8 Things You Didn't Know You Can Compost

If you want a flourishing garden that you can enjoy, you will want to consider adding the art of composting to your gardening routine. Compost piles are just one great addition that any homeowner can add to their home and garden. Adding compost to your soil will help aid plant growth because it will create a bed of nutrients for your plants. There is a reason composted soil has been nicknamed “black gold.” This gardening gold will help your home-garden flourish.

It may seem intimidating at first. Composting seems like a lot of work. If you’re not already doing it, you may have a picture in your mind of the couples on HGTV’s “Tiny Houses” who compost and think to yourself, “that’s not me”. You don’t have to go off the deep end with your lifestyle to add compost to your routine. In fact, you likely have everything you need in your own home - you just don’t know it.

Here are some uncommon, everyday items that you can compost:  

1. Wood Shavings and Sawdust

If you, or someone in your family, is into woodworking of any sort, you’ve likely stepped into your garage and found your feet covered in sawdust a time or two. Instead of being frustrated by the mess (and tracking it into your house), consider sweeping it up and adding it to your compost! You’ll have gorgeous, healthy plants instead of footprints all over your hardwood floors.

2. Dry Cat or Dog Food

Any pet owner knows the frustration of finding the right food for their furry friend. Even if you think you’ve found that perfect fit, your dog or cat could suddenly get sick and need a new food to support their diet. Instead of tossing the bag of uneaten food, add it to your compost pile! It’s organic and a great source of goodness for your garden!

3. Dryer Lint

Yep, even the never-ending task of laundry has a benefit (besides clean clothes)! Did you know that your dryer lint can be added to your compost? Every time you throw a load of laundry into your dryer, you’re likely scraping the lint away to avoid a fire hazard and simply throwing it away. Rather than adding another item to your trash can, throw it in with your compost and watch your garden thrive. If your clothes are made from natural fibers (cotton), the lint is compostable. After all, cotton is a plant!

4. Human and Pet Hair

Do you have a hairy pet? How often do you clean out your own hairbrush and toss the hair into the trash thinking nothing of it? It’s a normal reaction to just discard hair (because who wants to keep hair around?), but human and pet hair can actually be composted! So, next time you have to sweep up a bunch of dog hair, get excited because it will mean better crops!

5. Expired Jelly

Like many food items, that old jar of jelly in the back of the fridge can be used to feed your plants. You could toss it and call it a loss, but adding it to your soil is a much better use of it. Just be sure to recycle the glass jar it came in!

6. Old Wine

Remember that bottle of wine your friends gave you as a hostess gift, but it wasn’t your favorite flavor? Or how about that half-drunk bottle that has been sitting in your fridge for a month? Instead of letting the wine (that you’re definitely not going to be drinking) take up valuable space in your home, add the liquid to your compost! Even your plants enjoy a good drink of wine now and then.

7. Pizza Boxes

Pizza boxes are tough to throw out. Some recycling companies accept them, others don’t. Not to mention, they are big and take up a lot of room in the trash or recycling bin. So, consider shredding them up into your compost. Pizza boxes are made of cardboard, which is a great source of nutrients for your plants. Bonus points if you have any leftover crust to add as well!

8. Your Old Christmas Tree

If you get a real tree every year for Christmas, you know the pain of having to drag it to the curb or take it somewhere to be discarded. What was once a symbol of joy and family is now a chore that’s leaving pine needles seemingly everywhere. If you’re able to chop up the wood (like in a wood chipper) you can actually give the tree new life by adding it to your compost pile! The tree has a lot of joy left to provide if it’s given the right opportunity.

Composting doesn’t have to be a gross/dirty task. It’s truly as easy as looking at the things in your home that you discard anyway and finding out if they can be used to feed your garden. Chances are good you have more than enough organic material that can be used!

Anxiety story ( the short version)

My Anxiety story!! It is long but I left out alot of it. 
My anxiety and depression story starts after I gave birth 16 years ago.

Almost, every woman goes thru Post Partum after giving birth... i knew something wasnt right but my dr told me I was ok and just "get over it".. i was terrified to be left alone with a new baby, what if something happened to me, to her, us?... i spent most days at a friends house bc being alone scared me to much

This went on for years. My sister moved in with us to babysit when I went back to work... work was somewhat a "safe"space for me...but when work was done I was scared of the dark etc.. i left my job in a moment of fear bc I felt I wasnt good enough...all this time my dr said you are okay and wouldn't help me... i laid in my bed for 2 weeks because I was so sad, so alone, so not good enough... i kept a box of dry cereal beside my bed and thats all I ate..

My friend called and said she was visiting from Alberta and wanted us to go to supper at Swiss Chalet, this being my favourite restaurant and a friend I truly cared for I pushed myself to go.. as soon as I entered the restaurant and sat down I got nausated, couldn't breathe, chest pains etc...this was my first panic attack..i left my husband, daughter and friend and I went to the car and called a friend who told me I needed to call Mental Health. Instead, i went to the ER bc I knew I was having a heart attack, my heart was racing, i couldnt breathe etc... nothing was wrong after they did tests but they suggested to call mental health so I did.

