Preserving Lemons Lemons are at their peak in winter. It’s been a year since I preserved my first batch [Here] . . . and they just ran out. We used the last bit in some baked Salmon last week. These things are soooooo delicious. And it seems so cool to be able to keep them all…
Succulents make beautiful decorations with their soft subtle colors, but buttercream is better than nature- for a cake that is. I used to stay up till 3 in the morning creating sesame street cakes for my boys on their birthdays. I’d kiss them goodnight then head for the kitchen where the magic began with butter,…
Healing When I posted this picture, my niece recognized it as an aloe and said “We could all use some healing.” It’s been a year of losses; loved ones/relationships, familiar patterns and health. Once again we’ve said goodbye to family and friends we love. We’ve struggled with health issues and tough decisions. But more than…
Sauerkraut with Beets and Purple Cabbage This month I’m enjoying experimenting with different sauerkrauts. This is a beautiful red one made of purple cabbage and beets. These are two of our favorite vegetables and this recipe from Feremented Vegetables, by the Shockeys really caught my eye. I made one of their lemon dill krauts last summer,…
Forcing blooms from fruit tree prunings is a simple and magical way to anticipate Spring. Forcing Blooms It’s still winter cold out- best time to prune the fruit trees, and that means time for forcing blooms indoors. Those delicate pink blossoms will chase away any winter blues in a hurry. In our desert, the budding fruit…
Good Morning Smoothies . . . Morning smoothies are my new favorite. It’s a new year and new life lessons are behind and ahead of me. One of the best things I know to make healthy changes in my life is to focus on nutrition. There’s always something new to learn. Our son introduced me…
This is a picture of Mike in the kitchen, something I only dreamed about for many years. It is such a gift to see him not only in the kitchen, but comfortable being there. He is brewing beer; a new hobby he has acquired and one that requires a couple of hours of standing and…
I feel like I’m still in Christmas mode, even though the family has gone home, and the preparations are over. The celebration is still alive and well in my being! Each request for treats and feasting was met, and we had time together with some of our kids and family. We used this amazing technology…
Our grandson is coming to visit. He’s six months old! A neighbor gave me a bag of Golden Delicious apples right off her tree . . . and Mike said to turn them into applesauce, and I did. They were so sweet they didn’t need anything. I just cooked them in some filtered water and…
It used to be that Jammin’ Apricots took all day. . . I’ve gotten so far on the other side of the fence, that I can’t remember if that is because I did 20 or more quarts; (Who would eat all that jam?!) or if it’s because it’s just me and Mike, and two sleepy…
