I’ve long said that if you like making pickles, then you only really need one book on pickling – Linda Zeidrich’s “The Joy of Pickling”. In fact, I refer to it as ‘my pickle bible’. But I recently discovered another less known gem and I am revising that statement. If you like making pickles, “The Joy of Pickling” is essential, but if you love making pickles, then you also need “The Complete Book of Pickles & Relishes” by Leonard Louis Levinson.
In keeping with my resolve to write down every book I read this year, here is the next installment of “Books I Read in 2016”. For the previous one, go here.
The trillium I moved into the back yard last year popped up this week. A neighbor realized a vacant lot that was being cleared to be built upon had a small population of these and so dug up as many as she could and shared them throughout the neighborhood. I’ve tried to move these from the front bed before with little success, so the sight this (and a nearby companion) actually had me squealing in the back yard the other evening. Continue reading
Gardening is one of those hobbies that requires that so-called (and overrated if you ask me) virtue known as patience. It can take years to realize a vision as plants settle in, establish themselves and finally, spread out. It’s a constant work in progress, with mother nature ultimately the one in control.
My friend Anna, who is a gardener to which I dare not hold a candle to, posted a photo of her bluebells yesterday, which made me go look in the backyard for mine. I had checked last week, but there were little signs of life back there at the time. It was after all, snowing two weeks ago then warm enough for an outdoor happy hour under a blooming pink tree one week ago, so this week, there finally were signs of life all over.
Ever since I was a kid, egg rolls have been one of my favorite things about Chinese food. We’d eat Chinese takout regularly and I was always quite content to try and make a meal out of just egg rolls ( I was never allowed to succeed though, which is why I still to this day make a meal out of hot & sour soup and eggrolls). When my mother discovered egg roll wrappers at the grocery store, complete with a recipe on back, home made egg rolls became a regular in the dinner rotation and I finally was able to realize the dream of nothing but egg rolls for dinner. Continue reading
The weather has been gloriously ( if unseasonably at times) warm for early March and it would seem that spring is truly happening. The tulip magnolia in the front yard burst into full bloom this week, beginning what I lovingly refer to as “the big pink tree on the corner blooming” season.
Our friend Bret recently published a book – and in a gesture of support, I thought I’d fork over the cash to purchase it. I’ve known Bret since college, but his first job was with the guy destined to become my husband at a burger joint when they were in high school, so you know, collectively, we go back. Way back.
It’s officially March and the front yard looks like this:
Mostly dreary, but with crocus in bloom. Continue reading
This has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but isn’t it a rather lovely shot of a hellebore from my garden?
Inspired by all of you who keep track of what you read (and manage to share it on the interwebs), I thought I might give keeping track of what I read in a year a try. It’s February and already I feel like I’m not doing so good at that, although I did manage to make a list the other day. However, given my tendency to have lists stuck all over the house on random scraps of paper as well as my complete ability to read a book and then either completely forget I’ve read it OR remember the book itself but forget the name and the author, I’m decided I’m going to try and keep track here. According to what I remember, this is what I’ve read thus far this year: Continue reading
In his retirement, my Uncle Kevin has become an artist. Mosaics are his thing, using small tiles, usually glass and often incorporating mirrors. In addition to selling them, he’s given them away to family and friends. Every time we’d visit, he’d have a piece or two sitting in the front room for me to bring home. Unfortunately, every single time, someone else would walk in and end up claiming the piece(s) and so Kevin would promise to have one for me next time.
