Gardening

“Gardening” part 1: My Three Favorite Seed Catalogs

Dreaming of spring? Envisioning your garden thriving? Get ready to plan with me!

To dream or not to dream? Isn’t that the gardener’s question in late February, early March? The seeds catalogs have poured in, they are stacked by my favorite chair by the the fireplace. And this is the perfect time to get sucked into the gorgeous colors, the mouthwatering produce! Are you excited to start seeds?

The gardener is an eternal optimist, for every challenge and failure of last year is in the rear view and out of sight. What the season ahead holds is full of promise, hope and excitement!

So grab your favorite seed catalog – and if you don’t know where to starts, I’ll share with you my top three favorites!

#1 Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds You don’t really need another source for starting seeds! Baker Creek’s free seed catalog is pictured below (bottom left) and it’s a beautiful catalog with stunning photography! For $15 you can order their Whole Seed Catalog, and boy, is it worth it! The 532 pages are full of gorgeous pictures and recipes too – we tried the Gobi Manchurian on page 120 and it was mouthwatering good! The company’s owners are passionate about seeds and even supply free seeds to many of the world’s poorest countries. They have growers around the world and great bios on their contributors. It’s inspiration at it’s best! And free shipping! While I’d rate this as my top favorite seed catalog, I’ll offer a couple more for your enjoyment.

#2 Burpee My husband can attest that I don’t feel the garden is complete without an Early Girl tomato because I’m just chomping at the bit for that first bite of a sun-ripened tomato! Also, the summer after I graduated from high school, I got to work at Burpee’s trial gardens in Warminster, PA. I’m a loyal gal, what can I say? Their catalog offers delights such as dahlia tubers – and who doesn’t want to plant flowers along with veggies?

#3 High Mowing I’m excited to include an organic option for growers! This is a tried and true seed company in our own garden. While shipping is not free unless you spend $200, you can band together with friends. Which is actually great fun, in addition to saving on shipping!

Last, but not least, I will add that I have found seeds offered at the library and seen seed swaps pop up in my area. It’s great fun to share seeds with other gardeners, for seed sharing is another grand quality of the home gardener! Happy browsing and ordering!

start seeds, top 3 seed catalogs 2024
De-cluttering

On asking for help in reaching a goal…

Do you find it easy to ask for help? Where do you go for help once you identify you need it?

If you’re anything like me, the answer is “no”. No, I don’t find it easy to ask for help. No, I don’t do it often or well. Even when I know I need help, I put it off. Excuses include busyness and not wanting to burden others. Ok, I hear you.

I propose that asking for help is brave and it’s the first step to moving forward with your goal. This post needs expansion in the future, but I’m going to start with the topic of decluttering. I, like you, have a journey of how I got to where I am in my relationship to ‘stuff.’ More on that later. I’ve spent three years dabbling on the surface of declutter challenges on Facebook and taking courses offered by amazing women who are simply overwhelmed by the state of their home and by all their stuff. I’ve made progress, but then I got stuck.

Realizing you’re stuck is a great time to pivot and reach out for help. And it’s so healthy and good to take action steps in that regard. So once again, I signed up for an online decluttering course, after watching The Minimal Mom for over a year on YouTube! Her kind tone, her gentle care and approach have appealed to me and I feel ready to push through the hard and get to the deeper levels.

I hope that here I can process and show you what it looks like for an ordinary girl (who’s got lots of DNA that suggests that I’ll hold onto stuff for way too long) to take her house back! I’m ready, I’ve got some help, and I’m going to go for it! Are you coming?

Intentional Living · Uncategorized

The best New Year’s Resolution for 2021

Do you need help making New Year’s resolutions or at least good habits? Looking for purpose? What to improve the New Year? Needing some direction for the upcoming year? How about we chase joy in 2021?

