Gratitude Journal Jar Tutorial Using Upcycled Materials

February 3, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.

grat·i·tude – the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness It’s always rolling around in my head: the concept of gratitude in everyday life. Do I exercise it every day? Some more than others…. Take some time and a cup of tea to pursue this excellent website, Greater Good, […]

In the Hive – Late Winter

January 27, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.

This year, I want to be a better beekeeper and bee steward. 2014 marks my fourth season of bee herding and while earning my Apprentice Badge adds a nice bit of flare, beekeeping and stewarding is more about doing than passing a test, a lot like life and career …. There is no GPA in […]

In the Hive: Winter Feeding

January 26, 2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

This year I decided to feed in the winter, due in part to the fact that my hives have continued to seem “busy” with the weather in the 40s-50s for the last few months, except one cold snap a while back. I am worried that they don’t have enough food stores. Based on my research […]

How to Make a Lavender Herbal Tincture

January 23, 2014.Reading time 7 minutes.

Tinctures and extracts are one of the many ways to capture and use your herbal bounty, whether fresh from your garden, bumper crop at the grocery store or dried. I love lavender and grow a ton of it on our parkway for the bees, smell and looks. It is so darn easy: low water, drought […]

Grill Steamed Mussels

January 17, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.

Based on a Dods MacFarlane’s Mussels in Bag recipe in my copy of Sue Lawrence’s Scots Cooking book. I blog a lot about my Chinese/Vietnamese/Asian life but I am actually (surprise surprise) Scottish. I can’t say the Scots are world renowned per se for their vast cuisine but I am looking to add more of […]

Reach & Read: The Secret Life of Bees

January 16, 2014.Reading time 2 minutes.

The Secret Life of Bees By Sue Monk Kidd – a book review This is a truly heartwarming story of a young awkward girl, finding her stride, and designing a future by learning about her past and her values. A honey house, black Madonna, beekeeping lessons and some lost and gained love fill the lives […]