Welcome to this collection of thoughts and ideas I’m compiling as I craft a somewhat different life in retirement from the one I had as a full-time graphic designer working in the world of not-for-profits. The overarching theme of this website is sustainability in personal life. It’s a space where I can explore pursuits that fascinate me. If they fascinate you too, I’m delighted that we can spend some time together.
Like all personal odysseys, I expect this one will shift and morph. You may find my posts hovering over a topic for a while, and then darting off to look at something different that catches my eye. The changing seasons will drive the content too. Even so, I have no doubt that clear themes will emerge over time. If I had to summarize in one short thought, it would be: "Now this is something I want to remember! I'd better write it down. "
Other Recent Posts
Chive Flower Apple Cider Vinegar
Chives are one of the easiest herbs to grow and one of the earliest you can harvest. It’s satisfying to pick a few leaves from your chive plant and snip them up for a garnish. When the chives are in bloom, my favourite thing is to make Chive Flower Apple Cider Vinegar.
My Priceless Ping
As a urban homesteader, I rely on my grow lights to get a head start on the growing season. Space is at a premium and every plant is precious. My indoor lights and trays are hard at work all spring. And so, it seems, are the little flying insects. Every year.
The Joy of Thrifting
The thrift shop concept resonates with my personal philosophy. I hate to waste anything. I consider recycling an essential service. I love to see people pay less than retail for products they need. Then there’s the good that’s done with the money collected.
Duck Liver Pâté
Pâté is a savory peasant food gone elegant. You can have it on toast with your soup for lunch or serve it as a canapé at your next party. If you make it yourself, you will save a lot of money and control the ingredients so that it is health-giving too.
Urban Food Growing Books
These sun scarce months give us time to dream and plan next year’s gardens. Do you have even a pocket of land you’d like to convert to growing food? To help you turn small spaces into food gardens, here is a shortlist of books I highly recommend.
Seed Saving Skills
For most of my gardening life, I’ve merrily gone along browsing instore seed racks and pouring over seed catalogs to plan my food growing. I never gave seed supply a second thought. But … what if one day there weren’t enough seeds to go around?
Chard Not Cabbage Rolls
A few years ago, as often happens at the garden, I was chatting with a stranger. When I told her I had no use for Swiss chard and didn’t grow it, she was shocked. “It makes the very best cabbage rolls,” she told me. Turns out she was right.
Peace Tea Garden
In pain? Jittery? Anxious? Restless? Out of sorts? There’s a plant for that!
I have discovered many plants with known soothing properties that are easy to grow in a small space. This might be the time to consider creating a peace tea garden.
Economics of Bean Brownies
For gluten free eaters, a bean brownie recipe is an asset. But these brownies are much more than just the freedom to enjoy a treat without gluten. Unlike mixes made from overprocessed powders, bean brownies offer real food value.
Serendipity Gluten Free Pizza
At Earl’s I had a thin crust, gluten free pizza that amazed me. As a thin crust pizza fan, I replicated it at home. A cost comparison with our standard gluten free pizza showed that serendipity pizzas are definitely less expensive per person.
Hot Pepper Poppers
The busy harvest season requires plenty of creativity. These fresh-from-the-garden, gluten-free hot pepper poppers are an autumn treat that quenches any impulse to buy expensive, frozen, deep-fried jalapeño poppers from the grocery store.
Saving Seeds
Food security. What can we do to make sure we’re not completely dependent on business systems to provide our food? Growing some our own vegetables brings us a little closer to the goal. Saving seeds is the next step to additional self-sufficiency.