I love that simple yet profound way you show neighborliness. We need this more!
and love the Don't! Its all don't throw pearls before swine sort of thing. Love that.
Mostly I thank you Jeff for starting off my morning with a smile and helping me see the things in my life that are simple yet needed to do life well. Pets, walks, meals, gardens,etc.
I love your neighborly story, and now I love Poweshiek’s Skipperling. If I saw it in passing I'm sure I wouldn't notice it, but some up close pictures online are so ugly that they're adorable. I live nowhere near its habitat, alas. I'll have to notice the bugs around me.
One of my longer term goals (if I can afford it) is to buy a house with a yard that I can rewild. I would love to plant a good chunk of it with native wildflowers instead of grass, and I love learning about how that could benefit local pollinators! Thanks for sharing that link!
Yes, me too! I was able to plant a couple pollinator-friendly plants along the fence at the house I’m renting, and seeing the bumblebees have their feast brings me joy ☺️ (And sometimes I get to see a butterfly!) I’d love to have a meadow-esque yard some day! This is a Minnesota-specific resource, but I thought I’d share in case it’s helpful to you (or someone else); maybe other states have similar resources? https://bwsr.state.mn.us/l2l
Thanks for sharing that link! I love how you've started this process at a place you're renting - it's a good reminder that we can often find ways to start from where we are. This year I've been doing some balcony gardening at my apartment to better learn how to care for plants and I've really enjoyed it!
Oh I love that poop, butterflies, bees, flowers and tomatoes show up in the same post! I've been roasting the dozens of cherry tomatoes with olive oil, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. I then pack them into zip storage bags and freeze them.
I highly recommend Backman’s book Anxious People. It’s hilarious, poignant, and surprising. Netflix has a Swedish version which friends have said is good though it strays a little from the book. I couldn’t get past the subtitles and lack of Hollywood glitz and glamour, so I never finished watching, but they say it’s worth it. As for dear Fozzie, I completely get it. We have an ancient (14 yo) chihuahua named Pedro, and if I can’t get Pedro to pee before bedtime, I will be up at 3am to let him out. Did I mention that sometimes I have to feed Pedro out of my hand to get him to eat? Yep, desperate measures for sure.
Since our wooded backyard won't grow anything but herbs, I rely each summer on fresh produce from my favorite farmer. His tomatoes are simply glorious right now, which is always a good excuse to make gazpacho. Adding in his own cucumber, red pepper, and garlic, I was able to make an almost entirely local batch this past weekend to serve alongside paella. In our family, we've been making paella and gazpacho together as a summer tradition ever since 2011 when we spent a summer in southwestern Spain, where we bought the paella pan and learned how to make that signature dish. Paella and gazpacho together are a perfect marriage of warm and cool, earthy and tangy. It's one of my favorite meals every year, and the produce is looking so good here this year that I think we'll get another one or two in before the tomatoes are done.
(I think I'm the only reader who doesn't like Frederik Bachman--I am not his ideal reader.) Zadie Smith had an intro to some year's best essays, and she posited that we have an author for which we're an ideal reader. I can see her point: right now Margaret Renkl is my ideal author, and I'm looking forward to her upcoming book about weekly observations in her backyard. I think you two are kindred spirits; your writing too (almost always) resonates with me. Thank you.
I love that simple yet profound way you show neighborliness. We need this more!
and love the Don't! Its all don't throw pearls before swine sort of thing. Love that.
Mostly I thank you Jeff for starting off my morning with a smile and helping me see the things in my life that are simple yet needed to do life well. Pets, walks, meals, gardens,etc.
Loved reading about you walk with your adorable pup. It was such a delightful story.
I love your neighborly story, and now I love Poweshiek’s Skipperling. If I saw it in passing I'm sure I wouldn't notice it, but some up close pictures online are so ugly that they're adorable. I live nowhere near its habitat, alas. I'll have to notice the bugs around me.
One of my longer term goals (if I can afford it) is to buy a house with a yard that I can rewild. I would love to plant a good chunk of it with native wildflowers instead of grass, and I love learning about how that could benefit local pollinators! Thanks for sharing that link!
Yes, me too! I was able to plant a couple pollinator-friendly plants along the fence at the house I’m renting, and seeing the bumblebees have their feast brings me joy ☺️ (And sometimes I get to see a butterfly!) I’d love to have a meadow-esque yard some day! This is a Minnesota-specific resource, but I thought I’d share in case it’s helpful to you (or someone else); maybe other states have similar resources? https://bwsr.state.mn.us/l2l
Thanks for sharing that link! I love how you've started this process at a place you're renting - it's a good reminder that we can often find ways to start from where we are. This year I've been doing some balcony gardening at my apartment to better learn how to care for plants and I've really enjoyed it!
Balcony gardening sounds wonderful! I hope you’ve been able to enjoy some of the harvest!
Oh I love that poop, butterflies, bees, flowers and tomatoes show up in the same post! I've been roasting the dozens of cherry tomatoes with olive oil, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. I then pack them into zip storage bags and freeze them.
I always look forward to reading your thoughts, but today’s letter was glorious. Thank you.
I highly recommend Backman’s book Anxious People. It’s hilarious, poignant, and surprising. Netflix has a Swedish version which friends have said is good though it strays a little from the book. I couldn’t get past the subtitles and lack of Hollywood glitz and glamour, so I never finished watching, but they say it’s worth it. As for dear Fozzie, I completely get it. We have an ancient (14 yo) chihuahua named Pedro, and if I can’t get Pedro to pee before bedtime, I will be up at 3am to let him out. Did I mention that sometimes I have to feed Pedro out of my hand to get him to eat? Yep, desperate measures for sure.
I moved into a new house 3 years ago and since then I've been learning all about native plants & why we need them it's fun
i loved the story about Fozzy's walk and the reference to Bakman. What good advice. "Don't!"
Since our wooded backyard won't grow anything but herbs, I rely each summer on fresh produce from my favorite farmer. His tomatoes are simply glorious right now, which is always a good excuse to make gazpacho. Adding in his own cucumber, red pepper, and garlic, I was able to make an almost entirely local batch this past weekend to serve alongside paella. In our family, we've been making paella and gazpacho together as a summer tradition ever since 2011 when we spent a summer in southwestern Spain, where we bought the paella pan and learned how to make that signature dish. Paella and gazpacho together are a perfect marriage of warm and cool, earthy and tangy. It's one of my favorite meals every year, and the produce is looking so good here this year that I think we'll get another one or two in before the tomatoes are done.
Paella! That's a great reminder. We haven't made any in a while. Thanks!
(I think I'm the only reader who doesn't like Frederik Bachman--I am not his ideal reader.) Zadie Smith had an intro to some year's best essays, and she posited that we have an author for which we're an ideal reader. I can see her point: right now Margaret Renkl is my ideal author, and I'm looking forward to her upcoming book about weekly observations in her backyard. I think you two are kindred spirits; your writing too (almost always) resonates with me. Thank you.
The story site for the Poweshiek’s Skipperling is gorgeous. Thank you for sharing that.
I love Frederik Backman; I need to read more of his books.
And thank you for making me giggle before 8am with your Neighborhood Story about Fozzie!