Planting season is here.

It’s that time of year again: time to get your hands into dirt and make things grow.  Not sure where to start? I can think of nothing better or easier to grow than your own little herb garden.

Pretty tarragon.

Whether you live in a high rise with a sunny window sill, a place with a balcony, or a few outdoor stairs leading to your  door or have a whole yard to plant in, (I’ve done them all) planting a few herbs will usher summer right into your kitchen.

Thai basil- I bought two of these as we use it so much! No more trips to the grocer!

Garden, hardware and corner stores are stocked to the rafters right now with herbs ranging in price from around $1.50- $5.00 depending on where you are shopping and the quality of herb.

Salad rolls here I come!

Just imagine having a whole summer’s worth of herbs  at your fingertips, ready to cut and throw into your famous roast chicken (tarragon, sage, thyme, rosemary) to brighten up your salad rolls (mint and basil) to throw into your mojitos (mint) or to add to your favorite lemonade or herbal remedy or tea.

Add a few stones at the bottom for drainage.

So go to it. Pick up some terra cotta pots (Check Craig’s list, garage sales or sidewalks on garbage night- I have picked up many that way!). Throw a few stones in the bottom for drainage, add in some good potting soil, then add your herbs, water, and watch them grow.

Add good potting soil.

Make sure you buy herbs that are appropriate for the type of sun you get. (Don’t buy a full sun herb if you only have sun/shade.)

Pop in your herbs.

Potted herbs also make a wonderful gift for a friend, housewarming or just a cheer up. They smell wonderful, taste wonderful and are a snap to take care of. And remember, if you plant in a garden, many herbs are perennial so they will be back next year, fuller and thicker. Not a bad deal for such a small financial investment.

Water

The best part about planting herbs: Dirt under your nails at the end of the day.

and watch them grow.

Happy planting!

Last August I bought a composter for the backyard and was very excited to start my own compost program at home rather than just relying on the city green bin program. I noticed immediately that we had about an1/8 of the compost to send to the city on any given week- it felt good. I managed to keep up with the composting for the most part throughout the winter months, although I admit not as much as I did during the spring, summer and fall.

John

Last weekend my brother in law John and Jonathon came over and planted cedar hedges all around our side property- a living fence. I was thrilled!

lined up cedars

A yard we could actually use and a green fence that would fill in and would grow with us for years to come.

Jonathan

Along with pulling out an old metal fence, putting in a railway tie, planting cedars, digging new flowerbeds, moving plants and transferring sod, John also helped me move my composter. After pulling the top off, he said, “Do you want to use this compost in your new garden?”  “What?” I said, “There’s usable compost in my bin?”

The insides of my composter. The stuff on the bottom is GOLD!

I was over the moon. Only 8 months after I started, with just a couple of minutes (if that) a day, I had a wheelbarrow full of usable compost!

No way!!!

No trips to the garden store lugging big bags of cow manure home; this was compost from our own kitchen and that felt deeply satisfying.  In that moment I felt that anything was possible! Goofy I know, but it was empowering!

Into the new flowerbed!

I am now fully back in the swing of composting again. Every veggie scrap from the kitchen makes its way to the bin. I can’t wait to see the results after a long warm summer ahead. Just in time for fall planting.

The new bed taking shape.

There’s lots of ways to compost even if you don’t have a yard: Google “indoor worm composters” and start reading. If you do have a yard, many municipalities sell composters for a song or you can check craigslist for someone selling a used one.

Mike does some finishing touches.

So many thanks to John and Jonathan for the amazing transformation in our side yard and of course to my nephew Jonah for keeping us laughing through the wind, snow, rain and sun last Saturday! What a day!

The bed in the foreground has been replanted with sod and new seed, the cedars are in and ready to grow and the bed on the right is full of transplanted beauties...

Japan holds its many cherry blossom festivals between March and May every year in different regions of the country.

Although it is one of my dreams to visit Japan during cherry blossom season, I am more than happy to take in the beautiful blossoming that is taking place at home as I write this.

The weather combination of a few sunny, warm days followed by a few wet ones has got Toronto in full bloom.

