April 22, 2014 by Born To Organize

Good Earth, Good Day

Happy Earth Day!
Today, the Jane Goodall Institute encourages supporters to

take action to improve the world for people, animals, and the environment we all share.

Founded by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, the Jane Goodall Institute is a global nonprofit that empowers people to make a difference for all living things. Our work builds on Dr. Goodall’s scientific work and her humanitarian vision. Specifically, we seek to:

Improve global understanding and treatment of great apes through research, public education and advocacy
Contribute to the preservation of great apes and their habitats by combining conservation with education and promotion of sustainable livelihoods in local communities
Create a worldwide network of young people who have learned to care deeply for their human community, for all animals and for the environment, and who will take responsible action to care for them

Today, on this wondrous place we call earth, I’m working to improve my little corner of the world for people, animals, and the environment.

People

I bought these adorable tins at the garden center last weekend, then planted them today with some garden cheer. They’re a surprise for a friend. Her life is difficult on a daily basis, but she remains upbeat and positive. I admire her strength and courage. I wish her life could be easier. With love, these are for her.

Left to right: Lysimachia ‘Goldi, Osteospermum ‘Mum’, Behind, Marjoram, right, Zonal Geranium

Planting tins closeup (I love the vintage vibe)

Animals

I’m always loving up the kitties in our home, and welcoming the strays. Like many of you, I adore all animals, even the squirrels that dig up the yard and the snails that eat my basil. That’s the easy part. The hard part is working in the ‘trenches’ and dedicating your life to improving the lives of great apes. Goodall continues to do so as she turns 80 this year. I’m impressed.

Today I’ve donated to ‘jane’s wish 2014‘. I hope she achieves her goal.

Environment

This one’s easy when you’re a gardener. I’m planting sunflowers and pumpkins today (more details to follow). As they grow, they attract birds, beneficial insects and bees, all critical to the health of our world.

Wishing you a joyous earth day, in whatever way you celebrate.

April 17, 2014 by Born To Organize

Setting the Date: Little Free Library Dedication

Today I set the date for our Little Free Library dedication. The library, or LFL, went up in January. I shared the news by Facebook and email but didn’t do anything ‘official’. In February, the LFL listed on the global map, another fun milestone. March was our ‘rainy’ month and then we had the sprucing up of the curb garden. So, here it is mid-April, with our dedication ceremony set for May 17th. I’m excited.

If you’re new to the idea of a Little Free Library, here’s the scoop:

It’s a “take a book, return a book” gathering place where neighbors share their favorite literature and stories. In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another book to share.

The Mission of the non-profit Little Free Library movement is to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide, and to build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.

I’ve dedicated the LFL to Debbie Hughes Judge and Carolyn Sullivan, life-long readers and teachers. They offered support and guidance as we piloted a Books-at-Home program at our grade school, a program created to serve disadvantaged readers. They will be guests of honor at our ceremony.

We’ll serve light refreshments and give out free bookmarks to all the attendees.

What’s New in the Library:

I found tiny Beatrix Potter books at our local Target in the dollar bins. When I tried paying for them, they said the books weren’t available for sale yet, and they returned them to the stock room. Have you every heard of such a thing? I was just sure I would miss out, but through a fortunate stroke of serendipity, I found them again a month later and quickly snapped them up.

I loved these little books as a child. The originals came out between 1902 and 1922. Beatrix Potter was a woman ahead of her time, an early environmentalist responsible for preserving the beautiful Lake District in Northern England.

Beatrix Potter

Also new in the library, and all the way from Canada, a copy of P.D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother? Thank you, Boomdee! This book was also a favorite growing up, published in 1960, though I’m pretty sure she picked it out for the aqua cover. :-)

A gift to the Little Free Library

She inscribed the book with the following:

The more you read,
the more you will know
The more you learn
The more places you’ll grow.
-Dr. Seuss
For Alys and her LFL
from Boomdee

Through another stroke of serendipity, my mother gave me a copy of the Dr. Seuss book she quotes from when I graduated from college. If you’ve never read Oh, the Places You’ll Go head to your nearest library, STAT.

Beautiful inscription

Please join us Saturday, May 17th at 3:00 pm for a brief dedication ceremony in front of the El Codo Way Little Free Library
Honored Guests:
Debra Hughes Judge and Carolyn Sullivan
Bring a book, take a book.
Light refreshments and a free bookmark for all attendees

The Little Free Library is constructed from reclaimed materials. Design and build by Nick Timmermann of Timmermann Natural Landscapes

April 14, 2014 by Born To Organize

Vision Literacy and a Modern Home Tour

My friend Candace Levers is a board member of Vision Literacy, a local non-profit in Silicon Valley. Vision Literacy provides adults with basic literacy and technology skills.

