A few weeks ago, I spotted this adorable baby chick costume on Etsy and it sealed the deal: Juniper has to be a baby chick for Halloween. It’s just too cute and too farmy to pass up. I decided to make a shabbier, yet cheaper, version on my own. I think it turned out pretty cute and wanted to pass along the step-by-step method. To
Butternut Squash Soup (for Baby too!)
Butternut squash has to be one of the most versatile vegetables on the planet. It’s great as a main dish, side or even dessert. But one of my favorite ways to enjoy this delicious vegetable is in a hardy soup. Juniper is now old enough to eat winter squash, so I recently made a batch of soup for us and a smaller portion for her.
June in Review
June was the first month that I finally felt like our homestead was back in full swing after being away for a couple years. With Juniper clinging in my arms, we would walk the garden to harvest and tend our little slice of heaven. Several delicious veggies filled our plates at mealtime including kale, chard, spinach, lettuces, and piles and piles of artichokes. When Jay
Graduation
Four years ago I was spending 40+ hours a week at “work” and 40+ hours a week getting my hands dirty somewhere – digging in our garden, helping friends with garden designs, volunteering for the farmers market, etc. It was clear that I needed to make a choice between those two lives. I chose the one with dirt under my nails. I turned in my
May in Review
A look back at May shows a lot of life and budding fruit on the homestead. This is a photo-heavy post of the spring sights I have been enjoying: flowers, veggies and Baby Junebug! My favorite spring flowering bulbs, Allium giganteum, came out in full force. The purple petals are fading away leaving what looks like a green pincushion behind. They will dry out and
Our Family Hike
My family has been enjoying the same hike through the Columbia River Gorge, a national scenic area, for decades now. My parents began hiking this easy trail in the early 70’s and continued to use it as the family grew. Years are marked in family photos with each child taking our turn riding in the baby backpack carrier and up through our restless teenage years.
Becoming A Parent: What I’ve Learned So Far
It is a pretty steep learning curve when you become a parent for the first time. After a month and half, I wanted to share some of the lessons I have learned so far.1. Bring new parents food. Our friends organized a meal train. You pick the nights you could use a meal and people sign up online for different nights. Great way for them
Welcome Baby Juniper
We welcomed our baby girl into the world on Leap Day! Her name is Juniper Carol Wilkinson and we call her Junebug as a nickname. She weighs 6 lbs 8 oz and everyone is healthy and recovering well. My labor went as smoothly as we planned. I woke up at about 1:30 am with contractions I couldn’t sleep through. As things progressed, I slept or
Serious Nesting
It’s hitting me more and more that in a few short weeks there will be a baby living here. The pregnancy has been great, but I almost just expect on some level to stay pregnant forever now. No so… This weekend Jay and I attacked Bug’s room – putting in shelves, unpacking gifts from family and friends, and all around “nesting”. My mother made this