Sunday December 27 is the 4th day of Christmas. Here is when you begin to sing "Four Calling Birds, Three French Hens, Two..." As Daniel Medina reminded the Lighthouse fellowship last night, there are many more days of Christmas celebration than your local retailer will remind you. For the stores, it's time to buy your Champagne for New Year's but for Christians in a traditional celebration there are 12 days- thus the carol of old. And for that matter, Christians should be celebrating Emmanuel-"God with us" all year long.
But when you wind down your Christmas celebrations in as far as decorations go, there are some environmental considerations. There are several options for recycling your Christmas tree. (If you had the heart to cut down a lovely tree just to look at it for a couple of weeks.) It takes time, but if you'll flatten out the large pieces of wrapping and tissue paper, fold up the 'gift bags, you may have plenty for future gift wrapping opportunities. You can reuse some of the Christmas card envelops to hold seeds but at least get the snail mail addresses of friends and family for future letter writing.
As for post Christmas Miami community celebrations, look for the Three Kings Parade in Little Havana to celebrate Epiphany and the King Mango Strut- the Orange Bowl parade that feature political spoofs and general tongue-in-cheek parade humor.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Gifts for the Gardener
Do all the gardeners on your list and the rest of the world, a big favor and choose your gifts well. Quality, recycled and Fair trade are items they'll appreciate the most.
-Don't buy cheaply made anything. If it's just going to break, why waste your money.
-Give seeds from your garden last summer. Ok, maybe you've already used them. Fun to plan for next year.
-Save hair from your next hair cut. Don't think I'm crazy. Hair is an excellent composting material and a good mulch. It has more nitrogen than manure and is slow to release.
-Composting worms would be a nice gift for your friend that doesn't like to turn their pile very often.
-The ashes from a fire are great for soil here in South Florida, any where for that matter. Since very few homes have fireplaces here, have a party with the bonfire and then give the cooled ashes for the present later as a remembrance of the fun.
-Please don't buy anything remotely made by slave, underpaid, underfed labor. (Almost anything made cheaply by large corporations or anything not certified "fair trade.") The fact that you and I are both reading computers means we're rich by World standards. The idea that any of us would buy something made by a poor soul that left their agrigarian life to move to a factory to be sitting all day long to assemble meaningless gadgets for us to give as a gift to someone who has the privledge and choice to grow a little garden on the side is ironic, wrong and sad.
- There's a bonus to looking for real tools, made well, by folks who use the money directly to support their families and give work to the neighbors. You'll probably need to shop in a locally owned store. Many Ace hardware stores are locally owned. Look closer. You'll find some. Antique, thrift and second hand stores often have old tools. They've lasted this long, they'll last the gift receiver.
-Don't buy cheaply made anything. If it's just going to break, why waste your money.
-Give seeds from your garden last summer. Ok, maybe you've already used them. Fun to plan for next year.
-Save hair from your next hair cut. Don't think I'm crazy. Hair is an excellent composting material and a good mulch. It has more nitrogen than manure and is slow to release.
-Composting worms would be a nice gift for your friend that doesn't like to turn their pile very often.
-The ashes from a fire are great for soil here in South Florida, any where for that matter. Since very few homes have fireplaces here, have a party with the bonfire and then give the cooled ashes for the present later as a remembrance of the fun.
-Please don't buy anything remotely made by slave, underpaid, underfed labor. (Almost anything made cheaply by large corporations or anything not certified "fair trade.") The fact that you and I are both reading computers means we're rich by World standards. The idea that any of us would buy something made by a poor soul that left their agrigarian life to move to a factory to be sitting all day long to assemble meaningless gadgets for us to give as a gift to someone who has the privledge and choice to grow a little garden on the side is ironic, wrong and sad.
- There's a bonus to looking for real tools, made well, by folks who use the money directly to support their families and give work to the neighbors. You'll probably need to shop in a locally owned store. Many Ace hardware stores are locally owned. Look closer. You'll find some. Antique, thrift and second hand stores often have old tools. They've lasted this long, they'll last the gift receiver.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
How Carolling is like Gardening
A large group of friends and school pals gathered to carol tonight. We have a great neighborhood and figured they 'get it.' You'd think South Florida warm weather would encourage such an activity. But in my 13 years here, I haven't seen it until tonight.
As we planned, folks started joining on organically. Without trying we had 8 families. One mom had a great idea to put out some flyers to let the neighbors know we were coming. I googled "how to go carolling" to find a example.
Carolling in Miami is like gardening, there is very little information on it. Almost none. It's a lost American tradition. Now granted, Miami isn't "American." It's a special case. Arguably, (read- Immigrant Power in Miami) the only US city that became a new creation as immigrants did not assimilate but recreated a new community. Latin America has Las Posadas. Caroling is different. It's actually much easier. Just walk around and sign together. Maybe that's why there isn't much information posted.
However, the neighbors didn't know what to do. Most didn't come to the door. A sweet elderly woman peeked out of her front window from behind her blinds. A couple of houses came to listen. Overall it seemed this was the missing link- the uncomfort of mismatched social expectations.
In the end, we had a great time. It was cold (75 F) and drizzling. We decided to pretend it was snow and plow ahead. Our homemade song books (Thanks Melissa) disintegrated. We sang anyway. We sang for our jewish neighbors with the inflatable polar bear holding a dreidel. They invited the pack of kids in to light the next menorah candle. We sang for the older neighbors. We splashed in puddles. We feasted on impromptu "pot luck" of the non-requested items that the families brought to the gathering house. (a great Latin tradition- always bring something when you go to someone's house.)