Through its operations in Gilroy, San Jose, Sunnyvale and other Silicon Valley communities, Vision Literacy has provided adults with basic literacy and technology skills for over 25 years. Its students acquire vital reading, writing, speaking and listening tools, allowing them to become better parents, employees, business owners and citizens.Many of us take for granted our ability to interact with each other and our communities at large on a daily basis, despite it being so essential. Whether speaking with our child’s teachers, applying for a job or simply asking for directions, our success and happiness is, to a large extent, determined by our ability to effectively communicate with others. – See more at: http://www.visionliteracy.org/#sthash.CSKs6wDM.dpuf

Its students acquire vital reading, writing, speaking and listening tools, allowing them to become better parents, employees, business owners and citizens.

This past weekend, Vision Literacy was the sole beneficiary of the Silicon Valley Modern Home Tour. I volunteered at one of the show homes in Menlo Park, greeting tour patrons, selling tickets and imaging what it would be like to actually live in the Spiegel home.

Home Exterior

Spiegel Home: Porch, pool and water wise grass

Our local paper featured the Menlo Park home with the headline: Just call it stunning. I couldn’t agree more. Vast walls of glass and large windows brought the outdoors in. Walls covered in cedar, simple lines, open ceilings and slate floors felt breezy and comfortable. Native grasses, trees, shrubs and flowers surround the entire house, blurring the lines between inside and out.

Entryway

Walls of books and glass

Did I mention the windows?

More windows

In affluent Menlo Park, property is at a premium. They build houses close together. Yet the entire time I was there it felt like an oasis. The use of trees, a ‘wall’ of bamboo, and the home’s placement on the lot, all contributed to a sense of privacy while retaining the open plan.

Master Suite: Simple interiors invite the eye outdoors.

Landscape: This patio is outside the dining area, Dogwood tree at entrance

One of the super-cool features of the Spiegel house is the four-story tower. Each floor has a landing with glass walls, a small bedroom and a corresponding bathroom. The bottom floor is a seating area and the top floor is an exterior, roof-top balcony. The rest of the house is all on one floor.

Tower rooms: Clean lines, warm woods, glass walls and extra-large windows.

Rooftop Patio: The perfect spot to watch the sun set. Cozy when seated, with expansive views

Architect Dan Spiegel, grew up in the home originally on the lot. He designed the home for his parents, who moved in a year ago. Dan was on site to answer questions during the tour, along with his wife and business partner, landscape designer Megumi Aihara. It was a pleasure meeting these talented, down-to-earth people.

Megumi Aihara and Dan Spiegel

You can learn more about the house and gardens by taking a virtual tour at Low/Rise House/Spiegel. Pictures include floor plans and elevations.

Vision Literacy: “Reading skills are essential to improving one’s life.” Steve Wozniak, Honorary Board Chair
Modern Home Tours
Spiegel Aihara Workshop: Architect Dan Spiegel and landscape designer, Megumi Aihara

March 21, 2014 by Born To Organize

Vintage California: Stunning Display Garden

Tuesday night I attended a preview of the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show. This year’s show features 16 display gardens in addition to plants, seeds and other garden wares for sale.

Vintage California won several awards and it’s easy to see why. Designed by Brian Koch of Terra Ferma Landscapes, the garden features an enormous orb built with discarded grape vines. I felt like a kid in a fort.

The structure is both ethereal and substantial, a bit reminiscent of a nest. I’m picturing birds swooping in and out of the branches while I sip my crisp glass of wine, below.

From the show’s site, Vintage California:

is a response to the wine country landscape and the periodic clearing of vines that have lost favor or popularity. This removal of vines is a process where large excavators scrape the landscape clean of the vines, posts and wires and then pile them up to be burned. Witnessing this take place while visiting wine regions has left a strong and lasting memory with us. The rustic beauty of the region and the interdependence of the winegrowers, the vines and, now, the natural ecosystems are what inspire us. The vine orb, which is the centerpiece of the design, is constructed of old vines that have outlived their value to the vineyards.

Vintage California
Terra Ferma Landscapes
Brian Koch, designer

I don’t know if it was intentional, but the row of grasses, planted on a gentle slope, are reminiscent of rolling hills of grapes. My in-laws had a small vineyard in Calistoga before they passed. I think they would have enjoyed this.

Underneath the vine orb

Inside the orb a low rock wall flanked both sides, with a small fountain between stones.

Centered under the vine orb

A clever use of sea glass and discarded wine bottles forms the floor of the garden. I was a bit tentative walking on it, but it proved substantial. Isn’t it pretty?

Clever markers, hand-stamped on scraps of wood

Throughout the garden, plant-markers sported hand-stamped descriptions on what looks like small scraps of wood. It added to the vintage vibe.

Exiting the garden

The garden, planted with greens and purple hues and the incredibly fragrant Jasmine is restful. Congratulations to the designer and his team.

