Living life simply…
When I spotted tree peonies for $24 at a small local plant shop in 2014, I snapped up one of each variety they had (they had two). I planted both in the potager and they started growing, slowly (they are a shrub after all, not an herbaceous peony). After a few years, I noticed the…
A season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh,…
Gardening season is back in full swing. Here in Maine we have what’s called “Black Fly Season”, which typically goes from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day, but it can start earlier and drag on longer depending on the weather. The result is that there’s this short, sweet season in between spring thaw and the time…
We have a few really old apple trees on our property, they were planted by the original homesteaders in the late 1800’s, which means they are all well over 100 years old. Last spring we lost one to a late spring blizzard, it was in rough shape and needed to come down anyways, so we…
Maple sap is flowering, birds are singing, the days are getting longer and the sun is starting to put off some warmth. It feels like spring outside! This kind of weather always has me itching to get outside and I’m happy to have chores that need done. This year I’m boiling down some of the…
Last Wednesday I started the first seeds of the 2021 gardening season, that’s means it’s officially garden season. This week the process continues with two varieties of celery (Tango from Johnny’s and Merlin from Renee’s Garden), Italian flat leaf parsley, and celeriac. When it comes to things that I don’t grow an entire flat of,…
It’s hard to believe that it’s time to start seeds for the 2021 summer garden! As I sit at my computer I can see freezing rain falling outside, coating all the trees in a layer of sparkling beauty. When you grow onions from seed, they need started early in the year. Valentine’s Day is the…
I’ve always enjoyed sewing. My mom showed me how to use the sewing machine when I was small and I took it right away. In those day I make clothes for my Barbies. In high school I made a lot of clothes, then transitioned to pillows, curtains, and other household items when we bought our…
We are supremely lucky here in our area to have a wide variety of things grown, produced, and created by our local communities. Last summer, a new mushroom farm opened up down the road. All summer I stopped at the roadside self-help stand and purchased mushrooms. Last week I ordered a big box so I…
I’ve always had houseplants scattered all over the house. I supposed it comes from my mom, who always enjoyed plants and gardening and was always trying a new houseplant from the grocery store. My collection has grown steadily over the years, there are sansevieras, ivies, schlumbergeras, loads of African violets, jade plants, and a wide…