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DIY Backyard Fish Pond
For years we tossed around the idea of a fish pond in the back yard but shrugged it off figuring it was outside the scope of our abilities and finances. We also couldn’t agree on a location. However, when the birdbath quit holding water, I really missed having a water feature in the veggie garden off the deck. I figured that out of any spot in the yard, that little bed could handle a permanent feature. There was a nice brick path on one side and the water spigot was only a few feet away. There was already power running to the broken birdbath. After browsing the selection of pond…
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In the trailing days of summer
In the trailing days of summer, on the first cool swish of autumn air, I catch the exhale of my youth. The spirit of my former myself whispers of her hopes and possibilities and sighs of her solitude. She lifts my bones and blows my hair, and for a moment we nod in recognition, marveling at the turning leaves, relishing the transformation, wondering if we alone see. When I walk trails alone, I find her, my old companion, the one I always thought was broken but was only in constant Fall. I dance the dances she dared not, she sings the songs I no longer can. yet we touch palms…
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Spitz and the Dog Attack
Many city dwellers go into chicken keeping only thinking of the eggs and the happy hens pecking around their yard. They prepare themselves for maintaining a clean coop, food and water but don’t think about how much trouble these ladies can get into or the hard decisions they as the caregiver will have to make. We are several years in and are still experiencing firsts. We’ve had sick birds die and we’ve had one disappear in the night. I’ve administered feeding tubes, antibiotic injections and even sewn a chicken diaper for a sick, picked on Silkie. As a chicken keeper, you to develop fortitude and tolerance for things that would…
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Coastal Trip to Cedar Point
As large swaths of the U.S. were engulfed in a heat wave in the middle of July, we were at the NC coast doing our best to stay cool and have a little fun. Back in March, I found a house on White Oak River that boasted easy river access, proximity to downtown Swansboro and a short drive to the beach. I was sold on the cottage by the screened in deck with a hammock, shed with kayaks and shiplap walls inside. I’m huge on last minute plans, but beach places in NC book far in advance, so I booked the place resting easy that we could cancel up to…
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My wallet was stolen out of my car at a kids’ sporting event, and my bank gave the thieves my new account number
How many times have you left your valuables in a locked car, on the floor of the back seat? I don’t usually leave my purse in the car, but we were running late for our kids’ swim meet at a city pool, and I was rushing to grab the chairs and cooler out of the back and failed to grab it. As we were finishing up our Kona Ice at the end of the meet, some coaches walked over to our small group of families and asked if we drove a white mini van because it had been broken into. Sure enough, the driver’s side back door window had been…
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Garden Imprints
Thanks to the heat and mosquitoes, working in the garage at the wheel in the summer can be pretty uncomfortable, so I’ve transitioned into the house, hand building at the breakfast table. I remembered that one of my favorite finished products over the years has been little footed dishes with imprints, so I picked a fern and a few flower heads from the dill plants and made a dozen of these little tripod dishes. Several summers ago I made a series of platters from garden imprints, and I can tell you right now what sells and what doesn’t. People love imprints of various herbs but have no interest in imprints…
