We’ve been off camping in the Olympic Peninsula’s Hoh Valley all week. Beautiful! But it’s always nice to be back at Camp Tangled Nest. When summer comes, we spend most nights in our plenty-big, extra-cozy backyard tent. Last year we stayed out there into October! Here’s why:
Tom: Despite the occasional raccoon grunting past in the [...]
Tags: seasons, urban nature
Yesterday my friend Kathryn emailed a few photos of the freshly-fledged Bushtits in her plum tree.
That same day, I heard adult Bushtits chirping in our yard, and followed them to the lilac tree and our own little cluster of newly emerged Bushtits. I love how they huddle, all smooshed together in a little group. When [...]
Tags: birds, seasons, urban nature
It’s been a strange spring in Seattle, and all the gardeners I know have been a little off, including (maybe especially) myself. First, we had a freakishly warm late winter/early spring. While our biological selves still felt that they should be huddled by the fire sipping tea, the weather was telling us we should be [...]
You don’t have to be a hardcore forager to take advantage of the wild greens that abound in this lovely spring season. Trust me–we are not traipsing about far off-trail, toting a GPS. But we do enjoy gracing the table with simple wild edibles that we glean close to home. My two spring favorites: miner’s [...]
Tags: foraging, recipes, seasons, urban nature
When we gathered our eggs to dye this Easter, we paused to gape at them. Our little hens lay eggs in the most beautiful colors. How could we possibly improve on these shades of mauve, cocoa, and sepia? Still, this is a season of wonder. Brown eggs take a little longer to dye, but the [...]
Here in the Pacific Northwest we say, “Plant your peas by President’s Day,” and though I wander about pontificating this wisdom, I never quite manage to follow it. As usual, I’m late with my pea planting this year, but now that I’m finally getting to it, I wanted to let ya’ll in on a little [...]
Tags: garden, seasons, urban farming
My dad always said, “Leaper, if your toes are cold, put your hat on.” And all of us have heard that we lose 50% of our body heat through our heads. This last was recently debunked, sort of, by the scientific community. Evidently the heat loss “myth” is based on murky science from the 1950s [...]
Tags: craft, energy use, knitting, seasons
In the world of eco-hip, we are expected to eschew Christmas hype, and I am as cynical about corporate, commercial, factory-made holidays as the next person. But I love to celebrate the turning of the seasons, and believe deeply in reclaiming the light, richness, and beauty of Solstice/Christmas time. I know that it’s also become [...]
Tags: seasons, simple gifts
When we moved into this house, I was overjoyed to finally have a dining room (I’d never had one), big enough for a long table. I dreamed of an old craftsman hanging lamp to replace the new ceiling fixture that had been installed, which looks a bit like a leftover from the set of Twin [...]
