view from our living room window

I know we've had a lot of garden posts this summer, but I think that's because its just so AWESOME!!
There's our huge and happy grape vine producing wee grapes, red robin approved blueberries, reach-for-the-sky-high pole beans, and of course, zucchinis!
The rescued fruit trees seem to be doing well in pots, especially the 2 fig trees - hello growth spurt! Meanwhile I've created an almost medieval looking suspension system for one of our older dwarf apple trees in a container - growing apples and spindly branches didn't look like they'd be a winning combination! I'm looking forward to moving that tree into a bigger pot and give it a good pruning in the autumn.

Autumn planning?! Yikes! I'd better get outside now and enjoy some nuce summer weather!
Bye!

Bread and "the Bulge"

We found ourselves with an amazing abundance of salvaged bread yesterday (probably ~40 loaves)!  After much slicing, most of it has gone in the freezer to save for later, but we also called on nearby friends to come and take some away - there was way too much for us alone to eat + freeze!! 
We also had a bit of a french toast party this morning, yum! (with strawberries from our garden, and salvaged berries and pineapple!!)

Amazing bread haul by J-bird!

 

 A little while ago, the city made permanent some traffic calming features in our neighbourhood, including making some "bulges" that close off some car traffic directions at roundabout intersections (great for bikes + quiet neighbourhoods, very confusing for those visiting the neighbourhood by automobile!).
RedSara signed us up with the City of Vancouver's "Green Streets" program to care for the "bulge" on our block.  We now have a lovely little garden, "bulging" with:

• Rosemary
• Lavender
• Fennel
• Day Lillies
• Garlic
• Sunchokes
• a dwarf apple tree
• a salvaged heather plant
• lots of FLAX!!
• Orach: a spinach-like plant that we got seeds from EYA (Environmental Youth Alliance) and RedSara's mom
• a Tea plant
• a Loquat tree
• Coltsfoot
• Sunflower
• Arugula
• Calendula
• Collard
• Kale
• Dill
• Columbine
• Mallow
• and many more.... that we're not sure of the names...!!!

All enclosed in a lovely living low willow fence!

Friendly neighbourhood kitty, Larry, hanging out with me at "the bulge"

Do you want to live in community?

The Beehive Collective House is looking for a new housemate / collective member for July 1, Aug possible.

Who are we?  

The Beehive is an established collective house located just off Commercial Drive. We believe that mutual support in the domestic realm fosters stronger individuals and stronger communities.  Collective living is a powerful form of activism, allowing us to exercise our values of social and environmental justice right in the home.  Together, we hold safe space for individual and collective growth.

 ♥

We welcome interest from queer folk, elders, youth, people of varied colours and cultures. 

We value: 

• Shared meals (we have a big kitchen and eat dinners together)
• Environmental consciousness and practice
• Open communication and supporting each other
• Vegetarian/vegan/freegan/local food & cooking from scratch
• Kids
• Animals
• Community-building and skill sharing
• Laughter, games, music, stories, creativity
• Growing food (we have a garden), and foraging.

Good News about Organic Waste in Metro Vancouver

Couldn't resist posting this article... I think this means more compost available through the city.

article from Vancouver Sun

"Kitchen Scraps to be banned from trash across Metro Vancouver
After changes made, most cities will reduce garbage collection to once every two weeks, with organics picked up weekly.

By the end of next year, if you live in a house in Metro Vancouver, your kitchen scraps will be banned from the trash.

That means everything from apple cores to chicken bones, bread crusts, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, paper towels and pizza boxes must be in your green bin instead of the garbage can... ...read more here

Speaking of Bees

This lovely little note has been in our bathroom for a while now, courtesy of Michael's students at SFU, who did a project on the plight of bees.


LOCAL RESOURCES:
Our friend Clelie is part of the BackYard Bounty Collective. She helps people learn how to keep bees in an urban setting.


Save the Bees Petition- click here
It's URGENT! If you need convincing read this:
Quietly, globally, billions of bees are being killed off threatening our crops and food. But a global ban of one group of pesticides could save bees from extinction.

Four European countries have begun banning the poisons and bee populations are recovering. But chemical companies are lobbying hard to keep all killer pesticides on the market. A global outcry now for a ban in the US and EU, where debate is raging, could provoke a total ban and a ripple effect around the world.

Let’s build a giant global buzz calling for these dangerous chemicals to be outlawed in the US and EU until and unless they are proved to be safe. Sign the petition to save bees!

March Garden

A quick post... Look how great our garden looks!




And look at the Vancouver spring flowers! About two months ahead of schedule.