Well, friends, January hasn't been an easy month so far. When I read what I just wrote, it is such an understatement. My sister died suddenly on New Year's Day, and I haven't felt like doing much, including writing, but writing is what I do, so I decided to blog even though this post may be more personal than usual. I need to do anything that brings me peace and solace during this sad time, and writing is one of those things. I hope you understand. (more…)

All around the house, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Although we Catholics are still technically celebrating the season of Advent, Christmas is right around the corner. Bill and I are throwing a party for some friends tonight. I haven't had a Christmas party for anyone other than family in years. I'm pretty excited, so I decorated the house with almost everything I own. It's been a blast to uncover all of my decorations and to pull growing bulbs from the greenhouse. (more…)

A visit to the New York City and the High Line. We just returned from New York City. Visiting the Big Apple during the Christmas season was on our bucket list, and this year we made it happen. Bill and I went to Manhattan in February 2008 with Bill's youngest sister, Maria, and her husband, Curt. I also went as a high schooler when I was seventeen. While we were there, we worked in a little garden travel too. A beautiful view of the Hudson River and stark trees against a blue sky on the High Line. Last week, we went back to New York with our traveling companions and what fun we had! Part of our visit had to be a trip to High Line Park, located thirty feet above the busy streets near Chelsea Market and the Meatpacking District. Although it was early winter, our visit was still extraordinary. Last summer, I...

Although I mostly write about gardening, I am also gluten-free, and lately, I've received a lot of requests to write about my favorite gluten-free products. The week before Thanksgiving seems like a good time. If you're looking for traditional gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes, I have you covered with my mother's cornbread dressing--I now use butter instead of buttery sticks, but both work well--Waldorf apple salad and gluten-free cherry pie. Just use canned cherries instead of fresh. Fresh cherry pie. In fall, I make cherry pie with canned cherries. Favorite gluten-free flour mixes: First, about flour mixes, they are mixes because straight rice flour--often used in mixes--is gritty and flat and doesn't make decent baked goods. I've watched flour mixes improve greatly over the last ten years. Usually, gluten-free flour mixes contain either brown or white rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, sometimes dried milk and, maybe, some type of binder like...