This is the perfect time of year to don those sandals for the first time, hop on your bike or take a walk around the neighborhood and literally stop and smell the flowers. Have a lovely week!

7:30 am-set up starts!

On Easter weekend I helped Diana out at her 2^nd annual yard sale. I brought a bunch of stuff along to sell and at 7:30 am we got things moving for our 9am scheduled start!

Getting prepped in the middle of the week.

I love a good garage sale and have been to many but this one was spectacular! It was a week’s worth of prep on Di’s part and it was worth it. A little attention to detail took this sale from good to great! Here are a few of her tips:

our first customer

Di started advertising the sale about 5-6 days beforehand on craigslist, Facebook and Twitter. Social networking sites are a fast way to get the message out. Putting up posters outside neighborhood coffee shops and by parks also brought in lots of people.

grab bags

Remember birthday party grab bags? Di packaged up groupings of items and put them into grab bags, labeled them, priced them for a buck or two and watched them fly off the table.

memories....

My favorite grab bag was filled with the make- up Di used in the show “Cats.” It included a picture of her in her show make-up. It was hilarious and a big hit.

fantasies for a quarter

All the items were priced clearly – cute and fun signs gave a clear place for the bargaining to start.  They came in handy when it got busy!

coffee is on

We set up a coffee stand selling Kicking Horse coffee for a buck. Such a great idea!

pretty picture

We had muffins too, but they got eaten…mmmm muffins. I think I had 2 before 8am.

table set up starts

We set up tables to ensure there was an easy way in, out and around the sale creating a natural flow of traffic.

bright and cheery

Di used lots of old suitcases as displays, which were really eye catching and she had a mirror set up for people trying on clothes.

this rolling rack came in so handy

We kept as many things off the ground as we possibly could so people didn’t have to bend down too much…. just little details.

hats off

We rearranged items as things sold to create easier access for customers.

and it begins...

Hands down the best part of a garage sale was meeting people and listening to their stories.

working the coffee bar

People told me about their kids, why they were buying the items they were buying, told me jokes, reminisced about their childhoods, passed on little bits and pieces of their histories and random bits of advice about parenting.

Di models my favorite item: the whoopee cushion handbag.

I laughed a lot and had some really great conversations.

the free pile

At the end of the day we put out the remainder of items on the lawn…and popped up a “free” sign next to them.

wrapping it up

We had been at it for 8 hours and were pooped. I came back later that night and almost everything was gone. What a treasure to walk by a house with cool stuff in front of it with a “free” sign on it!

Me and the bun: making the big sales.

I can’t wait to start garage sale-ing myself next Saturday! Hey, are you planning a garage sale this year?  Want to share some of your tips?

As you know the first day of spring is this Saturday March 20^th. Call me nuts if you like, but one of the reasons I love springtime is spring-cleaning. After months of hibernation, it is refreshing to sweep out the cobwebs and prep the house for a busy, vibrant spring and summer ahead.

Wait for the first warm day and open the windows to get a bit of fresh air moving around. Remember you don’t need to  clean everything at once! Do a little task a day and get outside and enjoy that spring weather. Here we go!

Clutter:

• Batteries, light bulbs and any toxic materials can be taken to the safe disposal/recycling sites. (Some shops like the Home Depot and Ikea take batteries and light bulbs. Or check for proper disposal sites run by your city.)

• Old or rarely worn clothes, shoes and gently used house wares can be donated to Goodwill or local charities or you can sell them on craigslist or eBay for some extra cash or list it on freecycle to give it away.

• Old newspapers, junk mail, phone books and paper collected over the winter can be put into the blue box. Old magazines can be donated or passed on to friends or family.

Storage:

• Thick winter rugs, blankets and duvets can be washed and put away and replaced by their summery counterparts. Or leave floors bare and sparse for the spring and summer.
• Winter jackets can be repaired/ cleaned and put away- see ya later!
• Spring clothes can be put to the front of the closet while bulky winter-wear is put to the back.

• Shovels can be put away!  (Ok I know I am tempting fate with this one.)

Clean it!

• Windows and screens can get washed inside and out. It may seem like a total pain but well worth it when all that sun is able get through unhindered!

• Cupboards, cutlery drawers, can be wiped out (I know, it’s only once a year and mine got nasty this winter.)

