Things can be a little slow up here in the North country. Early spring blessings don’t always greet us in early spring–sometimes we have to wait until much closer to summer for delicious things like strawberries and rhubarb to emerge. But, oh, when they do……
It’s that time of year again! Ten minutes on the trail and 100 mosquito bites later, I’m reminded I need to refresh our homemade bug repellents…. We had great luck with the blend I made last year–no skeeter or tick bites all season! (PHEW.)…
We’re getting ready for a trip in the camper soon–we can’t wait to wake up and hit the trails first thing with the beasts. To wit, I’m testing recipes for delicious, grab-‘n-go breakfast noms that stand up to our new food rules. Last week’s…
Since I had the great fortune of being intimately connected with not only my Danish family, but also with life in Denmark and Danish traditions, I remain especially vulnerable to memories associated with (or triggered by) Danish food: frikadeller (which I perfected during my…
I’ve got a lot of heart for Beltane. Earth’s fertility feels most tangible: She accessorizes with flirtatious first flowers and sticky buds, teases with the first tendrils of climbing vines. Her wild, showy reemergence tempts us beyond frail hope into courageous, playful, intimate relationship…
Some days, it’s hard to see the forest for the trees or the answers for the questions. On those days, we need a little clarity and comfort. This incense, designed for burning on charcoal, is a sweet, soothing comfort when your heart is weary. Crafted…
By now you know I love fire cider. I love making it. I love cooking with it. I also love drinking it! Here are three simple, creative ways to enjoy your fire cider by the glass… Cheers! fire cider smoothies WHOA. I saw you flinch…
Sleet taps the windows like a hundred hungry children as wind whips the house with a howl. The dead of winter is not dead at all, but alive and thrashing with an unholy chill. Change is coming, but it may not be spring, not the…
Our freezer and pantry regularly provide us with delicious reminders of previous seasons’ bountiful and diverse harvest. Many of our most delicious moments in the kitchen result from creative ways of using items we’ve previously put by. Our chile corn chowder with bacon is a…
I’m a big granola lover, but I hate the funky ingredients included in many processed, pre-made granola blends. Too many of them have artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, and other junk that I’m not interested in consuming. So, I basically avoided granola until a friend shared…
I’m a big fan of Stuff That Works. Stuff That Works is the stuff that we all do to make our lives easier, better, more lovely, less challenging. I enjoy lots of Stuff That Works: aromatic baths for stress, walks in nature to clear my…
The pagan festival of Imbolc–also known as the feast of Brigid, the Festival of Lights, Candlemas, Lupercalia, Feast of Flames, and the Festival of Milk–marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Celebrating the return of the light, it falls at the…
Between local minds and the farmer’s almanac, rumor has it the winter of 2016-2017 will be a particularly cold and wet one in our little slice of the inland northwest. To wit, we rallied early this year to keep the home fires burning in our…
(If you’re just joining this series, you’ll find a fire cider recipe here to get you started and other recipes using fire cider here… If you’re back for more, welcome back!) Yes, there are still more amazing ways to use fire cider. Here are a…
Botany There should be no monotony In studying your botany; It helps to train And spur the brain– Unless you haven’t gotany. It teaches you, does Botany, To know the plants and spotany, And learn just why They live or die– In case you plant…
If you’re like I was, you were very excited the first time you made fire cider. I visualized my highest possible health as I washed, peeled, and minced my ingredients. I imagined wellness itself steeping in that beautiful Mason jar. I was positively dizzy with…
