Recently I volunteered as chaperone for my son’s robotics team when they travelled to Louisville, Kentucky for the Vex World Championship. Go Moosen! I’m not really a natural born traveler, and I wanted to make sure that I had some strategies in place to deal with the stress of travel and competition without abandoning the […]
If it wasn’t so tasty, it would be a weed. I’ve rarely met a gardener who grows zucchini who doesn’t have an over-abundance to share. I love it with pasta, in sauces, stuffed and sauteed. I like it in the famous sweet bread, and even cookies. But by the end of zucchini season, when the […]
In July, Milly and I were invited to join the Utah Food Bloggers for a tour of some of our host’s favorite food stops in Cache Valley. Since we call Cache Valley home, we couldn’t resist joining in to learn more about the delicious side of the neighborhood. We were not disappointed. Food Stop 1 – […]
When I was growing up in the wild winter wonderland that is Wyoming, cabin fever was something you came to expect about this time of year. We became less and less enamored by the snow and cold and longed for the sunshine to peek through the clouds for an hour or two just to reassure […]
Gardening may be one of the most romanticized hard-labor activities in literature. There truly is something enchanting in the alchemy that combines soil and water and tiny little seeds to create marigolds, daisies and hollyhocks. And homegrown tomatoes. I used to think that the heady scents and delicious flavors of a garden were magical in spite […]
I’m beginning the week with one of my favorite summer family traditions, an edible centerpiece planter for the patio table. It’s easy and inexpensive, and lasts through all of your summer barbecues and picnics, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Our first edible centerpiece planter was created as a fun way to teach our children about […]
One recent evening I found myself out underneath our apple tree, and was fortunate to capture a photograph of this delightful little visitor to our garden. The scent of the apple blossoms was so sweet, and the snowy white blossoms so beautiful, I couldn’t help thinking of one of my favorite Hans Christian Andersen stories, […]
A few years ago I stumbled across a pin on Pinterest that seemed just too good to be true. I read Paula Rhodes’ suggestions at salad-in-a-jar.com, and though I was skeptical, I had to give it a try. We are, after all, avid salad-eaters in our family, and I absolutely hated throwing out lettuce that […]
We filled the top tier of our garden tower planter with peppers this year. The jalapenos and serranos were sweet and mild, and extremely abundant. I usually freeze them whole for use in recipes throughout the year, but decided to try a pepper jelly recipe from msnotsoperfect.com. I made a few adjustments to the original and the end result was a thick, […]
One of my very favorite things about my husband is his ability to build things. He doesn’t just build them, he takes my little ideas and makes them into something truly great, both in genius and proportion. This particular project was his answer to my plea for a raised garden bed in our backyard vegetable […]
Hi! I’m Barbara Anne Williams, a designer and illustrator living in the Rocky Mountains of Northern Utah. I find inspiration in the beauty of nature, the scent of old books, and the kindness of everyday heroes.
