I was listening to Elizabeth Gilbert deliver her keynote address. Yes, that Elizabeth Gilbert! The author of Eat Pray Love. She was addressing hundreds of businesswomen at the 2018 National Association of Women Business Owner’s Conference. She asked us what words would we use to describe women. Strong was the word that kept echoing around […]
This summer I was determined to use fresh peaches in some kind of delectable dessert. I thought perhaps a cobbler. I can honestly say that I’ve had a good peach cobbler only once. All my other experiences left me with soggy, overcooked peaches. A cobbler crust that was less than desirable. Or a cobbler that […]
I decided to take my own advice. In June 2020, I wrote about our homes being our sanctuaries and sacred spaces. And while I had fresh flowers on occasion, I only had one live house plant. A Bird of Paradise named Ben. So I began my quest to fill my home with houseplants I couldn’t […]
Instead, it’s a beloved salad ingredient. And here I was, throwing it away and loathing its very existence in my garden when people want it and can’t even grow it!
Growing up, cocoa butter was the go-to remedy for skin conditioning and removing the dark spots from knees and elbows that constantly got scrapped as a kid. My grandmother, the unforgettable Nana Brown always had plenty on hand. Before leaving for school, our morning ritual including the daily anointing of my knees because I was […]
Tallow soaps are soaps made with animal fat. It’s how all soaps were made for centuries. It’s a holistic approach to soap making because nothing of the animal gets wasted and I can appreciate that. Being the city girl turned suburban gardener/farmer that I am, I knew I wanted to make a tallow soap and […]
Today is the day we recognize dads. And I have to go no further than my house to know what a good father is. My hubby has been a wonderful father to our children and it’s been a pleasure watching him form bonds with them. This is one of my favorite pictures of Elgin and […]
Summer is here and having lived in the South now for over 20 years, I’ve learned the importance of sweet tea. It’s a staple and helps cool you down on hot, humid, summer days. I did say humid, right? Combining this southern staple with one of the best summer fruits of the season is bliss. […]
There seems to be no middle ground when it comes to okra. People either love it or hate it. Our family loves it. We planted 10 okra plants this year at Alexander Farm & Garden and I’m so excited! We plan to eat, freeze, give some away to our local food pantry and we’ll […]
You want your home to feel more like a sanctuary – your sacred space. Plants and fresh flowers definitely help with that transformation. But, you’re convinced that you have a black thumb and have settled on dusty faux plants scattered throughout the house. We understand. We’ve got a few dusty faux plants too so no […]