Towards the end of last week the antibiotic bugs had beaten down the tonsillitis bugs enough that I had just enough energy to participate in the family again. I even felt well enough to visit Glacier Ridge Metropark yesterday where the icicle picture was taken. I did not have the endurance to steel myself against Alex’s departure for a business trip in California this morning. Yesterday afternoon was a roller coaster of emotions as I [...]

It’s time for another Friday Five! Here are five handpicked events that are sure to feed your soul in chronological order: 1. Field & Screen at the Wexner Center for the Arts – From February 4 – 24, the Wexner Center is featuring films about food and the environment. On the 24th, they will host a market and CSA preview with Wayward Seed farm and friends. Check the link for showtimes and prices. 2. Pecha [...]

Two years ago at the Wild Goose Creative New Years celebration, Allison from Igloo Letterpress taught me an imminently useful skill: how to fold a four page booklet from a single piece of paper. Since then, I have transformed paper into books for Lil to make into dinner menus, sticker stories, and hand drawn comics. At one point she even labeled the bindings with letters like at the library to organize her homemade books. Now [...]

Last weekend my parents rented a cabin from Stahl Farm Vacations in SE Knox County, an hour and a half drive from Columbus. They generously invited my sisters, Alex, and Lil to join them for a relaxing unplugged weekend and of course we said yes. The house was an old log cabin with a recent addition. The original part featured a huge fireplace that burned whole tree trunk sections. Lil was fine around the fire [...]

The other day I noticed a little bit of homemade applesauce and some home-pureed pumpkin leftover in the fridge. I wanted to make something with them before they went bad. Five year old Lil and I had just made muffins for a meal so we wanted something a little different and came up with this cake. The batter is made in a single bowl for easy cleanup. Kids are great helpers for this recipe because [...]

It is really hard to write this menu because I am suffering from acute tonsillitis that makes swallowing food and drink painful. Hopefully the antibiotics prescribed by my doctor will start working soon and allow me to enjoy this week’s meals. Monday – spaghetti with homemade meatballs, salad Tuesday – toad in the hole with homemade sausage, peas Wednesday – cornbread crust veggie pot pie Thursday – homemade pizza Friday – fish, quinoa, green beans [...]

Sometimes it’s better to just do nothing at all. That’s what I did when a dinner guest commented, “Ew! Gross!” And when my daughter sneered, “Mama! It’s different!” Friends and family members, including Alex, regarded the open jar of smelly cider with raised eyebrows and pinched noses. I maintained that I was following the vinegar recipe: pour fresh raw apple cider in a jar, cover with an air permeable top, and set it aside for [...]