springtime prep.

Well, anyone who says Central Oregon never gets any rain obviously has never lived here for an entire year. Spring is a season of serious precipitation (can you say that 5 times fast?) - in fact, I like to ponder just how much water one could collect with the right size container. And how much drinking water one could glean from collecting all this precip with the right filtration system?

At any rate, our barrels are full and our gardens are getting a ton of water. My bitterroot is about to burst into bloom, and several plants that I was sure I killed are leafing out, including two (small) golden currants and two serviceberry shrubs. Also, my little sticky geranium has resurfaced! (This is mostly exciting because I'd forgotten I'd planted it.)

A friend of mine built two triangular garden beds out of scrap wood for me, which, I think, makes our little cement patio look a million times better. I'm not sure what will go in them but I'm thinking a hardy succulent/cactus garden in one and perhaps an herb garden in the other.

Finally, I have taken the plunge this year and planted potatoes. A friend at work gave me some lovely little heirlooms that grow like weeds on the west side of the mountains and they've gone into a huge tub I purchased at a thrift store for a few dollars.





Needless to say, I am READY for this gardening season!

commuting communally.

Today was the first time I've ever really commuted from home to work and.. it was *awesome*. Despite the post-commute 20 minute walk to work I had to endure (that was sarcasm, but I was pretty tired). The shuttle is free (::big googly eyes::) which means less gas money and less wear on my car (which needs at least $300 worth of more work on top of the $500 I just put on my credit card for it). I love my car but I would love to drive it less. It seems the shuttle gods have smiled upon me. 

Unfortunately there is nothing new happening with the garden. I am frankly too lazy right now to hang our grow lights by myself so I am patiently awaiting my lover's return so she can help me. Then she'll be starting on the raised beds and coldframes, and Monday we're meeting with Team Chicken (or shall it be Team Cock to make an amusing ironic dash at lesbianism?) to start planning the coup. Or, coop. Planning a coup sounds much more exciting, like we are overthrowing Republicans with our earth-loving and self-sufficient ways. Take that, conservative America. We're lesbians and we're FARMING, goddammit. 

On that note, what is it with lesbians and farms? I swear to God I know at least 5 lesbian couples who own farms or just have backyard farms. Well, when in Rome.

Here is me scooping up water the last time it rained. My roommates thought I was crazy (they were inside the warm house watching TV while I scooped rainwater out of the mud-hole that used to be our backyard in the freezing rain). I felt proud though, because after all my hard work I had collected nearly 40 gallons of water. I learned a great lesson that night: being sustainable is not always going to be easy, or comfortable, or convenient - or dry - but the feeling you get when you've done something long-lasting for the earth and yourself is worth every second of collecting muddy water in the freezing rain.