What inspires you? People? Places? Experiences? Lately, I’ve sensed inspiration all around. Spring will do that to a girl. But also I’ve lately encountered wisdom-filled conversations and travel to thrumming cities. Like I said, inspiration everywhere. So … time for a little sharing. First, my profile of a man who has been inspiring gardeners forContinue reading “Inspiration”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Tangy Tomatillos
We pulled out the tomatillo plants a few weeks ago. I’m missing them already. For years we had talked of growing these delightful cousins to the tomato but had never found the plants when we needed them. So we’d move on, regretfully. Next year, we’d sigh, we’ll try those tomatillos. Then this spring, it allContinue reading “Tangy Tomatillos”
An Okra Adventure
My husband is the magic behind our garden. It was his idea to begin growing our food the first summer we owned a home, all those years ago. He is the planner and planter. I’m the second-wave worker, on maintenance and harvest. But every now and then, I pipe up with a suggestion. What aboutContinue reading “An Okra Adventure”
Pesto Possibilities
The basil came late to our garden this year. We planted it, same as always, but for some complex convergence of heat and rain, sunlight and nutrients and pollinators, it took awhile to get going. It was the same with the carrots. But now that a little rain has arrived, the carrots — and even moreso, theirContinue reading “Pesto Possibilities”
Grateful for Zucchini Galore
Growing zucchini can be tricky at our house. We have a small yard with a big garden and once we attract insects like squash bugs or squash vine borers, it’s tough to find a way to give our plants a pest-free zone. One year in an attempt to save them from the bugs overwintering in ourContinue reading “Grateful for Zucchini Galore”
The Raspberries Are Ready
My raspberry bushes made me so happy I could cry last week. For the first time since we bought those first woody canes four or five years ago, they produced more fruit than we knew what to do with. Bowl after bowl, day after day, we picked big, bright berries. And the next day, thereContinue reading “The Raspberries Are Ready”
Sampling Scapes
Garlic is not a mainstay of our garden. We have grown it a few times, but most years we struggle to find garlic bulbs in the fall, when it’s time to plant. Last year, though, I asked at my farmers market: Will you be selling any seed garlic this year? When should I look forContinue reading “Sampling Scapes”
Strawberry Season
Strawberry season is nearly over at our house. We’re just about done with those three weeks or so in May when our two berry patches draw us in and don’t let go. Sleep? Dinner? Travel? Forget it. We have berries to pick! In the cool of nearly every evening, we search and snap the redContinue reading “Strawberry Season”
Why I Cook Dinner
True confession: Sometimes I hate making dinner. I know, I know. You do too. It takes too much time and you don’t have everything the recipe calls for and you get distracted by your dryer beeping then you burn something. Or maybe you put a beautiful, healthy dinner on your table and someone says inContinue reading “Why I Cook Dinner”
Snow Days
I remember so fondly the snow days from my North Carolina childhood. Peeking out the window expectantly, devouring the AM radio cancelation list, scrambling into gloves and hats and boots. There were forts to be fashioned, snowmen to be birthed, hills to be sledded. I remember, too, when my thrill of snow was put onContinue reading “Snow Days”