I admit, I’ve been in a funk all day. You know, one of those winter days you just don’t want to get out from under the down comforter and face the new day, the MONday that lies ahead. Despite the 31 degree temperature, I decided to do my morning walk, all bundled. “After all good habits are important,” I reminded myself. I ran into an obstacle – my iPod wasn’t charged. Nope, not gonna let it keep me back, not the Monday-ness, not the cold, not the dead iPod. I gathered my pluck and hit the pavement. And you know, the sky turned all purply-pink and the air was crisp and made me feel alive. Being outdoors turns out to be just what I needed. (P.S. check out the science here, to help improve the New Year!)

There I was, showing up despite the blues, and I got to see that glorious sunrise in quiet and peace. And I received another gift. For the first time in ten months, since this pandemic shut everything down, I saw the public school bus and I felt a surge of hope! I waved enthusiastically and the bus driver grinned, ear to ear and then tooted his horn in a happy rhythm – for me and for the mutually understood symbol that his bus on a Monday morning meant for him, for me, for the children, for the year ahead.

As I did lessons with my youngsters, I was grateful for the cheery fire with its dancing flames, keeping us warm(ish) and bringing hygge. As the day wore on, I got a nagging headache and found patience to be a bit too thin for my liking, and the struggle continued with fighting for joy. Then I read some words by Ann Voskamp, words which reminded me that true joy is for wherever – meaning here – and whenever – meaning now. You can find joy, not by seeking it for it’s own sake, but by seeing grace and returning thanks for it. Right here. Right now. And once again that joy that feels elusive some days burst through the clouds of doubt and struggle. Like a constellation, grace and thanksgiving and joy can be found whether at the kitchen sink on a frosty Monday, or on a sunkissed mountain top, or simply at the dinner table surrounded by noisy chatter. If we only have eyes to see the here-now wonder.

De-cluttering

Know your “Why”

Asking, “How do I start? Where do I begin? Why am I going to do this hard thing?”

German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche once said, ‘He who has a why can endure any how.’

I don’t know about you, but I like me a real good mission statement. Have you ever read one that got you pumped at each phrase, that made you feel ready to join the cause and get it done?

Since I’m about to embark on a deeper level of decluttering, I need to revisit my ‘why.’ It’s changed a little bit since I started my first declutter challenge a few years ago. My why is this: I want to spend more time with the people I love, doing things that I love, than managing ‘stuff.’ Hey, that looks pretty good on paper. I like it. Ok, so the challenge here is that it’s going to take time away from things I love (shoot, this novel is due back at the library today and I really want to finish it!). So, here’s how I’m going to do this. I’m going to write concrete goals on sticky notes and move three of them onto today’s docket. If I don’t get them all done because I’m playing Qwirkle with my six year old, I’ve still chosen to be true to my mission of staying present with my kids. What doesn’t get done on my agenda today can get done tomorrow. It’s that healthy journey I’m looking for of choosing progress over perfection, and finding rest amidst a challenging season.

Family Fun · Intentional Living

Mommy’s Biking Camp

Does the summer stretch ahead in one overwhelming season of no sports, cancelled vacations and kids who were looking forward to these things?  Mine too!  In a world where camps are cancelled and the ‘new normal’ is very elusive, in an effort to minimize screen time and make special memories, I had a light bulb moment.  At least I thought so.  It started with a long weekend bike ride and realizing that my back injury has healed significantly in the last year.  I figured that if my husband showed me how to load the bikes on the quirky bike rack, I could take the kids biking in the cool of the summer mornings.  And so was born Mommy’s Bike Camp week! 

We did it! Every day (except one where it thunderstormed) we set out right after a hearty breakfast and biked different sections of a large network of paths, stopping midway for a big snack.  My five year old was on a tag along and my 8 year old on her new(ish) mountain bike.  By the end of the week, we logged 41 miles together!  One of my favorite moments was when my very talkative little guy, holding the handlebars behind me, was belting out, “Hakuna matata, means no worries.”

reduce, reuse, recycle

3 Things You’ll Learn When You Sew Your Own Clothes

Why sew my own clothes? How do I sew my own clothes? I’ll answer these questions!

Sewing your own clothes is fun, creative, empowering!

