Category: Gardening
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Ye Olde Homestead
Signs of life observed this week: Buds on the hydrangea. Arugula sprouts. Unknown flower bulbs. This weekend I really just wanted to pretend I was on a homestead (after watching several videos during the week about people buying farms in Ireland, Portugal and more — Tom’s idea). It kinda worked. I strode about the backyard…
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Sunny Sunday
After a rainy, gloomy week, the sun came out Sunday and the temperature hit 71 degrees. I spent some time outside topping off a planter and adding compost, and then sowing three types of carrot seed (Scarlet Nantes, Royal Chantenay and Little Finger). All the straw on the strawberries — I brushed that off. I…
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Sewing, Birding, Jamming
What a difference a week makes. We had a high of 57 on Saturday and we made it to March. Hurray! Can I just say how much I love sleeping in a little on Saturdays, then coming downstairs to sunshine pouring in the windows. Slowly making coffee and toast, not rushing. Jotting down a few…
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Fon-Didn’t
My frozen yard and my cold heart both melted a little this weekend. Temps close to 50 on Saturday started the thaw. I went out back to enjoy the mildness and lay eyes on the garden. I hadn’t been in the yard for weeks. It was heartening to see some creeping thyme, perfectly alive under…
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Literally Dreaming of Spring
Maybe we should have bone-chillingly cold weekends more often. Being stuck in the house made me very productive. This weekend I have made meatballs, gravy, stuffed shells and banana bread. I have all the ingredients for pasta fagioli and was contemplating knocking it out, but will push that to tomorrow night. I’ve done three loads…
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Snow, No Pho
It’s been sleeting here for hours. We definitely got more sleet than snow, and knock on wood, it looks like we will escape the ice. Today was a nearly perfect snow day. All five of us shared the shoveling. The kids learned early on that they won’t have school tomorrow. I busied myself baking chocolate…
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Pho and Snow
Happy three-day weekend to those who are so blessed. I have many small fulfilling things to report this week! Perhaps the most important is that I refinanced my car loan yesterday. Now my interest rate is more than 4% lower and I also shortened the term. It told me how much I was saving —…
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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…
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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…
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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.…