I have a "yard" and not a "lawn."  As long as it is kept trimmed, I don't really care what grows with the grass.  As a result of my apathy, the yard has dandelions, little wild strawberries, rogue mint plants, and lots of clover.   I seldom wear shoes at home, so my trips outside are usually with my head down, watching where I step to avoid bee stings. The black & yellow bumbles seem to like the lavender & squash blossoms, but the honeybees just cover the clover.   They seem to be in… Continue

We picked the first 6(!) cherry tomatoes today!   This is the earliest date yet for us.  These little gems came from the plants that are now about 6 ft tall, planted in the "compost" bed. 

On Friday, I harvested some basil leaves, garlic and two banana peppers to use as toppings on our homemade pizza.  I put the basil on top of the sauce and under the cheese so it wouldn't get crispy.  It really added a gourmet touch, and the smell from the kitchen was heavenly! 

With the early onset of extreme heat this year, I decided to add mulch to the raised beds.  I wanted to keep the moisture from evaporating so quickly and to keep the weeds at bay.  After looking at all of the options, I decided I would try shredded newspaper.  My reasons:

• The ink is soy based so it is safe for plants
• It takes about 90 days to degrade
• It is low cost cost 
• I have an ample supply thanks to my weekend subscription and weekly neighborhood…

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I have had a 1 qt. heavy glass pitcher for many years.  It has been used mainly for mixing and storing powdered milk.  I also have several boxes of herbal tea in the pantry that I normally drink hot.  I decided that I would dust off the pitcher, and make a batch of sun tea, as a healthier alternative to diet Coke.  I use 4 tea bags, fill the pitcher with cold water, and set it out in the sun for about an hour or so.  I'm using the "assortment" boxes so I can try a different flavor each time. … Continue