Seeds of Spring

I've tried starting seeds early a couple of years with minimal success. I'm trying again, this time with a better plan - I hope.

My Ultimate Greenhouse (set of shelves with a fitted plastic cover) is assembled and sitting on the deck. The herbs that survived the winter are there, as are the newly planted seeds. With about 6 weeks until planting time, let's see if I can put together a garden from scratch.

So far, I have:

• jalapeno peppers
• green bell peppers
• broccoli
• cilantro
• oregano
• yellow pear tomatoes

If I can maintain these and care for them well, I'll have seedlings when spring becomes summer-like and frost warnings are over, well, minimal. If the list doesn't sound like much, remember that I usually buy tomato and pepper seedlings in mid-May. I'll have them in plenty of time to join the pre-planted pals. Beans and peas and squash will wait until the end of May, too. I have a wish list of seeds that I might give in and buy from Hometown Seeds. I tested a variety pack from their site last year with excellent results.

My goal this year is to fill both new and old plots. Instead of telling you, I'll show you - when there are actually plants to show, that is!

Warm breezes, dirt under my nails -- it's definitely spring.

Wanted: Additional Authors

GreenSpot-On would like to find a couple more Authors or Guest Bloggers.  Are you possibly that person?  Our goal is to make this blog a collective effort between people that have similar hobbies and interests!  Some of us have children, jobs, busy lives and unfortunately cannot post daily on a blog due to time constraints and commitments.  To keep content running constantly through GreenSpot-On we have been on a constant search for additional people to help!


Topics will be limited to Environmental & Wildlife Conservation/Education, Green Living, Recycling, Reuse and categories that lie within that range.  You can even do Do it yourself (DIY) projects and recycling/reuse art's & crafts! We are flexible!

We are looking for the following:

1. People who are interested in being a part of a collective effort on educating the public on these subjects areas.

2. Who are passionate about one or more of these subjects.

3. Who work well with others.

4. Can keep their work G-Rated (Remember the kids).

5. Can cite sources (With links if there are any sources used) for your writing.

Questions

We have received a few questions regarding a potential guest blogger or author positions on GreenSpot-On.  Please feel free to ask us questions!  Below are the questions some people had and the answers we provided:

Do I have to live in a particular place?  There are no restrictions on where you live.  Currently we have authors from Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio in the United States. It does not matter if you live outside of the U.S. because we have readers that live outside of the U.S. too!

What days are open for posting to GreenSpot-On?  What happens if I can't post on my day due to commitments?  Currently we are trying to get an author for almost every day of the week.  The days that are already taken are Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.  Occasionally there may be an extra post by the other authors on your day for posts like this one.  Sometimes the authors cannot post one week due to commitments and post the following week.  You can write posts ahead of time and schedule them to publish to the blog on a specific day and time if you want!

Do I have to be a mother or female?  There are no restrictions on being a male or female author.  You also do not have to be a parent but please remember that this is a family friendly blog and all authors are expected to treat it accordingly when posting.

Do you allow cross-posting?  Three of our current authors also have their own blogs, some of them do cross-posts (For those that do not know, it means that they sometimes post the same post to both blogs.  Though this is not the case every time).  It is a great way to get separate blogging communities to interact and helps drum up comments, questions and more for both blogs!  It also offers the authors a bit more flexibility and time to write.


Do I have to have my own blog to become an author on GreenSpot-On?  No, you don't have to have your own blog to become an author here.

We hope you will consider being an author or guest blogger here and can't wait to hear from you!

Please leave a comment below if you have other questions or are interested in being an author or guest blogger at GreenSpot-On and leave a way for us to contact you.

Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project

Over the ground lies a mantle of white... so how can I be thinking green? A week ago I could see brown - yes, the ground was showing! Then we were hit by a late-arriving record-breaking snowstorm, and my gardening goals had to wait. Again.

Each year, every spring, I expand on my eco-consciousness by choosing at least one more goal toward a more sustainable garden. Last year my goal was learning to can. I made jams, stewed tomatoes, and salsa. I blanched and froze green beans, sugar snap peas, and corn sliced off the cob. In fact, we just finished the last bag of green beans last week. I had just enough organic strawberries to make ice cream last week, and the blueberries in yesterday's muffins were organic, too. There isn't much left in the freezer; thank goodness spring and garden season is on the way!

