I've been working over the past few months on a new project, a web site entitled The Practical Herbalist on simple, useful herbalism and homesteading. The site's beginning to look like a bonafide web site, with a growing body of content and a fledgling forum and everything. I'm pretty excited about the direction I've taken, and along with that I've ( Read more... )

Dang, it's been awhile since I last posted ( Read more... )

We pulled literally a truck load of sow thistles, bindweed, Wild lettuce, and an assortment of other plant life that just didn't belong where it was growing from the gardens. It is amazing how much space those pretties take up even after sitting in the sun for several days ( Read more... )

I spent a few hours in my garden this weekend. It felt utterly exhausting and also so very divine. I had tons of Canada Thistle and Wild Lettuce out there. I haven't found a use for Canada Thistle beyond pleasing the Faeries. I decided to pull as much of it out as I could and replace it with some artichokes. I love artichokes and I'm hoping they ( Read more... )

My father-in-law and his son have set out for Minnesota with all of their belongings; they plan to settle there at least for now. It was hard to see them go ( Read more... )

In truth, I made two gallons of wine and a pie. The pie is long gone, and boy was it good. The wine is still bubbling away on my counter ( Read more... )

Wow. I just picked five big bowls of strawberries. There has to be a good 15 dry pints there. There are more that are almost ripe still outside, too. I bet I'll be picking another couple of bowls in another two days. I think I might have to make a gallon of wine tonight!

I planted some lettuce, beans, carrots, chicory, nicotinna, calendula, chrysanthemum, nasturtium, and a plethora of other seeds about a week ago. Maybe it's been longer. Shortly after that, I began the next painting project ( Read more... )

The sensuous nature of the Rose is perhaps unsurpassed by any other flower. Their petals are divinely silky, their scent seductive, their thorns a rapturous tease ( Read more... )

Yesterday, I planted:

29 strawberry plants
1 French Tarragon
7 tomato plants
1 basil
1 artichoke
1 spearmint
1 peppermint
1 thai pepper plant

I have left to plant a few more. Maybe I'll do it today, this morning even, while it's still cool out.

It feels great to have my own garden!