Category: Gardening

  • Ye Olde Homestead

    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…

  • Sunny Sunday

    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…

  • Sewing, Birding, Jamming

    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…

  • Fon-Didn’t

    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…

  • Literally Dreaming of Spring

    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…

  • Snow, No Pho

    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…

  • Pho and Snow

    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 —…

  • Food I’m Growing in 2026

    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…

  • The Last Harvest of the Year

    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…

  • 2025 Garden Totals

    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.…