Author: Morgan G

Whether you live here or are just visiting, California’s Tree of Life Nursery is a true treat. I went there for the first time some three years ago and now make it a habit to visit at least once every season. I’m always amazed at how the nursery, by staying true to itself and its mission, has managed to only grow in relevance and resourcefulness over the years. On Saturday, my husband and I recruited my botanical enthusiast grandmother to join us on a behind-the-scenes of Tree of Life. It was her first time, which made it extra special.

There were about ten people on the tour, which is just one of the many free events Tree of Life offers its visitors. From four-part courses in How to Kill Your Lawn to a new Twilight Speaker Series, the staff is always offering ways to engage the community in native plant celebration and education. Carne asada and chicken tacos at the Customer Appreciation BBQ, anyone? For a complete schedule of events, visit their event calendar.

Even on an event-less day, you can get schooled in California native plants. The staff is exceptionally knowledgeable and incredibly passionate. The manager of the retail store, Patty, caught me looking a little too long at the purple flower above and quickly offered up it’s scientific and common name: Aster chilensis or California aster. This pretty purple bunch does best in full sun to part shade and is commonly found along the coast or on California islands. It has a nectar that butterflies go crazy for.

The photo above is of a California sycamore tree. It’s huge, I mean sprawling. And at at least on hundred years old, it should be. What’s even more special about this particular tree is, according to Tree of Life owner, Mike Evans, the trunks we can see now are offshoots of an original sycamore that has since died. If still alive, that tree would be three hundred years old, making it the oldest sycamore in California.

And this beauty? Mike tells the group this plant is known at the “princess of California natives”. It’s Romneya coulteri or Matilija poppy. The palm-sized white blooms are commanding and dainty at the same time and, as you can see, irresistible to pollinators such as bees. Despite the princess reputation, Matilija is comfortable in full or part sun and even full shade. It’s a member of the coastal sage scrub community and can be found in southern California canyons and foothills below 4000 feet.

And this spacey wonder is Asclepias fascicularis or Narrowleaf milkweed. Milkweed is found all across the state and in many plant communities. It flowers in the summer, which attracts butterflies such as the Monarch. The butterflies deposit their eggs on the plant so that, once hatched, the larvae can feed on it. If you’re planning a butterfly garden, this is one to include in it.

And, finally, we have one of my most favorite residents at Tree of Life: the prickly pear cactus. There are two prickly pear on site to be reckoned with, one in the Bobcat Marsh and another as you walk from the Tree of Life office toward Casa La Paz (the name for the retail store). They both are big and beautiful, especially now when they are in bloom. These flowers have California sunset written all over them.

These plants, in my opinion, were the stars of the June Tour. The great thing about Tree of Life is that it’s always changing. On my previous visit, the wild iris and bush anemone could not be beat. On my next, some other species will be at its showy peak. If you’re local, you’ve got to check it out. If you’re visiting, you won’t be disappointed with this ‘out of the way’ stop.

For more on Tree of Life, check out this special interview I scored with CFO Laura Camp. She’s a wonderful person and expert on California natives. She’s super busy, but always willing to tell the story of a plant.

Thanks, Linsi, as usual for the guest spot! Morgan.

Not sure if it’s the science geek or Narcissist in me, but I’ve always worried about the sun’s ability to overdo it’s thang on my face. When I was in middle school, I starting wearing a daily moisturizer with SPF 15 and when I graduated to high school, I graduated to SPF 30. Then, college rolled around and, in my organic chemistry and microbio classes (I’m telling you, I was cool), I started to freak out about the crazy-ass chemicals I had been slathering on my face in the name of health prevention for the past ten years.

Well, it’s been another five (or so) of trying out safer versions of blocks and screens and learning about ingredients and I’ve finally found what I’ve been looking for…in my own kitchen. I really hope you love this recipe for Coconut Rose Sunscreen as much as I do…

You’ll need coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba (or sesame or grapeseed) oil, aloe vera gel, zinc oxide, beeswax and rose essential oil. Where the heck can I get all of this stuff?  I snagged all of my goodies at Soap Goods, with the exception of the rose essential oil, which is from Aveda, and the aloe vera gel, which was from the cabinet under my Hubs’ bathroom sink.

