No.275: What I Learned in June

1 // MOUNTAIN LION URINE DETRACTS WILDLIFE FROM YOUR COMPOST PILE.
We have a pesky animal helping itself to our compost pile and frequently enough that I’ve been researching deterrents.  Among your typical answers like blending the food scraps with dirt or electrifying the area, you could also spray with mountain lion pee.  Oh yes, this is a thing and you can even get it on Amazon.  I haven’t gotten that desperate yet, but I’m close.


2 // ANOTHER COMPOST FACT: I CAN’T COMPOST THE BOYS’ SOCKS.
After one of the boys put another hole in his socks, I started wondering if I could put them in the compost vs. throwing them in the trash.  No such luck.  The socks have so much polyester and elastic in them and those fibers don’t decompose. 


3 // NEW WILDLIFE IDENTIFIED: GIANT LEOPARD MOTH
We found this guy right outside our door one morning.  I quickly looked it up to make sure it wasn’t anything poisonous.  They look suspicious, but are really harmless.


4 // I LIKE TRASH NOTHING BETTER THAN DONATING TO THE THRIFT STORE.
After reading that only about 20% of donations actually get resold in the thrift store, I started looking into other options.  I’ve been slowly parting with P’s baby clothing and it’s much easier to fill a big box when you actually meet another mama face to face.  You know that clothing will actually be used and appreciated instead of possibly thrown away.  You feel more like a community, looking out for and supporting each other.  Highly recommend finding your local Trash Nothing or Buy Nothing group.

5 // 100 WEEKS OF COOKING AT HOME IS A BIG DEAL.
I forgot to properly recognize that I hit my 100th week of meals last month!  Hard to believe that when I started this series, I was barely competent in the kitchen.  While my output ebbs and flows, I really do enjoy cooking now and my skills have greatly improved.  (Just ask my kids, hah!)  I’m retiring the blog series because I feel like the accountability did just what I hoped – I created a new habit, little by little.

6 // I’M KINDA OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.
I’m spending less and less time on Facebook or Instagram lately and I don’t miss it at all.  More and more, I see my blog as an invitation to sit in my living room and chat about life and family and books.  Since I have no intention of ever being a popular blog, I’m giving myself permission to say that that’s good enough.

7 // I DIDN’T EXPECT TO ENJOY HAVING A DOG AS MUCH AS I DO.
I didn’t grow up with pets, so I had no idea if I was capable of feeling emotions for an animal like some people do.  Turns out it comes pretty naturally!  The way Lucy is just beside herself with excitement when I come out of my bedroom in the morning (I know she equates me with breakfast, but still)…the way she wants to please me and tries to predict my commands…she’s definitely winning me over.  Now if only she’ll stop her incessant barking.

8 // WRITING EVERYDAY IS HARD, BUT STILL SUCH A FUN CHALLENGE.
My final tally was 29 out of 30 days – so close, but just like last year, I fizzled out toward the end!  It was just the creative challenge I needed to start the summer.

Signing off for a bit!  Thanks for reading this month and see you soon. xo