My new, go-to recipe for seasoned cabbage. As much as I would like to say I made this dish with my own homegrown cabbage, those brassicas still elude me. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage…I just have not been successful at growing. One day! #goals The garlic, however, is homegrown. So, there’s that at least. I’ve always loved the combination of cabbage and potatoes, and usually cook them together. This time, I tried something new and I am hooked. Here it is –…
colorful shed
November 14, 2019This week I am digging the fact that our work is finished – for this year at least – on our new shed. We worked hard over several sessions when the weather cooperated, to get it stained/painted before winter set in. We finished almost every last bit. There are a couple boards we did not get to and those will likely have to wait until spring now, with the cold here to stay. It’s pressure treated lumber, so should be…
tao 18
November 14, 2019Welcome to another week of the Tao te Ching. We are looking at chapter 18 this week. I really don’t know what to say about this chapter. It seems as if it’s saying (in a nutshell), “when everything goes to sh$t, good things come about as a result.” Messy and chaotic. For instance, from the Mitchell version: “When there is no peace in the family, filial piety begins.” Or, the same line from the Jankel version: “When there is conflict…
garden update
November 13, 2019Here is the garden update in a nutshell this week: The high yesterday was 26F. It’s not usual for us to get snow this early in the season and while it’s pretty, I hope it holds off for a while before the next one. I think garden season is over for me this year. I do still have some leaves to shred up for the raised beds, but that’s about it. Before I know it, I will be ordering seeds…
thanksgiving side dishes
November 12, 2019It seems much too early to be planning for the Thanksgiving gathering, but it’s really not that early. Just over two weeks away. We do our big feast here on the Saturday after and the man always cooks a turkey. I do several side dishes and our guests bring their wonderful dishes, too. It really is a feast. I’m trying to come up with some new things to cook, yet I don’t want to stop making the things I always…
favorite gardening podcasts, pt 3
November 11, 2019Way back in May & then again in October, I posted on my favorite gardening podcasts with the promise of more to come. That is where this post comes in… My next two podcasts are not focused on just gardening, per se. They cover much more and I just love them. The Plants We Eat This podcast is from UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens director, Jeff Gillman, and plant expert Cindy Proctor. I love, love, love these two and their interesting…
it’s still fall
November 8, 2019tao 17
November 7, 2019Welcome to another round of Thoughtful Thursday. Today, it’s time for chapter 17 of the Tao te Ching. This chapter puts forth some thoughts on leadership; specifically, that the most effective leaders are the ones who go unnoticed, as expressed in the first line of the Mitchell version: “When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists.” It goes on further to list the second best (loved), third best (feared), and last (despised) types of leader. I…
garden update
November 6, 2019Hey all! With all the talk of frost earlier this week, I’m changing topics and giving you the weekly garden update. We still have a lot of leaves on the ground. The man is planning to do one last mowing to mulch them up. But, before he gets around to that, I am getting as many as I can with my portable shredder. I’m adding them directly to my raised beds, where they will decompose even further, adding nutrients to…
the frost is here, now what?
November 5, 2019Yesterday we talked about frost and freeze a bit. Let’s continue that discussion with some things we can do to protect our plants when a frost is predicted. While some plants are not really affected by a frost, there are measures we can take to protect the ones that are, primarily vegetables and flowers that are sensitive to frost. For plants that are in pots, perhaps the easiest thing to do is to move them into a protected area, such…
