You don’t have to stop enjoying this summer’s fresh produce as soon as the season passes. Preserve the taste of hard-earned fruits and vegetables with canning tips from experts at the West Virginia University Extension Service.
Early on the morning of July 4th, before I could even pour my first cup of coffee, our 2 youngest Savages treated me to a rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
As temperatures rise, so can the risk of illness from improperly stored or cooked foods. Let WVU Extension Service, the USDA and other government agencies guide you to a healthful and happy summer meal.
As I mentioned last week, Weber’s is having their half-off sale through July 5 and it’s time to fill in any bare spots. We seldom go out these days and don’t even have the hanging baskets on the deck that we normally have, but we will mask up, keep our safe distancing and get some plants. We…
When we had our house built 15 years ago, one thing I really wanted was a great big wrap-around front porch. I envisioned it like my very own Cracker Barrel, a place where I’d sit and rock while waiting to be called in for supper.
If you haven’t heard, billionaire Elon Musk is a brand-new dad to a bouncing baby boy he named, “X Æ A-12.” Unfortunately, for the SpaceX founder, California law prohibits the use of numerals or symbols on birth certificates, so the newborn’s name was officially changed to, “X AE A-Xii.”
We have just passed the longest day of the year, our gardens are growing and we are seeing the results of our labors. Whether it’s flowers or veggies, things are looking good in the garden.
The “stay-at-home” spring of 2020 resulted in a renewed interest in home gardening. Many seed companies reported record sales and plant nurseries sold out.
Last week as I was scrolling through the news, this headline caught my eye, “The TikTok Trend of Parents Pouring Water on Their Kids is Pure Joy.”
Summer is in full swing and blooms are bursting out everywhere. We have so much green, it’s amazing.
Growing your own cut flowers may be easier than you think.
There are many words that start questions, like, “who, what, when, where, and how.” Yet, as a parent, I’ve found that the hardest to answer questions almost always start with the word, “why.”
We have a lot of ladies blooming in the garden now.
Summer cooking over the coals is a great opportunity to try some great foods while making memories.
I always get a big smile when my husband begins offering insight to our teenagers with the line, “When I was in high school, we.” Before they can mutter “OK, Boomer,” under their breaths, I try to lovingly remind him that he graduated from high school in 1984. He’ll usually acknowledge, “I g…
This is the time for cutting flowers and sometimes it seems like they all bloom at once.
While we are able to purchase strawberries year-round from our grocery stores, they don’t quite compare to the amazing taste that local strawberries provide.
During challenging times, we often look to past experiences or events to find reassurance.
This weather has everyone and everything confused. Checking the overnight forecasts every evening has become a necessary chore.
A couple months ago my friend shared a meme that instructed “Let’s make a quarantine playlist.”
Many of us have heard about tips and tricks to disinfect our homes during disease outbreaks, which is a fairly easy task when everyone in your household is observing a self-quarantine.
The 1920s were called the Roaring ’20s because of the “exuberant, freewheeling” way of life during that decade. A century later, the beginning of the 2020s isn’t nearly as “roaring.”
Let’s begin with the weather, primarily all the rain we’ve received.
We are spending a lot of time together and it should be valued because it may not happen again.
I’ve really gotten some good chuckles out of the posts and videos I’ve seen about being thrown into homeschooling.
Spring has arrived. As many families continue the transition to remote work and schooling, making physical activity a part of that daily routine can provide many health benefits.
Checking the overnight forecasts every evening has become a necessary chore.
3 easy ways to save at the grocery store
April is occupational therapy month. Never, in the 23 years that I’ve been an occupational therapist, have I experienced an OT month quite like this one. However, also, in the 23 years I’ve been an occupational therapist, never have I had such a deep appreciation for my profession as I’ve ha…
The weather never ceases to keep us guessing. One day it’s 80 degrees out and 2 nights later it is in the mid-30s.
Our emotions are heavily influenced by our environment, and it may be difficult to find the positive energy needed to move forward.
A few weeks ago, a friend shared a meme that basically stated, “Y’all are about to find out why your grandma washed her aluminum foil.” Another friend commented she had a ziplock bag drying after washing it out for a 2nd use.
The online Easter service we tuned into reminded me of a simple truth. We should never allow the worst thing to be the last thing.
With a stay-at-home order in place across West Virginia and a majority of the United States, one West Virginia University physical activity expert suggests it’s a critical time to add exercise to your daily routine to strengthen your immune system and manage stress during the tumultuous COVI…
We are finding a new and different meaning for cabin fever this year.
Many families will decorate eggs this Easter season. There are many commercial dyes to choose from as well as numerous homemade recipes.
We are experiencing some unusual times and, depending on your perspective, that can be a good or bad thing. There’s no sense in allowing this to be an unpleasant experience, so let’s snap out of that negativity and do something positive and maybe even fun.
One of the many things I’ve learned in life is sometimes plans change.
These are crazy days in our garden and here we are in April already.
This year, plan to have nature help color your Easter eggs with natural dyes. Collect plant material listed below for a variety of shades.
The governor issued a stay-at-home order directing West Virginians to limit excursions away from their homes. We should make trips only to fulfill essential needs.
Remember your first memories of helping in the kitchen, maybe it was measuring flour or rolling out a pie crust?
With the cold days and nights we had in December, we decided to leave the birdfeeders out every night and had no problems.
When she was 4 months old, our oldest daughter contracted Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). As new parents, my husband and I were beyond scared as we watched our infant struggle to breathe.
Sunday morning our 13-year-old son declared, “It’ll be easy for me to practice social distancing.”
As a reminder, here are a few tips from WVU to help you stay safe and healthy.
It seems our weeks are filled with weather contradictions. We have a couple of warm days interspersed with cold ones, and even colder nights.
A few months ago, my sister-in-law and I were attempting to coordinate when we could travel to the Eastern Shore to visit our extended family.
Spend time together in March talking and learning about St. Patrick and the country of Ireland.
It is difficult to know what to do in the garden with temps in the mid 60s during the day and then down in the teens at night and the next day, but you know I can always find something for you to do.
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