Tag: Garden

  • Another Post About Kale

    The internet doesn’t need more kale recipes. I almost didn’t post this for that very reason, but then my husband reminded me the internet wouldn’t exist without unnecessary and redundant information. And I’m not posting kale recipes because it’s trendy. I’m posting kale recipes because it’s all I grew this summer so it’s all we…

  • Summer 2013

    This summer has gone somewhere, though I’m not entirely sure where. I can tell by my hands that I’ve been working. A few of my fingertips are so cut and calloused that my fingerprint swirls seem to be changing direction, accommodating these new scars. There are burns on my knuckles and even a stretch of…

  • Free Day

    Occasionally I get lucky enough to be so ahead on grant proposals that I have no other choice but to put down my computer and take a day for me. I’m still learning how to shut off that part of my brain that needs to keep busy with work-related tasks during the week. Slowly I’m…

  • Coffee Sack Window Box Liner

    A few years ago we tried to make our tiny garage look less like an afterthought and more like part of our yard. I made curtains, hung terracotta pots and planted flowers in a window box with a coconut fiber liner. Then the squirrels promptly took over. They churned up the soil and all the…

  • Holding on to Summer

    Somewhere along the line work knocked me over and stole part of my summer. I remember June and the first part of July, but then it gets hazy. Summer evening walks in the park turned into summer evenings with me inside, blinds drawn, watching Disney movies. Lots and lots of Disney movies. I can take…

  • Summer

    The hot hot summer heat has got us in its fiery grip, but that hasn’t stopped us from enjoying summer like we should. Mint Juleps to keep us cool. Fresh salad from the garden makes every meal special. Fresh berries on everything from breakfast to dinner makes Jack jealous. Creating a pie a week has…

  • Tomatoes

    I’m a big fan of growing tomatoes, but not a huge fan of eating them plain. I simply like how prolific they are. The fact they multiply without much effort on my part makes them my favorite part of our mildly productive garden. That and the green peppers. This weekend we maxed out on tomato…

  • Waging the Battle

    I used to have daydreams about which town would claim me. As a twelve-year-old who hoped to someday see her name in lights, I envisioned signs welcoming visitors to Small Town, IN or Small Town, MN with: WELCOME TO (whatever city claims me) Population 5,000 Home of Claire Ellen My upbringing was split between these…

  • Dear Summer,

    Thank you for sharing your sunshine. It’s so generous of you. This past week and weekend proved again that summer produces extraordinary fun. It might actually just be ordinary fun, but the warmth and the sun and the life that it brings makes it extra special. This week summer fun came in the form of…

  • It’s a Jungle Out There

    Heat in the 90s. Humidity at 80%. Rain and storms nearly every day. It’s kind of rough on us (well, rough on the dog), but our yard and garden are loving it. We’ve got some serious green going on in our backyard. Plenty of room for fetch AND a lovely garden. Peas and tomatoes fighting…