Easy homemade laraballs

Weekend in the garden

We are not gardeners. I definitely don't have a green thumb. However, I think gardening is one of those things you have to just keep doing until something works.

Last fall, we planted a little patch of salad greens - arugala, Swiss chard, kale, and spinach. The spinach was pretty sad and wimpy, the Swiss chard slow going, the arugala was OK, and the kale went crazy!

We have enjoyed such a mild winter, that most of this little patch is still working for us. We plan to plant some tomatoes, and perhaps some herbs. I love using fresh parsley in my homemade hummus!



This weekend we weeded and mulched our little salad garden. We planted two new Stuart pecan trees, and then watered and added compost around our other established fruit trees.  We also pruned back our blackberry bushes so they are ready to grow for blackberry season!

Every season we find ourselves going back to the same books for garden reference:



And now that we are incorporating the kids into the garden work more - and they are SO enthusiastic, I have a growing wishlist of resources for them as well:



What are you working on in your garden?

The best knitting podcasts for when you can't knit

One of my favorite projects from last fall - The Cozy Canuck Chullo.

For the past year and a half my knitting (and spinning) has decreased.... I do continue to make what time in my day I can for a little bit, but a little something called "breastfeeding the baby" has made using my hands a little more challenging. However, being a fiber lover is something that you can't just ignore, so when I find myself holding my sweet boy and unable to knit I have been enjoying a few fabulous podcasts about my favorite topics!

Video Podcasts

Snappy Stitches - This is Chrissie, she has two babies. She spins, and knits, and cooks enough to put the rest of us normal humans to shame. She is also amazingly sweet and has the most amazing eye for color and pattern! I really wish I could go yarn shopping with her.

Round the Twist with Carin - Carin. She also has two babies toddlers - and they are twins! She knits what she wants to. I like that. She has also almost sold me on the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery... almost.

Skeins and School - Deanna is new to podcasting, but she is not new to homeschooling. This is a delightful mix of knitting and teaching!

The Passioknit Spinner - I JUST found Theresia. She has the longest Ravelry handle ever - and she is a wiz at spinning. The episode tutorial about how to combine different braids of fiber in order to have a sweater quantity is genius.

Audio Podcasts

Curious Handmade - First of all, Helen has a lovely accent, secondly, in January she encouraged us all to "love the yarn you've got". What's not to love?

Your Morning Basket - No knitting here - but some amazing insight into choosing to make time for the most important little bits of your homeschool right away so that they don't get lost in the general chaos of life. Every episode has a guest and a specific topic to help you add Truth, Goodness, and Beauty to your homeschool day.

 What podcasts do you always make time for?