Sage Against the Machine
A significant part of our Homo-Steading journey has been practicing self reliance in all forms. When Marti contracted a spot of poison ivy earlier this Summer, she took to the woods (but first to Google) to harvest some jewelweed to apply to her itchy skin. When we have needed a little pick me up and have run out of coffee, we have sipped on Nettle tea, fresh from the woods. Using herbs for cooking and for medicine is part of our daily life and will continue to be more significant, as we plan to repurpose the vast majority of our backyard as a small speciality herb farm in the summer of 2020.
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In the Kitchen with Marti: Brown Sugar Zucchini Banana Bread
The green oblong beauty begs me to turn it into fritters or a beautiful shaved salad dressed lightly in a garlic lemon vinaigrette. It calls out to be paired with a grilled pork chop, or even sautéed in a pan with minimal effort. SOMETHING! ANYTHING!
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We're Not From Here and That's the Point
As a lesbian who loves to travel in small, rural, scenic byway towns, I knew what it felt like to stay in a bed and breakfast with my partner. I knew how scary it could be to tell the innkeeper about who you really were. I knew what it felt like to lie and say: “We’re sisters.”
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Tropical Twist on Summer Bounty - Mango Cucumber Salad
Our cucumbers are truly out of control. Vines scaling our chicken wire fence at an alarming rate, sending tendrils of connection our every whichaway. Their vibrant yellow blooms have given way to oblong alligator -skinned fruit that hangs heavy, from limp vines. Summer’s fullest bloom is upon us.
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Grow Your Own Way
A little over a year ago, we set up an appointment to view what would become Thistle's Summit. We did it on a whim— as much as two earth signs can ever do something on a whim. We had been joking about what it would look like to live "the bed & breakfast lifestyle."
We both had successful jobs and a great community in Des Moines and even though most days it felt a little stagnate and tight for our ambitions, we didn't really think we were going to leave.
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Take Stalk
Our tomatoes are green around the shoulders, mason bees are dancing on the floppy borage blooms, sweet corn stands are popping up at the rate that Creeping Charlie is taking over cracks in the sidewalk and nasturtiums are a staple of nearly every meal. No denying that we have hit peak summer status.
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