Why would you sew your own clothes? I’m no seamstress and if you’d told me a year ago that I’d start sewing my own clothes, I would have laughed. But, I started simple and made myself a summer skirt. So, why did I find myself doing it? Simply, I wanted a comfortable summer skirt and after thrifting first, felt that the cute skirts I found were too short for my lifestyle of chasing kids at the playground and teaching them how to slide down fireman poles safely. I’m so drawn to bright colors and had been searching for months on Facebook marketplace for Lilly Pulitzer attire, only to run into situations where I wasn’t first in line or they were too far away.

You can sew your own clothes, thanks to great tutorials!

Why did I decide to sew myself a skirt? I really loved the bright, colorful fabric I found and reached a decision that I’d embark on this new journey. In other words, a skirt is a good place to start and here’s the tutorial I used! So, I was inspired by beauty and saw it as an adventure that was a win-win! As a result, I learned three things (probably more, but three seems like a good place to camp out).

  1. Clothes don’t make themselves. Obviously, I know. But thanks (no, thanks!) to fast fashion, most of our clothes come from countries on the other side of the world, places we’ve never been. Therefore, we have no idea what those workers go through so that we can add to our wardrobe. As simple as the tutorial was, I fiddled with a few parts of it and got frustrated with my lack of skill and the complexity of my sewing machine. I almost gave up. But I didn’t! I pressed through and wore that skirt with a better appreciation for what goes into clothing production.
  2. The person who makes my clothes deserves good compensation. It took me more than an afternoon to finish my project. If I were to be paid a reasonable wage for my skirt, it would have been a very expensive skirt! I’m glad I don’t have to make all my own clothes, because I’d be a strange sight! And, I do want to think more about supporting companies that pay their workers fairly and offer conditions that I would expect for myself.
  3. Progress is more important than perfection! Easily said. However, harder to practice. Believe me, I know. My skirt was imperfect and I didn’t feel confident wearing it at first. But because I’d put so much effort into it, I decided to wear it to a cookout with friends. Actually, I got a compliment on my cute skirt! I don’t know when I’ll get to my next project, but I felt empowered to learn new skills, try something new, and yes, I already have a ‘next’ project in the works! Stay tuned!
Uncategorized

How can I help the homeless?

Have you asked yourself recently if there’s anything you can do to help the homeless? It’s been blistery cold in the Northeast so far in 2019! And as news of homelessness across the country has perked up my ears, I’ve also seen what appears to be more homeless people on the streets of Philadelphia. My heart’s been heavy for them and my kids want to help too. So, how can I teach my kids compassion and take action to make a small difference in a homeless person’s day?

Tips for Helping


  1. Recognize that there’s not much difference between yourself and the person on the street. That might seem obvious, but sometimes it’s easy to forget the obvious. I was sad to hear friends making wide-sweeping, condescending, empathy-lacking comments about the homeless at a dinner party. Let’s check our hearts and be sure to speak in ways that convey shared humanity and experiences of loss/hardship/struggle. Maybe you’re living paycheck to paycheck or can remember a time that you were. Someone said to me, “We’re all just one paycheck away from being where they are.”
  2. When we teach empathy and then act on social issues, it teaches our kids (and other adults, too) a caring activism that spreads hope. Especially on issues that seem far too big for my little effort to make a difference, that’s exactly where I need to pause and ask myself if there’s anything at all that I can do, then do it! Of course be safe and inform yourself, but don’t forget to follow through.
  3. Make eye contact and say, “Hello.” If you have the opportunity, show you care by hearing their story. Each person has their own unique story and you honor the person in front of you by setting aside your assumptions and listening well. According the the Bowery Mission, “Homelessness brings a sense of loneliness that erodes the core of a person’s self-value.”
  4. If you don’t have the opportunity to say, “Hi” because maybe you’re driving your car, say a quick prayer – and if your kids are in the car, say it aloud – for that person and for others who are homeless. Remember that God loves that homeless person as much as he loves you, that God knows his or her name and has plans for that person. Does that thought surprise you?
  5. Sign up with a group that feeds the homeless. My sister’s church has a couple events throughout the year where they assemble bagged lunches and distribute them. What a pro-active and practical act of service!
  6. Make a gift bag or “blessing bag.” Consider going to the Dollar Tree and grabbing items like gloves and hat, thermal socks, beef sticks, crackers, power bars, toothpaste, toothbrush, wipes, deodorant, snacks and other items that may help someone who is homeless or on the street for a day. Mine was inspired by Amy Verder over here.