We’re going to walk through this first, then a recipe with exact measurements will follow. I simply want you to get the concept first, mostly because it’s pretty dang easy, and tossing in a bunch of numbers at the outset can be distracting.

First, you’re going to mix your jojoba and coconut oils together. You’ll get a mostly-clear oil, with a hint of yellow. Grab your bottle of essential oil and add quite a few drops. Mix well.

Meanwhile, melt the shea butter on the stove.

Once it’s melted, add it to your oil mixture and mix well.

Now it’s time to add the active ingredient, zinc oxide. This is a bright white powder, the kind that can leave a ghostly white film on your skin if too much is added to the product. It can also get chalky if not blended well, so you’re going to add just a bit at a time, stirring until dissolved before adding the next little bit.

The next step is to add aloe vera gel. The picture below is totally deceptive, because what I really do, is take the amount the recipe calls for and dilute it with equal parts water. If you added the gel as is, it would be really hard for it to blend well with the mixture because, at this point:

a. the mixture is warm or even hot

b. the aloe vera gel is cool

Do some pre-work by performing the dilution step and you’ll get a nice consistency in the end. And, speaking of consistency, once the aloe vera gel is added, you’re going to discover that you have a super drippy ‘sunscreen’ on your hands. It’s needs a thickener, and we’re gonna use beeswax.

Add the melted beeswax – like the zinc oxide – just a bit at a time. This way, you’ll control how thin or think you want your screen. Keep both bowls warm as this makes it much easier to blend. Here’s what you’ll have after this step.

It will still have a milky consistency at this point, but it’s also still hot. Let it sit overnight and, here’s what you’ll have:

The next step is to put the sunscreen in the container of your choice. It’s best to use a dark (not clear) container to avoid interaction with the sun. I never bring mine out of the house, so I keep it in a small mason jar in a cabinet. When summer beach days come, I’ll switch it to a container like the orange squeeze bottle below so I can bring it with me.

Coconut Rose Sunscreen Recipe, makes 4oz.

4 T. coconut oil

2 T. melted shea butter

1 t. jojoba oil

25-30 drops rose essential oil

1 t. aloe vera gel diluted well with 1 t. water

3 t. zinc oxide

1 1/2 – 2 t. melted beeswax

Is anybody wondering what kind of SPF we’ve wound up with here? So was I. Some snooping on the web left me with only a suggestion of what we could have with this recipe. A sunblock maker published a table given to him by his zinc oxide supplier. The table said product with 5% zinc oxide would have SPF 2-5, 10% would result in SPF 6-11, 15% would result in 12-19 and 25% would result in SPF 20 or greater.

Doing some math, it seems like this would be about an SPF 15. Again, this table is floating around and I’m not sure about it’s accuracy.

Thanks so much Linsi for having me over today! Much love and, yes, sunshine. Morgan

That smiling fool is our Aussie Shepherd mutt, Occy. We once considered renaming him Freeloader, but realized we were just jealous. Jealous that, without uttering a single human syllable, he’s got us shelling out cash for toys, preparing Canine Crudites in our kitchen and scooping up his Number Twos in public.

The real truth is: the warmth, laughter and love that this creature brings into our home is priceless.

As we rework our backyard to make it more liveable and productive, Occy’s comfort, safety and happiness are key. Sure comfort and safety make sense, but why work your yard around your pet’s happiness? Bored, unhappy dogs are more apt to engage in the following behaviors: chewing, digging, whining, excessive barking, and fighting. The minor tweaks it takes to make a garden or yard dog-friendly, are well worth the effort.

