A cup of tea for your garden

I have heard from every organic gardener I know that I should use compost tea in my garden. Up until three years ago, I had no idea what compost tea was or why I should use it. Well, there are a number of benefits to using it. First, it will improve your soil structure. Second, it enhances the taste of your fruits and vegetables. Third, it is safer for you, for animals and the environment because it is natural/organic. And finally, it helps to fight off disease in your plants by increasing the number of organisms on and around the plant that will compete with disease-causing organisms.



So now that you know the benefits, here is how to make a batch of simple compost tea.

You will need:
5-gallon bucket
mature compost
Water (not tap water)
Cheesecloth
Spray bottle

1) Fill the bucket about 1/3 of the way with mature compost. Then fill the bucket with water, leaving room to stir the mixture without spilling.
2) Leave the bucket out of direct sunlight, stirring at least once per day for 5 to 7 days. Stirring the mixture at least once a day will provide adequate oxygen for the tea making process. Without enough oxygen, anaerobic bacteria can start to grow and make your compost tea useless.
3) Strain the compost tea by pouring the tea through cheesecloth into a separate 5-gallon bucket.

The finished compost tea is concentrated and will need to be diluted before you apply it to your plants. Add approximately 10 parts water (not tap water) to every 1 part of compost tea.

To apply, simply fill a spray bottle with compost tea and use it to spray plant foliage. It's best if you spray the plant's leaves early in the morning or in the evening near dusk. Apply once or twice per month to control garden pests and to attract beneficial insects.

Sam Bradlley Live

After listened to Classic Rock for the past IDK how many years, I finally broke free of the Grateful Dead rut I was in and started listing to more modern Indy Rock music. May people who haven't known me for very long would be surprised that I had such narrow musical taste. Others, that have known me for years, can't believe how eclectic my current playlist has become. I can't contribute my recent open-mindedness to any one event, but I am enjoying the freedom to download copious amount of music on my Zune.

I have written about Sam Bradley and my love of his music before. I have also seen YouTube clips and downloaded free MP3 songs from ReverNation. I've known that he puts on shows in the Vancouver area where he lives, but being here in the deep south I seriously doubted I'd ever get to see him.




Then it happened, I read on his MySpace blog, that he was going to be in Nashville. Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to drive a mere 350 miles to see him perform in the intimate setting of 3rd and Lindsley.

Yes, the show was incredible. Sam got on stage at 8p and played non stop for an hour. He was funny, charming and very personable.

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I was also able to see him in NOLA at the House of Blues several month later, and he was just as gracious and wonderful as he was in Nashville.

Suzuki Violin Method

The Two Grenadiers

Central Arkansas Suzuki Association's

monthly recital.

I really do believe that playing a string instrument raises ones IQ. In fact, a 3-year study in Switzerland looked at 1,200 children, and found they actually learn faster, when they had more music classes. The kids who were given the extra music classes, were actually better at language, and as good at maths, as the other kids - even though they had had fewer language and maths classes. The music class kids were also better in retelling stories that had been read to them - whether they wrote it in words, or drew it in pictures. And the kids that had the extra music classes also were quicker at learning how to read.

Yet another study showed that playing the violin, can make your brain grow bigger. When you're playing the violin, your bow arm (the right arm) provides intricate balance and precision, as it moves the bow back and forth over the strings. But the fingers of your violin hand (the right hand) have a very hard task. They have to press exactly on the right spot on the right strings, for exactly the right amount of time, and do this all, very accurately, and often, very rapidly.
This study found that the part of the brain that controls the fingers of the left hand, (which is usually the weaker hand) is actually bigger in violin students, as compared to everybody else.

If you are interested in learning more about the Suzuki method just click here.

the vampire in me

I have to admit that I find what I'm about to say to be a bit embarrassing. Apparently, I don't mind tell you about my embarrassing obsessions, but I do want to preference this by telling you another story that may explain the reason for my current obsession.
You see, a number of years ago a friend of mine told me about this vampire movie. Honestly, I wasn't much of a vampire person, but I was a very big Brad Pitt/Tom Cruise fan (at the time) so I became mildly interested in what she was telling me. When I found out that the author, Anne Rice, was from just down the road in little ole NOLA I became more interested and decided to read the book, Interview with a Vampire before going to the movie.
I fell in live with the vampire Lestat and Anne Rice's style of writing. The movie, I did not like. I started reading all of Anne Rice's vampire chronicles after that. The Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damn, Tale of the Body Thief, The Mummy (a personal favorite) The Vampire Armand, but by the time I got into Blood and Gold I had quite my job as a certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor for dually diagnosed patients at a local psychiatric hospital in lue of staying at home with my two precious children. Needless to say, I started reading Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. That doesn't count the numerous self help books I've read through. I did eventually graduate up to Little House on the Prairie and Hank the Cowdog, but otherwise I haven't read much in the way of adult literature.
That brings us to my embarrassing current obsession. I'd like to shift the blame to my history of only reading children's literature or maybe even to Ann over at Sharp Spiels who first suggested that this series was a good read, but I'm afraid I may have to accept all the responsibility for my lack of quality adult literature. Okay, so here goes, I like Stephenie Meyer's vampire books. There, I said it, I'm not sure if I'm relieved or embarrassed. You see, what happened was that I decided, before we left for Vegas, to get something to read for entertainment instead of all those children's behavioral books. The only book that I could think of when we were at the library was the one Ann had mentioned in her blog so I decide to check out Twilight. I finished it and decide to get New Moon and Eclipse while we were still on vacation. Of course these book are intended for younger audience, but yes, I defiantly enjoyed them. I have since discovered that I'm not the only old woman who likes them. There is actually a site for Twilight Moms. If you're human (or not) and 13 years old (or older) I recommend reading the Twilight series. Book four, Breaking Dawn will be out August 2 and Twilight the movie is due out on December12.




Go here to see the first official trailer.