Small Measures — A.K.A. How Losing at Scrabble Taught Me to Bring My Own Leftover Containers

I went to a very small liberal arts college in Nowheresville, Ohio. There were just a few hundred students on campus at a time, yet somehow each and every one of us seems to have shown up on Facebook. This re-connecting has actually been quite interesting, as many of my past friends and acquaintances have [...]

Random Acts of Happiness

I am a generally well organized person. More than some, less so than others. But one of the things that I just love are not the things that I work hard to organize, but the wonderful surprises that fall into my lap.
Recent examples of this phenomenon have been a huge bag of green tomatoes from [...]

The Not So Guilty Planting of a New Lawn

My husband and I planted a new lawn in our backyard yesterday. I know the responsible trend is a move away from chemical laden, water hungry lawns, but I actually feel okay about our lawn. (We would never use chemicals anyway.) Alas, the enormous shade producing maple tree that dominates our backyard means we’re unable [...]

When Life Hands You Cookies, Make Mulch!

 

My day started innocently enough. The boys were rousted out of bed, fed, nagged, brushed and hustled off to school. I drank my morning tea and then drove over to my mother’s house to provide my signature airport shuttle service. (I can’t complain as I did receive a shoebox full of homemade chocolate chip cookies [...]

What Will My Garden Grow?

I have an insanely shady backyard, which means that I only have a small space approximately four feet square in which to plant vegetables. Although I stretch this out by planting lettuce in a wheelbarrow and beans in window-box planters, it’s still not much. (Blueberries and raspberries also grab a few rare sunny spots.)
But I won’t [...]

Swappin’ 21st Century Style

How many of us have homes full of perfectly good clothing and stuff that sits completely unused?
Yeah, I thought so. 
A wonderful and completely recession-friendly solution is to the look to the swap. 
Swapping is all the rage in these uncertain economic times. (And no, I’m not referring to the fun and games involved with the swaps of the, [...]

An Evening Out for Rural Issues

 

 
I had the pleasure of meeting with the charming Brian Depew from the Nebraska based Center for Rural Affairs the other evening. He was in Oregon for the Regards to Rural Conference, and had put the word out that he “would like to meet with supporters of the Center for Rural Affairs in the area to hear about your [...]

Think You’re Alone In Your Gardening Efforts? Think Again.

In the ideal world, I would have a huge backyard garden full to brimming with organic heirloom vegetables. Alas, The enormous maple tree that dominates the yard and provides deliciously sweet shade also prohibits growing any sun loving veggies. And believe me when I say that I have tried my very hardest to plant a [...]

My Non-Consumer Backyard Project Is Finally Done!!

 

I bought my house in 1996, partly because of the nice big backyard. I had all kinds of schemes for how I would tart it up. I drew fevered plans on graph paper and scavenged bricks for a fabulous patio.
And then I did nothing.
Worse than nothing. I let the somewhat verdant lawn turn into a [...]

My Non-Consumer Backyard Project — An Update

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
My summer has been dominated by a backyard project. And like all household projects, it started out small. 
A brick patio. All I wanted was a nice brick patio. A place where I could set up a table and chairs and do some simple outside dining with the family.
Is that so much to ask?
Apparently so.
The area [...]