Saturday, September 29, 2007

Sketchy Model-Apartments and Plans for MN




Saturday night...1am

I've been staying up really late these days. Usually around 4-5 in the morning...waking up around 10-11. I need more natural sunlight on my face when I wake up, because it really makes such a difference as far as alertness and feeling so much more awake. I have a loft in my bedroom but Ive been choosing to sleep underneath because I dont like having to go down and then back up on a damn ladder when I have to use to restroom at 4am. So I got a sleeping pad and my sleeping bag with blankets and its the best thing ever. It feels so much better for the back, and it just saves so much space.

I wont name names but I have some wise friends who tipped me off to it and when you start out as a model in Europe and even in New York you sometimes have to sleep on the floor. I have some really good stories that I'll have to write about sometime later on.

Milan would be the worst. The Celebrity One Apartments for those who know. Basically like a two bedroom apt with nothing on the walls, 3-5 people in a room, white tile floors, white walls. Very institutional. Milan really sucks. However the mice in the Paris Agency apartment were the worst. They would actually wake me up at night when they would run around under my bed. So horrible...


Something else Ive been working on - here is my rough draft layout for the possible MN plan...

All the trees and berry bushes and grape vines would come to $400.
In 3-4 years they would all be producing pretty well if the soil and sun are good.

You are looking at it as if you were the sun. It faces directly south. Trees completely surround the area. Square-shaped things are square-foot garden. Again...just a rough sketch...

We could go solar. I feel like I could honestly go without power if I had to (and if I was prepared to keep myself warm in the winter of course). One could use a wood or corn-burning stove in the winter (if youre even there in the winter) and when it gets dark in the summer, you sit by the fire outside or in the hottub, and then go to bed. No need for TV or lights. We could just use candles and flashlights, but I would just prefer most of our activity to go on in the day, and then just go to bed earlier like 10, and then wake up at 4 or 5am. Very much unlike now, when I am going to bed around 4 or 5am.



The Garden is Coming Along Nicely...

3 weeks, and they are doing far better than I expected.

We are adding on as well. Just put in about 25 more plants in a 2x3 area to the right of it.

Remember, this is what they looked like when they were first planted:


If I were trying to feed myself completely with what I grew, I'm thinking that I would need about 3-4 of these...constantly in different rotations. Its totally possible though.

Try and dedicate one week to eating as much local food as you can. Apples, peaches, plums, pears...and there are still lots of good local greens for sale. Actually soon will be the best time for soft-sweet kale varieties and snappy arugula. This would also be a good time to try and go raw for one week by just eating as much local fruits and veggies as you want.

In the garden, the collards are doing very well, and they are great for making veggie rolls and burrito wraps. They are actually sweeter after the first frost. Keep that in mind for next year...there are many good late season crops that can be put in after you pull tomatoes and all your other summer crops. Don"t break the rotation!

And everyone please check out the new poll! I just added this feature so it would be great if you could do it just so I can estimate how many people see this site. I dont know how to put a counter on yet.

Alright...more to come soon




2 comments:

Fresh said...

I dig your garden. Did you line the bottom of your garden with plastic? How often are you watering? Just curious.

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy your blog. I'm someone who thinks (and thinks) about ideas, but rarely does anything more with them. Your example has given me a push to DO more: I've signed up for a composting workshop and am planning on starting one of those gardens in my apartment. Also, after checking pesticide regulations in my city, I'm going out with a pair of scissors to gather some wild greens. Thanks and cheers!

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