New Garden for the List

To get through these interesting times, we decided to shift our focus to our backyard and make it more of an outdoor getaway and garden. We have a large side yard that had low wooden garden beds and fruit trees. But maintaining the ground around proved to be a challenge over the last couple of years with life. We decided to bring in help to completely redo the garden beds, get rid of the over grown plants, and cover the rest with gloriously low-maintenance and clean looking rock. And, oh, the new beds are perfect!

Professionally run sprinklers, thick stone walls for sitting, and they are much higher and deeper. We also cleaned up the area around the fountain and continued the rock around and I just love it. No more over-grown plants, just a clean focus on the nice trees and room to add more potted herbs around.

While the beds were being finished, hubby and bought seeds and set up the seed starting tray in our AeroGarden – look at the progress in a week!

They will be ready to move to the new garden beds in the next week or so – so excited since we’re growing lots of great fall crops, kale, corn, pumpkins, etc.

Miko is still getting used to the new yard constantly exploring the area, but he has his half with plenty of fake grass and shade. He has also been a bit of a couch potato this week with multiple days in a row of triple digit heat. My mom came other early yesterday for a day walk before it got hot, but her dog still crashed after already feeling the heat.

And I had to get out early this morning for a run before it got hot, the trails were packed as lots had the same idea.

Trying to stay healthy with my eats with all the craziness, lots of tempeh stir fries, salads, and an interesting curry potato saute with tofu.

But there has also been vegan Thai takeout and vegan pizza with added vegan mozzarella and mushrooms served with a fun selection of hot sauces.

With a high of 104 degrees today, Miko has been happy to chill inside and I braved Trader Joe’s to load up for the week grabbing ingredients for a huge, cooling salad and Trader Joe’s Protein Patties Plant Based Burgers for hubby.

The burgers are a hit with him, very much like Beyond Burger and great with jalapenos and spicy melted vegan pepper jack.

It was a great weekend, lots accomplished, so a little Sunday blues looking at a busy work week ahead. But hoping it will go well and excited about more yard progress. Hope you have a great week and this list helps inspire it!

• Gotta try this vegan “lobster” roll recipe!
• And this cauliflower steak recipe!
• Vegan ice cream for social justice.
• Tokyo burger shop goes all vegan in response to COVID-19.
• Vegan at El Pollo Loco!
• New resource for vegan-friendly movies.
• 7 vegan lip balms.
• Vegan BBQ ideas from around the world.
• 15 no-bake vegan desserts perfect for summer.
• Vegan candle brands.
• Celebrities on why they went vegan.