our new mattress

we wanted to be ready to go as soon as our bed arrived and the wallpaper was up. so d headed out last weekend to investigate mattress options more closely. my criteria were of the environmental bent, while he was concerned with comfort and perhaps a remedy for his back pain.

he visited two stores, and the second was impressive enough to end his search.

Keetsa is not the most environmentally friendly mattress on the market - and they openly admit it - but it is much better than standard mattresses, and is at a good price-point in comparison to the other eco options. (Keetsa's unique package cuts down on freight costs - and that saving is passed on to the consumer. good stuff!)

he chose the Tea Leaf Supreme. a few nights in, and we are extremely happy with our new mattress. it was shipped to the house (free!) in a box not much bigger than K. its vacuum packing provided much entertainment on opening. and there was no weird smell! (so happy!) most importantly, we are both getting a great night's sleep.

added bonus: upload a video showcasing your mattress to their youtube channel and get a free pillow :)



thank you Keetsa!

(a peek here too at our new wallpaper and bed before the closet doors went back up!)

rain rain

california is experiencing the worst drought in recent history. with rain in the forecast we are celebrating - but also cautiously aware of the dangers that can come with it. we are lucky to live in a very safe spot - with no fear of flooding or mudslides. our ground is thirsty - and the rain is quickly absorbed. we need it so very badly - and know that even a full few days of rain will not be enough. water conservation is at the forefront. we have worked with our local school to reduce the asphalt substantially to have the little rain we get enhance groundwater levels. at home, we have removed our lawn and replaced it with drought tolerant native plants.

and in anticipation of the rain, we have installed a rain barrel on one corner of the house. (the first of a series we hope to install.) it is convenient to our bedroom patio, where i have my collection of potted succulents. the goal is to use this convenient captured rain to water them. it will also help offset pooling in the chicken run, adjacent to this area. (we wouldn't use this water on edibles. i'm not confident about what other particulates might be captured, along with the water, off our tar and rock roof.)



we purchased this kit, and were gifted a food grade barrel from our friend john, an expert in water-wise systems.

installation was easy. d completed the project in about 20 minutes. (installation instructions can be found on the la stormwater site.)

in theory, we could capture 3,738 gallons of water with this storm! (roof footprint sqft x rainfall inches x 0.623) in our dreams, we install these.

now bring on the rain...






how to capture rainwater

rainwater harvesting