If you live in the Bay Area, there’s still time to attend the show. It runs through Sunday, March 23rd. Tickets and info here.

March 19, 2014 by Born To Organize

Opening Night: San Francisco Flower and Garden Show

With my friend Candace wearing our beautiful Hawaiian leis.

Last night was great fun. I attended the opening night celebration of the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show.

We were ravenous when we first arrived, so we took a cursory look, then found the buffet. Sated, wine glass in hand, we sat near the podium where they announced the winners. Then we were off.

She showcase gardens are incredible works of art, combining plants and trees with hard-scaping. The effort it takes to install one of these gardens is monumental, but by the time we arrived, all was in place and looking fabulous. These shows are always crowded, so one of the best parts of attending last night was the smaller gathering of people. The downside is that we missed the commerce portion of the show, vendors selling garden-related fare as well as plants and seeds. I don’t *need* a thing, but it’s always fun to look.

There are 16 gardens displayed this year. American Community Garden Association created one of the designs. Three colleges, including Academy of Art University, Arizona State University and Foothill College presented collaborative efforts. The rest of the garden creators are professional landscapers and designers. They were all beautiful and incredibly diverse.

Here are a few (Note: the photos are mine, the descriptions come from the show program).

Sanctuary Steppes

Remember how excited you got as a kid when you used Mom’s bed sheet to make a tent in the backyard? You and your buddies thought it was the coolest thing ever. Yurts will have that effect on kids. As adults, our needs are more. Imagine a garden sanctuary where you enter a realm that soothes and calms. The healing plants or herbs are not just ornamental. Inside the yurt you touch the earth. You can even gaze at the stars through that opening. The paths are for walking meditation. The open courtyard and fire pit are for story telling late into the night. Other sculptural elements awaken us to be mindful of many things.

: Sanctuary Steppes
Garden Hortica, Jeffery Lim
Healing Spirit Plants, Richard Koenig
Village Yurts

The idea of a yurt in the middle of a garden sure sounds like fun. I love the surrounding paths and the beautiful plants.

Anchored

We are Inspired by the boatyards of the Northern California coastline. Like these yards, we use materials that are readily available, practical, and that we can find at low-cost. These materials include discarded decks, arbors, play structures, tailings, and concrete forms, and many, many fence boards. We bind these materials with metal fasteners and use them in new ways to create space, pattern and texture in our garden. Inspired by marine spirit, practical materials and modern lines, our garden introduces a refreshing style to the Bay Area garden.

Anchored: McKenna Landscape
Leslie McKenna

Anchored: Trying on the garden for comfort

Anchored: the long view

There were so many clever ideas in this garden. The top of the outdoor bar incorporated nautical rope under a piece of glass (see photo collage, bottom right). They used anchors and seashells throughout the design and beautiful reclaimed wood. The garden was warm and comfortable.

Days Gone By

Days Gone By demonstrates how a garden can embody the unique character of a place’s heritage while incorporating modern details that evolve and enliven it. All details were selected with functionality in mind. The paving in the garden is original cobble used in San Francisco streets in the 1800s, evoking a feeling of wandering through the city in humbler days.

We both took a turn on the garden swing and loved the cozy appeal. Everything in the garden is edible, including the cat grass planted beneath the swing.

Days Gone By
Hortisculpture Landscape, Rebecca Pollon
Extol Construction, Edwin Moriarty

Days Gone By: Espaliered fruit trees

I have more to share, so please stop by again soon. Meanwhile, what do you think so far? Can you picture yourself in one of these gardens?

March 18, 2014 by Born To Organize

San Francisco Flower and Garden Show

Guess where I’m going tonight?

I’m off to the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show. It’s not longer in San Francisco, but in nearby San Mateo, but that is beside the point. It is so much fun.

I’ve attended this event in the past, but tonight is different. It’s the opening night celebration and a first peek at all the show gardens. Here’s is what the show coordinator has to say:

Be the FIRST to stroll through the fabulous gardens and gorgeous floral designs BEFORE the Show opens its doors. The party takes place right in the showcase gardens. Be greeted to the gardens with a floral lei compliments of the Hawaiian Islands. Sip a glass of wine as you stroll among the flowers. Listen to music by Grammy-award winning musician Ken Emerson and his band. Chat with the designers, enjoy hor d’oeuvres and watch the presentation of the coveted design awards before they are announced to the public.

Proceeds from tonight’s event supports the American Community Gardening Association: “Creating Community Through Gardening”

ACGA is a national organization of professionals, volunteers, grassroots gardeners and supporters of community greening in urban and rural communities. The Association recognizes that community gardening improves the quality of life for people by providing a catalyst for neighborhood and community development, conserving resources and creating opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy, employment and education. To learn more about the organization visit their website at http://www.communitygarden.org/.

