Our cabin sits at a lower elevation in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Washington. And right now it’s blackberry season. So when we go to the cabin I like to pick a bowlful to use in my meals. Our particular type of blackberry is not the plump variety that you get in stores. It’s a seedier variety that is okay if eaten fresh. But just try to bake with itRead More →
The fall season is a wonderful time for gathering natural materials for your autumn decor. I look to nature to provide much of my autumn decorations and embellishments. Not only do I enjoy the gathering process, but the colors and textures are perfect for the fall. I would like to share some of the natural materials that are ripe for the picking. And give you some suggestions on how toRead More →
Have you noticed that I frequently make fun of my zucchini. I really do enjoy eating and cooking with the zucchini that we grow in our garden. It’s just that zucchini can get out of control so quickly if you miss a day or two in picking it. We do regularly eat the zucchini from our garden. My go to methods of cooking zucchini include sauteing it in a littleRead More →
It’s feeling like Autumn… well, just a little. The mornings have a crispness to them. The sun hangs at a lower angle, which diffuses the light differently. And the garden is slowing down. Definitely not as many zucchinis growing in the autumn garden. So what’s a gardener to do when the season is slowly changing? Embrace it! Every season offers some enjoyment and beauty in the garden. As we moveRead More →
Can you believe that it’s September? It’s crazy how quickly the summer flew by. But this means that it’s time for another bowl of soup. The Soup of the Month for September is this Easy French Onion Soup. We have been using a lot of vegetables from the garden for the monthly soups and French Onion is no exception. It uses onions and garlic. Simple, but oh so delicious. IRead More →
Although we still have plenty of growing going on in the garden, it’s time to start preserving some of your herbs. Just like I process the beans, berries, tomatoes and zucchini as the summer progresses, I like to harvest my herbs and preserve them a little at a time as well. This way you won’t be overwhelmed at the end of the season with a massive job. Cooking with freshRead More →
Pavlova is an unassuming dessert. It is simple to make and it looks so plain by itself. But add a luscious fruit topping and you end up with something wonderful! If you bake the Pavlova correctly, the outside will be crispy while the inside will be marshmallow soft. Then cover it with whipped cream and fresh summer peaches for a sensational dessert. The Pavlova only takes a few ingredients toRead More →
Did you grow a cutting garden this year? Or do you have perennials that you love and would like to spread? Are you enjoying the flavorful herbs that you’re growing? If so, then you need to think about saving some of your seeds for next year. Saving seeds is easy to do and it will save you money when you go to plant your garden next spring. And if youRead More →
I have to face the truth…how about you? I am a procrastinator. I’m not really sure why, but I know that it’s a habit that I want to break. I have been procrastinating at hanging pictures back on the wall after our paint job. I have been procrastinating at going through my paper piles and I have definitely been procrastinating on dealing with all the zucchini we are growing. WhatRead More →
Every summer I grow sunflowers in my garden. I don’t grow them to eat the seeds but instead I love to use the flowers in my bouquets. One benefit of all of the sunflower plants are the little birds that it brings to the garden. Little finches, wrens and sparrows love to feast on the seeds as they dry. So I decided to make a Dried Sunflower Wreath for myRead More →