pinterest that I am trying - put baking soda and a few drops of essential oil of choice (I am using rosemary) into a glass jar. Punch a few holes in the lid and shake it whenever you need to freshen up an area. So far I am pleased with how it works.
   
3. Microwave Oven Cleaner: after loosening the food around the microwave by heating water in a bowl, I make the baking soda and water paste and scrub anything left. This has the added benefit of eliminating nasty microwave odours.
4. Stove Cleaner: I have a glass cooktop and a lot of food gets stuck on the surface. First I soak the surface with a wet cloth to moisten the debris. Then I scrub the surface with a paste of baking soda and water and wipe clean. Sometimes I have to repeat the steps if the food is particularly caked. 
   
5. Bathtub and Shower Cleaner: I spray with water, then sprinkle the area with baking soda, rub the soap build up, then rinse with water. For particularly dirty areas I spray a vinegar and water mixture onto the baking soda, letting that oh so fun science experiment do it's job bubbling away at the grime. 
6. Wall Mark Remover: my home is no stranger to wall art created by my three year old and in the past I used numerous magic erasers to get rid of the marks. While I find they get rid of the marks, I go through them quickly. Baking soda / water paste gets rid of the marks just as well, with significantly less cost. 
   
7. In the bath: shake a desired amount of baking soda into a warm bath and climb in (don't forget a book or magazine!). I like soaking with it to leave my skin feeling soft. Sometimes I add a bit of Epsom salts to help with detoxing (especially when I feel myself getting sick).
8. Shoe deodorizer: sprinkle some baking soda in smelly shoes and leave overnight. Before you wear them shake out the baking soda.
9. Carpet deodorizer: we have had our fair share of stomach bugs since having kids, and despite my best efforts to avoid accidents, smells in my carpet are inevitable. Sprinkle baking soda on the area if wet, or make a baking soda / water paste and gently rub into the area if dry. Let sit then vacuum.
10. Skin exfoliant: use a baking soda / water paste and gently rub face in circular motions. Follow up with witch hazel toner. 

Greening Mother's Day

Mother's Day has always been a bit of a problem for me.

I don't want my children to feel forced into doing something nice for me just because the calendar says they are supposed to do it; they should be free to do so whenever they feel like it. I have tried over the years to do this for my own mother; thoughtful little gifts or cards at random times, helping her by running errands when she is unable, giving her hugs and telling her I love her.

Then again, let's be honest and admit that much like Valentine's Day, we often don't tell someone how we feel about them or do thoughtful things for them unless we are reminded. 

Mother's Day can cause a lot of grief for people as well. They feel the need to buy expensive gifts, jewellery, flowers and fancy cards with rhyming sentiments written by someone else. There are mothers' expectations (yes, I have them too) that are all too frequently dashed by reality, and we all know that expectations are often the root of unhappiness. 

I have always felt that the thought that went into the gift, regardless of the gift itself, is the most important part. I don't want a store bought card from my daughters. One of my interests is card making so I understand the effort that goes into making them for others. In fact, I inwardly cringe when I see one of my homemade cards get tossed to the side or even worse into the recycle bin. I keep every homemade card I receive (even if just for the inspiration to make one of my own). I don't care if my daughters' cards were printed on a computer by their teachers and they merely coloured it for me. They are excited to give it to me. 

The card I have made for my mother this year.

But I'm sure many mothers have received colossally horrible gifts for Mother's Day. I believe one year I  gave my own mother a plant from the school fair. She was very hurt when I said, "It was free Mum!" because of the off-hand manner in which I gave it to her. I wonder how many mothers will receive "World's Best Mother" mugs this year that will sit on a shelf gathering dust or "job coupons" that will be unused.

Knitted dish cloth for Mother's Day

This year my job-share partner and I taught our students how to knit so they could make dish cloths for their mother. I love how hard all of them worked on their knitting, many taking it home to work on the presents. I hope their mothers appreciate the gift, regardless of the holes and dropped stitches, because of the time that went into them. I feel good doing this activity with my students because it promotes reusing rather than disposing. Paper towels and napkins are a particular pet peeve of mine (energy in the processing, bleaching, energy in the transport, one-use product).

