The New Year has arrived with a blue moon

In several places around the world, the New Year has  already begun.  Thanks to Google's earthcam I vicariously celebrated in Hong Kong, Syndney and most recently Brazil.  I have a few unwritten resolutions that I know sooo well they do not need to be written ... what in  my life  are really breakthrough thoughts that have been marinating and now have finally pushed themselves free from unconsciousness.  In thinking about what I want to share, it's just this:

In  Twenty Ten Sea Greens Live  will work harder to be  more of service to its community.  What we learn, we will share.  And we will look for solutions that work for the community and can be replicated elsewhere.  We welcome your thoughts.  In fact the year has been made better by your input and we are open.  Let me know what you think.

Thank you everyone for your support.

Patricia

Catalogs of Heirloom Seeds are made for stay at home winter days

Today I received the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Catalog and it started me thinking in earnest about my 2010 garden.  What will I plant that can be used in a regular food offering at Sea Greens Live this summer? This catalog has moved from the my living room, to the kitchen, to the bathroom and now it is here beside me in the bedroom.  It is a color catalog with a very personable letter from Jere and Emilee , owners of the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Catalog.   I am so stoked by the images that I want to order everything.  How does one choose from 7 types of spinach  ranging from Giant Noble ( introduced in 1926) to Monstrueux de Viroflay ( a gourmet French heirloom).    There are little-known tidbits beside color photos to make you think, such as "The ancient Egyptians esteemed lettuce so highly as to paint it in their tombs."  The entire catalog seems designed to make you think. It even has  an anecdotal letter (to the owner )  from a man who refers to himself as an Iraqi friend now living in the UK.  The Baker Creek Heirloom owner, it seems,  traded heirloom seeds with this guy in the 1990's.  I know this because the writer expressed nostalgia for the heirloom way of life that was possible in Iraq before the US occupation. Not something you tend to think about when shopping for food.  There is even a recipe for butternut curry and  lots of seeds for flowers. I  just love this catalog because it successfully captures a way of life, from the color photos I have mentioned to the books, flowers and announcements of upcoming Spring festivals.
The one thing I am definitely going to get is a garden planner this year.  But what I am wondering is which seed catalog is your favorite for winter reading?

Spider Babies: Good for Asthma

I have a small spider plant in my home that I found after searching several local stores.  This used to be a common houseplant one would find in nearly everyone's home.  But I had not been able to find one for sometime.  At a dinner meeting in my home of a new faith based community group (more about that later) one of the guests asked about my plant. She too had been looking for a spider plant.  Now here's to the power of networking: the result of our conversation was that another guest knew someone with a plant that had multiple babies.  And today I had the good fortune of harvesting 48 baby spiders that are now  beginning a new life in a north window.  All of my dinner guests are the proud owners of new spider plants.

They may either be replanted directly to dirt while attached to the primary plant; or restarted the way I have done it,  which was to clip and start them in water.    The former is the preferred way,  so say the professionals.  But if the primary plant does not belong to you,  as was the case for me, then clippings were the next best option.  They will be all right.

As to the benefits of this plant, I read about a woman who keeps her spider plants in her bedroom because her husband suffers from asthma.  Spider plants are known to be efficient in cleaning the air.  So it makes sense that they might be particularly beneficial to those with breathing or upper respiratory difficulties.

As to growing environments,  these plants like humidity and will grow almost anywhere in the home.  Mine will be ready to go into the dirt soon.  Do you have a great place for growing your spider plants to share?

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Plastic bottled water ... to drink it or not to drink it.

Today's New York Times carried a story that questioned whether containments in our water were responsible for the increase  in breast cancer incidence.  Doctors  were asked what precautions they took in their own homes to reduce risks.  They stated they avoided microwaving food in plastic or putting plastics in the dishwasher because heat possibly caused chemicals to leach out. At the symposium where this discussion took place, organizers handed out a reminder card listing “safer plastics” as those marked (usually at the bottom of a container) 1, 2, 4 or 5.
The writer of this article  concludes " that the “plastics to avoid” are those numbered 3, 6 and 7 (unless they are also marked “BPA-free”). "

I will be joining him in going through the plastics in my cabinets to throw out all the 3,6, and 7's.