Mental health had me come in the next day and we talked thru a lot of things... we talked triggers, fears, etc. I got medication and I felt like there was hope after all. I had a lot of people praying for me so I was going to be okay...or i tried to believe that

Fast forward to 12 years ago.. anciety was still there, panic attacks were there but further and further apart, i was taken to ER by ambulance multiple times bc I was convinced I was having a heart attack or worst I was dying. i cant remember what happened to make me say what I said but I was sad, depressed, feeling hopeless and wondering if life for everyone would be better without me... so I said to my friend " I understand why people commit suicide"... no i did not have a plan or even thought of it... but the next thing I know...the police are at my door and I am being questioned... i was so embarrassed, scared, anxious etc... i was not suicidal but my friend was looking out for me and protecting me... they "watched" me for 6 months.. had some medication changes etc.

Then we moved from NL to NB 7 years ago and right now I am still struggling, it is not what it was, because God is doing a healing in me, we have to first realize he cares, we are made in his likeness, fear is not from him..i have had a rough 16 years with anxiety and panic attacks but about 2 months ago I was at church and I felt God tell me to just let it go, let him take the fears of the past and the future so i just cried out "please just take it", a peace settled over me and i have not had a panic attack since, yes I have some bad days but I start to worship and it quickly leaves. There are still days it invades me and I cannot control it. I do have a great Dr here now that truly gets it and she has been such a help to me. 

Since moving here I got diagnosed with PTSD which u can read here:https://www.terri-grothe.com/2019/06/new-diagnosis.html?m=1

My door is always open if you are struggling or just need a friend, anytime just reach out to me.

9 years and still alive and kicking

9 years ago I walked into the mall with my daughter and I suddenly took a sharp pain on the right side of my chest and it was hard to breathe
I knew something was wrong so I went into the pharmacy and asked if they had advice he said I need to go to ER as I didn't look well.

Called Andrew to come to get me and he took me directly to ER where I breezed through triage and my vitals were wonky so I got right into a room.

They immediately ordered tests and a dr came in but wasn't sure... He said something about leukemia and I'm not sure what his words were exactly.

I was in panic mode because the L word scared me... I called my parents who drove 8 hours through the night to be here...

The next day it was confirmed I had a growth on my chest cavity blocking a breathing tube... They wanted to drain it but could not put me to sleep. I will never forget laying on the OR bed couldn't move because one wrong move could puncture a lung. ( I will spare the details of all I heard while it was being drained)

I got discharged the next day... They were sure I would be ok going forward...1 week later I am admitted again.

This time I was told lung surgery was being scheduled for me.

The surgery was Oct 6. I'll write about that at that time because that is quite the story.

So thankful for a God who saw fit to let me live and who gave me peace.

Road Trip Ready

Getting ready for a road trip with the family? While it all sounds so great in theory at least, the practicalities of bundling everyone up in the car and driving hundreds of miles can be challenging. But it can also be fun, lots of fun. From car games to car picnics, taking naps to discovering new places, a road trip together can create family memories that last a lifetime.

In this short blog we take a look at some of the practical considerations to consider before you embark on a cross-country trip with your loved ones.

Image from Pixabay

Pack Like a Professional

This is where your road trip is won or lost, with the preparations. If you thought it was a simple case of throwing a few suitcases in the back and hitting the road, think again. This is where you need to play to your best strengths. Let the packing king or queen make sure everything is where it should be but let your car trunk organiser take over when it comes to loading up.

You’ll need to divide your packing into three sections. The cases that contain all the clothes and toiletries you’ll need later down the line, the in-car bags that contain everything you need to pass the time and make your trip more comfortable and your snacks, food and drink bag. Oh and it’s essential to throw in a bag for trash. Your car can all too easily turn into a trash can on wheels after several hours’ worth of snack consumption.

When it comes to children, let them wear whatever they feel most comfortable in, including pyjamas. There’s no need to wear shoes, though you should know where to get hold of them easily when it comes to leaving the car at rest stops.

If you can, pack a duvet and of course any favourite teddy bears, pacifiers and so on.

Entertainment

You have several options when travelling with younger members of the family. We recommend audio books as a great way for all the family to be involved with the story. You can download these on to your phone to play through your car’s stereo or buy CDs relatively cheaply.

Older children might enjoy listening to them on their own devices. Reading isn’t a great idea and as tempting as it is to lose yourself in a good book it can often lead to feeling car sick.

If you’re looking for total absorption then set up a screen between your two front seats and rig up an iPad or tablet to show movies. Get hold of a splitter that can accommodate two or more headphone sockets and you’ll have total quiet as your children get lost in a movie or two.

Be Prepared

Got your breakdown cover sorted? How about your medical first aid kit? Take a look along the route for emergency rooms and check out accidentcare.com should you need medical treatment in a hurry. It might seem like overkill but far better to have too much information than not enough.