• Hey that stove needs a cleaning. I am not looking forward to this one but after this winter of entertaining it really needs some love.
• Get your hardwood floors shining! There are lots of natural wood soaps on the market these days.

Reminders:

• Diana C. replaces the batteries in her smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors every spring so she doesn’t forget.
• Snow tires on your car can be replaced with your flashy summer ones!
• Books, movies, dishes can returned to lenders with a thank you card.

• It’s a perfect time of year to get your bike tuned up before the mad rush starts at your local bike shop! You can give it a little scrub too it you have been winter riding.

Freshen Up:

• It’s a perfect time of year to touch up any scrapes in the paint around your place, fill holes from old nails or add a coat of paint to freshen up a room!
• Take articles from one room and put them in another- it makes them feel brand new!
• Change your furniture around to give you a fresh perspective!

Fun tips:

• Want to make cleaning a bit more fun?  Try using real lemons to infuse your house with a fresh smell. Lemons, baking soda, borax, and salt and vinegar make a wonderful cleaning kit; Michael Dejong the author of the humble art of Zen cleaning even uses the lemon as a scrubber. Check out his sweet little video here: http://www.youtube.com/zencleansing

Do you have any indoor spring-cleaning rituals you love? Send them my way! Happy cleaning!

When I found out I was pregnant, Mike and I made a list of things we wanted to get done around the house before my due date. So far we have had the last remaining rug in the basement pulled up and laminate and tile put in, a little kitchenette ripped out and a closet installed in its place and a bathroom repainted.

upperc.drywall@gmail.com- that's Alejandro's e-mail.

(Many thanks to the amazing Alejandro!) We also hope to get a new downspout and put in a fence before the end of April.

Two rolls of vintage wallpaper for the back wall of the room. Thanks to Diana!

Needless to say I hadn’t even started to think about pulling together a baby’s room… or at least that is what I thought.  Without realizing it, I had been gathering things for this little nest…and the feel of the room is quickly, organically taking shape in my head.

My old cedar lined trunk-dragged home from a vintage store in 1996. With a little paint a new toy box will be born. 7 years of taxes need to find a new home!

My goal is to buy as little new furniture as possible and to get my creative juices flowing!

Sarah's baby chair from her childhood (and long before that) on loan to us!

I hope to repurpose what we already have, move things from one room to another, re-use, re-paint, paper, find thrift shop jewels, treasures in the trash, hand make crafts, pull out old things from childhood, swap items with friends and let it evolve naturally.

Mike's first camera.

I am very lucky to have many friends offering to pass on pieces of furniture that were much loved by them or their children or pieces that they no longer use! Very lucky indeed!

The vintage red Samsonite cases will make for bright storage!

You don’t need to be decorating a kid’s room to get creative – any room will do!

From the bedroom to the baby's room.

Please feel free to pass on any ideas or inspirations my way!

Childhood essentials from Mike!

**Watercolor by Michael Chan.

Wednesday: Be mine, little jam cookie.

A mid-February experiment: Since last week’s post I took a picture everyday of something that made the grey February days feel a little brighter. It really worked! Rather than concentrating on how overcast and cold it was, I found myself on the look out at all times for little bits of beauty in my daily travels. Looking for the sun amongst the clouds.

Thursday: A shop sign on Carlaw.

Give it a whirl!  You really don’t need a camera- take a mental picture. It can be anything; noting a random act of kindness, a funny sign, a conversation you had with someone, a great meal, a delicious sleep, a phone call or a new pair of shoes!

Friday: Scones, clotted cream, butter and jam.

You may find that in all this grey, you are surrounded by pretty moments, lovely inspirations and delightful opportunities. How very spring like!

Saturday: Tulips from the market.

Before you know it, spring will be on the doorstep with the promise of sun, fragrant lilacs trees and fresh, breezy afternoons.

Sunday: Plasticine tigers.Happy New Year!

I wish I could take pictures of the all the lovely moments of the last 7 days:

Monday: Lydia, Joel and Arnault's Toc Toc Toc space ship. (They made it from an old Mr. potato head!)

