HUG ME! Or I will eat your SOUL!, written 1 week ago, So, in the afterglow of my writing project, my fellow Etsian and best writing buddy ever Liz Staley inspired me to create a knitted Cthulhu. For those of you who, like me, are not horror fans, you can read about Cthulhu here. Some aspects of this...

Oatmeal griddle cookioes with peaches, written 3 weeks ago, Ingredients 1 1/4 cups skim milk, heated to just below a simmer 1 1/2 cups regular oats 2 x large eggs, whisked 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1/3 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1 cup p...

Soldiers served contaminated water and rotten food., written 4 days ago, I apologize for not blogging about gardening. I hate to rant, but this needs to be said and this is the best way for me to spread the word. I thought it was shocking when mold and infestations were discovered in VA Medical Cen...

Last Leaves, written 1 month ago, Well , it won't be long now until the last leaves will fall and the trees will stand naked. I love fall, the crispness in the air and beautiful colors of the landscape. I often find myself collecting fallen leaves. Why, I don't know, because they are beautiful and I...

Home and garden information and products from Smarter.

This blog is a collection of photos, poems and reflections, from the garden and life in general.

Don't Cry, written 1 day ago, With all produce, nothing compares to growing your own, and onions are no exception.  Onions are a requisite ingredient in kitchens throughout the world.  Some varieties are excellent raw, whether sliced on burgers, or chopped in cold salads.  Others are preferre...

A Pillow to Match This is what I will do..., written 14 hours ago, A Pillow to Match This is what I will do with the leftovers. This pillow took an hour from start to finish. Mother of Pearl buttons were 50 cents in a packet. I love these all purpose shiny buttons. All pics are clickable.

All about care home gardens.

Riding Up a Storm, written 1 day ago, M & Woodstock (left) - Me & Snoopy (right) I hardly ever travel for Thanksgiving. Mostly because everybody else in the world is traveling so, first of all, I can't stand the crowds. And, secondly, I can't afford it! This year, airline discounts were des...

It's Time to Start Planning Next Year's Garden! Online Seed Sources & Helpful Growing Tips, written 3 weeks ago, Seven Kinds of Basil Seeds Started on My Potting Bench 6/12 (Late!) The Internet is an amazing resource for cooks and gardeners, but I'll never give up my cookbooks or seed catalogs....

From the 80s--A Garden in Cincinnati, written 2 days ago, I've had the good fortune to find another photo of my past garden in Anderson Township in Ohio. Looks like I was growing beans, zucchinis, cucumbers, tomatoes and various flowers. Despite the fact that we were growing this on the edge of the ...

Chanticleer Garden in Autumn, written 1 day ago, Although Chanticleer closed to visitors for the season a month ago, I was lucky to get in for a visit after its final curtain call. So, on a cloudy, warmish ‘but with a chill in the air’ first day of December, I came to this jewel of a gard...

Lighting the Front Garden, written 1 day ago,

Happy Turkey Day!, written 1 week ago, Ready for Turkey? Okay, so those are chickens. I don't have a picture of turkeys. These are my parents "girls". They live in Seattle and bring us some beautiful blue, green and tan eggs every so often in exchange for our leftover egg carton contai...

Do you know the different aspects of the care of Roses? Do you know their different major classes and their characteristics? Do you know how to avoid sending a rose into shock?

Up-to-date recipes, tips, and information about gardening and cooking for fresh contemporary cuisine.

Fran's Favs, written 1 week ago, This year (for 2009) we put something new in motion: Fran’s Fav’s Every year I will pick 5 of my favorite STEPABLES® to feature in photographs and articles here on the site, but also in magazines and TV shows throughout the country. This little idea is ver...

A Favorite Holiday Spot, written 5 days ago, As I approach the plaza at One California St. in San Francisco's financial district I pass massive planters of ornamental Asparagus densiflorus, AKA Foxtail fern or Myers Asparagus, a perfect plant for public areas amongst skyscraper office buildings. The...

Oh, no, more Photoshop, written 1 day ago, The only thing exciting is the egg hunt and egg counts. Today there were a total of 9. 5 tan from the Silver Laced Wyandottes, 3 dark brown from the Marans and a weird olive colored egg that could have been an odd one from either a Maran or an Easter Egge...