My Little holding the begonia she planted for me.

Two of my daughters have given me their Mother's Day gift already. My youngest planted a begonia for me at the preschool Mother's Day Tea (a much loved tradition) and my middle daughter, Banana Girl, gave me a potpourri of plants she grew in kindergarten. She was so thrilled to give it to me because she knows how much I enjoy vegetable gardening. It has beans and nasturtiums in it to name a couple. I love the idea of living plants for Mother's Day.

Beans, Nasturtiums and cat grass from my kindergartener.

I am not a fan of the family Mother's Day brunch. I prefer to spend the day with my girls and husband doing an outside activity that I enjoy. The David Suzuki Foundation has a 30x30 challenge to inspire people to spend thirty minutes a day for the month of May outside and this is perfect for Mother's Day! Last year I wanted to visit the U.B.C. Botanical Garden Greenheart Canopy Walk, but that had to wait until later in the summer. In previous years we have gone on family bike rides or to Stanley Park. This year I will be spending the morning at a gymnastics meet for my oldest daughter but if the weather permits I would like to go to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island in Ladner (we can actually see Westham Island from the river bank here in Steveston).

At the UBC Greenheart Canopy Walkway with my girls.

For Mother's Day this year, I hope more people try the following:

• make rather than buy
• give a living plant rather than cut flowers
• get outside and enjoy time together as a family

However you celebrate Mother's Day, have a great weekend.

Happy Mother's Day!

Push Power

It wasn't until we moved into a single family home three years ago that I realized how much I hate lawns. We lived in a townhouse prior to this and we enjoyed having a grassy fields in the complex for our children to run around, but it was never my responsibility to look after the lawns.

Now that it is our responsibility to cut the grass at least once a week in the growing season I find lawns to be nothing but trouble. I can't believe how much work it is to have a nice, even, green lawn. Mowing, watering, trimming, blah, blah, blah. Such a waste of time, in my opinion. I would rather put all that energy into my vegetable garden. I have long term plans for adding some raised garden beds in our front yard, where most of our grass is, but for now I have to be content with the raised beds I have in the backyard (two currently, with two more being added this spring). I am inspired and motivated by the stories and photos of people who have converted their lawn into a garden.

In the meantime I have to deal with my lawn. I refuse to water it in the summer and I don't care if it turns brown. There is a pesticide ban in my community (yay!) and I refuse to weed all the dandelions because we think they are pretty (and edible). I find it funny how a lawn is such a symbol of middle class suburbia, but part of me does my best, within what I am willing to do, to keep my lawn looking half decent in order to fit the part here.

When we first moved to our home we purchased an electric rechargeable mower with which we were reasonably happy (quite quiet, no emissions). But we soon discovered that no one would service it when it broke down, so we bought a reel mower, which I had wanted for some time. I realize that they are nothing new, and many people use one, but this is generally not the case where I live. A true marker of warmer weather is the sound of lawn mower motors and the smell of gasoline.

We decided upon this reel mower *, although there are many others on the market. It has several different settings for raising and lowering the cutting blades. Modern reel mowers have come a long way; they are much easier to push now compared to the one my father used in the early 1970s. As long as the setting isn't too low for the grass height, causing it to jam and need cleaning, I am very happy with it so far.

I like how I get a workout when I cut the lawn (really - my heart rate goes up quite nicely and my thighs and buttocks are sore after). I appreciate not using electricity or gas to cut something I don't like having in the first place. Often I just leave the grass cuttings on the lawn, but if the grass has been left too long I will rake up the bulk of it, adding to my workout. Bonus - I save the cuttings for my compost bin in the backyard.

No, this photo was not taken last fall - it was a few weeks ago when I cut the grass 

for the first time this season. I'm a lazy gardener and I never raked the leaves.

On nice days my girls will join me, hatching adventures, picking dandelions, and perhaps even occasionally helping me to rake up the cuttings.

