I’ve never been one to make New Year’s resolutions since I knew I could never keep the most stringent ones, and the lax ones are things I already do ( like flossing, and scrubbing the bath tile). BUT the list on Caregiver.com offers a pretty compelling and doable list (which happens to corresponds to ourContinue reading “To Resolution –Or Not”
Category Archives: Sustainable Living
Book Award and Review!
It’s not food, OR garden, not really, although both figure in the book, but I’m thrilled to post two things here: The fact that my novel, A Love Like No Other: Abigail and John Adams, A Modern Love Story has won a Mom’s Choice Award! moms-choice-award AND The Kirkus Review of a-love-like-no-other-review
Planting Garlic in Faith
Two days ago, I planted half of the hardneck garlic I intend to put in this year. I had chosen a bed that hadn’t held any last season and yanked out the desiccated tomato plants (we picked our last green ones, which are turning red on the porch as I write, about five days ago)Continue reading “Planting Garlic in Faith”
A Buzzing Retirement Plan
My latest essay in The Christian Science Monitor’s Home Forum: My husband is outside our office, splitting wood. In between the rhythmic thwack! of the splitting maul, he’s singing Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” Except, he’s not singing words. He’s buzzing the melody. Buzz buzz buzz buzz (whack) buzz buzz buzz buzz (whack) buzz buzz buzz buzz buuuuzzzz bzContinue reading “A Buzzing Retirement Plan”
At Least It’s Been a Lettuce Year
This was a hard spring for many of us – we had frost over here on the upper Eastern Shore of Maryland in May with plenty of rain and cool, overcast days – all of which put most of us into something of a funk and at least two or three weeks behind in planting. In fact,Continue reading “At Least It’s Been a Lettuce Year”
WHY Would You Graft Tomatoes?!
When I first heard of grafted tomato plants, I thought: Grafting? Of annuals? Really? Grafting woody perennials, yes. The time, attention and effort required to produce a successful graft rewards us with years of fruit (trees) and/or beauty (think: roses). But all that work for the tender stems of tomato plants that only lastContinue reading “WHY Would You Graft Tomatoes?!”
Grow What You Love to Eat*
It’s slightly more complicated than your fourth grade biology project, but a whole lot more rewarding: starting your own garden plants from seed indoors. “It’s a lot of fun,” says veteran gardener Tina Beneman. “There’s nothing more exciting than seeing the seeds sprout, especially when everything outside is dormant and gray.” For years Beneman hasContinue reading “Grow What You Love to Eat*”
Pulling Supper Off The Shelves
One of the reasons I love to can is the bounty you end up with in the dead of winter. As long as there are jars of last year’s produce safely tucked away on the pantry shelves, I feel safe (smug even) when the weatherman starts talking about Snowmageddon and urges everyone to rush outContinue reading “Pulling Supper Off The Shelves”
The Fruits of Our Labor
Three years ago, I fell victim to a sale for something I really didn’t need. Well let’s face it, many of us do. This one was from Logee’s Plants for Home and Garden in Connecticut. It offered a three-fer on little citrus trees. It was like I’d been sucker-punched and went into an auto-order daze.Continue reading “The Fruits of Our Labor”
Seeding Peas Because Spring WILL Come
I really didn’t think spring would come this year. But we’ve had a couple of warmish, hopeful days in between storms, just enough of a taste at the tail end of an appalling winter to be able to at least imagine spring up ahead. It’s encouragement enough to start some seeds. Farmers’ and old gardeners’Continue reading “Seeding Peas Because Spring WILL Come”
Nancy Taylor Robson 