BANG #2 - bugging out.

"Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home

Your house is on fire and your children are gone

All except one, and that's Little Anne

For she has crept under the warming pan."

Quite possibly the most charming insects ever - the ladybug can bring new life to a dying garden.

Last year I was plagued with aphids in my garden. I had bought two burning bushes for my front yard the fall before, excited to have the bright red leaves bring drama and beauty to my yard the next year. Unfortunately I miss interpreted an aphid infestion in Spring last year and my poor burning bushes paid the price.

By June the leaves were getting eaten away, and nearby roses started showing signs of unwelcome munchers too. When all the trees in my neighborhood were turning fiery autumn colors my burning bushes looked like they were burnt. Most the leaves were gone, and the sad spikes of the bushes arms were bare and lonely. It was the saddest sight.

So this year, as part of my BANG initiative (Be A Natural Gardener), I'm bringing in reinforcements! Ladybugs may be portrayed as sweet English ladies in cartoons (I always picture the one from "James and the Giant Peach"), but trust me they are lethal aphid killers! And as a natural and eco-friendly option to pesticide, ladybugs are a welcome addition to my garden plan.

As an extra bonus, I grew up believing that when a ladybug lands on you it'll bring you good luck. Bringing a batch of ladybugs into your garden will definitely up the odds for a lucky 2009!

Start the year off with a BANG!

I've decided to put my money where my mouth is this year and help my little corner of the planet thrive. This is the year I'm going to Be A Natural Gardener.

BANG - is a new idea I've had, yet an old idea to many conservationists. Being a Natural Gardener is recycling, reusing, reducing, reimagining, recreating. It's using ordinary objects in extraordinary ways and rethinking the part you play in the environment around you. It can be personal & political, local & global, absolutely practical & totally crazy. It's the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) principle for your backyard.

I can't wait to start BANGing out the old and unnecessary in my life, and as Lau-tzu says "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

So here's BANG Step 1.

START COLLECTING RAINFALL.

My best friend started using a rain barrel last year, and the water she's saved for watering her backyard garden has been incredible! During a heavy rain her barrel would fill up in just minutes, as the rain falling on the entire area of her roof would get funneled down drains and downspouts. Only about 1/4 inch of rainfall can be collected to a little over 200 gallons of water! Not too shabby! Bonus: rain water is soft water. Soft water is the best for plants, as the oxygen levels are better and there's no chlorine or other nasty chemicals necessary in tap/drinking water. For an HGTV how-to check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGFDlkJOdaM

In this time of economic topsy-turvy it's only fitting to really consider what you're putting your time/money/energy into and if it's paying off in the fullest way environmentally, morally, ethically, and especially FINANCIALLY. It's never been trendier to be a spendthrift (Suze Orman tells me this all the time) so I'm cutting back and cutting out the things that are wasting my resources.

If you want to try to BANG, I lend you my full support. Check back here for more ideas on how to BANG, and use BANG as a special savings code (1/2 off shipping) on your next SweetBeak.com order!

Out with the Old and In with the New... or not

I'm thinking about New Year's Eve plans tonight and I can't let the opportunity to tell you about one of the best things I ever did for myself pass by. It changed my life, and I hope it'll change yours too!

Back in college my best friend and I made a pact to abolish New Year's Resolutions. It started out more a joke than anything, as we talked about all our failed resolutions (especially the dreaded "lose some weight" or "exercise regularly"). We talked about all the guilt and frustration that we inflicted upon ourselves, all for the sake of "starting out the New Year right". So we decided to ditch the masochistic practice of New Year's Resolutions - we would have New Year's REVOLUTIONS instead!

The idea is simple. Instead of dwelling on your vices and bad habits, telling yourself you'll change when you know you won't, put your energy towards the positive things in your life! Don't look at the bad, look at all that good in you that doesn't get the kudos you deserve! My first New Year's Revolutions list looked something like this:

1. Cultivate creativity 2. Be as generous with love for myself as others 3. Laugh out loud as much as I can 4. Visit more dive bars to meet really interesting people (remember this list was made in college...) 5. Relax and let things happen.

What a phenomenal year it turned out to be! When I looked back at my list I remembered taking more risks, being more honest and open, really enjoying parts of my personality that I am proud of! I didn't have the "wow, I really let myself down" feelings I had had for years and years before. I encourage you to look into what makes you happy and follow in your own footsteps to make 2009 an exceptional year.

If you need a little nudge, make the same New Year's Revolution pact with your best friend, sister, husband, neighbor, you name it. Just try to eliminate negative words like: No, Quit, Stop, or Diet and use happy words like: Enjoy, Rest, Giggle, or Indulge. Once you get the hang of it you'll wonder why you ever fretted over gym memberships.