homelife
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After hours in the kitchen garden much remained to be done after Saturday. Garden work began at 6 a.m. I moved to the kitchen at 3 p.m. and worked another four hours. I was steadily busy throughout waking hours with only water breaks to sustain me. I harvested kale and weeded the plot, replanted a… Read more
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Fellow members, I’m putting together a spring newsletter for inclusion in the June billing. Less than half the people who live in our association participate in the Facebook or Google Groups, so a newsletter is our chance to reach out to almost everyone. There are some things that bear repeating each year, and I’ll include… Read more
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Over the weekend a storm broke off a branch in one of the maple trees. The branch wedged between two others 20 feet above the ground. I couldn’t remove it myself. The tree service came yesterday with chain saws, ladders and loppers to bring the branches safely down. After work at the home, farm and… Read more
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The weather forecast is for near-perfect spring weather. No rain and a high around 65 degrees. The day began at 4 a.m. with reading and laundry. I moved the cars down the driveway and rolled the seedlings out of the garage before dawn. There should be fewer seedlings on the cart by day’s end. The… Read more
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After a shift at the home, farm and auto supply store I begin a nine-day vacation. I say “vacation” but really mean “reboot.” I hope to plant most of the garden, work in the yard and re-engineer parts of our homelife for efficiency. Why? To reap that feeling of being organized and prepared for summer.… Read more
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Rain began mid-morning and is expected to continue until sunset. Let it rain. It’s an opportunity to work on inside chores before spring planting. I’ll tackle a long-neglected inbox and use produce in the ice box and freezer to make soup. There’s plenty to do in the jumble the garage has become since winter —… Read more
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After work at the home, farm and auto supply store I drove to the farm and picked up the first spring share. In it were spinach, baby kale, Bok Choy, Choi Sum, broccoli raab, rhubarb, oregano and garlic chives. Already my mind is swirling with cooking ideas. I’ll prepare a breakfast omelet using greens seasoned… Read more
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Between arrival home from the home, farm and auto supply store and sunset were three hours to work outside. I did. I watered the garden, rolled up the garden hose, repaired the bird feeder, and emptied the kitchen compost bucket. Broccoli and kale seedlings look good. After a third day of conditioning outside, they should… Read more
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After a Saint Patrick’s Day meetup with friends in Iowa City I drove home, parked my car in the garage and haven’t moved it since. It was too cold for outside work on Saturday so I stayed in, did laundry, cleaned the bird feeder, wrote, read, and cooked dinner of bean soup, Carnival squash and… Read more
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BIG GROVE TOWNSHIP — Sweeping sand signals the beginning of an outdoors season. I spent part of Saturday collecting sand from the road in front of the house. I harvested more than we used this winter, so inventory is net positive by 1.5 buckets. It has been so warm we didn’t use sand at all on… Read more
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