I’ll have lots to share later in the week so be sure to check back. Meanwhile, here are a few photos from last years show.

Larger than life globe covered in succulents

Garden seating

Whimsical waterfall

Restful sleeping under the stars
It always sounds good, but about those bugs…

Succulent garden

February 18, 2014 by Born To Organize

The Long and the Short of It

Do you ever look at photos on other blogs and think: “I wonder what’s around that corner’? I catch myself doing it all the time. What’s behind the house just outside of view? Where is the wheelbarrow in relation to the garden? Is that what I think it is?!?

Of course it’s none of my business, but that doesn’t stop my curious mind from traveling along the path. The solution is simple. I’ll buy a private jet so I can travel around the world, meeting all my fellow bloggers. I’ll deliver in-person hugs, and then, when I finally let go, hours of tea-drinking and a Q & A will ensue. When I arrive home, I’ll know the long and short of it.

Sadly, no room in the budget for my private jet fantasy. It’s fun to dream though.

Today I took photos with both the long and the short view. Closeups are usually more interesting, but seeing the origins of that closeup can also be fun.

Burgundy Fringe Flower (Loropetalum)

This beauty grows along the back fence under the Pittosporum. It gives a lovely splash of color from a distance, and continues to delight up close. Those fringe-like flowers look like fairy garden pom poms in the making.

The closeup

I wrote about the intoxicating scent of the Daphne a few weeks ago. It’s still covered with tiny flowers, but the fragrance seems to be fading. I think it’s pretty both near and far.

Daphne in the garden

Daphne up close

These low-growing plants hug the patio near the outdoor table. Purple and white look so pretty together and the Alyssum smells like honey. I love sitting out there in the summer.

Bell-flower and Alyssum

Bellflower

Mighty Mouse belongs to a neighbor, but he spends all of his ‘spare’ time at our place.

Tasty garden morsels

Kitty nibbles on the grass

And that is the long and short of it.

How about you? Are you curious about life outside of the edges?

February 11, 2014 by Born To Organize

Little Free Library: Books and Maps

Exciting news this week.

First up, the Little Free Library has a new addition thanks to the lovely Julia at Defeat Despair. She belongs to Paper Back Swap, a site for exchanging books. She ordered a copy of the beloved children’s book Charlotte’s Web and asked them to ship it here instead.

Book Dedication

The book arrived over the weekend with a flood of memories. My grade school teacher read it aloud to us after lunch each day, along with the other E.B. White classic, Stuart Little. Julia says:

I am excited about some family having access to this wonderful tale through your library. What a fun way to spread the joy of reading!

Thank you, Julia!

We’re on the Map

Our Little Free Library is on the official map. It’s now searchable directly from the LFL site. Here is a screen shot, complete with coordinates. What would the great explorers of the world think of that?

We’re on the map

I can’t tell you how happy I am when I see people stop and browse the library. I surreptitiously watched twin girls pick out a book this weekend. Monday I saw a pair of pre-teen girls drop off a few books. What joy.

In case you are new to this blog, or to the Little Free Library movement, you can catch up at the links below.

My inspiration:Little Free Library: Books Beneath the Willows
Library launch:Little Free Library Debut
Update:Little Free Library: Books for Everyone
Little Free Library built by Nick Timmermann of Timmermann Natural Landscapes

February 10, 2014 by Born To Organize

Valentine’s Day Giveaway: The Winner Is…

Special thanks to everyone who entered my Valentine’s Day Giveaway last week.

I wrote the entrants names on pink hearts, then tossed them into my world globe. It seemed like the perfect vessel given the number of countries represented from around the world.

Global Hearts

Pink Hearts: There’s a winner here

Representing the pink hearts were:

♥Australia

♥Canada

♥France

♥New Zealand

♥United States

Congratulations Mary Elizabeth! You won the random drawing for the“exploding circle book” featuring Pink Paislee’s Secret Crush.

Congratulations Mary Elizabeth!

I’ll confirm your address, and then I’ll pop it into the mail to you this week.

The winner receives this pop up scrapbook

February 5, 2014 by Born To Organize

Valentine’s Day Giveaway

Who doesn’t like a bit of pink on Valentine’s Day?

If you agree, please enter for a chance to win this “exploding circle book” featuring Pink Paislee’s Secret Crush.

Scrapbook Island offered these kits last year, but when I went back to buy one they were sold-out. No surprises there, but guess what? They special ordered one for me.

I loved putting this together. It will be even more fun giving it away.

Entering is easy: simply leave the word ENTER in the comment section below. All names will go into a random drawing. I’ll announce the winner on Monday, February 10th.

Circle book cover

Open book

Here is the boring fine print: eligible to anyone entering a comment on this post, excluding family members. Deadline for comments is midnight, February 9th based on this blog’s date stamp. The winner will be selected by random drawing on February 10th.