Garden State of Mind

Powered by
WordPress

  • Food I’m Growing in 2026

    I don’t change it up much from year to year. I like to grow things that I like to eat, and I’m kind of a basic gal. So this list looks much like last year’s. Someday when I have more room, I can grow luffas and tomatillos, but not now. Nothing listed here is new…

  • Plans for 2026: Garden, Travel, Scrimp, Party!

    My goal was not to be sick on Christmas, and I wasn’t. But most of us had strep throat this week. I guess it’s better than a cold or flu since once you get the meds it goes away. I resent having to pay $135 to urgent care so far. (But grateful for urgent care…

  • Cozy Christmas

    My homemade, handcrafted holidays are finally over, though I’ve still got time off coming up to enjoy. Last Tuesday and Wednesday I was on my feet a lot, and definitely had moments of “never doing this again.” Two of the kids were sick and thus I didn’t have a lot of help in terms of…

  • Solstice Night

    Now comes the time of the holiday season when I veer between rash, “Christmas comes but once a year” decision-making and “nope, I’m done” cost-cutting. This week, I had to chart a course through the middle, as I still had gifts to buy, and I had to start planning for hosting Christmas Eve. I should…

  • The Last Harvest of the Year

    Last week we had some frigid nights, with the mercury dropping to 17 degrees F. I was still recovering from being sick and figured the broccoli, carrots, etc. in the garden would be OK. But yesterday (Saturday), we were staring down a Winter Storm Warning that promised three to five inches of snow. So I…

  • Supporting Small Businesses This Holiday

    I’ve been sick for just about a solid week now, and I am cranky. I guess I should be happy that I am getting a little better every day and I can breathe out of my nose again, most of the time. Still, Christmas doesn’t care that you’re sick. To paraphrase Dr. Seuss, it will…

  • 2025 Garden Totals

    The 2025 garden totals are in! I’m pleased; this was a decent haul in a smaller garden compared to 2023. (I didn’t really garden in 2024.) My fenced-in garden is about 8 ft by 6 ft, so 48 square feet. In addition I had some large pots near the driveway for carrots, potatoes and herbs.…

  • The Anti-Black Friday

    How did I spend my Black Friday? Instead of shopping, I repaired: I sewed holes in three items of my clothing, so I can continue to wear them. I’m not particularly good at it, but I don’t mind my revolutionary mending showing. I created: I had a hankering to create something that wasn’t food. Poking…

  • A Cheapskate’s Guide to Repurposing Household Items in the Garden

    The garlic is starting to poke through the leaves! Not surprisingly, it seems the cloves I planted that had already sprouted are the first to reach the surface. Four of them are up. This makes me happy. Some of the lettuce and arugula seeds I planted have sprouted. Too soon to tell which is which.…

  • Wintry Walks & More Thrifting

    I really needed this weekend. I was practically skipping home on Friday, so glad the work week was done. Work was extremely busy; at home I was pulling single-parent duty Sunday through Tuesday while Tom and T went to Green Bay for the Eagles game. I worked from home Monday and Tuesday. N and F…