By ALDONA BIRDNewsroom@DominionPost.com With the danger of frost passed, gardens are starting to really pop. With flowers and veggies flourishing in gardens large and small, you may notice trellises going up, too. A trellis is ideal for supporting climbing plants but ...
The woods surrounding my home have always seemed magical to me. When we were kids, my sister and I played witches under large outcroppings of rocks, pretending the mist, dappled throughout the mountain slopes, rising from spring openings, was steaming from witches’ ...
By Aldona BirdNewsroom@DominionPost.com While many of us consider honeybees and pollinators to be synonymous, there are many other insects who pollinate plants. Most bees and wasps pollinate as do some flies, butterflies and other insects we may rarely notice. Insects ...
I’m no sommelier, but I do enjoy a glass of wine. I’m also partial to fresh fruit as well as to jams and jellies, so it only stands to reason that grapes should be a crop I spend some energy caring for. Many years ago, my family planted a few grape vines — hybrid varieties ...
By ALDONA BIRD Newsroom@DominionPost.com With summer approaching, now is the perfect time to gather supplies and prepare for herb-drying season. You can harvest herbs any time, but many folk traditions specify times of the year such as between summer solstice and Aug. 15 as ...
When my sister and I were teenagers, we went through a candy-making phase, making many flavors of chocolate truffles, lemon drops, taffy, fondants, peppermint patties and more. In the many years since, I’ve continued making candies for special occasions. Truffles are my ...