Rainy evenings are the perfect time to curl up in front of the woodstove with a glass of wine and a cat. This is how we hunkered down for the epic storm that did not come two weeks ago, and this is often the reward at the end of a wet weekend day working around the homestead. In between October downpours, we planted garlic and mulched it in, and weeded and mulched half of the garden with leaves. ...
Calm Before the Storm
We've got some wild fall weather moving in to the Pacific Northwest, so I thought I would take a moment to appreciate the still, misty mornings and fall color before the leaves fly away. The big elm tree in our yard is usually the first herald of autumn around here, and the most short-lived. I enjoyed its cheery yellow color while we were out weeding the raised beds and planting the ...
If the Shoe Fits
My latest garden shenanigans have involved planting succulents in old shoes. High heels are one of those things where I really like and appreciate the way they look, but I am just not into wearing them. Ever. So, this way I get to enjoy them without wobbling around and worrying about falling on my face. Yeah for creative DIY solutions! There are enough various succulents growing around my ...
Sweet Annie
Sweet Annie (Artemisia annua), otherwise known as sweet sagewort, sweet woodworm, annual mugwort, annual wormwood, and Chinese wormwood, is a deliciously fragrant dried flower you should know about. It is most commonly used in dried flower arrangements and wreaths, but also has some medicinal uses due to high levels of antioxidants and flavonoids. I had experience making decorated bird houses in ...
Knowing Beans
"I was determined to know beans." ~Henry David Thoreau ...
September Happenings Around the Homestead
Fall is a time of change, and as is often the case with change, with it comes good things. As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, trees are ripe with fruit, vegetables are ready to harvest, and wild fruits are ready for the picking. Gathering it all up can be a lot of work, but it's a fair price to pay for enjoying all the season has to offer. As we head into this busy time on a ...
Keep Your Face to the Sunshine
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It's what the sunflowers do.” ~Helen Keller ...
Girard Ridge Lookout Tower
There is no room with a view that can top a fire lookout tower. We have quite a few of them around Oregon available for rent through the Forest Service that I have enjoyed over the years, but I had never visited one in another state. When we started planning our trip down to Yosemite, we found one in California that seemed like a good stopping point for the drive back. I had never really explored ...
Backpacking Ostrander Lake
When visiting National Parks, I have found that spending some time in the backcountry is the way to go for many reasons. Having heard all kinds of things about Yosemite's crowds and campgrounds you need to reserve a year or more ahead, I planned our time in the park around backpacking. Even though I made the backcountry reservation several months ahead, things were already pretty filled up ...
A Flower’s Roots
The fairest thing in nature, a flower, still has its roots in earth and manure. D. H. Lawrence Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/flower_3.html "The fairest thing in nature, a flower, still has its roots in earth and manure." ~D.H. Lawrence The fairest thing in nature, a flower, still has its roots in earth and manure. D. H. Lawrence Read more at: ...