The lesson- next year we'll do it again. And we'll put out flyers so the neighbors know we're coming. But next year, the flyer will explain what the neighborhood should do as follows...
As we planned, folks started joining on organically. Without trying we had 8 families. One mom had a great idea to put out some flyers to let the neighbors know we were coming. I googled "how to go carolling" to find a example.
Carolling in Miami is like gardening, there is very little information on it. Almost none. It's a lost American tradition. Now granted, Miami isn't "American." It's a special case. Arguably, (read- Immigrant Power in Miami) the only US city that became a new creation as immigrants did not assimilate but recreated a new community. Latin America has Las Posadas. Caroling is different. It's actually much easier. Just walk around and sign together. Maybe that's why there isn't much information posted.
However, the neighbors didn't know what to do. Most didn't come to the door. A sweet elderly woman peeked out of her front window from behind her blinds. A couple of houses came to listen. Overall it seemed this was the missing link- the uncomfort of mismatched social expectations.
In the end, we had a great time. It was cold (75 F) and drizzling. We decided to pretend it was snow and plow ahead. Our homemade song books (Thanks Melissa) disintegrated. We sang anyway. We sang for our jewish neighbors with the inflatable polar bear holding a dreidel. They invited the pack of kids in to light the next menorah candle. We sang for the older neighbors. We splashed in puddles. We feasted on impromptu "pot luck" of the non-requested items that the families brought to the gathering house. (a great Latin tradition- always bring something when you go to someone's house.)
The lesson- next year we'll do it again. And we'll put out flyers so the neighbors know we're coming. But next year, the flyer will explain what the neighborhood should do as follows...
- Open the door. Say Hello. Politely listen to song or two. Say a big Thank you and wave the kids good bye. We'll happily move along.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Recycling Water
Living in Miami in the winter is glorious. Your summer is our winter. With highs of 84 each day, sun, sun, and more sun. We get an occasional rain, but it only happens when a major cold front blasts across the States. Denver gets 14 inches of snow. Chicago gets ice. We get a rain of clouds and some rain.
In this dry season, it's important to get enough water to our gardens. The standard way would be to water the garden from the hose. However, Miami is in a drought. Crazy right? we are surrounded by water, it's true. But we get our drinkable water supply from a large underground aquifer that starts at Lake Okeechobee in the central part of Florida. To water our lawns or wash our cars from the hose, is literally taking water from our mouths. Instead we can easily recycle gallons of water.
Simple. Keep a bucket near the shower and a pitcher next to the kitchen sink. The shower bucket can catch the extra water from the shower. Many people let the water warm up a bit before jumping in, catch it instead of wasting it. Most people rinse their dishes before loading dish washer. Many people toss out the water left undrunk in a glass. Catch it in the pitcher. The plants won't mind the bits of orange juice pulp or the crumbs from the sandwich.
Try it and tell us how it goes.
In this dry season, it's important to get enough water to our gardens. The standard way would be to water the garden from the hose. However, Miami is in a drought. Crazy right? we are surrounded by water, it's true. But we get our drinkable water supply from a large underground aquifer that starts at Lake Okeechobee in the central part of Florida. To water our lawns or wash our cars from the hose, is literally taking water from our mouths. Instead we can easily recycle gallons of water.
Simple. Keep a bucket near the shower and a pitcher next to the kitchen sink. The shower bucket can catch the extra water from the shower. Many people let the water warm up a bit before jumping in, catch it instead of wasting it. Most people rinse their dishes before loading dish washer. Many people toss out the water left undrunk in a glass. Catch it in the pitcher. The plants won't mind the bits of orange juice pulp or the crumbs from the sandwich.
Try it and tell us how it goes.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Those darn hookworms again
And yet again, I went to check on my dear pepper plants, red bell pepper and habenero peppers only to find that two enormous hookworms had eaten every leaf available and half of any fruit hanging!! The amount they had eaten tells you how long it had been since I had checked on the plants- it was a very busy month. Oh well.
They were huge! I should have taken photos! I pulled them off and threw them in the lake to be a very happy snack for a nice fish.
The point of writing about this incident is the plants survived. I kept them watered. God helped with some occasional rains due to the cold fronts coming across the rest of the country. And leaves are coming back and there is the beginning of a flower. So to those of you struggling, I hope this is encouraging. Just keep at it.
I was so inspired that I've planted for the winter. Trying peas again, more tomatoes of course, spinach, iceberg lettuce, and spearmint. The pineapples are growing along nicely and the new key lime tree is happy as well.
Any fun winter gardening stories from you?
They were huge! I should have taken photos! I pulled them off and threw them in the lake to be a very happy snack for a nice fish.
The point of writing about this incident is the plants survived. I kept them watered. God helped with some occasional rains due to the cold fronts coming across the rest of the country. And leaves are coming back and there is the beginning of a flower. So to those of you struggling, I hope this is encouraging. Just keep at it.
I was so inspired that I've planted for the winter. Trying peas again, more tomatoes of course, spinach, iceberg lettuce, and spearmint. The pineapples are growing along nicely and the new key lime tree is happy as well.
Any fun winter gardening stories from you?
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