Saturday, May 30, 2009

Mazzotti's on the Plaza this is Brett....

Yes it is true I have finally succumbed to the need for a job here in Arcata. I have done well up until now with simply living off of my student loans. I was able to take more classes than I would if I was working and I was able to devote more time to my class load. Now that it's summer and we don't have any long term trips planned and I don't feel like picking up and leaving for a park somewhere far away I had to get a job in Arcata. So I found one at this little Italian restaurant right on the plaza called Mazzotti's. It's a nice restaurant, not to busy and I dont have to work to long of hours. Living in Humboldt County is amazing but sadly the job market is only amazingly over crowded. There are something like 15,000 people in Arcata and 7,000 of them are students looking for the same job as me. At first I was really bummed having to take a minimum wage job at a restaurant (I thought those days were long gone), but after only a week of work I have seen well over 100 resumes turned in. Im not joking at all, there is a stack of them and it grows by the day! So I feel really grateful that even though this isn't the best job around it is still better than nothing and it will allow me to live with less financial concerns for the next few months until school starts back up.
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Freedom Garden

This little plot of dirt surrounded by cinder blocks basking in the sun has taught me a valuable lesson regarding life and food.  I shall no longer take for granted the overly simple act of grocery shopping for I have now planted my own food. I can see all the hard work it takes to bring 1 strawberry to the store and how that 1 strawberry should be cherished and not wasted uselessly. This garden was by no means easy or more cost effective than buying all our own organic veggies. We have spent a good deal of money buying supplies and dirt and even waged outright war on the invading snails who want to eat our rewards! The effort and money has been put in, now time to wait for the sweet benefits of our little plot of land. This garden has given us a starting point to further learn how to support ourselves. Now a 6 foot by 4 foot garden is not nearly enough space to grow all we need but we are learning the tools to one day grow all our own crops and have no more worries about chemicals in our foods, where our food came from or how much energy was input to grow what we are eating. All the energy we want to rely on is our backs, brains and the sun! Heres to hoping everyone has the chance to have a backyard garden and learn a thing or two about plants, food and life.


The Cinder Block Garden and Compost

The Cinder Block Garden and Compost
We are growing Tomatoes, 6 strawberries, 6 garlic, 6 onion, 6 types of lettuce, artichokes, 2 brocolli and 4 cauliflauer

Entry garden

Entry garden
This is a view out our front door where we also have a few plants in pots. Here we have a few more spinach and lettuce plants, 2 pea plants, walking stick kale, rosemary, 2 parsley, cilantro, oregano, lavender, garlic chives, basil (this is our third attempt at Basil, all the others have died now) and some pansies for color.

First Harvest

First Harvest
I know its not much but this is our first harvest from the garden. Can get about 2 full size salads from it.

The Garden Retreat Cottage (Home)

Our home is not just where we sleep, eat and spend the down time of our day. It is a retreat from life and worries, a base camp for our explorations of Arcata and greater Humboldt County. A comfortable nook nestled in a beautiful garden to stage our lives as we see fit, free from the constraints of neighbors and lousy room mates. Free from the sound of passing vehicles and honking horns. Free from mean landlords and ugly parking lots. From our garden retreat we cannot see nor hear the road and are thus slightly removed from life outside, even if for just the moment. We are completely content in our 300 square foot castle, not cramped, not looking for anything better and not looking to move away for the time being. I love this cottage because it is the first place I have felt like was a home to me and not just simply a house in a long time. I live with a beautiful woman I call shmoo who is clean, thinks like me and likes my cooking. What more could I ask for?

Walkway

Walkway
View through the garden

Garden Cottage

Garden Cottage
Inside our castle