“The light changes 10 minutes every day,” explained my friend about the palpable shift from one morning to the next in the Alaskan city where she lived for several years. She had loved that fast-forward sunlight feature. How each day was dramatically different from the one before. How the sun’s rays could be in a completely newContinue reading “Brightening the Winter Blues”
Author Archives: christinanifong
Treasure Hunt
We found Christmas in the unlikeliest of places My youngest was strapped in a Baby Bjorn the first year our family cut our Christmas tree at Roll Out Farm in Pilot, Va. It wasn’t the first time we’d trekked to a Christmas tree farm. We had visited other places that were closer, and flashier, withContinue reading “Treasure Hunt”
Fall Is My Nesting Season
Anyone who has welcomed a new baby to their world has heard of the nesting instinct — that desire to put in place every supply, every space, every tool ahead of the life-changing arrival. I have no new babies in my future. And yet, the urge to organize, plan, prepare is strong every year rightContinue reading “Fall Is My Nesting Season”
Scrapbooking By a Thread
You’ll find my fondest family memories on my phone Okay. Okay. I admit. I’ve got an OCD streak or two. The kitchen floor must be swept every night. Clothes drawers must be kept tidy. And after I’m done with a text thread, it’s deleted. No old messages cluttering up my phone. Well … except one. ThatContinue reading “Scrapbooking By a Thread”
Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins
These were a hands-down hit for my house last spring and early summer as we had raspberries ripening on our backyard bushes faster than we could eat them. But frozen berries work, as well. The beauty of this recipe is that the fruit provides much of the sweetness, so no need for a lot ofContinue reading “Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins”
Super Simple Roasted Vegetables
Eating local means embracing root vegetables, especially in the winter — and on into spring. That’s hard for some folks, I know. To me, roasting the roots brings out their best flavor — and makes for a pretty simple meal. My go-to roasted veggie recipe includes winter greens and nice dash of cayenne and turmeric.Continue reading “Super Simple Roasted Vegetables”
The Kitty Connection
As my teen grew up and away from me, a sweet little bundle of fur brought us back together My girl slips in the back door after a long day at the end of a long week. She looks weary and defeated. Her big brown eyes are dragging suitcases under them. It’s tough to be aContinue reading “The Kitty Connection”
Even the Bricks Don’t Seem the Same
Who knew how different our home would feel as the kids grew? When I click through old photos on a whim, I am always astonished. My kids were that tiny? The floors were that messy? And the house. Is that really our dining room? Why does it seem like someone else’s? Except for the kitchen,Continue reading “Even the Bricks Don’t Seem the Same”
Springtime Fried Rice
We love fried rice at our house — served with some rubbed pork or sautéed tofu or even as the star attraction of our dinner, with a little Ginger Orange Sesame Slaw on the side. And Spring is the perfect season for it, what with the hens laying regularly again, the herbs growing like weeds,Continue reading “Springtime Fried Rice”
Cinnamon Coffee Cake
I haven’t made a coffee cake in years. They always seemed a little tasteless and disappointing. And there were so many better options. Like Morning Glory Muffins or Brown Sugar and Spice Banana Bread or Cornmeal Blueberry Scones. But a volunteer signup requested coffee cake, so I went searching. The first few recipes I triedContinue reading “Cinnamon Coffee Cake”