Such great helpers.

There are times when the lawn really needs cutting and I'm just too tired (or lazy) to get out there and do it, but I think that happens to people with gas powered mowers as well.

And there are those times when I've left it way too long and I have to go over the lawn a couple of times, lowering the setting each time, as I had to a few weeks ago when I cut the lawn for the first time this season. Wow was I sore and tired after that!

The grass was crazy long a few weeks ago. Oops. I had to 

cut it two more times to get it to a reasonable length.

Overall I love my reel mower. It has zero carbon emissions and sound pollution, it gives me a workout and I get to enjoy being outside.

* I purchased this product myself and have received no compensation for writing this. I just like it and wanted to share my experiences so far.

...................................................
I wrote this post over a week ago, before a family health emergency that has my family in survival mode. I realized when I came home from the hospital yesterday that my grass is almost as long as the photo above. When things settle down somewhat I'm going to have fun cutting the lawn again.

*sigh*

Green Confession: I Love Disneyland

The eco part of me is ashamed to admit that I love Disneyland.

There are so many aspects about a trip to Disneyland that are hard on the Earth. It certainly doesn't fit the picture for a crunchy vacation.

First of all, there is the getting there part. Regardless of the method we chose to get there, we are belching out carbon dioxide.

Recycling is ridiculous. When we saw signs encouraging us to recycle they only referred to cans and plastic bottles. No recycling for the plastic cutlery, plastic cups and juice boxes everywhere. I certainly didn't expect composting sites for the organic matter people were tossing into the garbage bins. Never mind how easy it would be to have paper and cardboard product recycling.

Speaking of water bottles, we brought our own stainless steel bottles with the intention of filling them at water fountains. I am ashamed to admit that we ended up buying bottled water because we couldn't stand the taste of the tap water. We are very spoiled with the quality of our drinking water here in British Columbia.

Unless we had a meal in a sit-down restaurant, everything was served on styrofoam or in non-recycleable plastic cups. We purchased a few "souvenir" containers so that we weren't throwing them away, but they are plastic, which I am trying to reduce in our home.

I can't even imagine the energy it takes to power the resort and park.  I love the evening light shows and fireworks. Disney really knows how to put on a parade.

We were excited to see Carsland this time, which 

was under construction last time we visited.

I am a sucker for Disney merchandise which is everywhere and at every turn. We walked off favourite rides, like Star Tours, right smack into a gift shop. So much for reducing my consumerist urges. 

If truth be told I wanted my photo with the 

characters more than my girls did.

Don't forget the gender-typing with frilly princesses for girls and jedi fights and cars for boys (although my girls love it all).

This is from our trip two years ago when the older 

girls were still into princesses. They have passed the 

torch to my three year old who loved meeting 

the princesses in the new Fantasy Faire.

I can't believe how I have been branded by Disneyland. I went several times growing up and I have such happy memories and emotions associated with Disneyland. Two years ago we went with my parents and when we arrived at the front gates my mother and I actually got misty eyed remembering all our good times. For someone who is trying to reduce brand purchases (more expensive than making from scratch, additional packaging, additives, chemicals, etc) this is rather embarrassing.

Imagine my horror when my husband pointed out this sign to me:

I suppose this is a good thing, being forced into labelling toxic materials. Can you imagine if this was done everywhere? Then again, would people care? I'm not sure it would change the public's buying patterns because all their favourite products and brands would be included. Sorry for being so cynical. 

Despite all this, I had a fantastic time and we hope to return in a few years, because I find each age gets something different out of the park. I guess everyone has their weaknesses and Disneyland is one of mine.

Eco Jewelry Cleaning

After my second daughter was born I asked for a charm necklace with my girls' names and birth dates inscribed on them. The internet is chalk full of companies that can create beautiful personalized jewelry for women to commemorate motherhood and I succumbed. I love my necklace that now has three charms on it. I like to tell my girls that when I wear it I am keeping them close to my heart. But because I wear it everyday it can get scruffy looking.

