"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams..." - A. O'Shaughnessy / W. Wonka

Growing up in LA you understand early on that there's a very real "give and take" between you, the Angeleno, and the universe. Somewhere along the way we traded Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall for Earthquakes, Fires, Floods and Riots. The sidewalks in Hollywood are vile and occupied with a familiar array of pro bono costumed adults. These sidewalks are literally paved to sparkle, but we can barely see the stars at night. And while we can fake almost anything in this town, we insist on putting a premium on being real. Why does anyone want to live here? It makes no sense. It's Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory without the novelty or sweetness. Here I am surrounded by a sea of people searching for golden tickets, orange Oompa Loompas parading as starlets and there isn't a single chocolate waterfall in sight. Where is the silver lining, friends?

All this said yet this is my hometown and I ache for it's smoggy embrace when I'm away. Under it's unnaturally thick layer of vehicular emissions and industrial fumes this city is teeming with diversity, hope and a December sun so glorious that I want to hold it, put it in my pocket and save it for the less beautiful days and moments ahead that will inevitably crush me. This year, LA has been not only my home, but also the home to my very first garden.

2012 will be upon us in a few hours and I can say with some certainty now that the blog garden has been a metaphor for this Urban Farm Girl's life. It's been a bit of nature in my world of plastic, something real amongst all the fake, something that "gives" in a world of "take". Ok, let's be real. It's been a welcome distraction and an exercise in overcoming that childhood obstacle of finishing what I start.


I'm ready to kick off the new year with my winter crops. Where we once housed some runaway volunteer tomato plants I have planted what I hope will yield broccoli and cauliflower. It's possible that the cauliflower plant is really a cabbage plant but it's too early for me to tell...

Skirt: American Apparel
Sweater: Banana Republic
Boots: Madewell
Purse: "New" because my previous one was stolen three weeks ago during a night out to see music with the Hero Boyfriend and his multi hyphenate drummer-surfer-actor-pharmacist friend... Schuler & Sons. The purse is from Anthropologie.

*Everything can be found on sale. Of course, you are reading this with irony...










Summer 2011 Volunteer Tomato Plants. These showed up out of nowhere and were a pleasant surprise but like 2011, they had to go... This space is now home to the above mentioned and pictured winter crops.












Here's to a new year filled with joy, celebration, courage, grace and fruitful harvests. Below are some 2011 blog garden events and before & after pictures that didn't make it into this year's blog posts. Happy New Year. Cheers!

Valentine's Day - The Hero Boyfriend gets me started with an herb garden. Nothing says "LOVE" like Mint and Thai Basil

Before & After - The first sidewalk lettuce crop

The evolution of my tomato plants. I eventually made homemade red sauce with our tomatoes.