Delicious Mouse-Ear Chickweed

Since it’s been so warm this winter, I’ve been out poking about the garden more frequently than usual for this time of year. And since the only hardy crops I have so far are Egyptian walking onions, garlic, and strawberries–none of whom offer particularly splendid winter displays–I’ve been forced to direct my plant-starved eyes to…

Planting the Cold Frame

I was very proud of myself this winter when I finally got a decent cold frame built—and from all repurposed materials, which didn’t cost me a penny. I was even prouder when last week I took the temperature of the soil (with a meat thermometer!) and discovered it was five degrees warmer than in the…

Seedling Salad

It’s been a rainy weekend here in Virginia. We’ve had thunderstorms two days in a row and even a tornado warning on Friday. I’m itching to get out in the garden and plant spinach, mustard, onions, and breadseed poppies (new this year!). But the soil is too damp (I’m crossing my fingers that the already-planted…

Wild Garlic

This summer and fall, we’re going to have plenty of members of the Allium family available for harvest: Australian Brown onions, purple bunching onions, Egyptian walking onions (!), Inchelium Red garlic, and even some supermarket green onions, planted in the garden after being found limp in the crisper drawer last summer. They brightened up and…

Planting Peas: Any Ideas?

It’s been incredibly warm all winter, and this week has been no exception. After a couple inches of snowfall on Sunday evening, we’re back up to the 60’s during the day. Even our overnight temperatures now aren’t dipping below 48! All this gave me the courage to plant some peas yesterday, a week earlier than…

View from my Window

The view out of my window — Sharon taking a break from all her digging, mentioned in a previous post.

Chicken Tikka Masala

This is an excellent recipe for one of the only Indian dishes I really enjoy. I got the original from the Pioneer Woman website, but the instructions for broiling the chicken seemed really off to me so I’ve made some changes. I’ve made this for my family twice and they’ve raved about it both times! Now I…

Asparagus Experiment, Part 2: Germination?

Ten days ago, in what I dubbed The Great Asparagus Experiment, I put thirty asparagus seeds between two damp paper towels and left them in a Ziploc bag. To do their thing. Which would hopefully be absorbing water and joining the ranks of things that look less like rocks. As I’ve been known to do,…

Digging in the Rain

Two days ago, I woke up to a dreary, overcast morning. I headed straight for the teakettle, then settled into my desk to write. It had all the earmarks of a perfect writing day: a day when all you want to do is stay snuggled up inside, and the rain falling on the other side…

Starting Strawberries

It’s 55°F outside, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and spring feels right around the corner. If you’re anything like me, you’re already dreaming about May: peonies, irises, and that first ruby-red strawberry juice dribbling down your chin. Every May, my mother and sisters and I head over to Westmoreland Berry Farm to…