While I didn’t set out to be, I was actually sort of a prolific hooker in April. It was a busy month for me, finishing up all my wool dyeing projects, getting sick and then tidying up the garden. Plus, I worked on a side project too, but I’ll share more about that next week. Now that all my major rug hooking duties {dyeing wool, drawing patterns} are done for the summer/fall season, I should have more time to hook. I’d also like to get a few more of those larger rugs that I love to hook so much completed, and be able to offer patterns for them later this summer.  Time. On one hand it seem ..read more

This past week I pretty much lived off of cough drops and ice cream as I’m still getting over a nasty case of strep throat. I’d say I’m operating at about 80% right now and still taking a mini nap here and there. Hopefully by the end of this week I’ll be back to normal. Luckily though I’ve got the BEST snuggle buddy in the world. Market Bassket $78.51 The HH was down south this week and so he popped into Market Basket to load up on essentials. I think the only thing that wasn’t on my list was the stir fry veggies. Which, by the way, I thought was a bit of an odd purchase because I had ..read more

Having recently planted a long row of carrots in our kitchen garden, today I thought I’d share some of my tried and true tips on how to grow carrots for those of you who haven’t grown them before.  In my opinion, carrots are hands down one of the easiest vegetables to grow {zucchini and peas are at the top of the list too}. Not only are they easy to grow, but homegrown carrots taste a million and ten times better than the pre-packaged “baby” carrots they sell at the grocery store.  So if you have the room in your garden to grow them, I highly recommend putting them at the top of you ..read more

bits and bobs: A random assortment of things; small remaining pieces and things So, all I need is butter? Click HERE if you want to go down a rabbit hole. I thought it was pretty funny.  How often do you open a catalog and have to do a double take because the person in the photograph looks just like you at first glance? That never happens! I could have been a garden model!!!  I would pay GOOD MONEY for one of these! I think we need to start a letter writing campaign so Greater Goods will start producing/selling them. Aunt Dora’s Cottage is STILL for sale! I can’t believe it.&nbs ..read more

This morning when I opened the blinds in the kitchen garden everything looked so calm and sweet that I just had to pop out there and snap some photos for you.  I LOVE this time of year. It’s filled with so much hope! The perennials are beginning to emerge from their winter slumber and the seeds you’ve planted {and hoped you weren’t too early in planting} are starting to pop through the soil.  The birds are chirping and the sun is shining and there’s this feeling that this year’s gardening season is going to be a good one… Whether or not you plant a big garden or a small one or jus ..read more

A few weeks ago One Hundred Dollars a Month reader Laura shared her Trader Joe’s tomato and roasted red pepper soup recipe with me in the comment section {I made it, and it was fabulous!}. Then a week later, Tamera passed along her recipe for Trader Joe’s lentil bruschetta. And it too was another winner! And well, here I am again with another easy Trader Joe’s recipe because last week Laura was back with another of her favorite recipes to try; Trader Joe’s salmon spread. Holy cannolis people, was it ever delicious!!  Here’s the comment Laura left me on a previous post: One more TJ’s reci ..read more

I can’t remember the last time I was super sick… And let me tell you Bob, getting strep throat is no fun. No fun at all. Especially when you’re older and have a to-do list about a mile long.  Luckily though, after about 10 days of having to deal with strep + a cold/flu/cooties I have turned the corner. I’m only operating at about 70% right now, but I’m feeling much better than I did. I think it probably had something to do with all the {medically necessary} ice cream and chicken soup I consumed. Other than beans and weenies and a bowl of pasta, I’m not exactly sure what the HH survive ..read more

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables I ate quite a bit of pineapple and chocolate this past week. Not in its original form though. Chocolate. Is the cocoa bean a fruit or a vegetable? Anyone know for sure? Visit 24 {new} Bakeries / Coffee Shops On Friday I shared about our latest bakery adventure. All I’m going to say is some you win, and some you lose. Just because something looks good on the outside, doesn’t always mean it is on the inside.  On to the next one! New Bakeries / Coffee Shops I’ve Been To This Year: Ritual Bakehouse and Patisserie Caramel Patisserie Standard Baking Co.  S ..read more

We were down near Salem, Massachusetts a few weeks ago and after reading the glowing reviews of Caramel French Patisserie online for the past year or so, we decided to pop by for an afternoon cuppa and a sampling of their gorgeous pastries.  And gorgeous they were! Their french pastries immediately reminded me of my all time favorite french pastry shop, La Maison Navarre in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  I’ve had a lot of pastries over the years, and so quite honestly, the bar has been set pretty high by the really, really good pastry shops out there.  The two pastries I’m always ..read more

I planted a few rows of beets the other day in the kitchen garden and thought I would share some of my tried and true tips on how to grow beets for those of you who haven’t grown them before.  Basically, I LOVE growing beets! And I love watching them as they turn from little seedlings into leafy greens and then big bulbs of goodness throughout the growing season. In previous years I’ve planted varieties like chioggia, bulls blood and early wonder. But my tried and true favorite beet for roasting as well as canning and pickling, is the Detroit dark red beet. The size is uniform, I never ..read more