One year, while turning our kitchen into a bedroom and our former bedroom into the kitchen, it finally happened. I had a very strange desire. Though I had three children under the age of five, I somehow wanted to live a pioneer style. This new obsession meant I wanted to do almost everything by hand. […]
This is a poem I wrote in July 2008, when I was deep in the throes of motherhood and seasonal living. In praise of self-sufficiencyI once holed up almost anacre-island of sand and trees.Many days spent on kneesamongst chickens and rabbits,trowels and error.Slowly, I learnedand from the soil I earnedthe right to eatthe right to […]
How many years did I drink bad coffee, then good coffee, until I finally learned about the beauty of a great cup of tea? When I was little, my grandmother would make me “coffee” to drink while we watched Lassie. It was probably 80 percent milk with a few drops of coffee, and a lot […]
How did I end up with a Lean-to greenhouse? In my early twenties, I moved out of the city with two small children and another on the way. My (then) husband and I purchased a small house. It was a 700 square foot “cottage,”. When things are tight, you can call it a “cottage” and […]
My mother once planted sunflowers that germinated overnight and grew to over eighteen feet tall. I’d heard about these sunflowers all my life and never realized how remarkable this was until I began growing things from seed myself. Conclusion? Growing from seed feels sweet and complete. Stealing away a few minutes to plant in our […]
Over the river and through the woods (and down the road apiece) lies the 150-acre intentional community Springtree. Located on the banks of the meandering and historic Rivanna River, Springtree has been demonstrating so many of the ideals I strive for (and more) for more than thirty years (Now, for more than fifty, Ed.) We […]
Gardener’s best comfort and protection tips Not long ago, I asked some of my favorite gardeners to share their best tips and tricks for staying comfortable in the garden, and for working outside in general. Even though I have been gardening for almost thirty years, I was delighted to learn so many new things. My […]
Watering, Weeding and Weather Watering, weeding and the weather I call these things “The Three Ws” because these strategies make gardening easier. Also, I love alliteration. Alliteration is a good way to remember important things. I wish someone in my early gardening experiences had addressed these “Love them/Hate them, they’re always with us” subjects positively. […]
Hi! About me: I am Michelle. I grew up in a garden near the Chesapeake Bay. Since then, I’ve lived all around this great state. After tending plots on the coast, and in the Piedmont, I am now living in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I am happy to tell you that no matter where you […]
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