I am very partial to silver jewelry and most of my earrings and necklaces are made of it, but a drawback is that it can tarnish easily when exposed to the humidity in the air because of oxidation.

I tend to forget to clean my jewelry until I am in a hurry getting ready to go out and I realize that my earrings are tarnished, so I put it away to clean at another time. Then I forget again until the next time. Lather rinse repeat.

Silver dips and pastes worked for me because they were quick and easy to do, but I knew that they contained toxic chemicals that smelled horrible. I have been working on detoxifying my home cleaning products and personal care products so I knew that I had to find a better way to make my silver shine again. I don't want to put something on my skin that has been cleaned in harsh chemicals.

It isn't hard to find non-toxic silver cleaner recipes on the internet but this is the one that I like to use.

Supplies for eco jewelry cleaning:

liquid dish soap (some recipes skip the soap)

salt

aluminum foil (I save a piece of recycled foil for this purpose)

water

bowl

Steps:

1. Place aluminum foil in a bowl
2. Pour a tablespoon of salt on top of the aluminum
3. Pour a tablespoon of liquid dish soap on the salt
4. Add 1/2 cup - 1 cup of water 
5. Place silver jewelry on the aluminium and mixture. 
6. Swish the jewelry around then leave for a few minutes.
7. Remove the jewelry from the bowl, rinse in water and dry off.
8. If my silver is particularly dirty I like to give it a quick shine it with a cloth.

That's it! No harsh chemicals, no gloves required.

A Love of Bikes: Update

It is now December and the Vancouver rain has fully arrived for the winter. This makes it challenging to get fresh air exercise. Sure it's just water and it will dry. I'm not afraid of the weather by any means, but Vancouver rain is cold and cuts to the bone.

Generally I'm game to be outside year round regardless of the weather. Because I don't have a gym membership I have to get outside for my exercise.

Back in September I stated my intention to get out on my bike more, to do more than exercise on my bike (link). I wanted to increase the amount of time I use my bike to commute for daily life. I wanted to leave the family car in the driveway more.

I knew that it would get more challenging to stick to this as the fall and then winter weather returned. With the shorter days of winter I would need more safety equipment such as reflective vests and lights. I said that I was going to be kind with myself if I struggled with this because changes and habits take time.

We had beautiful weather in September and October and keeping me off my bike was the problem. Who wouldn't want to ignore the growing piles of laundry and dishes and hop on a bike for a ride to Garry Point Park or along the Fraser River dyke? In the first month of my goal I logged over 100 km on my bike taking my kids to school and gymnastics, going to a meeting at work on my day off, going on scenic rides and grocery shopping.

A lovely morning bike ride at Garry Point in Steveston

Toward the end of October my work picked up and I had more errands to fit in. I began dropping the preschool pick up each week because it took almost an hour for the round trip. Then as the days grew shorter and the rain picked up I dropped the rides to and from after school activities.

Having a little play at a park waiting for big sister to finish her gymnastics class.

Into November, as I began writing report cards (which equals a full work week of overtime), I jumped into the car for quick trips that I could do easily on my bike because I was stressed and short on time with all my obligations.

It wasn't until the past couple of weeks that I began cutting back on the amount that I walked or rode bikes to school with my girls. I went from 12 km per week to less than 5 km per week for daily school trips. I am finding it so much easier to throw everyone in the car when the rain is coming down in buckets. It's funny that I am taking the path of least resistance for the morning school run because growing up getting a ride to school was a treat saved for snowy days only. All other days of the year, rain or shine, warm or cold, I rode my bike. In the suburbs there just isn't a bike culture that may exist in more population dense areas. There are perhaps a dozen bikes locked up each day at the bike racks at school. In fairness though, many families walk to school.

