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How to Tell When Garlic Is Ready to Be Harvested

garlic plantAs I mentioned recently, I get three kinds of calls from family. Last week it was my sister asking how to tell if her garlic was ready to be picked.

Where we live (in the Northeast), we plant hard neck varieties at the end of September into early October, which means our harvest time is roughly mid-July to end of of July. This is my sister’s first year of planting her own, and she wasn’t sure when to pull her … Read More

So You’d Like Me to Hitch Hike

“Mom, can I take the train in to Boston to go to a Red Sox game with Dan?”

“Just you and Dan?”

(Both kids are only 16. Dan is one of Cait’s many guy friends.)

“Yep.”

“How come he’s inviting you and not one of his buddies?”

“They’re all Yankees fans. I’m the only Red Sox fan he knows.”

(What my daughter also fails to mention is that she lives for adventure!)

“Where does the train get in? How far … Read More

How to Prevent Dog Urine From Creating Burn Spots in Your Lawn

There are three types of calls I routinely get from my family:

  1. All medical related concerns thanks to my EMT background.
  2. All vegetable gardening questions thanks to more than a couple of decades of dirt under my fingernails.
  3. Last but not least…  Dogs of course!

It ensures that I regularly get to hear from most of my family fairly often.  The most recent call I fielded was from one of my nephews who has a delightful female Golden Retriever. As … Read More

The Time Has Come…

… the Walrus said, to talk of other things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings…

Anything but how time is starting to catch up with my beloved girl…

Kiera is closing in on 13 years old. Her recent visit to the vet confirmed what I had been observing. Kiera is now 90% blind.

So we make changes. And we adjust. And we now use baby gates to prevent her from getting stuck on the stairs … Read More

I’m Thinking Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

The garden is lush with all the rain and warming temps. It looks like it’s going to be a bountiful season. We already have lots of lettuce and herbs, peas and beans, kale and broccoli, and of course all the June berries.

Looking for a quick something for dessert this evening, I came back with these. I was thinking a nice strawberry rhubarb crisp would be refreshing.

strawberries in a basket

But Graidy was thinking fresh strawberries…… Read More

What’s In a Name?

Cait was doing her homework at the kitchen table while I was getting dinner ready.

Out of nowhere, she started, “Mom, Shanley is a funny name. It’s kind of hard and soft sounding at the same time. And I always have to spell it because no one ever gets it right.”

“I don’t even wait for people to ask me to spell it anymore, I just automatically do now,” I said in agreement.

“And I always end up toward the … Read More

The Best Presents…

The presents I love most always come free and unattached to any Hallmark holiday. This little gift of peonies are fresh cut from my garden and the smell is heavenly. Which is interesting. Because I’m allergic to perfume. But not to the incredible scent of these beauties. But this bouquet is especially special to me because it carries a secret message.

peonies in vase

Did you spot it?


Cait is always leaving me little notes expressing her love for me. I’ll often sit … Read More

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