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Climbing the Ladder Canyon Trail in Mecca Hills
When I think of slot canyons, I think of the dramatic water-carved walls of Southern Utah and the tall narrow gorges of Northern Arizona. I think of iconic slots with telling names like the Subway,...
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Welcome to the All-New Garden Betty!
If you checked my blog over the weekend, you may have noticed that things look a lot different around here! A new design has blossomed (along with these delicious-smelling jasmine flowers in my yard...
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Sleep-Promoting Fruits and Vegetables That Help You “Spring Forward” Easier
I have a love/hate for Daylight Saving Time. On the one hand, I’m thrilled that the days are about to get longer and I can get a little more work done in the garden, finish my bike rides while it’s...
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Five Things Friday
The five little things that made my week… 1. She’s gone rafting and camping, but she’s never been wetter or dirtier than after a day of “helping” me in the garden. This babe is clearly not afraid to...
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A Sad Update From the Chicken Coop
Last week, a raccoon attacked our Barred Rock, Kimora, and our Golden Laced Cochin, Iman, in their coop. My husband heard the commotion but didn’t make it outside in time. According to him, it was the...
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Moroccan Orange Blossom Iced Tea
Late winter to early spring is one of my favorite times to be in the garden: the days are longer, the weather’s warmer, and the air is thick with the heady fragrance of flowers from our orange and...
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Checklist for Your Spring Garden Tune-Up
Early spring can feel like a game of garden roulette: sunny and warm one week, tempting you to transplant all those tomatoes you’d started inside, then wet and cold the next week, reminding you that...
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Five Things Friday
The five little things that made my week… 1. These two. Mischief makers in the garden. 2. “Can you come out and play?” (No, she isn’t talking yet, but that’s what I imagine her babbling to be.) 3....
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Here’s to the First Year
Above: Gemma at one day old. Every morning, I take the first nap with the baby. I always wake up an hour before she starts stirring, but rather than getting up and going about my day, I like to lie in...
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The Surprise That Was The New Camp Cookbook Cover
After having the luxury of shooting my first book at home (or in various relatives’ homes) with easy access to a dishwasher, hot running water, and electricity, my second book was a true test of faith...
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Defending the Dandelion: It’s Not Just Another Weed
The ever-pervasive dandelion. It’s one of the first plants to sprout in spring, when the ground is barely free of frost, and remains steadfast through the season with vibrant pops of yellow and downy...
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Five Things Friday
The five little things that made my week… 1. The first strawberries of the season. I wish I could tell you how scrumptious they were, but by the time I went back to harvest a few, they were gone. All...
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Rest in Peace, My Beautiful Kimora
Our beautiful Barred Rock, Kimora, passed away on March 6, 2017. She was five years old, more than middle-aged by chicken standards, but you couldn’t tell by looking at, interacting with, or hearing...
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My Favorite Fences to Keep Out Critters, Caterpillars, and Birds (No DIY Needed)
Confession: I never knew how many animals roamed the night until I moved into a house with a yard that was a veritable buffet for said animals. Raccoons, opossums, skunks, even coyotes and foxes — all...
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Asia-Bound!
Above: My last trip to Vietnam in 2008. By the time you read this, I’ll have flown across the Pacific and be sitting in a Vietnamese sidewalk cafe, drinking an ice-cold glass of cafe sua da while...
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My Suburban Farmlette in the South Bay
Over the years, I’ve had many readers ask for a good overview shot of the garden to get a sense of how everything is laid out. I’ve attempted this a few times, but never felt that the pictures painted...
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Video: My Spring 2017 Garden Tour
I’ve been gardening, blogging, and living here for the last seven years, yet this is the first time I’ve ever done a garden tour. Needless to say, it’s been long overdue! I think I’ve always held back...
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Gardening Quick Tip: Transplant Your Supermarket “Living Herbs”
In early spring, before my basil has grown big enough to harvest, I usually buy them as “living herbs” in the supermarket. You’ve seen them in the produce aisle: the fresh herbs in little pots with...
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Home, Briefly
What a month. What. a. month! It went something like this: Week one, traipse through the snow in Tahoe. (Have you seen the video of my baby snowboarding in Tahoe Donner? Twelve months old and already...
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8 Easy Ways to Support Your Favorite Author
Perhaps the sweetest moment of an author’s life (aside from the second we hit “send” upon completion of our manuscript) is the day the very first copy of our book arrives. And that day, my friends,...
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