Give a $10 Now and Then

Back in January it was bitterly cold, a sudden drop in temperature (apparently called a Polar Vortex). Just before we pulled out of the driveway, I remembered a ‘blessing bag’ I’d made and that had been bouncing around in my husband’s car. In the chaos of getting kids buckled into car seats, I grabbed the bag with a prayer in my heart that we’d cross paths with someone who needed it. What unfolded still moves me to tears as I reflect on it.

We were getting off of 95 on an exit ramp where we usually see someone holding a sign, asking for help. Stopped at the red light, we saw a young man with his head bent down, holding his piece of cardboard and hoping for a window to roll down. I spontaneously grabbed a bill from my wallet and shoved it into the bag. “Quick, honey, roll down the window, here’s the blessing bag!” I urged my husband. The man was not too sure at first what was happening as a gallon sized ziplock bag was passed through the window. He said, “Thank you” and started to walk away. Then he spun around, his face lit up, and he came walking back toward us. “All of my clothes got wet last night – this is so helpful. Thanks again!” Tears were now grabbing my eyes. I didn’t know when I put socks, a clean cotton T-shirt, a hat and HotHands Instant Warmers in the bag that I’d meet a man whose clothes were damp. But our interaction wasn’t done. The $10 bill (that I’m ashamed to say I hesitated to put in there) caught his eye. Again he turned back, face completely transformed, “There’s a ten in here!” he said with exuberance that’s hard to describe.

We choked back tears and said, “God bless you.” Then I broke down in tears, for I was the one who was changed by this exchange. I can’t articulate what I expected exactly, but I can say that this man’s gratitude and what a difference this little package made to his countenance impacted me deeply. I won’t forget this man ever. And I share this story because I’m just an ordinary person who was inspired by someone else’s “Blessing Bag” idea. My hope is that the man was able to get to a laundromat to dry his clothes or get a hot meal. My hope is that my family won’t forget the lessons we learned about keeping a tender heart and looking out for others, even in small ways along life’s journey.


Uncategorized

My forecast for a Polar Vortex…

This weekend the governor of Pennsylvania declared a state of emergency, prohibiting commercial vehicles on the PA turnpike and advising a postponement of travel. Mind you, there was no sign of precipitation outside of my window. Which brings me to a regular banter my husband and I have about the weather. He loves to follow the radars and is regularly informing me of what the meteorologists are predicting. I make my decisions by looking out the window and assessing what is actually happening, because they are (in my informal information gathering) right less than 50% of the time. My fly-by-the- seat-of- my-pants approach confounds my love who is known to frequently quote, “Chance favors the prepared.” So when 24 hours passed and the roads remained dry and perfectly drive-able, I came up with my own forecast for a Polar Vortex:

Folks, it’s winter. This means you will experience low temperatures. We all know what that does to precipitation. It’ll freeze tonight, so if you’re planning to drive out there, use caution. You live in the North, you know what to do. Have a good night!

It is true to my experience, however, that this isn’t quite enough, so perhaps (without a single radar or declaration of a state of emergency) I’d take it upon myself to do a little coaching.

Perhaps some clarification is needed. Mind the speed limits (um, always). Don’t cut people off. Leave a generous following distance. If someone cuts you off, assume they didn’t see you, take a deep breath, and keep a level head. You’re welcome.

Uncategorized

Happy New Year!

It’s 2019 and my head hurts from learning how to publish my own blog. Truth. But it’s a dream come true and one that’s been a long time comin’. Goal #1 for 2019 – check! Hubby and I are sprouting one 7 year old and one 4 year old. They keep us on our toes. We’re making memories for sure. I look forward to introducing them further. For now, I’ll say adieu. Cuz’ I guess that seems a proper way to end my first post.