Clik here to view.
Brighton Dam Azalea Gardens
The perfect place to spend Sunday afternoon. The azaleas are peaking early this year. There may not be much left in May. We headed out to grab some food at Boarman’s including a couple of pulled pork...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Spargel Season
OK, being German, I know spargel season is generally referring to white asparagus in Germany but it is the generic name for asparagus over there. The first time we experienced the season was in 1989,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
I Am My Mother’s Daughter
Looking through old photos, I came across this one of my mom gardening at my grandparent’s home in Baltimore. Now, I know where I got the gardening bug. Whenever I see pics of my mom when she was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Larriland Strawberries
My kitchen smells like strawberries. My truck smelled like strawberries. What is it about strawberries that just screams summer is coming. OK, this is only nine pounds of strawberries. To do twenty and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Significant Birthdays
Sort of significant. Not the divisible by five ones, like 55 or 60. Those are the ones we celebrate by going out to dinner. Otherwise, I make a simple tasty meal with a killer wine for a fraction of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Over the River and Through the Woods …
… one thing I don’t miss these days. The long trips over the holidays. On clogged highways. My husband’s family lived out of state. It always meant traveling in the winter on snow covered roads. We...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sixty @ Sixty
Yes, sixty years young, today. This is one of those significant birthdays. Worthy of doing something different to commemorate. I recall one of my fellow volunteers talking about traveling to celebrate...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Looking Forward to the New Year
I think my husband said it best coming home today from a visit to my mom. It is so nice not to have to go back to work Wednesday. The fact that we are retired has really finally sunk in. This is his...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Covering All the Bases
New Year’s traditional food bases, that is. What do you eat for good luck? Prosperity? There are dozens of traditional foods, eaten for luck, or just because it’s something an ethnic group always does....
View ArticleClik here to view.
A “Twofer”
That is, checking two things off my Sixty@Sixty list. Today being Friday, it’s a day we tend to take day trips. It’s also an errand running day, so we combined the two things. We also gave the pickup...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Family Reunion
My father came from a large family. On his mother’s side there were seven children, she was the oldest. My dad was the oldest of 16 cousins in his generation, children of the seven brothers and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Thanksgiving Wine Throwdown
MD versus VA. In the battle to be chosen for Thanksgiving dinner this year. Mostly, in past years, we have relied on Linden for Thanksgiving wine. Either the Vidal Reisling or the Rose. This year,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Baking Bug
It never fails around the holidays. I want to fire up the oven and start baking. Today it was cookies. But not Christmas cookies, just yet. These were molasses cookies, the kind my husband likes. The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Thanksgiving Basket
In CSA terms. We got an email Monday, letting us know what might be there. So we could plan. The final tally wasn’t far off. We got: Butternut Squash Yukon Gold Potatoes Beauregard Sweet Potatoes...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Giving Thanks …
… after another holiday with our family. Thanksgiving has to be one of my favorite holidays. Even more so than Christmas. We always spend the day with relatives. For our entire 35 Thanksgivings since...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cookie Monster
It’s December, and my focus turns to cookies. Christmas cookies. One of the first planning items, right before doing the Christmas cards, and getting the live greens for decoration. Mickey Gomez, a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cut Your Own Tree?
For those of us who love the scent of freshly cut pine and who want to have a Christmas tree up for four weeks, getting a tree that you cut yourself is a good deal. Granted, it can be daunting running...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Christmas Cookies Round Two
The cookie baking marathon continues. This time I am striving to make thin crispy buttery sugar cookies, similar to my mom’s. I used the Bon Appetit Ultimate Sugar Cookie recipe, with a few very slight...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Resolutions
I didn’t make New Year’s Resolutions last year. I decided to challenge myself in my 60th year to do sixty things. It was interesting. Fun. Not totally successful. But fun. I may try something similar...
View ArticleClik here to view.
And So This is Christmas*
*credit to John Lennon and Yoko Ono. One of my favorite holiday songs. Particularly the line “and what have you done?” Interestingly, Christmas isn’t my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is. But,...
View Article