Sorry for the cheesy titles (this is why I'm not in journalism), but here are the forget me not seeds (well sprouts now!) that I planted awhile back! It is super exciting to see them grow! My room doesn't get the best doses of sunlight (and I think I've watered it maybe twice?), so I think a large part has to be that the soil I got from Zach was moist/all nutritious and stuff beforehand! 

Super exciting! I hope that flowers bloom soon, though realistically, they may or may not last. I'll keep you posted. I'm just proud green leaves and stuff are sprouting... it looks less like just a cup of dirt now.  :)

Cheers,
Jess.
 
Food adventures are always fun! My sister recently returned from her travels in Japan and Hong Kong and dropped off a few things for me! Tokyo Banana and Cha no Ka were some of them. :)
TOKYO BANANA - Banana Caramel Custard Cream
So this new fad in Asia is essentially a sponge-y cake with a distinct banana flavour. When bitten into, you'll find a caramel custard filling and mixed together, I have to say, is a pretty weird combination of flavours. Nonetheless, the giraffe spots and packaging made this quite irresistible! 
CHA no KA - Langue de Chat Made With OKOICHA and White Chocolate
These green tea wafer/cookie/cracker things were DELICIOUS! With a thin layer of white chocolate between the green tea wafers, it had just the right amount of sweetness. I really enjoyed this snack! I would've definitely taken a picture of the actual thing versus the picture of it, but I ate them a while back and forgot to take a photo.

These specialty treats are made exclusively in Kyoto, Japan. OKOICHA is strong Japanese tea that uses leaves grown specifically in Uji-Shirakawa, Kyoto. 


CHA no KA was created through the collaboration of 3 experts with high artisan skills in Kyoto - Kakuji Kojima, an expert  of tea leaf production, Haruhide Morita, a tea appraiser and Yasuhiko Ezaki, a patissier. Special white chocolate is sandwiched in between 2 pieces of OKOICHA langue de chat. 


So my dare for you this week is to try a new food! :) Maybe something with giraffe spots on it or some new green tea delicacy? 

Cheers,
Jess.
 
Gettin' all fancy with a green thumb this year! The lemon plants are alive and well (SHOCKING... we never water them. . .) and I just planted these Forget-Me-Not Seeds a few days ago. I haven't seen anything sprout yet, so let's keep our fingers crossed for this one!

Cheers, 
Jess.
 
Yay! So the lemon plants are alive and well! I see green spots starting to appear on my thumb ;)

Just wanted to give a photo-update on this project to prove that it DOES work! Follow the instructions from the previous post and you should be all set! Instead of putting pebbles on the top (since Kim and I couldn't find any...) we put some mulch on top and that has more or less contributed to holding the moisture in - therefore, letting us be slightly neglectful of the plants without killing them!

Will post updates in later weeks!

Cheers,
Jess.
 
Okay. Not physically to grow, because let's be real... that ship sailed a long time ago. (or sank. . .)

TIME IT TAKES: 2 DAYS

1. Buy some lemons.
2. Collect lemon seeds.
3. Soak them overnight.
4. Peel them in the morning.
5. Put seeds in small potted planter with soil.
6. Water. Give it some heat/sunlight and LOTS OF LOVE!
7. Wait...
8. Keep waiting. . .
9. Has it sprouted yet?
10. Good luck!
Credits to Pinterest!

Cheers,
Jess.
 
Starting off our weekly dares today is going to be something SUPER simple!

TIME IT TAKES: 5 minutes. 

1. Grab a sheet of paper. 
2. Write a note - thanking someone for being an inspiration, or checking in with an old friend, or just saying you noticed how hard they work/congratulations for their accomplishments. Doesn't have to be an essay's length. 
3. Now go find a postage stamp. Yes. We're goin' old school with post mail.
4. Write their address, lick the seal, and fire off that letter. 

I know this is very similar to my first PHO post, but...
DARE TO BE OLD-SCHOOL. 

Cheers, 
Jess.
 
Well I suppose by listing all the projects I want to get off the ground is really the first step.

Some of these belong on my to-do list, some of them are just being jotted down so I don't lose track of them (esp. when they float around my head).
Those who want to contribute to my projects in one way or another, just comment below!

Will add more as we go along!

Cheers,
Jess.

"Start where you are. Use what you have.  Do what you can." 
                                – Arthur Ashe


PETITE PROJECTS:
  1. Help establish the Trent Visual Arts Network.
  2. Find a way/collaborate to reform OC and CC's recycling system.
  3. Paint the resource cabinet in the KWIC office - kind of promised Julie this awhile back...
  4. Compile a resource binder (and potentially start-up website to archive previous Global Youth Days) for GYD and KWIC.
  5. Do recordings for the TISA choir songs this year.
  6. Paint-a-thon/Paint It Up 2.0 - How to make it bigger and better!
  7. Curate an art show on the Rotary Trail.
  8. Tackle this blog/site. (and bucket lists).
  9. Establish a network between universities to get projects off the ground - collaboration of specialties and skills.
  10. Organize a full scale Tuesday Talks program.