Green Gal

The Green Gal blog is moving to a new location! From January 2009 to early March 2021, the Green Gal blog was hosted here by Blogger at http://greenbeangal.blogspot.com/   Starting today, March 14, 2021, all new Green Gal blog posts will be posted on my website at https://www.greengalgrows.com/blog/ To subscribe to updates from the new blog, please join my e-newsletter mailing list . I send out a newsletter on the 15th of each month that includes my recent posts and other resources related to all of the things you've come to associate with Green Gal--and more!  I feel bittersweet about migrating to this new site for the blog. The Blogger site has been a familiar place to login and write to my heart’s content since I was 16 years old. But just as this blog has matured with me over time, it is now time to migrate to my own website.  Fortunately, the archive of posts on this Blogger site will remain available, and over time I will migrate some of the best and most relevant a...

When we prune a fruit tree, we simplify the branches in order to amplify the available sunlight to those remaining. Removing branches also directs the tree's energy to the remaining buds so that the tree can grow bigger and stronger and produce larger and healthier fruit.  We simplify to amplify. Lately, I've been reflecting on how this principle applies to many aspects of my life. It can be satisfying to simplify, such as when you de-clutter your home and finally donate all of the things you no longer need or want. What remains are the items you truly value, and you can better appreciate and use them because they are no longer buried by all the extra "stuff."  Perhaps this feeling is familiar to you if you went through this process within the past year during the pandemic. Spending so much time inside our homes has helped some of us recognize how much "stuff" has accumulated that we don't need anymore. Hopefully we also learn to reduce how much stuff we...

Watching seeds sprout into seedlings and grow into plants never ceases to amaze me. The joy and wonder of new life! The first little brassica seedlings emerged on February 12, and I posted about it on Instagram here . And then two days later, the scallions began germinating, so now I've got broccoli, kale, and scallion babies photosynthesizing by the window. Some of the brassicas (broccoli and kale) seem to be getting a bit leggy, making me wish I had an outdoor greenhouse. The seedlings get a lot of sun in this window, but they still seem to be reaching a bit. Scallions on the left, kale on the right. With our strong wind gusts here in Reno, we'd need a sturdy greenhouse that wouldn't blow away. We're dreaming up designs for next season and thinking about where a greenhouse might fit in our little backyard. One idea is to place it where our hot tub currently sits. This hot tub came with our house and we've never used it. It drained while we were away--a pipe probab...

Sowing seeds is an act of hope & intention. In these uncertain times, planting seeds invites joy, wonder, & anticipation. There's still uncertainty, but with care & attention, we can cultivate new life. And if we're lucky, we get homegrown tomatoes! Yesterday, the 2021 growing season officially began here! I sowed my 1st round of seeds to start indoors by our sunny sliding glass door. I also finished most of my crop plan for 2021. Our growing season in Reno is short & hot. According to UNR Cooperative Extension , Reno has 90-120 frost-free days. The average last frost day is May 15, & the average 1st frost day is September 15--although this doesn't account for our specific microclimate. Since it's only our 2nd year in this house, I am just starting to collect data about our seasonal growing patterns so I can plan better in years to come. I enjoy crop planning--it combines my love for planning & organizing with my passion for growing food. For tho...

Self care is essential. It makes life more enjoyable; equips us to face life's challenges; provides an opportunity to connect more deeply with ourselves; and it allows us to bring our best selves to our many roles--as parents, partners, friends, children, colleagues, etc. The concept of "self care" can seem like something you have to find extra time for or prepare for in some special way. While it can look like that sometimes, it can also be so much more simple and woven into your everyday life through things you already do. And it's powerful. Prioritizing yourself and your needs (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) allows you to be more present and grateful and joyful, both for your own personal experience of your life and in how you show up for the work you do in the world.  As parents, the work of raising children is to not only keep our little ones safe and happy but to also teach them ways to be and relate in the world--which includes modeling for them how to...

"'Now my dears,' said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, 'you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden...'" - The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, first published in 1902. When I was growing up, I had drawings from Beatrix Potter scenes hanging in my bedroom. I also had a giant illustrated book of Beatrix Potter stories. And in my dad's potting shed there hung a framed sketch from The Tale of Peter Rabbit . My dad drew all of the drawings--and  he built the potting shed himself . In February 2018, I posted about one of the drawings on Instagram , writing "One day I hope to have children and hang it framed on their wall." This hope has come true, and that drawing and the one from the potting shed have adorned my son's nursery walls since before he was born. As you can see if you scroll through the photos below, Liam's entire nursery theme emerged from those 2 drawings, made more than 20 yea...

Happy New Year! My goodness, it's been awhile since I posted to this blog. Since my last post in March 2019, a lot has happened both in the world and in my life. One thing I love about this blog is that it has been a place to share life updates as I've grown up and taken on new identities--from high school environmentalist , to eco-groovy college student , to young adult sustainability professional , to organic farmer/gardener , and now to green mama committed to raising my child to advocate for equity, justice, and respect for all beings and nature.  I love that this blog continues to offer me a place to reflect on my life, share insights and ideas, set intentions, and revisit the thoughts of my younger self. It's entirely possible this will be the only post I share here in 2021, as life with a baby-going-on-toddler gets more and more fun and busy! But at least this post can be a snapshot in time that I can look back on in the future, as well as share with my little one wh...