I have been feeling the difference of the reduced physical activity. Obviously I am having to fill up my vehicle a more frequently because I'm using it more. My stress levels are increased (that thing called my job has certainly contributed as well). With the weather change my daughters are less inclined to ride their bikes or walk, which may have something to do with how cold their hands and faces get when they ride in the biting rain. They're lucky we slept in this morning or I would have tortured them with riding to school in the rain. My sleep patterns are more disturbed and I am finding that I am less rested in the morning. You know that feeling when your alarm goes off and it feels like you've just closed your eyes? Weight loss was never my reason for doing this but my clothes are obviously tighter, which makes me uncomfortable, dissatisfied and worried that I will have nothing that fits me soon with all the seasonal eating coming up.

We find the time for things that are important to us and we make excuses for everything else. It was beginning to feel like I was making excuses for the choices I was making, rather than doing what I valued.

This has been bothering me and I was determined to make some changes once things settled down, which they did this week. On my first day off, which was yesterday (I job share 50%), I looked out the window and saw blue sky! I didn't feel exhausted and it felt like the stars were aligned perfectly. Unfortunately I cannot get everyone to school and preschool on time on Wednesdays without a car, but I was determined to do the preschool pick up on my bike. It also helps that the preschool teacher told me last week that my youngest daughter called out for me when someone rode by on their bike. That settled it!

The ride to preschool was perfect. I had an amazing tailwind that made me feel like a super hero speeding down the road. The cool December air felt refreshing. I made up my mind to go on an even bigger bike ride today.

At preschool pick up this week. It was cold but dry and I felt great.

The ride home, however, almost killed me. I forgot that if I had a tailwind going it meant I would have a headwind coming home. I was riding into the wind coming off the Fraser River for a good portion of my ride and I had the additional weight of my little one in the bike trailer. As well, my underused muscles seized up in the cold while I waited for my little one to be dismissed from preschool.

Even though I had boundless energy when I got home, which is what I love about building activity into my daily routine, by the evening my thigh muscles feel like I hadn't been on my bike in years. Surprisingly I don't hurt today, so that's a positive.

For inspiration over the coming months I am going to read more of The Velo Family Diaries (link), a blog written by a Vancouver mother, who along with her cycling advocate husband, has made the decision to live car free and bike ride everywhere with her two young children. I found them via Instagram and the cycle chic photos he posts (he is @cbruntlett on Instagram). If she can do it everyday here on the Wet Coast, certainly I can do it a few times a week.

I believe in honouring the seasons and our connection to them. At this time of year we tend to stay indoors more and nest with the shorter days and longer nights. Cross your fingers that the weather isn't too wet for me over the next few weeks so I can settle into my new-old routine of biking more. I know that if I can make it through the winter doing at least a minimal amount of biking then I can make this goal stick year round.

Fall Garden Update

My goodness did time fly this autumn. I planned on journaling about my first attempt at planting garlic and my fall garden clean up much earlier than this, but life seemed to get in the way. My teaching job, my own children, my extended family, all kept me busy. Today I went out to mulch and harvest the last of my Brussels sprouts and I realized that December is almost upon us. I suppose my husband putting up the Christmas lights and decorating the front yard for the coming holiday season was a bit of a wake up call for me.

Beautiful, pungent garlic cloves separated and ready to be planted.

In late October I finally decided to plant my garlic. I fell in love with garlic scapes this summer via the Richmond Sharing Farm CSA (link) pick up and I knew I wanted to grow my own garlic. I planted some of my left over Sharing Farm garlic (one row) but the rest I bought at West Coast Seeds because I wanted to be sure that I was planting hard neck garlic to get scapes in the early summer. I chose the Russian red garlic (link).

Delicious scapes from the Sharing Farm CSA

My youngest daughter was such a distraction taking all my cloves helper in the garden. I don't know what I would do without her! I finally gave her a bucket of dirt, a toy shovel and pretend seeds so I could finish what I needed to before having to pick up my other two kids at school.

I planted tulip and daffodil bulbs the same day.

If I remember correctly I planted approximately thirty cloves in one of my two raised beds. I have been over-zealous in the past with spacing of my seedlings, so I hope I erred on the conservative side of spacing this time.

