An Introduction to Our Home

A block south of the Berkeley border tucked right inside Oakland, there is a house like any other house. A white picket fence circumscribes a small plot of land with tufts of green burgeoning from the ground. Asphalt flows from the street through the driveway and expands into the backyard with freckles of vegetation reaching up through cracks in the concrete. The continuous drone of the city quietly hums far off in the distance. Cars pass by, children scream and play in the streets, and I hear the 5 o'clock BART reverberate through tunnels many blocks away.

My housemates and I have lived here for the past several years, and the neighborhood has treated us well. Falling into the Pacific, the sun is setting sooner and the days are getting shorter with a crisp bite in the air reminding me that it is November. The pear tree, plum tree, and pineapple-guava have lost nearly all their leaves as we begin to settle into the depths of Autumn. Despite tingling toes fresh with cold air, the winter garden marches on. Luscious leaves of lettuce and spinach unfold with each new day. Snow peas send their tendrils spiraling up trellises. Sprigs of herbs burst from containers. Cauliflower, kale and broccoli tiptoe to harvest. The one remaining green pepper plant boldly defies the season and sets out fuller fruit with each dusk. With the winter calling, summer dormant succulents surge into new growth.

Bifurcations abound!

This blog represents our desire to share in new growth. We will be documenting our projects and goals, both large and small, as we work towards a more sustainable, more beautiful place in the world. Our hope is to learn and to share in the creative process that gives rise to beauty, bounty and all things green. Among the many projects we hope to cover, we are particularly excited about the installation of a home-made compost tea brewer/irrigation system. Other drawn out projects for the winter will include the construction of a chicken coop with a green roof, the development of a comprehensive composting station as well as some masonry projects to expand our raised bed space.

For now, I leave you with a random montage of the front yard on a sunny Sunday in November.