Snapshot Sunday

Nasturtiums from my garden.

First broccoli from the garden.

A rose from the flower garden.

We have a pile of dog biscuits hanging around from puppy-sitting this weekend.

The new pots I bought for my herbs.

I really love...

My Garden!My tomatoes seem to be being doing ok and it looks like we are going to get some more cauliflower and some broccoli.

I have so much zucchini and it looks like we are going to have a ton of pumpkins.

Look how many peas we got last night!

Green Tips: Every Little Bit Helps

The little things we do that use energy or create waste are often the easiest to change; if we recognize them. Think of the things that you do daily that uses energy or creates waste and then multiply it by how many times you do those things in a month and you might be shocked by the impact. This post is about those little things.

1. Air dry or shake off your hands after washing in public washrooms. Avoid electric blow-dryers or paper towels.

2. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. The elevator uses a lot of power and the stairs are better for your personal fitness.

3. Know when to roll up your windows and when to turn off the AC. If you are driving at highway speeds having your window down creates drag and you use more gas, so switch to the vent or AC. But at regular speeds, AC wastes gas so roll down the windows for some natural ventilation.

4. Say no to the receipt. Unless you need to keep track of your purchases say no to a receipt, then retailers will only to print one or no copies and will save paper. Plus, your wallet will lose some bulk if you ditch the paper.

5. Recharge. Rechargeable batteries or solar charging items are great money and energy savers. Plus recharging reduces waste, so really it's the best anyway you look at it.

There are tons of other little things you can change! Pay attention and give your actions some thought and step by step our world will become a little greener.

Another Harvest

This harvest took the work of both of us.

We collected beets, carrots, some chard, and peas.

Yes, lots and lots of peas. And some onions.

We also collected some herbs and did come drying. Here we have dill, thyme and oregano. There was also some chamomile that had to be hung to dry.

Organic Islands Festival

This weekend was the 5th annual Organic Islands Festival and Sustainability Expo. We always enjoy the festival but this is the first year I got to enjoy it not as a volunteer. It is so enjoyable to be surrounded by like-minded, eco-conscious people. We tried some yummy organic goodies, amazing organic wine and ciders and a whole bunch more cool stuff. We also talked to people about solar and wind energy, organic gardening, composting and collecting rainwater. Very interesting.
Some of the treats we came away with were:
- organic Sage plants
- local rhubarb concentrate from Sea Cider Farms
- bamboo towels from Good Planet
- native flower seeds from CRD
- natural soaps from Rocky Mountain Soap Co.
- Yerba Mate iced tea
If you are in the area next year I highly encourage you to visit the festival. It is always the first week of July. Visit the website for a list of exhibitors and info on the festival itself.

Snapshot Sunday

My goodie bag from the organic festival.

The pickles I made yesterday. My first canning experience!

Yummy organic drinks from the market.

The cool new sage plants I got at the festival. One tastes and smells like honey melon.

My massive stack of piano music (and this is only HALF). I'm a bit of a music junkie.

Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Bread

If you've read my other posts you'll know I suddenly have a lot of zucchini. So I decided to make some zucchini bread and freeze it. This is my favorite recipe thus far.

You will need:
1.5 cups shredded raw zucchini
1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan and set aside.
Grate the zucchini and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. In a the bowl of an electric mixer beat the oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Fold in the grated zucchini. Add to the flour mixture. Stir until combined. Then fold in chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick comes out clean, about 55 to 65 mins. Place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.
This recipe can be frozen as well as eaten on the spot!