The Art of Letting Things Rot

One of the projects I worked on while Evan was gone this week was a compost bin. I've been wanting to do this for awhile now, but just hadn't had the chance made it a priority. I started researching, and all of the compost bins you can buy are somewhat pricey for basically letting stuff rot inside of it. Luckily I came across this post on how to make a compost bin out of a garbage can. I didn't have a garbage can, but I did have an empty plastic bin that I figured would work just as well. 

 Evan drilled holes through the bottom, top, and sides of the bin for me to let air in; preventing the food from molding in a bad way. Some composting tables make this whole process look super complicated...when really, you are making dirt by letting it hang out. The trick is having a good carbon to nitrogen ratio. Brown things like cardboard, leaves, grass clippings, straw, sawdust, etc. is carbon. Coffee grounds, egg shells, weeds, and other food waste is the green, or nitrogen. Basically you want to have an even portion of both for good compost. I used a thin base of dirt as my first layer. Next, I layered shredded cardboard and newspaper. Then, added lettuce, onions, and leftover soup that was a day too old to eat. I lightly misted the whole thing with water, (enough to make it damp, but not wet) slapped the lid on, and set it on a few brinks hidden away along the side of the house. 

Mmmmmm.....compost!

Last night I cleaned out my fridge before grocery shopping and added more. It felt so much better putting old food to use, rather than throwing it away to be doomed to rot sitting in a pile of plastic somewhere. The only upkeep is to mix it every 3-6 weeks and make sure it stays damp. It wasn't hard at all, and took me a grand total of  maybe15 minutes. 

Instead of having to go buy soil to plant flowers, (like I just had to do 2 weeks ago) I'll have nutritious soil for free! That's already saving me about $5-10 per bag of potting soil I won't need. I can already tell our garbage is going to significantly decrease too. Since there is only 2 of us, we didn't have that much in the first place, but now it will be even less. I'm so pump that I finally did this, I can't believe I waited this long! If you want more information on composting, especially things you shouldn't compost check it out here.

On my mind

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Must. Have. Tan-lines. Soon.

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These. Shoes.

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Fresh air. Horses. Farm. Simple Living.

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Liberty. Freedom. Failing.

Summer. Haircut. Asap.

Deployment. Marriage. Future.

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Cross Cultural. Fail. Trip anyone?

Why? Why? Why?

A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)

Pleasure for your ears :)

 //Spring//

 //Protecting the fort//

 //First time making veggie couscous//

 //It was ok, I kinda wanted a burger afterwards...//

 //New dress!//

The Struggle

I am blown away with just how simple and uncomplicated my life is. I mean, yeah, I can't make bread, or sometimes work is frustrating, but in the big scheme of life I got it good -- exceptionally good. I don't have any guilty regrets hanging in my closet, a troubled childhood, or any deep, negative life-changing events. I don't feel the need to drink, do drugs, get high, or be in an menacing relationship to compensate or feel "cool." I can handle my emotions in a healthy way. I'm not trying to fill an empty void; I'm happy, whole, and normal. I know who I am, and who God is. But, now that I'm in the big "grown up" world my eyes have been opened to just how much darkness there is.

So many people are left bitterly in a hopeless black pit, without a light to see. Instead, they blindly reach for anything that meets them in the dark, desperately following without question.

I see people reaching, being deceived, and believing in things that don't matter; trying to fill the emptiness with something materially or emotionally tangible, even if it's a lie. People no longer understand what it means to be a good, responsible, and a real person -- nor do they want to be. Most are only concerned with themselves and what they can get out of it. Maybe I was naive in thinking that honesty, respect, and simple goodness was a natural quality that every person had. News flash Meredith, it's not true. Truthfully, it breaks my heart that they don't know Who to look for, or what to fill their emptiness with. I'm so blessed beyond words to have this simple truth and to feel fulfilled.

You never know what another person is going through, or has gone through, so choose your words meticulously. You don't know their struggle. I'm not saying to go through life tip-toeing around people. I'm saying to show them love. Show them compassion and mercy, without judging them. This world is so judgmental. Be the arm that is reaching out in the dark. The arm that will hold-on tight throughout rough waters, and be there for them no matter how many times they mess up. "People need loving the most when they deserve it the least" - John Harrigan. We hate admitting that we make mistakes and mess up. We like to think no matter what we've done, we rationalize why it's not that bad. The truth is: we're all meager humans deserving of nothing. Show them love.

"Everyone must carry two pieces of paper with him and look at them every day. On one it is written: 'You are dust and ashes.' And on the other: 'For you the universe was created."