Dirt is good for the soul!

So today I spent some time outside planting some Gerber Daisies, Sunflower seeds, moving some bulbs around and of course watering my veggies. But the most exciting part of the day was when a friend of mine finally brought my tree for me!!! I am busting!!!! I can't wait to plant it tomorrow, and oh yes, pictures will follow.
I don't know what it is about being in the dirt that makes me so happy... Maybe it's the fresh air or the sunshine or the birds chirping or maybe it's all those things combined and then some.  The reason my blog is called "Barefoot in the Garden" is two-fold.  First, I literally LOVE to be barefoot whenever possible, especially in the dirt.  The other reason is that when God created the perfect world for us in the Garden of Eden, we were of course barefoot.  It's all about the natural way things are supposed to be.  Being close to nature makes me sooo happy... being outside recharges my battery and lifts my spirits no matter what mood I may be in.  That is why I am so adamant about being "green", about taking care of the natural world, and respecting the beauty that is all around us.

Would you like a non-biodegradeable styrofoam container to take your food home in... no thanks, I've got my own

So I don't know how many of you like to go out to dinner, but what happens when you don't finish your meal? Do you just chuck it? Not if you don't like to waste! So what are the alternatives. Most of the time the waitress/waiter will ask if you want your food wrapped which usually means a giant styrofoam container that will sit in a landfill until the end of time! So here's where some planning ahead comes into play. We all have Tupperware, or some other form of plastic reusable containers at home, so why not just stash a few in your glove compartment?? I like to use the ones that Chinese food comes in. It's such a great feeling when you know that you just made such a simple, yet important environmentally conscious decision.  That's what I want this blog to be all about. Simple changes that we can all make. I follow a few blogs about people giving up plastic all together, which I think is totally awesome. I however do not have the time to figure out where/how to get/make everything I need that currently comes in plastic. For me it's just about making better choices when ones are available. Canvas bags at the grocery store, or no bag at all when I'm buying one item and I have 2 hands!! Bringing my own container for leftovers and using my Lifefactory GLASS water bottle that I LOVE!!!! Check them out Lifefactory.com. I would gladly welcome any suggestions that anyone else has, and I definitely have more of my own, but I am just trying to write a blog here, not a novel! Keep it Green!!!

Earth Day success.... well sort of!

So I was really determined to plant a tree yesterday, a Weeping Cherry to be exact... however, the person who was supposed to deliver it to me flaked on me!! So it looks like I will be planting it next weekend instead, but at least it will be getting done... eventually. 
I did however plant my spring veggies... 

                                                         ...broccoli, cauliflower, peas, spinach and red leaf lettuce. There is nothing more rewarding and environmentally responsible than growing your own veggies.  My garden is organic (no chemicals to pollute or bodies or our aquifers), and no burning fossil fuels to transport vegetables that have been grown halfway around the world.  Now don't get me wrong, I do buy veggies at the store when I have to, but the spring/summer is a great time to decrease your reliance on store bought veggies and grow some fresh ones in your own garden.  The taste of fresh produce is incomprable to anything you'll find at the store and there is nothing like the feeling of going out to your backyard, and harvesting dinner. Another bonus, if you're fortunate enough to have a large enough garden, is that you can share your harvest with friends, family and local shelters who will be glad to get some fresh donated produce. Over the summer I grow zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, beets, and possibly some other things. We also have our own strawberry patch and blueberry bush which my daughter loves to go and pick fresh berries off of.  Last year we decided to try asparagus which is a perennial and to our surprise, this year we have little asparagus shoots growing... soo cool!!!

So even if you don't have a lot of room in your yard, even a small plot of land can grow some wonderful, fresh, organic produce.  Make sure you pick a sunny spot, because veggies love sunshine. You'll want to make sure you water often enough that they don't get dried out and wither, but not too much that the roots rot.  If you're going to plant a garden, a rain barrel would be a great idea to go along with it. I'm planning on putting one in this year, which I will blog about another time.

Happy Earth Day!!!

Since it's foundation in 1970, Earth Day has been a way for people to really focus on the Earth and how we can stop polluting and start caring.  So what are your plans for Earth Day?  As cliche as it sounds, I'm planting a tree for Earth Day.  I'm also planting some spring veggies in my veggie garden, which I will talk about more in a later blog.  I'm definitely walking to Starbucks (to avoid using the car since Starbucks is only half a mile away) with my reusable cup to get my free cup of coffee.  I'm avoiding unnecessary electricity, like the t.v. and computer (except for writing my blog).  So get outside everyone, enjoy the beauty around you, and try to make as many Earth-conscious choices as possible, and then share with me tomorrow how you celebrated Earth Day!!

Welcome to my blog!!

Ok... this is the second attempt to post a blog... still working out all the bumps here.  So I've been wanting to start a blog about the environment for a while now and with it being only 2 days until Earth Day, what better time to start!!  I hope you will find the information I share to be interesting and useful.  I care a lot about the world we live in and I think there are so many small steps that we can all take to make a difference.