A few years ago, Bill asked me to take a walk with him down to the blue barn. He had a surprise for me that he wanted to share. I couldn’t imagine what it might be, but I was more than eager* to join him. Little did I know that he had been planting a […]
Our Country Garden: Notes and Ideas of the Reluctant Gardener
Welcome to the first installment of my monthly garden notes and ideas from our country garden. Before getting started, let me explain why I call myself the reluctant gardener. I consider myself a reluctant gardener primarily because it took ten years of country living to decide that I wanted a piece of our country garden […]
7 Tips for Planting Hydrangeas in a Country Garden
Today I’m sharing 7 tips for planting hydrangeas in a country garden. Before I jump into the nitty gritty of planting, I want to share with you my inspiration for adding more of these gorgeous plants to our country garden. So, let’s get started. Sponsored: This content is sponsored by Spring Hill Nurseries. Use my […]
My First Year of Early Retirement and Four Lessons Learned
Early retirement, it’s official! The first school year passed without me being in the classroom. As a recap, I retired last September and for the first time in 20 years I didn’t start the school year as a member of the teaching faculty at Oklahoma State University. Instead, in 2021, I took early retirement at […]
How to Make Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Today I’m sharing how to make a Basque Burnt Cheesecake. If you love cheesecake, then you need to make this recipe. It’s somewhere between a complicated fancy cheesecake that requires a water bath and a no-bake cheesecake. So if you love cheesecake like I do AND you love simple recipes, then this is the one […]
How to Plan a Winter Picnic for Two
I’m planning a winter picnic for two. Do you remember the first time you went on a picnic or planned a picnic? Was it at the beach, in a park or in your own backyard? What time of year was it? I think most people think of summer picnics as the ideal. But for me, […]