Quote of the Day: Andrew Wyeth

“I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure in the garden…”

Andrew Wyeth

Of course I’m not sure how much of the garden’s structure you can see when it’s buried below 6 feet of snow, but at least you get to see it for part of the winter.

What’s your favorite season to notice structure?

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A Little Maintenance

I sew a lot in the winter, this winter has been no different. Sewing machines are like any other machine, they need periodic cleaning and maintenance. My machine gets a good vacuuming every couple months and a bit of oil.


I’ve been sewing so many zipper pouches this winter, I should have cleaned it sooner. The amount of lint buildup inside was a bit ridiculous. One of these days I need to take it in to have it properly cleaned and serviced. We’re lucky to have a guy that will pick it up at my local fabric shop and drop it back off the following week. My little machine isn’t an expensive one, but keeping it properly cleaning & maintained has made it sew like a champ for the 18 years I’ve had it.

One thing I need to get better at is keeping my garden tools properly maintained. This summer I need to build the bucket of sand with some sort of oil (maybe organic linseed or jojoba) to dip my tools into before putting them away. That’s one area I definitely need to up my game, especially before putting them away for the winter.

Do you have any tips for properly maintaining gardening tools?

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Digging Out

Sunday and Monday we had a big nor’easter hit us here in Maine. We spent a large portion of the day yesterday digging some things out, more digging will be done today. It’s hard to say how much snow we got, with the gusting winds and drifting it’s waist high in some places and only a foot in others. If I had to guess I’d say we got between 18-24″.





It’s like mother nature was procrastinating this year. We’ve gotten 3-4 feet of snow in the past week and there’s another 15 inches or so predicted for tomorrow. I am happy that there’s finally enough snow for snowshoeing, which is one of my favorite winter activities.

What’s the worst kind of weather you get in your garden?

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Quote of the Day: Shauna Niequist

“I choose to believe that there is nothing more sacred or profound than this day. I choose to believe that there may be a thousand big moments embedded in this day, waiting to be discovered like tiny shards of gold. The big moments are the daily, tiny moments of courage and forgiveness and hope that we grab on to and extend to one another. That’s the drama of life, swirling all around us, and generally I don’t even see it, because I’m too busy waiting to become whatever it is I think I am about to become. The big moments are every hour, every conversation, every meal, every meeting.”

-Shauna Niequiest in Cold Tangerines

I’ve been thinking about this over the past few years, settling in to notice the beauty in every day moments. Washing the dishes, sweeping the floor, fixing dinner, weeding the garden…

So often we assume that the good moments can’t coincide with chores or the mundane, when in fact, these moments can be the very thing we crave. It definitely takes a deliberate mindset to cultivate this gratitude and appreciation for the mundane. For me, slowing down to wash the dishes is one of those moments. It makes me stop and appreciate the landscape outside my window, the dishes in my cupboard, the clean water from the tap, and the food on my table.

What mundane item do you find the most beauty in?

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Moments of Creativity

I’ve always been a creative person, as a child I was constantly drawing, sewing, making things out of modeling clay, or doing various crafty things. As we get older, we can often drift away from our creative sides. While I still do a lot of creative things, I’m trying to add a little creativity into the every day.

My to-do list is a great place. I don’t doodle and draw nearly as much as I did when I was younger. Now I’m trying to make my to-do lists less rigid and add a few fun little drawings. I’ve heard of bullet journaling, but that seems like a little too much for me. For now, adding a few quick doodles while keeping my life organized is the perfect way to add a little creativity and fun into my everyday!

What things are you doing to add more creativity to your life?

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