One thing that I love about gardening is the ebb and flow of the produce. Spring in the garden brings you peas, asparagus and rhubarb. When we move into early summer we begin to see apricots, beans and lots of leafy greens. As the summer progresses it’s time to harvest raspberries, tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers. Did I mention zucchini? Lots and lots of zucchini. That’s for another day. Today isRead More →
You’ve been waiting and waiting for that garden to grow. You planted and fertilized and watered and now you are finally seeing the results of your hard work. Slowly the produce starts to ripen and you are enjoying the “fruits of your labor” But then something happens. The fruits and vegetables start to ripen more rapidly and all at once you have a massive amount of produce to handle. HowRead More →
Do you have a potting bench in your garden? A place where you can plant seeds and pot your flowers? This is something that I have been thinking about for some time. While I do have a potting bench in Pinecone Cottage, I don’t really want to be dragging in potting soil and water. So I decided to create an outdoor potting bench. I’m using an area behind my gardenRead More →
With July comes an abundance of fruit and vegetables from the garden. So I am going to use some of my delicious produce to make July’s Soup of the Month. Chicken Enchiladas are a family favorite and Chicken Enchilada Soup with Fresh Salsa mimics the taste of this wonderful dish. You can find all of the produce needed for this soup at your local farmer’s market even if you aren’tRead More →
One of the best birthday presents I ever received was a table. Actually, it was a Turquoise Table. And I love my table. Have you heard of The Turquoise Table? It’s a book and movement by Kristin Schell to help connect people and build communities. The premise behind the Turquoise Table is to set a table in your front yard and then be available to your neighbors. I have beenRead More →
Don’t you just love a good porch? It offers a great way to enjoy your yard and garden on a warm summer night or a crisp fall morning. Whether you have a massive wrap around, a full size or a postage stamp size porch, they can all provide wonderful benefits. These 6 tips for decorating your porch can help you to make the most of this space. Here are someRead More →
I am a fan of chalkboards. You can frequently find them sprinkled around my house. They include a vintage kids chalkboard, a large picture frame chalkboard and lots of small chalkboards. For some time now, I have been wanting a chalkboard sign for Pinecone Cottage. So I want to show you how to make a garden chalkboard from an old tray. I found this tray several years ago at aRead More →
As the garden season heats up the leafy greens are growing. If you are eating more luscious salads this summer you need some type of dressing for them. A homemade vinaigrette is the perfect topping for your salads. Most store bought dressings are loaded with sugar and unwanted chemicals. By making your own dressing you can create healthy, delicious options. All it takes are a few ingredients from your pantryRead More →
When I shared my tips for using vintage baskets, I suggested that you make a plant container out of them. I found a basket at a yard sale recently that I thought would make a great planter. So I wanted to walk you through the planting process for a wicker basket planter. This is a newer basket from the ’80s rather than the ’50s that I usually collect but theRead More →
It’s almost apricot season. These seasonal little gems are such an wonderful treat. But they come and go fast. You can find them at the grocery store all summer long, but if you are growing them in your backyard once they start to ripen, they need to be picked daily so as not to become over-ripe. And then you can make Easy Apricot Cobbler. We didn’t always have an apricotRead More →