I have always wanted to try composting.  I believe in recycling and I have always been intrigued with the process...so this week I started a little worm farm (vermicomposting) as worms are one of nature's best recyclers.  You feed them your leftover green produce from the kitchen, green garden clippings and leaves and shredded paper and they eat it and and produce waste or "castings" which makes a wonderful rich fertilizer.for the garden.  The most efficient little worms for this process are the small red wigglers. They seem to thrive in this environment. 

To make a very simple worm farm you need a two part container: a catchment basin and a box with a lid to sit above the basin.  The top box must have very small holes drilled in the bottom for draining the "tea" that your worms will create and to give your worms some aeration.  To build up the farm, you first fill the top container with about 4 inches of shredded paper or cardboard for "bedding". Then you put your little worms on the bedding and put the green veggie waste that you have chopped up around them so that they can eat it.  After you have finished this layer, you add more bedding for another 4 inches.  When you have finished this layering process, spray it down lightly being careful to not over water. The paper should just be slightly damp.

​It's important to remember what to feed the worms and what not to feed them.  Green veggie and fruit scraps (with the exception of citrus peels),coffee grounds, tea bags, finely crushed egg shells and garden clippings with no pesticide use will work.  Dairy products, bones, processed foods and foods cooked in oil and spices cannot be used.  If you have questions about what can and cannot be composted with the worms, refer to the Internet as composting is becoming quite popular and there are many postings about the subject there.  For paper, don't use coated paper or plastics but shredded cardboard, newspaper and paper from your computer will work.  I am a researcher, writer and illustrator so I produce plenty of paper to shred in my office. I am also a near vegetarian so veggie scraps are no problem either.

A worm farm is virtually care free, has no odor and can be left unattended for a week or so for those of us who travel on occasion.  They will adjust to a sparse diet and simply not reproduce during that time and will go into a sort of hibernation. The worm farm shouldn't be neglected for too long, however; as your worms will die with no food to eat.  The worms are sensitive to heat so be sure and put the bin in a shady and protected place where there is no direct sunlight to produce a  deadly solar effect to kill your little worms.  

A worm farm is a fascinating world that can provide parents, teachers and children many teaching topics on subjects such as biology,  stewardship of the earth, life processes, healthy gardening and sustainable living.  It will also produce wonderful nutrient rich garden fertilizer to use.  It's nature's recycling at its best.

Although only in English at this time, the books are international in focus and encourage the "oneness of children everywhere". I have read them in several places in the U.S. and, with a translator, to the Quichua children in Ecuador and I would like to do more with children in other countries.  

When I received a message recently from a Canadian father staying in my short term rental in Sedona, AZ, saying that his little daughter was enjoying my Lae Lae books that I had left onsite for families with small children, I was thrilled.  I have games and activities in the books and her dad said that she was really enjoying the activities. He took a photo of her reading one of the books, and when the family left, I sent the books home with her.  She is now my little Canadian "Lae Lae" friend.

Although I am not currently writing another book, I plan to do so soon and I continue to blog on the Lae Lae website.  I write a blog approximately every other week and I have so much fun doing it.  My blogs cover many topics and, sometimes, if I am in a "funk" with my own daily activities, just writing about things that I think are important makes me feel like I am doing my small part in creating a positive world. I invite you and your children to enjoy them.  

​I research and get my topics from everywhere and I have been doing it since 2014.  Some blogs are about fun kid projects to make or do, some are meaningful family memories and many are about issues that are affecting our environment, our animals and our biological resources, all with children in mind.  I welcome suggestions of what to write about that will appeal to children like Lae Lae's new friend from Canada who is shown reading a Lae Lae book about making a new friend from another culture. Have a great day and remember to look at life with the "sensitive" heart of a little child.

69 percent of people brush their teeth twice a day as recommended  but many toothpastes contain harmful ingredients and can be dangerous.

​1. Fluoride is naturally found in soil, water and foods.  Added fllouride in toothpaste (especially for children) can lead to skeletal fluorosis, a bone disease, thyroid problems, neurological issues and other problems. In 2014 fluoride was listed as a neurotoxin hazardous to childhood development.

2. Artificial sweeteners can cause diarrhea and cognitive issues and have been linked to bladder cancer, brain tumors and lymphoma.

3. Sodium laurel sulfate, originally used to clean floors, is a detergent and can lead to microscopic mouth tears and canker sores.

4. Carrageenan has been kinked to gastrointestinal inflammation, ulcers and even colon cancer in laboratory tests.  It has also been linked to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance.

5. Artificial colors have found to be toxic and only seven colors remain on the FDA's approved list.  Yellow #5 is now under review due to links to hyperactivity, anxiety, migraines and cancer.

6. Propylene glycol is the main ingredient in antifreeze.  It has been linked to damage to the central nervous system, liver and heart.

7. Triclosan - is linked to a decrease in thyroid hormone and an increase in antibiotic resistance.

So, in my efforts to recycle and use healthy, sustainable products, I have found some natural toothpastes that are fun for children to make and are better for their oral health. They can be mixed and stored in reusable containers.

One healthy toothpaste is made from three simple ingredients: Coconut oil which helps kill off bacteria, prevents tooth decay and removes harmful chemicals; baking soda which kills off germs, neutralizes your mouth and eliminates bad breath and stains and sea salt which can rid teeth of stains and also kills germs.  

Simply take three tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of sea salt.  Combine all ingredients.  For a minty fresh taste, add a drop or two of peppermint essential oil. Stir together in a small jar that can be reused again.

If coconut does not agree with you, there are coconut free toothpaste recipes online that you can try.

I will add the toothpaste to my growing collection of recycled, renewed and sustainable products.  It is growing every day