Finally today I remembered to get out and mulch the garlic bed. We bought two hay bales for our October display in the front yard and I had every intention of bringing those bales around to the backyard to mulch my garlic. However, much in the same way I am a lazy crafter, I am also a lazy gardener and those hay bales still remain in my front yard. My husband knows me well and suggested that the hay become part of our Christmas display and feed our illuminated reindeer. What a smart fellow. Then I realized that I have a lawn covered in leaves and I did two jobs in one by raking the leaves for my garlic mulch. Problem solved. I supposed I should have chopped the leaves up, but remember, I'm lazy. I may have to go back and redo this if we have another big wind storm, but as you can see from the photo, I have no shortage of leaves. By then I may have no more excuses for leaving my hay in the front yard and can use that to mulch.

Do you think the "leaves as mulch" idea was a good one?

My other raised bed has some kale from the summer that is probably about four to five feet high now and still hasn't bolted (I was waiting to collect the seeds). So looks like we will be having some kale chips soon. I also found a rogue beet and chard plant that I was unaware were growing. What a nice surprise. I harvested the last of my Brussels sprouts today because I am taking some into my class at school tomorrow. I found out that most of my students have never heard of or tried Brussels sprouts so I am going to take the stalk in and steam them for all to try (along with some beets to steam and kale to make into kale chips).

The poor Brussels sprouts are a little worse 

for wear after an aphid infestation, but still delicious.

So now the garden is all ready for its long winter sleep.

My next step, researching and planning my summer garden and begin learning about winter gardening for next year!

A Great Garden Gadget

Can you guess what this garden gadget does?

It's called the Wingdigger (link) and I bought it at West Coast Seeds in Ladner, B.C. I purchased it at their store but they do have an online store as well.

It turns compost and aerates it without a shovel, and honestly it is the best $15 I have spent toward my garden. I find it almost impossible to turn my compost with a shovel because it is in a tall bin (purchased from my city). I am not strong enough in my upper body to dig down deep enough, especially as my bin is now almost full to the top.

The wingdigger is pushed all the way down 

into my compost bin here. The handle is visible 

on the right side of the photo.

The wingdigger has a double sided blade at the bottom that goes up when it is pushed down into the compost then opens as it is pulled up. I can reach all the way to the bottom of my bin and pull it up fairly easily. It creates air holes and moves compost around. Of course it doesn't completely turn the compost and mix it up, but if I use this often and then do some occasional turning with a shovel it does the trick nicely.

Pure genious

This is not a paid endorsement of any kind. This is just a cool garden gadget with which I am impressed.

Autumn Crown Tutorial

My daughters collect so many leaves that I decided I needed to do something crafty with them.

I saw a tutorial for this leaf crown on line two years ago, before Pinterest, and I didn't bookmark the link (or if I did I can't find it in the mess of my bookmarks now), so I'm sorry that I can't give credit to the original crafter for the idea.

All you need are leaves. Plain and simple, right? The leaves cannot be thoroughly dried or else they will crack and crumble when they are folded.

Here are the steps:

1. Collect at least a dozen leaves outside. They can be all one colour, or for a more colourful crown, collect a variety of leaf types.

2. Start with one leaf. Fold it in half, with the stem at the side, so that you have the symmetrical points of the leaf touching each other.

3. Fold another leaf the same way.

4. Use the stem from the second folded leaf to poke two holes just above the line of symmetry of the first leaf.

5. Weave the stem of the second leaf in and out of the punched holes in the first leaf.

6. Once the third leaf is added there should be enough of the third stem to weave through the first leaf to make the crown sturdier.

7. Follow steps two to six for each leaf you add to the crown, until the circumference of the crown is large enough to fit over the prince or princess's head.

8. Weave the stem of the very first leaf through the last leaf added to secure the crown into a circular shape. Be sure to have the ends of the stems on the inside of the crown for a smooth outside.

9. If the leaf is too damp leave it to dry before using.

10. Place the leaf crown on the autumn prince or princess. Voila!

When the leaves become too dry and crumbly, just put them back outside, or better yet throw them into a compost container or garden.