Frost possibility? In mid-May. Of course it’s Minnesota. Sigh. Well, Mother Nature, when you are ready to give us spring in more than one-day increments, I will be ready to plant my vegetable gardens and pot my flower pots and get my hands dirty in the soil. Hint, hint. Read more…
A Simply Perfect Mother's Day.
My Mother’s Day was perfect for many, small reasons. 1. Breakfast in bed. This has been a tradition in our house since Joe was old enough to help in the kitchen. Joe delivered an egg, over easy, on toast, a big bowl of fresh strawberries and a glass of cranberry juice – all while I happily […] Read more…
Wordless Wednesday: Wishful Thinking.
Wishful thinking for a garden bed full of bright, colorful zinnias. Current temperature: -8 degrees (and that doesn’t count the wind chill). Yes, it’s January and yes, it’s Minnesota. But I can still take out my garden catalogs and wish for warmer, spring days. It’s what we do here in Minnesota when the weather gets […] Read more…
My Tomato Epiphany (and Tomato-Chive-Parmesan Pasta Salad).
By tomato lover standards (if there are such standards), my garden is paltry. I hear tales of people who plant 30, 40 even 50 plants and then spend fall weekends happily canning away. (Or at least they claim they love to can – you know, 36 quarts of this, that and the other thing.) Me? […] Read more…
The Glory of the Late Summer Garden.
The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul. – Alfred Austin My perennial flowers are loving this late summer heat wave, as long as I give them a drink of water (or two) […] Read more…
Home on the Farm
This weekend we spent part of our time at “The Farm”, where I grew up. This is where my parents have lived for over four decades, and where my brother and his family also live. My parents built their house while I was a baby and we moved there from town when I was about […] Read more…
A Little Hydrangea Heaven.
Where is August going? I feel the tick-tock of the back-to-school clock already … and I haven’t even gotten to the Minnesota State Fair yet. (The State Fair, by the way, is a pretty big deal for my office – I will promise to blog a bit about all the ways we (wait for it […] Read more…
Monday Staycation – In Rewind
I am on vacation this week, and I have instructed the office not to call me unless it is a dire emergency. Since I work with very smart and understanding coworkers, I am sure they will heed my plea. (Seriously. I have awesome coworkers.) I need this week off. We don’t have big plans and, […] Read more…