martha does it better

I just got my April "Martha Stewart Living" today and love this issue more than I can say.  Perhaps my heart just sings in the key of spring since I feel this way every year with the April issue.  You should pick up a copy (or borrow mine if you live close by!) and ogle some of these things:

Backyard Chickens.  I will never get tired of it or grow so accustomed that I no longer perk up at the mention of them.  Add lovely coops with vintage and character, heritage breeds, and colorful eggs and I get teared up all over again.  (By the way, R.I.P. Octavia who my friend C cared for.  What a faithful egg layer she was.)  I can't find photos from the magazine anywhere online and my scanner is broken but I wish from the very bottom of my heart I could show you.  Martha shows off her chickens at her Bedford home coop and the beautiful range of sizes and colors of eggs they lay.  So fab!  She talks of how she keeps them laying through the winter by feeding them veggie scraps, tending to their minor illnesses, and giving them hanging cabbages to peck at instead of eachother.  For some reason, it's hanging the cabbages that makes me really miss my chickens.  They are always, always fun.

Here is a photo of her 4 coops in Bedford from her blog.  She built small doors from the chicken run into her cutting garden so the chickens could take care of the insects for her.  I've had a vision of doing the same with a future set-up.  (Remember chooks who work?)

This is a photo of her coop in Turkey Hill a few years ago, also from her blog.

This video is older but a fun clip all the same. I nearly laughed out loud when it looked like Martha was drowning the chick and then almost cried when I saw her shiny, new coop with the clean, galvanized steel egg boxes.  As evidence of how much I love this episode, I referenced it a while back.

But just when I thought I had perused the zenith of fabu-larity, a few pages later I saw a spread of fabulous bike accessories entitled "Ticket to Ride."  I can check off adorable basket and retro headlight from the list but I may have to get this bell from public bikes!

Also in the magazine is an article about Bea Johnson and her new book outlining a zero waste lifestyle.  (It's so admirable but doesn't it require so much maintenance an upkeep? Not that that's a bad thing.)  I loved the photo of her laundry room with her homemade cleaners, looking remarkably stylish.  I can't find the photo, but here's a video link from a different source.

This sort of lifestyle is right up Oberon's area of interests so I'm thinking that we might be trying to shift towards this mentality.  We're doing some of the tactics, like shopping bulk (which I think is the best anyway) and storing foods in stackable plastic containers. (Glass would be way coolor some day.)  I think it sounds like a really fun project to try and slowly incorporate.

And, finally, I was surprised to read that Martha had visited my Bahama island.  I am even more determined to make some kind of a life there someday!

But it just goes to show, whether it's backyard chickens, cute bicycle gear, homekeeping, or traveling to my favorite island in the Bahamas, Martha just does it better.

Comments

[Naarah]

I'm so jealous you actually got to meet Martha.

[melva]

I love this posting! I love the "0" waste idea, but what I love the most is our friend "MARTHA" and her beautiful chickens. I just got my April issue as well (thanks to you) and I loved it!