Of all the research I’ve done on the topic of dog-friendly outdoor spaces, I present to you and your special Freeloader, the gems:

1. Proper Pathways

Whether they race on it or pace on it, your dog probably already has a favorite pathway in the yard. Hint: if you have a grass lawn, it’s that balding strip of it. It’s important for dogs to have such a path that’s at least three-foot wide and free of large obstructions like pots or picnic tables. You can work with the already existing path or against it (guess which one is easier?), but you’ll make great gains aesthetically and functionally by ‘giving’ the path to Freeloader. Make it yours, too, by defining it with decomposed granite, an inlaid pebble pathway or sunken stepping stones.

2. Shady Areas, the good kind

Providing shade is, of course, especially important if your pooch is an outdoor-only animal, but, really, all living things need a retreat from the heat. Pay attention to the patterns of light and shadow in your yard during the winter and summer months to get an understanding of where to place your shade elements, then use your good taste to choose from trees, arbors, trellises and awnings to fit the look and feel of your yard.

3. A Secret Garden

Look. Freeloader is nuts about you. Nuts. Still, every now and then, we all need some alone time. A secret garden is much like an outdoor den – a quiet, covered spot where your dog can stop putting on that “I’m so loveable” act for you and just reeeelax. A SG sounds fancy, but, dogs aren’t like us. No need for hidden speakers to emit the trance-inducing voice of Enya or bowl of cucumber water. Occy’s SG consists of two medium-sized Ginger Lily bushes (and he’s a 60-pound boy). He fits neatly between them and when he’s there, I swear he feels invisible. Place your dog’s SG spot strategically, and it will also serve as a shady area. Occy’s SG is super shady and located at the end of his path.

4. Dedicated Loo

Establish a potty zone and you’ll be the envy of many a dog owner. Yes, this requires training, but trust, it’s a way neater trick than Roll Over. If you’ve got a male dog, consider adding a vertical, post-like element to the area, but keep it pretty bare as dogs are typically drawn to bare areas. Nope, Freeloader’s secret garden and potty zone can’t be the same.

5. Plant Selection

Pets and plants can coexist! Be smart about your selection and you can have a thriving garden and pup on your hands.

For Your Sake:

• In a meeting of little plants and big paws, the little plants are gonna loose. With new landscape, start with larger plants, like 5-gallon or bigger. They are more expensive at first, but the extra upfront cost pays off since you aren’t going to be buying replacements.
• Love little plants? That’s fine. Plant them in raised beds, containers or hanging pots.
• Plant brittle or delicate-stemmed plants in the center of other plantings to protect them.
• Really love grass? Bermuda and Kentucky Blue put up the best fight against pounding paws.

For Freeloader’s Sake:

• Use organic gardening products and practices. Please. Common commercial pesticides were born of warfare chemicals like Agent Orange. It just does not make sense to spread them about our living spaces.
• Place plants with thorns and spines out of reach.
• Consult the ASPCA’s Toxic Plants list to ensure you aren’t exposing your pet to toxic plants. Unfortunately, there are a lot them, but the ASPCA also provide a list of non-toxic plants to help you identify alternatives. Some of the most common toxic plants are: tomato, onion, garlic, hibiscus, hydrangea, sweet pea, many lilies, cyclamen, azalea, lemon trees and lime trees.

Love (and have) a lot of these? So do we. Luckily, Occy isn’t a plant eater, but we still plan to put any toxic plants way out of his reach in containers and raised beds.

Additional Safety Tips

• Never leave gardening products – organic or otherwise – out where Freeloader can enjoy them. This applies to outdoor grilling items as well.
• If you have a water feature, make sure it’s circulating. Standing water attracts mosquitos and can lead to bacteria growth.
• If you have a pool, by golly, teach your dog to swim.
• Avoid cocoa bean mulch.
• If you have a compost pile, take measures to ensure your dog doesn’t have access to it.
• Quickly remove any mushrooms from your yard.

Note: Please keep in mind that your dogs’ needs depend largely on their breed, which affects exercise-level, perceived ‘job’ (carrier, burier, digger, guardian, etc.) and personality.

Thanks so much, Linsi, for the guest spot! For any follow-up questions or comments, visit me here.

