I am a rider. Learning to ride a bike was a big step in growing my childhood boundaries and adventures. Once I proved myself to be road ready, the doors to freedom opened and I rode. To friends, to the store, to a job, anywhere I wanted to go.From my first wobbly ride down the driveway to my current...

Pickles! If you’re a word nerd like me, occasionally you find yourself over at the Online Etymology Dictionary , where you can you look up the origins of words. Since we’re talking pickles today, I thought I’d share with you the history of “pickle”: “c. 1400, ‘spiced sauce served with meat or fowl’ ...

With higher temperatures and more frequent droughts occurring, rainwater harvesting is something nearly everyone can do to make the most of the moisture they get. Many homeowners erroneously think that if they live in an area with little rainfall, it’s not worth trying to catch for use later. “Infre...

June is National Pollinator Month, making it the perfect time for kids to learn about pollinators, the key role they play in ecosystem and garden health and why we should care about their well-being. KidsGardening.org , a national nonprofit and leader in the youth gardening movement in conjunction w...

Q: I’ve got a fridge full of food and our power went out for several hours due to severe storms. Is there any food that can be saved, or do I have to throw everything out of our fridge due to spoilage? A: It’s that time of year when severe weather can leave consumers without power for a few minutes ...

Winter is here, and if your electricity goes out due to snow and ice, a generator can keep power flowing to your home or business. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) , an international trade association representing manufacturers and suppliers of outdoor power equipment, small engines, bat...

Much is said about self-sufficiency when it comes to growing your own food, whether that’s fruits and vegetables or livestock for meat. But there’s another important part of our diet that can’t be overlooked: beverages (and specifically, alcoholic ones). If you imbibe, you know there’s nothing sweet...

Phlox is a wide-ranging North American native perennial and a common fixture in woodland, prairie and meadow landscapes. Phlox are an easy-to-find wildflower stretching from Florida and Quebec to Alaska. One of the classic American perennials, this was one of the earliest North American natives to e...

There’s nothing quite like the “silence” of nature. If you can find the right spot, you won’t hear any cars, any trains, any planes … or any cell phones chirping at you. You will hear babbling brooks and birds chirping and squirrels chittering. You will hopefully feel a little peace. June is Great O...

Peperomias have been sold as houseplants since the 1930s.For decades, there were only a handful of varieties to choose from, but with their new popularity and ease of growth, many additional varieties have come to market. The many types of peperomia can range from bushy to trailing, upright or casca...

One of the more interesting aspects of living in the country is discovering old cemeteries. Places where religious groups used to gather, family plots on land that has long since passed to others, spaces in centuries-old communities that have both crumbling granite and shiny new marble – these can b...

Today, we are fortunate enough to have quality cameras just sitting in our pockets (or, let’s be honest, never leaving our hands). That makes May, National Photography Month, even more exciting, since we can snap pretty pictures basically all the time. Officially recognized by Congress in 1987, Nati...

In 2005, United Poultry Concerns launched International Respect for Chickens Day to “celebrate chickens throughout the world and protest the bleakness of their lives in farming operations.” The thought was to do an action for chickens. Ideas they suggest include letter writing, handing out leaflets,...

Do you want to get in some good cardio exercise without going nowhere fast on a treadmill or hurting your aching knees? Do you want to see more of your region in the fresh air, not from behind the window in a car? Get on your bikes and ride! May is National Bike Month, and this week, May 16 – 22, is...

May is National Beef Month, and it almost seems like the month was made to celebrate this protein. Between taking Mom out for a fancy steak dinner, finally firing up the grills as spring warms up and graduation parties for certain regions, May is made for beef. The good news is, as a homesteader or ...