New Blog Design & Giveaway!
I’ve been writing my blog for almost 5 years now, and I thought it was time for a little freshen up. With huge props to my gal pal Robin Mayfield for all of her help (she’s not only an incredible...
View ArticleWe Have a Winner!
Recently, to celebrate my blog redesign and my inaugural JPGD newsletter, I ran a giveaway — anyone who signed up for my new monthly newsletter was entered into a random drawing to receive a cool...
View ArticleHens Laying Rubber Eggs?
Are your hens laying odd eggs? We now have 21 hens and 2 roosters at Berkeley Farm, and, for the most part our hens lay pretty predictably — we consistently have anywhere from 5-15 eggs a day...
View ArticleNutritarian Style of Eating
What is nutritarian? I never diet; I never have. I think diets set you up to fail because, when you stop “dieting,” you gain all the weight back. That being said, since I was diagnosed with breast...
View ArticleHouseplant Mushrooms
What, you say? Houseplant mushrooms? Yes, believe it or not your indoor plants can develop fungi. Here’s what my sansevieria looked like a couple of days ago: This lovely yellow mushroom is more...
View ArticleChicken Sausage & Kale Stew
Healthy & Easy Stew I love autumn when foods start getting more cozy — especially the one pot meals like soups and stews. This week, I’m making my friend Christopher Tidrick’s Chicken Sausage &...
View ArticleNovember Garden Checklist | Austin
November Garden Checklist | Austin Ah, fall is really here. Cool days, cooler nights. Bliss. I love Texas Novembers, don’t you? I know you’re staying busy this month, so be sure to check this list of...
View ArticleDecember Garden Checklist | Austin
December Garden Checklist | Austin Hallelujah! We made it to the end of the year — but Lucky Ducks that we are, we can still garden when other people are snowed and iced in. Think you can’t? Read...
View Article“Digging Deep”: Book Party & Giveaway
Although I’ve not yet had the pleasure of meeting Fran Sorin in person, I’ve known her online via our garden writing community for quite some time now. Back in 2004, she wrote a book called “Digging...
View ArticleFertilized Chicken Eggs
Fertilized Chicken Eggs So….we have 22 chickens, 20 of them hens and 2 roosters. All different breeds, but no mixes. One of our roosters is a Bantam frizzle, and even though he’s full grown, Thor isn’t...
View ArticleFlower Friday: Knockout Rose ‘Radrazz’
Knockout Rose ‘Radrazz': Flower Power This gorgeous Knockout rose needs no deadheading, is blackspot resistant and tolerant of mildew. Prune it in late winter to control its growth — it typically grows...
View ArticleDigging Deep Book Party Winners!
We have winners for our Digging Deep Book Party! First, thank you to all who entered — I read every comment and was very moved by how you all find hope and healing in the garden. It’s a tremendous...
View ArticleFlower Friday: Fishhook Barrel Cactus Flower
Fishhook Barrel Cactus Flower I took this pic of a fishhook barrel cactus (Ferocactus wislizenii) a couple of years ago when I was on a garden tour with my friend Sherry. At least I think it’s a...
View ArticleWater Lilies
I was visiting the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, CA last week where I fawned over gorgeous formal gardens. I spotted a pond in the formal herb garden, with water lilies in various stages of life....
View ArticleFlower Friday: Butterfly Iris
As a landscape designer, I’m always looking for those workhorses in the garden that provide some kind of interest year round. Enter the butterfly iris (Dietes grandiflora). Since I’m not a girl who...
View ArticleChicken Coops 101
Three years ago, in February of 2012, the Hunky Foreman and I decided we wanted chickens. Well, he’d wanted chickens for a really long time, and I finally buckled under. We didn’t know anything about...
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