Gardens can bring so much victory. Personal victory in the sense of accomplishment and pride one gets from building, planting and harvesting from a garden, not to mention eating from your garden.  Gardens also give you victory from dependence on external food sources.  A tomato from your back yard is way better than a tomato from the grocery store, I promise you that.  Along with that independence comes a cascade of other victorys, victory from the energy it takes to get food to you, victory from the chemicals it takes to grow most conventional food, victory from the resources growing commercial, conventional food takes.  It's quite liberating!!  

In that vein, here's the first and second harvests from our garden.  They are smaller than normal, since i spent the majority of the spring big as a house with our son in me, and the summer has been spent caring for our new baby.  But somehow, we managed to eek out some pretty darn good organic food. In fact, missing from these pictures is a HUGE carrot harvest that I processed into baby food and froze for the little man when he's finally ready.  

First Harvest:

Second Harvest:

So, people.....share your garden victory!  I think we would all be better people to hear it!! :) 

Opportunities available to display your art at the Department of Health. Seeking positive, health-related works.

For more information, contact: teresastaal@comcast.net

Hola All,

I'm looking for tips on local (South Sound) resources for the "design & prototyping" of a hand cart I want to manufacture and sell.

...any thoughts?

I like OlyBlog. I think it is a promising avenue for people who care about this community to communicate and to dialogue about what exactly is going on. I mean, we can post photographs and video, and offer rebuttals to some of the views that might be expressed in the mainstream establishment (corporate big business) media outlets. Here I have a chance to offer a different perspective - my own perspective. And so do you. And so do we, collectively.

On OlyBlog there is the possibility to have civil discussion (yes, it's not perfect - and not as good as in person - especially for emotional items). But at least people can express their viewpoints, and hopefully not be in fear of being attacked, or suffering a reprisal because of it. So we have an opportunity to have a conversation, and through that, perhaps, it can be a goal to project a collective perspective. - Being realistic, I realize that this might not be possible. At least we have a venue to express a collective perspective that may have been formed elsewhere.

So OlyBlog exists as a forum for organizing ideas and movements, for networking and consciousness raising. Maybe it's just a place to go to find something to do when you're bored...

I also love the concept of public citizen journalists rivaling the establishment media structures. Competition (insofar as it is fair competition!) is healthy.

What's your take? What does OlyBlog mean to you? I would love to read some thoughts about what OlyBlog is doing right, and what could be better.

Is it all just smoke and hot air, or what?

The City of Olympia General Government Committee will meet today to discuss a possible repeal of the Nuclear Free Zone Ordinance, which seeks to hold government and business accountable for, and to discourage, complicity in the Nuclear Weapons Industry.

I like the ordinance. I think that we should rid the planet of nuclear weapons. This is all the more pertinent and relevant given the prominent rise of the pure power politics of global dominance to the national and international environment.

Our President and Vice-President even threaten their opponents (in the struggle for global dominance) with attack by nuclear weapon. This is lawless and grievous misconduct - but it's the reality.

Given the lawlessness, the lack of ethical practices, of and by our national officials - it makes it all the more important for local governments to step in and fill the void. Ethical practices must be developed from the ground up.

So, dear City Council Members and fellow residents of Olympia, please consider my respectful plea to retain the ordinance. What I would like to see would be for this important piece of City Code to receive full and adequate funding, and institutional support, so that it can be enforced effectively.

Robert Whitlock

Hello everybody,

I need some help at the Olympia Salvage cob couch site: I need experienced carpenters to help me build a roof over this bad boy. It's a simple affair, four posts, some braces and a small roof structure to protect the couch and its couchers from all the liquid sunshine we get.

I also need some material donations to the tune of: 4 4x4x10s and some 2x6s, 12' and 8' and some galvanized brackets that can weather the storms of Oly winter. Roofing material. What you got?

Experience the thrill of doing things for FREE for your community and put a big ol' smile on my face!

Contact me at brillaba@gmail.com if you are interested in being awesome.

Thank you,

Larissa

Support your local derby team! Cake walk! Half time show!

And of course, an afterparty at The Shire with a live DJ and dancing.

If you'd like to buy tickets, please email me at alefterasm@gmail.com.

Support the sport that encourages a healthy attitude towards strong, independent women of all body types and promotes a DIY environment!

Summer Bock, Holistic Health Counselor & Herbalist, is announcing her Cooking and Eating for Thyroid Health: The Basics of Cooking With Seaweed. Thyroid issues affect our metabolism, energy levels, and body temperature. Whether you've experienced thyroid disease, removal, or just low energy or weight gain, this class is for you. We will find simple ways to add thyroid-supporting foods into the diet in tasty ways.

The class will be held on Thursday, August 28th, at the Fertile Ground B&B, located at 311 9th Avenue in Olympia (behind the downtown library). To register, send an email to bockremedy@gmail.com. Class is limited to 20 people. There is no charge for this class. If you have questions, call 360-918-1809. All of Summer’s classes are dairy, sugar, and gluten-free!!! You can find out more about the classes Summer will be teaching by visiting her website at www.bockremedy.com.

Summer Bock, HHC, is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and The Evergreen State College. She is certified in Integrative Nutrition through Columbia University and is a trained Herbalist. She believes strongly in the power of food and awareness as a foundation for all healing in the body. You will find her cooking classes fun and packed with helpful tips.

Summer is available to speak or teach for organizations. Contact her via email at summerbock@gmail.com or by phone at 360-918-1809.