These past few weekends, I have been volunteering with a local group called Naturally Beautiful Backyards Program. They promote the use of alternatives to chemicals to reduce the amount of toxic compounds entering the wastestream, local watersheds, and the community as a whole. By reducing toxics in the area, residents, children, and pets can lead healthier lives while contributing to a more productive ecosystem. Besides, it's been so gorgeous out these past few weeks. Unusual for the Northwest - not rainy like usual, but bright, clear, crisp fall days....and the leaves are beautiful. Makes me really feel the "wheel" of the year.
We have been working on a public awareness campaign that is trying to thwart spraying on weed killer on lawns during the fall - the normal practice. Some of the alternatives are using mulch and showing folks how to keep weeds you don't want in your lawn from seeding down in the fall. This is a more labor intensive approach, but we are hoping to provide help. We have started a Teen Weed program that gives local teens the opportunity to earn some money, to share their earnings with the Program, and to provide much needed labor for those who hate this labor intensive chore. WIN-WIN-WIN! We will see how this manages to work out!
All this raking, weed pulling, and composting has given me some new ideas for art projects made from found twigs, maybe some handmade paper with bits of colored leaves in them, and making garden sculpture. I'll let you know if I come up with something!
Being outside always sparks my creative streak!
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