Phew, it's hot in here!

I recently discovered this blog written by Chris George, a page designer for the Arizona Republic, who has vowed to live in Tempe, (a suburb of Phoenix), without heating, or cooling for a year.

"In the name of the environment, I have resolved not to use the air conditioning (or heating) at my home all year."

I have always been interested in this issue, not just from an environmental perspective, but from a personal one as well. How have people lived here in the low desert and not only survived, but thrived over the years?

If you get a chance check out Chris's blog because it is compelling reading. Can you imagine living in your home while the temperature is 100 degrees plus? We have probably all had a small taste of it when our AC has malfunctioned, but not for any great length of time.

The comments people have left are pretty interesting too. Some show concern for Chris's cats, others for his health, while others express the thought that it is just plain silly. Each to their own right?

Me, well of course I totally admire someone so willing to make such a major commitment towards reducing their carbon footprint. I am sad to say though, that as much as I love this earth, I don't think I could do it, even if it was just me without others to consider such as my husband, children, and dogs. Really makes me think though.

I guess for now I will just be keeping the thermostat up, and carry on saving for solar.

The Air- Conditioning Strike

Garden Update

This is how my poor garden has been looking at the end of each long, hot day here in the desert. Wilted and tired, and I have to say I can relate.

This was my final summer harvest earlier in the week. Everything is pretty much done, although I am still getting a few cherry tomatoes each day.


I have been battling aphids for ages, and although I contained them for a while using dish soap and oil mixed with water, they are now all over pretty much everything. I am still trying to defend the pumpkin plants, but I have given up with almost everything else.


There comes a point where one just has to let nature take its course, and I am there.

My armenian cucumbers are completely infested with aphids so I don't hold out much hope for them, and the okra never did well either. So now I will pull most things, mulch well, and let the soil take a well deserved break until I begin again in September. This is my time of year for browsing through seed catalogs before the major Fall growing season begins.

It isn't all bad though, there are still a few bright spots out there.






Hopefully I can keep the plants alive long enough to nurture these guys to maturity and then I will have a good, (if early), pumpkin harvest!

At risk of sounding as though I am obsessing about the lizards in my garden.....

Here is a picture of the completely enormous one that I have been trying to get a picture of for weeks, and who had until now eluded me.


See what I mean? ENORMOUS!

He is always lurking around the base of my old compost box, and we have had encounters on many occasions, the first of which caused me to hyperventilate a little I have to confess. Now though I am quite used to seeing him around, and he seems to be more relaxed around me too which is how I got the picture today I think.

To get a sense of scale, think how big those blocks are that make up the walls so many of us have. He is as long as they are wide! Or compare him to these little guys from the other day.


I know that neither of these are the best pictures, but I hope you get the general idea.

I had never seen a lizard as big as this in our yard until this summer, and I for one am really excited. (And a little obsessed!)

Independence Days Update

A day late again and things have been slow on all fronts, but I guess that is to be expected at times.

1. Plant something: No and I am not planning on planting anything else now until our fall season starts in August/ September.

2. Harvest something: The last few tomatoes, (one of which was a huge beefsteak weighing in at 1.2 lbs), cucumbers, and zucchinis, as well as a handful of basil which is one thing that loves the heat. Everything else is done, overtaken by the heat, and the aphids.

3. Preserve something: No.

4. Reduce waste: Nothing new. I did donate a load of kids clothes to Goodwill which I suppose counts in this category.

5. Prep and storage: Just reading as usual.

6. Build community food systems: Nothing new.

7. Eat the food: Same as last week. A couple of salads with tomatoes and cucumbers, and some zucchinis in a stir fry. The birds are loving our sunflower seeds which is fun to watch, but doesn't really count.

I feel that the heat is slowing me down on all fronts at the moment. Hopefully I will regain some of my energy and enthusiasm by next week and will have more to report.

Basking Lizards

This is the sight that greets me every morning when I go out to water the vegetable garden.


There are lizards all over our yard, and they especially seem to like the area around the compost bin where there are plenty of insects for them to snack on.


They love basking in the heat of the sun along the walls, and I am always happy to have them here.

Pasta Sauce

Here is the pasta sauce I made based on Judy's Mom's recipe over at My Freezer is Full. It is great for using up many of the veggies we have a lot of at the moment, including eggplant.

I basically fried onions, and garlic, (not from the garden), in a little olive oil. I then added tomatoes, eggplant, basil, and salt and pepper, and cooked them all in the slow cooker for an hour or so.


Towards the end I added some overgrown zucchinis. I like to add them later because I don't like them mushy.


Here is the finished product which we had over wholewheat pasta, with a few shavings of Parmesan cheese.


It was very good. Thanks Judy!

Independence Days Update

1. Plant something: No. I have no room currently, and anyway I am seriously questioning the wisdom of planting too much stuff this time of year here in the low desert. There isn't that much that does well apparently apart from okra, Armenian cucumbers, basil, and probably melons, and squash, and the veggies I already have are requiring a lot of water. To be honest I am not feeling too good about this as usual. I am needing to water twice a day, and our water usage has increased again as a result. The okra I planted aren't doing well mainly because they have been invaded by pumpkin plants, and are fighting for water and space. I am kind of feeling recently as though I should treat these few really hot summer months like a Midwest winter, during which time one plans for spring, although spring for me will be Fall. August will be here soon enough and then I can start over again.

2. Harvest something: Less then there has been in recent weeks but still a few tomatoes, (which are definitely coming to an end), cucumbers, eggplants, basil, and of course zucchinis. I have lots of pumpkins growing all over the garden. In fact the pumpkin plants have totally taken over the entire garden. All the more reason to get the sand box finished and filled with top soil so that they can have a place all of their own. I cooked up lots of eggplants into a great pasta sauce as suggested by Judy, and it was delicious! (Thanks Judy). I have also found a recipe book with several great eggplant recipes so I am happy that I have more options for my eggplants in future.

3. Preserve something: Just more pesto to feed my ever growing pesto obsession.

4. Reduce waste: Better this week. Composted a TON of garden waste, and did all my usuals of recycling, cloth bags, reusing zip locks, line drying the washing etc, etc. I can't ever feel good about reducing energy waste though when I wake up each morning to hear the AC running already because it is going to be so hot. Not good, and no easy solutions except to keep the air at 83 as always, and shutter everything up during the day. I suppose some consolation is that during the winter we seldom use too much energy to heat our home.

5. Prep and storage: Nearly done with preparing the new sandbox veggie bed, (pictures soon). Got the new recycled trash can compost box which I am still delighted with, continued chicken coop and chicken keeping planning, and all the reading I usually do.

6. Build community food systems: Had an excited response from our neighbour across the street when we told her we were getting chickens. She wants to help with them as much as possible which is great. (I hope everyone else in our rather stiff street is as excited! :) Was asked again to talk about veggie growing in the desert with another friends hubby. Don't know if it will happen because I get asked a lot and then nothing happens, but it will be nice if it does because of course this is my passion. Was asked by another friend to give her any surplus eggplants we may have because she loves them apparently.

7. Eat the food: Did quite well again. Made pasta sauce with eggplants, tomatoes, zucchinis, and basil. Had a few salads with cucumbers, and tomatoes, and added basil to everything as usual. I swear I am totally addicted to the smell of basil but I suppose there are worse things to be addicted to.