by Janet Clark My friend Ruthy painted this sweet scene, a beautiful blue hummingbird feasting on nectar from rosy-colored flowers. I love hummingbirds, the way they flit so quickly in and out of the garden, their tiny wings moving like … 
The weather here at Seven Oaks, my little hobby farm nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains, has been crazy this year. One day the temperatures are soaring into the 70s and the next day they barely reach …
With it being the cold season and considering how busy life continues to get, a crock pot meal is a great answer to enjoying a hot, home-cooked meal while having basically a hands-free waiting time. You don’t have to use …
When you’re starting seeds indoors, the most important consideration isn’t the seeds and it isn’t the container – it’s actually the light. Light more than anything helps or hinders seedlings. Some seeds actually need light to germinate. Lettuce seeds, for …
By Janet Clark I’m always surprised by how suddenly pansies spring back to life. One day they appear not only dormant but dead, and seemingly overnight they’re back in full bloom. I first saw these blooming pansies more than a …
You don’t have to rely on your local florist for a gorgeous bouquet. Try these simple strategies to design elegant bouquets. February is a good month to fill your house with flowers. You can buy an arrangement of flowers from …
Often we plant our seeds, transplant our seedlings, and dig in the dirt all for the enjoyment of gardening. As gardeners we’ve gotten good (or tried to get good) at weeding, mulching, fertilizing, pruning, and propagating, but a key aspect …
Mid-winter is by far the itchiest time of year for a gardener. No, I’m not talking about rashes, but the desire to get back outside and work in the garden, yet the temperatures are still too cold and unstable for planting. …
by Janet Clark Valentine’s Day is a holiday which is celebrated in many places around the world, as I learned today from my students in the English as a Second Language class. In Bosnia, it’s called “Valentino Day,” and in …
So, it’s Valentine’s Day…. Maybe you ignore eating healthy on this day or perhaps you try to eat mindfully even on holidays. Or, you’re in a slump and don’t feel like baking cookies and cakes and you don’t want to …
