Longtime readers of this blog know that there has been a fair amount of animal loss over the last few years. Wink is our last man standing. And when it’s his time to join his animal family on the other side, I’m not sure I will be ready to go right back to adding more animals.
It’s been decades and decades since I’ve lived without animals. While the joy they’ve provided me is immeasurable, I think I want to have … Read More
There’s a trick to getting not-soggy, not chewy, but perfectly CRISP kale chips every time. And I’m going to share 2 of my secrets to ensure your success. But first the recipe!
1. Start with a bunch or two of kale and rinse well. (As it so happens, I have several bunches from the garden that need using.)
2. Use a salad spinner to dry well. [SECRET #1: You need to start with very dry kale pieces—moisture contributes to sogginess.]… Read More
Ok, between covid cabin fever and winter snowstorms, I am SO over it. To keep myself sane, I’m thinking green!
As in this kind of green. I’m dreaming and planning for my summer gardens.
Over the years, my gardens have shrunk in size for lack of time to keep up with them.
I started going back to raised beds this past summer. For now, this is the perfect, manageable size.
But I’m thinking of going one step further. I’ve been … Read More
The things I think about…
I’ve had to do some work recently that’s required looking at maps, which got me thinking about how map land sizes can be skewed. Which got me thinking about the times I’ve flown over oceans and couldn’t fathom their size, which got me thinking about how perception changes based on context. And then I got to thinking about how much land vs how much ocean… Well, you can see the rabbit hole I went … Read More
I overheard Cait explaining to someone recently that what I do for fun is to spend time outside, especially on windy days. I intuitively understand the benefits of being out in nature—I don’t need scientific proof.
But if you do, there is actually a word for this: uitwaaien. “It’s basically the activity of spending time in the wind, usually by going for a walk or a bike ride. Today, the practice is so common that it’s known as ‘uitwaaien.’ … Read More
While this year has seen some damages to some of my fruit trees–I lost all my plum trees and one cherry tree–I continue to get a bumper crop of Asian Pears.
My three trees are bearing so many pears this year that I had to pick at least half before they were fully ripe to prevent the branches from breaking from the weight. Even with that, I lost one limb in a windstorm.
So what do you do with the … Read More
Life is indeed overwhelming these days. What with the non-stop political circus ramping up to beyond frenzied levels, just for starters… Even so, we need to find a way to not be distracted and to remember to expand our consciousness beyond our short-term, short-sighted actions.
Earth Overshoot Day came on July 29 this year. This is the second time the day, which marks the time at which humanity has used up its allotment of natural planetary resources for the year, … Read More
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