Autumn planting and strawberry mint

Autumn will soon be here for real. But garden season isn´t over just yet!

September is a great time to plant perennials. Most of the times it´s actually preferable to plant in the autumn because the plant will put all it´s energy into growing roots, making it strong and steady, rather than putting energy into developing leaves and flowers.

By this time last year I was busy planting dozens of plants creating a small medicinal garden in front of our tiny house. All summer we´ve been able to harvest almost everything we need for our home remedies, crunchy cleansing products and herbal teas from that patch.

This years I´m taking it easy with the planting. Mainly going for different kinds of mint - I love mint! I think We´ve got about 7-8 different kinds of it out in the garden. I  use it in toothpaste, deodorant, tea and almost anything else I can think about. Sometimes I just eat a leaf as it is (it´s good for digestion and great for the breath).

Last week I was super excited to find both banana mint and strawberry mint at the garden center (!). Yes, they actually smell like strawberry and banana! Funnily the scent and taste of the strawberry version really reminds me of a smoothie that I used to get from a local juice bar some years ago. I will soon try to brew tea from each of the mints, and I really hope they will be great for the purpose.

I learned the hard way that moroccan mint, chocolate mint and eau de cologne mint makes quite awful tea.

Tea of apple mint though, is absolutely delicious.

A bag full of mint and some flowers for autumn decoration... And as you can tell from the picture I also like colors and funny shoes.

Nick your boyfriend´s shirt!

This video inspired me to look at the clothes in my wardrobe differently...  Not to mention my boyfriend´s wardrobe.... ;)

Who knew that a shirt could be transformed into a skirt or a dress? Not me! Now I definitely will start to play around with my clothes some more.

Reverend Billy says it!

Yes! Most of us including me could do better when it comes to shopping.

Let´s shop less and support our local independent stores.
Amen!   

Powered by wind and sun - SOLVINDEN

I´m really excited about our new wind- and solar powered lamps from IKEA. 

They come from a collection called SOLVINDEN (meaning "the sun-wind") consisting of several different light sources run by (as you could guess) sun and wind. According to staff at IKEA they´re supposed to survive hanging outside all-year-round, even trough chilly Scandinavian winters. 

Though I doubt there will be enough sun to charge the sun cells during winter, it´s possible that the wind will blow enough to charge the generator. That´s at least what I´m hoping for as it would save a looot of electricity. 

And what do they look like? 

Pictured above are two of them, in all their colorful glory, charging up on my veranda. When they´re spinning in full action they look like flying ribbons.... Or tiny Tivoli attractions!  

When the darkness creeps in, I bring them inside where they shine for hours. A fully charged lamp last me about 2 days. Below is a single lamp in a pitch dark room.

All in all, I´m very happy with my new sunshiny lights. No matter what anyone might think about IKEA, it´s a great thing that a big company like such make a full collection of sun powered lamps. 

And now I want a sun powered phone charger, fridge, stove and water heater ;)

What´s your experience with solar and/or wind power?

<3

The frugal kitchen - Save the onions

Next time you find soft or sprouting onions in the kitchen - think again before you throw them on the compost pile. 

There´s a fair chance that those onions can be resurrected! 

Simply plant them in a pot or straight into your garden (about 1/3 down in the soil) and watch them grow beautiful stalks. The stalks are delicious to eat raw and can be used the same way as chives. 

With some luck the old onion may even split and turn into several "new" onions, like the beauty on the picture below that was harvested from my garden just earlier this week.  

Besides saving you a little bit a money, it makes you feel like a super fierce master of onion resurrection. Which is cool.

<3

Euphoria - Loreen

Today the official video for Euphoria with Loreen, winner of Eurovision Song Contest 2012, was released!

This is the song I´ve been dancing to, cleaning to and sweating to while exercising this spring. It´s so uplifting and yes I must say it - euphoric ;) Loreen is a very inspiring artist and i think they did a great job with the video.

Or what do you think?

<3

Hello Holiday

The sun is not shining today... but I am, because I've got holiday starting from today!

The best way to celebrate seemed to be with a lemonade and a garden magazine.

...Life is pretty good.

 Even when the sun is hiding.

<3