My main goal this year is to plant primarily heirloom varieties of tomatoes and peppers. If possible, I'll do the same with green beans and squash. These seeds and seedlings may be more expensive than my usual stock, but the quality and perhaps even the quantity will be well worth it. Last year only half the new garden plot was planted; this year, I'm filling it completely.

Sustainable Gardening goal number 1: Plant heirloom varieties.

Sustainable Gardening goal number 2: Fill the space, square foot style

Sustainable Gardening goal number 3: Enjoy. Enjoy the planning, the planting, the process, and eventually, preserving the results (family says "More salsa this year, mom!).

Are you interested in becoming more sustainable? Join the Gardener's Sustainable Living Project! There's snow on the ground, but I joined in anyway.

The Winter That Would Not Die

Is it just me or does the title of this post sound like a bad western?

As I have stated in past posts, I live in Michigan and have been here my entire life. I love it here! The seasonal changes, the unpredictable weather and great ways to spend summers! Being surrounded by the Great Lakes makes things interesting. This is where I must also admit I love winter. Watching snowflakes cover trees and the ground like a giant white blanket of cotton.

I enjoy wondering if I am going to be snowed in (Less likely in the city though it can happen; see pics) and if I'll be able to take my kids sledding or be making a snow fort instead of taking them to school (NOTE: I believe school is important but I love having snow days with my boys too)! Parents learn to be creative and imaginative during the winter to keep our kids occupied!  The following quote takes a whole new meaning:

"Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius."  ~Pietro Aretino

Pictured at right:  Snow drifts over 25 inches tall in our backyard from Hoth on Earth 2011 (Also known as the Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011).  Pic taken on 2-2-2011 of my oldest doing random measurements of the drifts.  The snow in that spot was almost to his upper thighs.  Three snow days in a row for my kids is almost unheard of here.  We enjoyed every single moment.

Some fellow Michiganders would disagree on my assessment of winter because of the driving conditions, the cold and so on.  I agree it can be tough and sometimes downright brutal, but it doesn't make me hate it.  It does make me appreciate the other seasons even more!

So while our current winter is hanging on tooth and nail, I am dreaming about flowers and trees and the wildlife that will be coming soon!  I am already seeing new growth in my flower beds that will soon be marked with tulips, daylillies, columbine, pixie lilies, hosta and hopefully the other new plants that I put in last year will also have survived transplanting and be in bloom.  Yesterday I saw my first Robin of the year and it made me smile. A woodpecker was hammering away at the large maple in our front yard too!

(Pictured:  My tulips in 2010)

I know spring is here even though the weather isn't cooperating right now.  Like the hail we received last night and the freezing rain/sleet and snow we are experiencing today. We are at the threshold and I think every living thing can feel it coming!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!





"In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours."  ~Mark Twain

Man's Best Friend

This video was shot not long after the tsunami rolled out of Japan.  Man's best Friend is also his own best friend...Thank goodness by the time this video aired the dogs had been rescued and were being treated at local veterinary hospitals.


The following is a translation of what the reporters are saying; it too is quite touching:

We are in Arahama area. Looks like there is a dog. There is a dog. He looks tired and dirty. He must have been caught in the tsunami. He looks very dirty.

He has a collar. He must be someone's pet. He has a silver collar. He is shaking. He seems very afraid.

Oh, there is another dog. I wonder if he is dead.

Where?

Right there. There is another dog right next to the one sitting down. He is not moving. I wonder. I wonder if he is alright.

The dog is protecting him.

Yes. He is protecting the dog. That is why he did not want us to approach them. He was trying to keep us at bay.

I can't watch this. This is a very difficult to watch.

Oh. Look. He is moving. He is alive. I am so happy to see that he is alive.

Yes! Yes! He is alive.

He looks to be weakened. We need to them to be rescued soon. We really want them rescued soon.

Oh good. He's getting up.

It is amazing how they survived the tremendous earthquake and tsunami. It's just amazing that they survived through this all.

Buttercup

Her name is Buttercup, and she is the most precious thing ever:

I took these videos a little over a week ago, and she has grown quite a bit since then:

But the funniest thing of all, is that her new best friend since I took these is Avalanche the Rooster!!!!