so much to say

I'm on one of my green kicks today. I think it's mostly because we got the latest Organic Gardening in the mail yesterday, and I've been poring over its pages. We just started getting it last month, and I'm so happy that M noticed it in the "what magazines are available from this school fundraiser" brochure as I was just about to sign up for Cottage Living, which I love but don't need. Besides, my Aunt Mel gets it, and she's about to live about ten doors down. No need for both if us to subscribe to it, right? Of course, I do harbor a little guilt over subscribing to another magazine at all, but I really love the magazines that we get right now (the too long list includes Southern Living, Cooking Light, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, Parents, Parenting, National Geographic, and now Organic Gardening). That's a lot of paper. In our defense, we ordered all of them for school fundraisers, except the two that are gifts every year. At least we recycle all of them, right? Please tell me that makes it okay. Anyway...

I'm really excited about things for the new house. I really wish that we'd gotten into the whole thing before the house was done so we could've gotten a solar-powered water heater, but the one in the house will give out someday, and when that day comes, we'll see what we can do. For now, we'll do what we can. I've been looking into how to landscape around your home to maximize your home's energy efficiency and minimize the need for watering the lawn. I'm really, really, really excited about getting to do some of these things. First and foremost, I'll finally get rain barrels, and I am super, super excited about that. I'd also like to take all the grass out of the tiny front lawn and plant it in a groundcover plant that doesn't have to be mowed. Less energy wasted there. I know that M has been looking at electric lawnmowers, too, as we will still have a lawn that requires mowing out back. Then there's the clothesline that I'll put up, and I'd like to add some solar-powered lights to the exterior of the house. There's just so much to be done, and I can't wait to get started. If anyone has any great ideas, pass them along. Oh, and I'm starting to think about seeds for the garden, if anyone has a no-fail supplier, let me know. (Morton Monkey Mama and MoWask, I'm pretty much talking to you guys.)

Oh, how I wish it was spring. I'm ready to play outside and grow some stuff.

And, since I missed it yesterday:
FIVE SENSES FRIDAY
Sight: a dust-free living room, an empty laundry hamper, the compost pile
Sound: S laughing when Otis licks her tummy
Smell: walking into the house when it smells like food
Touch: S hugs
Taste: fresh blueberry muffins, homemade polenta (it was so good and surprisingly easy)

And...(how many ands are there??)...here are some pictures from last week, as promised.