Hooray for April Showers! I could not resist sharing the beautiful flowers that grace my garden in May, and the beneficial pollinators and insects they attract, with this photo essay. We were conscious about planting to have a continual progression of blooms as close to year-round as possible. The garden is a riot of color beginning in… Continue reading →

Veggies Are Coming Up—Can’t Wait for Harvest! Seattle’s growing season starts earlier than Syracuse, NY (where I grew up), and later than San Antonio, TX (where I lived for 15 years). Our growing season is relatively short, but our summer days are long. With a bit of effort, we’ll be eating fresh from the garden… Continue reading →

Handmade Gifts Mean So Much! My favorite Mother’s Day gifts from my daughter were those she made herself—usually as part of a school art project. A hand-painted vase on my bathroom windowsill, a tiny hand-print cast in concrete in my garden, a ceramic-framed mirror in my bedroom—remind me of her on a daily basis. I… Continue reading →

Sunny Annuals Create Food for Bees and Birds in Late Summer While weeding last week, I spotted my first volunteer sunflower pushing its way through the soil. That is always my signal to start my sunflower seeds for summer planting. I’ve learned to identify the pale green bi-leafed seeding and weed around it so it… Continue reading →

“You can spoil some apples, but leave me the birds and the bees.” – Joni Mitchell (Big Yellow Taxi) Sadly, those words written by Joni Mitchell in the 1960s were not heeded well. We did get rid of DDT, but other insecticides and gardening practices, though not as devastating, have taken their toll. In 2006,… Continue reading →

10 Reasons Why 1. Saves energy. Electric clothes dryers account for one ton of CO2 emissions per year. Gas dryers use less, but still a non-renewable resource. 2. Saves money. Duh! The less you run your dryer, the less your utility bill will be. 3. Easier on your clothes. Heat from the dryer and agitation… Continue reading →

Try One or Try Them All—Whatever You Do WILL Make a Difference! 1. Grow Your Own Food The best way to ensure that the food you eat is grown organically is to grow your own. It’s healthier for you and your family, as well as the birds, insects and native plants in your area. Put… Continue reading →

Save Money—Save the Planet Now that I’ve purged a ton of excess stuff, it’s time to get down to deep cleaning. The weather is just right for opening windows and hanging sheets on the line. Growing up in the ‘60s–‘70s, I believed housecleaning meant using the products advertised on TV. The brand names were abundant…. Continue reading →