I believe in the transformative power of stories. I am a high school English teacher, serendipitous farm girl, LEO wife, step mom, and writer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
“I don’t ask for the sights in front of me to change, only the depth of my seeing.” -Mary Oliver I never imagined that our hoop house would be my new… Pandemic Journal: We Write to Remember
On the eve of Valentine’s Day I wanted to offer you up a romantic recipe. Last year I made a luscious beet soup that my husband John did not find delicious. However, his reaction was memorable and I still laugh thinking about it. Needless to say, I will not be making him soup this year. I am still deciding on an entree, but I know that I will definitely make a leafy green salad with pickled beets, feta cheese, raspberries, walnuts, and a homemade lemon dill dressing.
… More Old Fashioned Sweet Pickled Beets
I am haunted by words. I am hungry for metaphors. I am constantly searching for ways to express the thoughts that linger in my head. I have a thirst to find meaning. I am always looking for new ways to express my voice. As a high school English teacher I make a living out of […] … More Hunger Moon — Glitter and Dog Hair
Once we started growing our own broccoli, it would be hard to go back to store bought. The flavor of fresh out of the garden, or even garden fresh out of the freezer, is dramatically different. We use broccoli in pressure cooked meals, in green salads, as a simple side dressed with real butter and a splash of lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt, or even as a late night snack (our favorite especially in the summer). Truth be told, I am known to sneak out to the hoophouse in my nightclothes to cut fresh broccoli, a few beans, and peas (if they are still growing) and whip up a batch with the seasoning mix I am sharing with you today. … More YEAR ROUND SUMMER SIMPLICITY – LATE NIGHT ZESTY BROCCOLI
If you have been paying attention, some of the most popular buzz-words right now are wellness, self-care, and low-carb. Though, I admit, as I age I realize how important paying attention to all three are. While I have not jumped 100% on the “carbs are evil” bandwagon. One of my intentions for 2020 was to be mindful of creating a meal plan for myself that was lower in carbs. … More LOW CARB CREAMY CHICKEN & MUSHROOM SOUP WITH CAULIFLOWER RICE
Speaking of cozy, what is better for a cold winter day than a bowl of piping hot soup? Though, I am a soup girl (regardless of the weather) this recipe is one of my favorite winter warm ups. It is healthy, full of vegetables, and can be tweaked to fit your personal tastes. … More SOUL WARMING HOT & SOUR MUSHROOM SOUP
BRANCHES LIKE NERVE ENDINGS How do I quiet my breath to match the stars – and make my papery eye-lids feel like rain? The birches are dressed in starch and my neighbor’s awkward garden raises weeds and a tangle of berries. The sky whispered lies yesterday screamed a false blue aqua like a Scandinavian […] Home … More Home Is a Verb — Glitter and Dog Hair
“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.” ~ Stacia Tauscher I need to write about this moment. Writing helps us savor and even stop time. How fortunate we are to have language at our fingertips and tongues to help us remember. Friends, you know what […] … More Lessons Learned Outside The Classroom — Glitter and Dog Hair
“Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher ‘standard of living’ is worth its cost in things natural, wild and free. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television.” … More RASPBERRY LEMONADE GREEN SMOOTHIE – A REFRESHING SIP OF SUMMER
I am not sure exactly how it happens. It may come in the form of a manual, a hardcover book – or in modern times – the password to a secret website. However, I am fairly certain that when one becomes a grandma, somehow you receive underground information on the art of sandwich making. In … More Not Your Grandmother’s Egg Salad
Produce with Amy 