Itty Bitty Bonzai is a collection of tiny tips and tricks for living a life more mindful. Small actions, collectively and compounded, become a powerful force of change.
#15
Autumn is my favorite season for many reasons, not the least of which is the leaves. Yellowing, darkening into crimson tree-toppers, and then finally . . . falling.
If you’ve got these seasonal scallywags littering your lawn, please use a rake to tidy them up. Aside from being a terrible noise nuisance, those gas-powered leaf blowers spit out as many toxic emissions in an hour as a car would by driving for 350 miles! And all of it right into your airspace.
So once you’ve got your leaves all piled, what will you do with them? Burning them is a no-no, as it creates massive air pollution and poses the risk of igniting a wild fire. But throwing them in the trash will just contributes to a landfill. So what to do?
If you garden, you can use them! Leaves make a great mulch or winter cover. Just spread a thick layer over all your dormant beds. Or, go over them with a mulching mower to cut them up real tiny-like. Then sprinkle those clippings across the grass, as ‘lawn feed’.
Of course, you could always toss the leaves directly into your compost bin. Still not composting? Many cities will pick up yard waste along with trash and recycling, since they use it in parks and city projects (as well as resale). So give your local government a call to find out if there are programs available.
BONZAI!
Oi oi! Hello there! It’s weekend time!!! That means lazy mornings, friendly engagements, and of course, some comments, critiques, thoughts, support, and suggestions. So what do you think? Let me have it! I want to know what’s on your mind, what’s making you excited. What part of the site are you enjoying these days? What [...]
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you may recognize that photo up there from my month-long RAW trial back in March. I picked up that strange fruit, labeled as ‘Spiny Melon’ from New Zealand, when I was making some tropical fruit sushi. I just couldn’t resist the way it looked, and I [...]
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to Rhonda. Isn’t she just the purtiest, just the pinkest, just the baldest little birdy you ever did see? Rhonda is my 2009 Thanksgiving Turkey, but unlike the nearly 45 million unlucky others, Rhonda will be alive and well the morning after T-day. Rhonda [...]
Question: What does a vegan do with a wonderful set of egg cups? Answer: Tomato display, of course! Much to my surprise, my summer crops have lasted well into autumn, and continue to fill my kitchen even today. But things have certainly changed around the ol’ farm, as you can see below. The grass is [...]
