I love loofahs. If you don’t decide to eat them you can just let them dry out and boom, you’ve got yourself a wonderful exfoliating sponge. Not only can you wash your skin with it, it makes for a perfect sponge to clean dishes with. So take your pick on how you choose to use it and then when you’re done just bury it in the ground! A beautifully natural tool for bath and kitchen that will compost away and create no waste when it’s time to get a new one. You can even save the seeds from them to plant yourself for a never-ending supply. Now that’s a great thing.
Posts Tagged ‘plants’
365great Day 200: loofahs
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, beauty, cleaning, eco-friendly, green, health, home, kitchen, nature, pictures, plants, products
30
September
2013
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365great Day 199: flowers
29
September
2013
I’m a fan of many types of plants, but flowers are a surefire way to enhance a space so just about anyone would like it. They add color and sometimes fragrance to enliven an area. It’s no wonder you find them along streets, on tabletops, and adorning windowsills. Look at how they spruce up the front of this building! While many women enjoy a bouquet of these beauties, I find them to be useless in that form so I’d much rather get a live plant in a pot. That way I can enjoy the flowers year after year (assuming I can keep them alive). Flowers come in so many gorgeous shapes, sizes, and colors that you’re sure to find one that appeals to you. My personal favorite is the orchid, though anything purple or blue is perfect too. Whatever your preference, flowers are a great way brighten your day.
365great Day 134: homegrown
26
July
2013
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Few things are as rewarding as the products of your labor or knowing the creator of something. When you know where something came from, it gives it greater meaning and when you happen to know the person behind it, you feel a special bond. I think this is why homegrown is such a nice concept. You cut out any middle men and go straight to the source (or you are the source). It feels more trustworthy, more connected, more real. Whether it’s actually better is not the point, but often what you plant is probably better grown locally, where you can control the conditions. Some of the best fruit I ever tasted was from the trees that my mom planted – these peaches are a prime example. Just look at how fantastic they look! They were even better tasting. 🙂 Part of it is also the absolute freshness of the food – you can’t get any fresher than picking it and eating it straight from the plant! If you get a chance to pick your own food, do it! It’s a fun experience and the food will taste so much better. How great is that?
365great Day 37: terrariums
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, home decor, nature, plants, terrariums
20
April
2013
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Terrariums are a great way to spruce up a space with a little bit of mother nature! They generally come in pretty cool containers/bowls/tanks, which makes them sort of artsy too. They’re usually filled with succulents, moss, pebbles, soil, and maybe a few cute “garnishes” like glass or mini figurines. You can make your own or get them ready-made and it’s a great way to boost the oxygen level indoors and provide better quality air (if it’s an open one). They generally don’t need much maintenance, so it’s pretty easy to care for them! Whether on your desk, in your kitchen, or on your coffee table, they can fit into many styles of decor. This versatile and eye-pleasing display is great for anyone into design, gardening, or the good old outdoors.
365great Day 34: spring
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, beautiful, flowers, nature, pictures, plants, santa ana winds, seasons, spring, weather
17
April
2013
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This year, spring has been elusive. When flowers should have been budding and people should have been admiring the lovely cherry blossoms of our capitol, we were stuck with mini snow/slush/rain storm after storm. Cold front this, wacky pressure that, and no temperatures over 60-something. Over here on the west coast, at least the LA area, high winds have briskly whisked away our hopes for a nice warm day. What’s going on?!
I think just about everyone looks forward to spring – the renewal, the budding flowers, the warm air, the change of wardrobe, maybe even some cleaning! The world around us becomes more active and the weather gets warmer so we can shed those layers. Colors come back and beauty is everywhere – check out how amazing this flower in my yard looks! Playing outside becomes more accessible and everything just seems so alive. What a great feeling that is!
Freshly grown
laelene Posted in photo blog，Tags: avocado, citrus, eggplant, food, fruits, fungi, fungus, garden, lemon, lime, mushrooms, orange, pictures, plants, tree, vegetables
01
April
2013
While we sit here hoping that spring is finally on its way for real this time, let’s enjoy some of the great things that will grow…
Massive mushrooms that grew on their own on the UCLA campus!
This cute little eggplant was all my mother’s hard work.
So many wonderful fruits all freshly picked from one yard.
This little orange tree is barely waist high but it’s already producing a nice big orange!
Loofah squash
laelene Posted in photo blog，Tags: food, nature, observation, pictures, plants
13
December
2011
I wanted to see just how large this squash could get, but then it went past its prime. Good thing this kind is good for loofahs when dried out!
Tree control
laelene Posted in photo blog，Tags: behavior, humans, nature, observation, pictures, plants
26
November
2011
Ah, humans, always controlling their environments.
Why Do We Love Trees?
laelene Posted in photo blog，Tags: events, experiences, los angeles, pictures, plants
21
April
2011
Here are some shots from an event I went to tonight titled “Why Do We Love Trees?” Why do we? Maybe because they are so instrumental to many of the things in our lives (food, shelter, entertainment). I’ll try to delve into this topic another day. For now, enjoy a visual tour of the night.
The Harold M. Williams Auditorium at the Getty, where the event was held.
The view of the Getty from our part of the venue. I've never been this way before!
The event hosted by the Getty.
Inside the auditorium we got a preview of the artwork by one of the panelists.
The panelists take the floor.
On the left, our moderator Mr. Sipchen from the Sierra Club (formerly with the LA Times as a journalist). Then Ms. Nadkarni, a scientist, Ms. Steinkamp, an artist, and Mr. Masumoto, a farmer. Each provided a unique and interesting perspective! I was struck by just how much their personal backgrounds influenced the way they talked, what they talked about, and how they expressed themselves. Almost as fascinating as the discussion itself.
Lots of holes in the wall! I wonder if that helps with the acoustics?
Afterwards, I got a soda and left pretty quickly because it was cold and I was tired. Down the steps I go!
There's something about glowing lights illuminating the water and plants that is peaceful and cool.
Hmm, it looks like it should be used as a path, but the sign clearly indicates otherwise.
