Plants are in...

Bee Balm, Bloodroot, Chimney Bellflower, Culvers Root, Dahlia, Dwarf Delphinium, Echinachea, Foxglove, Hardy Geranium, Heliopsis, Hyssop, Ligularia, Lovage, Lychnis Flos Cuculi, Mayapple, Meadow Rue, Nepeta, Northern Sea Oats, Penstemon, Phlox, Prunella Grandiflora, Queen of the Prarie, Sneezewood, Sweet Woodruff.

Looks a little scrappy right now. Can't wait for next year.

Boulevard Project

No more grass! Well. A little still. Got rid of more grass on the boulevard. Added another walking path from the street to the sidewalk for ease in parking.

Next, boulders and plants. Plants from the Alpine Society Annual Plant Sale... Natives, Perennials all for 1-3 dollars.

Swiss chard for dinner

The boys and I planted this from seed 6 weeks ago! Tonight its dinner.

Baptisia

I have always had a crush on Baptisia plants.

GOLD Butter from the farm....

We just got our provisions delivered and in it was our ground turkey, milk, 1/2 and 1/2, yogurt AND the most wonderful butter I've ever had we've been getting all Winter, but somehow it's just a little better. It's golden, deep yellow from cows feeding on growing green grass in the Spring. It's full of vitamins. Thanks cows...

Food = Money = Time = Money = Health = Money

Planning the meals for the week.

Healthy. Fast. Quick. Whole Food. Minimal ingredients. Budget.

This week:

Monday - organic chicken sausages, roasted baby red potatoes with garlic and herbs, watercress salad (30 minutes)

Tuesday - grass fed beef burgers, chips and salsa, sauteed carrots

Wednesday - rotiserre chicken, kale, brown rice (amish chicken cooked thanks to Kowalski's, rice cooker)

Thursday - tacos, leftover chicken and rice, veggies, corn tortillas (15 minutes)

Friday - turkey burgers, polenta (with the chicken stock made from the chicken), edamame

Saturday - pizza night, cheese and whatever the boys feel like. Usually pepperoni.

Sunday - grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup

Pumphouse Creamery

Hope Creamery Brown Butter + Caramel Pecan Sea Salt = HEAVEN!

Commodity Schmodity

For about 6 months now our family of 4 has been living with one car. Which is roughly $3500 per year, just for insurance, maintenance, and gas. There is a much more elaborate way to figure it out (http://www.commutesolutions.org/calc.htm), but I have just calculated the bare minimum. We are making plans to basically "park" our other car for the Summer. We are taking the bus and LRT as much as we can and this includes having to walk a little bit. We also just donated our gas mower for a push reel mower. Which along with not having to fill it with gas, came with an extra bonus. Now our 10 year old son can mow the lawn without the fear of him injuring himself. Our goal is to put one tank of gas in our car for each month from June-August. It will take a lot of planning and being efficient with our travels. Not using our subsidized commodity is hard and takes changes in state of mind. I've actually forgotten we only have one car a couple times.