One of the things I have learned over the years is that a garden needs time to develop and reach its full glory. The late children’s book author and illustrator — and gardener extraordinaire — Tasha Tudor once told me, “You need patience. It takes 12 years to make a garden. Everything that’s worthwhile takes […]

Summertime means that it is lake time, and when you go to the lake there are a host of lies people tell you. There are the traditional lies about how big the fish was that someone just caught (hint: it’s always bigger than the one you caught the day before), but there are other lies, […]

Serving a couple of vegetables every night at dinner is a great strategy for families with picky eaters. Offering young kids a choice (“Would you like green beans or parsnips or both tonight?”) gives them a small but important sense of efficacy, while also helping to demystify ingredients that are served (non-threateningly) at the table. […]

PIPE, Wis. Wisconsin has long been as one of the nation’s leaders in cow dairies, farm after pastoral farm tucked into the state’s rolling hills. It’s earning another milk laurel in the face of increasing demand for goat cheese and milk: the most dairy goats in the U.S. That distinction will only stand to increase […]

When it comes to healthy eating, good intentions and willpower can only take us so far. That’s why I believe strongly in making the healthy choice the easy choice, especially when it comes to morning decisions. Spending a little time to set myself up for success makes a huge difference in my ability to stick […]

Last week I wrote about the burden that my youngest son, Lindell, carried as he cleaned out his room. Through the years, his older brothers had also cleaned out their rooms, but they never had to say goodbye to their childhood toys, books and clothes because they weren’t going far — just up to Lindell’s […]

I gave a lecture and slide show recently about good plants that support our feathered friends. I talked about good habitat for nesting and safe places to rest while avoiding cats. But when I showed plants birds like to eat, some gardeners were surprised when I showed blueberries: they didn’t want to share. Many of […]

LOVELAND, Colo. Cullen Filler used to describe his eyes as dirty to his mom, Becky Filler, in the months before surgery. It was the only way the 3-year-old could describe what his was seeing. “One of the first things he said when he woke up was,” said Becky Filler about Cullen’s first surgery in April, […]

We all know the classic plight of last-born children everywhere. Their scrapbooks are half as thick as their older counterparts and their time with mom and dad is lacking if it’s compared to what the oldest, once “only,” child enjoyed. I was the baby of the family, so I know. By the time I came […]

Garden clubs often enliven the summer by asking members to open their gardens to members and friends for an afternoon. For some, this is a terrifying day — they fear people will criticize their design, notice the weeds, make fun of the garden whimsy. For others, open gardens are fun. People walk through, talking plants […]