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How to Hill Potatoes

/ Nature / By / 2 Comments

Ah, the vagaries of gardening in the Northeast…  An exceptionally rainy Spring has brought more than a few false starts with rotting seeds, and slow starts with battered seedlings. Such setbacks are par for the course when you throw in with Mother Nature. It’s all part of the adventure.

Even with an uncooperative Spring, there are a few plants that are flourishing, including my potatoes, which are growing like crazy. Having just finished a second hilling, I thought I’d … Read More

My Kindle

/ Funnies, Life / By / 5 Comments

Okay, so this shoebox of books I keep in my car isn’t technically a Kindle, but for me it serves the same purpose.  Aside from the fact that my shoebox only holds around six books vs Kindle’s 1,500, it does provide a serviceable selection of reading material at a moment’s notice.

With all the waiting I do for Cait from after-school sports these days, I’m always sitting around with time to spare.  Having a handy book helps pass the time.… Read More

Two Essential Questions

/ Dogs in General, Funnies, Life / By / 9 Comments

A friend with dogs and kids sent me one of those “Been there, done that” emails. It read:

Life really boils down to two essential questions.

1. Should I get a dog? Or…
essential1

2. Should I have children?

essential2

I’d have to say on behalf of those of us who have “been there and done that,” having a dog first definitely helps to develop important skills you’ll need later as a parent.  At the very least, there’s a good likelihood your … Read More

Birds of a Feather

/ Cait and Me, Finnegan the Coon Cat, Life, My Dogs and Me / By / 5 Comments

Yes, time flies — and those of us, ahem, over a certain age know exactly just how fast. Seems every time I turn around another one of my animals has just turned another year older. Just this week Finnegan and Wink have traveled around the sun one more time.

maine coon catFinnegan is 6 years old now — the longest I’ve had a cat live.  He tells me he’s going to live to be 16. I’m choosing to take him at his … Read More

Happy Mother’s Day

/ Funnies, Life / By / 2 Comments

To all my “mom” friends–here are a few smiles to brighten your day.

[Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:]

Why did God make mothers?

  1. She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
  2. Mostly to clean the house.
  3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

  1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
  2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
… Read More

My Article in New Homesteading Magazine

/ On Writing / By / 2 Comments

Flagship issue of New Homesteading MagazineIt’s no secret that I’ve been working toward producing most of my family’s food for the past several years. And while I don’t even come close to qualifying as a real homesteader, I do seem to represent a rapidly growing segment of the gardening population: people who have become extremely conscientious about where and how they get their food. Think locavore on organic fertilizer. You know, those of us who’ve rediscovered the wisdom of the “Victory Garden” of yore and … Read More

The Case of the Dog Food Mouse, the City Mouse, and the Country Mouse

/ Cait and Me, Funnies, Life, My Dogs and Me / By / 1 Comment

So goes a recent phone conversation between Cait at home after school, and Andrew and me at work. Cait calls. Andrew picks up the phone.

Cait: Dad, there’s a mouse in the dog food drawer. How do I get it out?

Andrew: Yell at it.

Cait: Yell at it?

Andrew: Yeah, that’ll scare it out.

Cait: Is Mom there?

Andrew (handing me the phone): Cait wants to talk to you .

Me: Hey honey, what’s up?

Cait: Mom,there’s a mouse

… Read More
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