Meeting my Mom for lunch, high tea with Kim and Viv, driving my sister to the airport, celebrating Chinese New Year weekend with my In- laws, having a whole day to spend (without work) with my fella, seeing my lovely Dirty Dancing Family again, meeting a group of theatre school students and being wowed by their energy, openness and kindness, spending time learning the world of etsy and feeling “the bun” move in my belly for the first time….beauty on a cold, grey week in February!

Tuesday: A bag the colour of red tulips. A new handbag always makes the day seem brighter.

See you next Wednesday.

What do you do on a rainy grey Sunday afternoon in January? Have an “at home manicure party” with your friends of course!

My hands post renovation clean up. I left them for the big party!

I was so excited when Sarah invited me, Karen and Hinna over to spend an afternoon drinking tea, eating sweet treats and getting beautiful manicures with hand scrubs and massages last Sunday. It was a lovely way to spend an afternoon catching up.

Yum!

Want to throw a manicure party? Here’s what you need to make this fun afternoon happen:

• Cookies, chocolate and another sweet treats- ask everyone to bring one thing!
• Many pots of tea.
• A great play list on the IPOD
• Tea towels or hand towels for hand drying, and for catching all the hand scrub that falls off during the massage/scrub.

Pretty colours.

• Nail polish, nail files, nail polish remover and cotton balls
• Homemade hand scrub! (Use this recipe but use brown sugar instead and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.)

Soak away the afternoon!

• Little bowls of soapy water for hand soaking
• Your friends of course!

A lovely scrub.

After much catching up and eating, we took off old nail polish, soaked our fingers in little bowls of warm soapy water, filed our nails and then gave each other hand massages with the homemade hand scrub! It was heavenly and my skin was so thankful.

Steady hands!

The next step was choosing the polish and taking turns painting each other’s nails! Sarah chose a pretty pale opalescent for me!

Much better!

We wrapped the manicures with a bit of hand cream and a promise to do it again soon. Next time it will be a hair party! Hinna is going to show me how to do those lovely French braids that wrap around the top of your head that are so popular these days! I can’t wait!

Thanks to Sarah, Hinna and Karen (and Lila the cat) for a beautiful afternoon!

FYI- I lost my camera in a pile of clothes so these pics came from my phone!

Mint in its grocery store packaging.

A week and a day ago I started an experiment to see if my homemade French Press herb keeper would keep my herbs fresher than in plastic bags/boxes that they came in. And the results are in.

Cilantro in plastic.

I had been checking in regularly on the herbs and things were neck in neck for a while so you can imagine my surprise I took the final pictures this morning. Was my homemade herb keeper a smashing success or was it back to the drawing board?

The Winnahhhhh!

THE HERB KEEPER WAS A SMASHING SUCCESS!!!

Thyme on right was kept in the herb keeper

The herbs on the left were kept in plastic bags and boxes they arrived in and the herbs on the right were kept in the Herb Keeper.

Mint on the right was kept in the herb keeper.

You will notice the biggest difference in the mint and thyme and more subtle differences in the cilantro and dill. Although to the naked eye they are much greener and certainly crisper than their limp bagged counterparts.

Cilantro on the right was kept in the herb keeper.

Give it a try. You can see how to make your own herb keeper at home with your old French Press right here.

Dill on the right was kept in the herb keeper.

A word of advice: If you can, try to keep your herbs close to the front of the fridge or in the fridge door to keep you water from freezing!

I have been trying this little experiment, while I am out and about, for the last few years. It is inspired by the real Suitably Cool that was originated in the early 1990s, but it is on foot and can be done everyday.

There are many routes/shortcuts/ paths one can follow to get to one’s destination so why not see what happens when you let the flow of the traffic lights choose your path?

You make your way towards your destination. When you reach an intersection where you DON’T have the walk signal, take another way.

Maybe it will take you to a street you never walk down or maybe you will just walk on the other side of the street.  Maybe you will run into someone you usually never get to see, or maybe you will find a new cafe you have never been into or maybe you will actually get to where you are going faster than you thought, which in the winter cold is not necessarily a bad thing.

I think it helps to keep things fresh. It also helps me to be open to the possibility of sweet, little adventures in my day to day!