Cheers! Morgan

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, household waste increases by more than 25% between Thanksgiving and New Years Day. All that cheer – extra food waste, shopping bags, ribbons, bows, baubles, boxes and gift wrap – creates an additional one million tons of landfill-bound waste each week. I’m certainly no Grinch; the number three most played song on my iPod year round? George Michael’s Last Christmas. There’s some irony here, no? “The very next day, you gave it away…” Anyway, I simply want to show you how to maximize your merry and minimize your waste with a refresher on in-home holiday waste management.

What to Recycle

corrugated cardboard, junk mail, magazines, phonebooks, newspaper, computer paper, aluminum, glass and plastics

What to Keep Out of the Recycle Bin

waxed and coated papers (unfortunately most wrapping paper is coated), waxed milk cartons, soiled paper, mixed products like combinations of metal and fibers

Tips on Plastics

Numbers 2, 4 and 5 can safely be reused and are widely recyclable across municipalities. Examples of these are milk and detergent bottles, shrink wraps, garment bags, squeezable bottles – think ketchup and grape jelly, yogurt cartons and margarine containers. Numbers 1, 3, 6 and 7 are not safe to reuse and their recyclability can vary from city to city. Examples include water and soda bottles, pet toys, blister packaging, plastic utensils, foam packaging and layered and mixed plastics. San Juan Capistrano’s waste and recycling service provider, CR&R, accepts numbers 1 through 7.

What to Compost

vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, newspaper, cheese, tea leaves, lint, pet or human hair, stale bread, napkins, tissues and paper towels

What to Keep Out of the Compost Pile

citrus rinds, meat waste, bones, pet feces, glossy paper, invasive weeds, ashes

Now that you have a handle on holiday waste management, we challenge you to take on one (or all three) of the simple measures below to really reduce your end of year impact.

1. Wrap just three gifts with reused materials. We recommend sheet music, old maps and posters. If every family in the US did this, the paper saved would cover 45,000 football fields.

2. Carefully remove and set aside two feet of holiday ribbon to use on a gift for next year. If every family did this, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. Awww.

3. Choose just one of the technology-lovers on your holiday card list and send them an e-card instead of a paper card. If we each sent one less paper card, collectively we’d spare 1.35 million cubic yards of paper.

I’d love to hear from you. Which of these simple measures are you willing to take on this year? Are there any other waste reduction tips you put into practice during the holidays?

(All factoids from the EPA and/or The Use Less Stuff Report.)

We confess, Morgan Greenwood doesn’t live on a funky farm or yurt compound. 50/50 concrete to grass lawn, her plot is pure suburban parcel. Yet, she works to create a healthy home and abundant lifestyle while treading lightly on the planet. Check out her posts for DIY project ideas and adventures in green culture. Spend more time with her at groundedpeople.com.

Depending on how you look at it, turbulent times can lengthen or sharply stunt one’s To Be Thankful For list. In a time where many of us seem to be having a rough go of it, there’s one thing that we can all be thankful for…opportunities, especially those of the once-in-a-lifetime sort.

I am so proud to share that my colleague, Faradee Rudy, has put together an almost unbelievable speaker series lineup in her first year as Executive Director of the Center for Living Peace. Ms. Rudy’s group is making it possible for Orange County, California locals (and visitors, too!) to engage in conversations with international leaders committed to making the world a healthy, sustainable and compassionate place. Which leaders, exactly? Theron as in Academy Award winner Charlize, Branson as in Virgin Records founder Sir Richard, and Lama as in His Holiness the XIV Dalai. Ms. Theron kicks off the event on December 4th at the UCI Student Center Pacific Ballroom. While ticket prices for Sir Branson and His Holiness’ engagements are yet to be announced, you can hold court with Ms. Theron for $10.

So, if you’re a Southern California resident, take this opportunity for some in your face and in your backyard inspiration. If you’re not a resident, why not pick a speaker and make a pilgrimage out of it? Local or not, you’ll need more information than I have provided here. You’ll find it at www.livingpeace.uci.edu. Off you go!