... you never know who knows about these things ( Read more... )

Now I have to figure out how to turn them into an avatar!!!

I made us a community

http://community.livejournal.com/casualgardeners/

(sorry Bella, "Make Our Garden Grow" was already taken!)
I've left it an open community for the time being; if we want to make it more private, we can, but one would hope (??!!) that gardening chitchat would be pretty ( Read more... )

Great start!

If you're game, go ahead and post the "rollcall" to your own journals - it would be great to include people beyond my own journal, and  the more the merrier, I think. Once we have a few more people who are interested everybody can make their own filters as they choose.

So we can all keep track of it, post a comment here if you want ( Read more... )

So here's the deal:   most of us are feeling the financial pinch, and what better way to have some fun AND save some money than start a veggie garden this year?  Even if all you have is a place for some pots, you can still grow peppers and tomatoes and herbs, and for those of us who haven't tapped the full potential of our yards, let's go for it ( Read more... )

After a fairly ghastly day yesterday (the most banal domestic dramatics,  but combine overexcited-and-thus-snotty child, grossly sleep-deprived and pms-y me, and preoccupied with Christmas-eve-service-and-cranky DH and you can build your own scenario), today was glorious.

While Mr A and I had embargoed presents for each other in the light of next ( Read more... )

We all want good food at the holidays, but I think most of us would like some HEALTHIER alternatives to the usual holiday fare.  So, I propose a challenge.

What if we were all to post  our favorite LOW cal, LOW fat or LOW carb holiday recipes?  Tried-n-true favorites, or new ones you've just found.    Let's hear about the good stuff!!! If we get ( Read more... )

Ok, so that's not quite true. It's going quite well and the walls are now done, the piano is moved (sigh. I don't LIKE the new arrangement, but it's the only way to fit more desperately-needed bookcases and storage in the room), we communed with our buddies up at Ikea yesterday and got the two additional units we need, and this afternoon Mr A will ( Read more... )

And beat!  But a fabulous time was had by all. HIt of the meal was the cranberry-pecan pie, which is easy as anything and fabulous.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!


( Read more... )

Turkey's about to go in the brine...
cranberry relish is made....
Cranberry pecan pie is in the oven...
Country rolls are made and in the freezer to be reheated tomorrow....
Butternut squash has been baked and is awaiting mashing...

Final menu:

Spice-brined Turkey w/sage-shallot gravy
Ginger-port cranberry relish (omg this is SO good. SO SO SO ( Read more... )