Breaking the spell of cabin fever
It's amazing how -21 degrees F can put things into perspective. We've had a cold snap for the past few days, but today the sun came out and temps reached 11 degrees by the early afternoon. We had to get outside. What amazed me is how warm 11 degrees feels after we've been living in the equivalent of a deep freeze for several days. (I'm … Continue reading the story "Breaking the spell of cabin fever"
Popping Sam’s popcorn
This spring Sam decided he wanted to grow popcorn. We were at Bundi Gardens, and he saw the popcorn plants in the containers and had to have them. I can easily tell the boys "no" in the … Continue reading the story "Popping Sam’s popcorn"The beginning of my herbal wellness arsenal
when I was growing up I worked for a lady who knew a considerable amount about herbs. As we worked together, she often told me of their history and uses. Even after work hours, one of my favorite activities was to check herbal books out of the library and jot down the various uses on notecards. I was on my way to learning a lot, … Continue reading the story "The beginning of my herbal wellness arsenal"
Christmas cakes
Instead of Christmas cookies, we have a cake theme going this year. It was inspired by the book my mother bought the boys called, You Can Do It, Sam, 
about a mother bear and her cub Sam who baked cakes for their friends. Sam the little bear took each … Continue reading the story "Christmas cakes"
about a mother bear and her cub Sam who baked cakes for their friends. Sam the little bear took each … Continue reading the story "Christmas cakes"Enjoying a snowless winter
I'm almost afraid of saying it out loud, but I LOVE having no snow on the ground. If this keeps up I won't be kvetching nearly as much as I normally do throughout the entire yucky season. My biggest gripe about winter, besides being constantly cold, is the dangerous roads. I've driven … Continue reading the story "Enjoying a snowless winter"One reason I love what I do
My latest article in Organic Gardening magazine hit the stands a couple of weeks ago. The piecee is on the very Montanan town of Bozeman is a hot bed of all things fun, funky and earth-conscience. Although I dearly love Great Falls, Bozeman is the place with great food, neat shops and a whole lot going on in the … Continue reading the story "One reason I love what I do"Weekly bread baking
Earlier this year I decided I was going to start baking our own bread. Being the control freak that I am, I want to know what's going into it. ( I even planted wheat in anticipation of grinding my own flour, but had issues with germination. Next year I'll be sure to have a decent sized … Continue reading the story "Weekly bread baking"Playing in the barn
One of my favorite things about going back to Ohio is visiting the farm. It's been in our family since the early 1900s (we're still trying to pinpoint the exact date), and although it's considerably smaller than the original 100 acres because roughly 75 acres were sold to create the Barberton Reservoir in 1925, it's … Continue reading the story "Playing in the barn"Tucking the nuc in for the winter
Marriage is a series of compromises. Grant puts up with potatoes and carrots underneath the house, plants taking up every windowsill by March, and an unending supply of dirt tracked inside during every month that's not blanketed in snow (even so, there is mud season in between). On the flip side, I now live above a few thousand bees underneath my feet. Grant has a … Continue reading the story "Tucking the nuc in for the winter"
Decades of inspiration and instruction
I started working when I was 10 years old when Ruth Newberry, the owner of the Herb Basket in Sharon Center, Ohio hired me to weed and help her in her gardens for 75 cents per hour. I could ride my bike to her house, which was probably a mile away, and worked for her … Continue reading the story "Decades of inspiration and instruction"