On our son’s first day of high school, he woke up with an upset stomach. He didn’t have a fever or any other health complaints.
The days are getting shorter and most of us are still at home. We have been in for a long time and it seems like we should be out and around, but not just yet.
Autumn has arrived in our garden and many plants are taking the hint and dying back for winter already.
The largest native fruit in North America, the Pawpaw, has seen a resurgence of popularity in the last few years. However, along the Potomac River in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, I’m sure the pawpaw has never left the public eye.
Years ago, there was a game show that asked, “Are you smarter than a 5th grader?” Now, I’ve known for quite some time that, unequivocally, I am not.
My dad was a sports guy. He loved them. He played them, coached them, and managed them.
l want to begin this week with an apology. I have been drying flowers, especially hydrangeas, for over 25 years and even had a business in Charles Town selling dried and fresh flowers.
Winter squash season is upon us. Those large, odd looking squash sold alongside pumpkins at farmers markets are edible and quite delicious.
Last Monday morning, I was placing my breakfast dishes in the dishwasher when our oldest daughter came out of her bedroom, took one look at me, and asked, “Why are you dressed already?” I answered, “I have to go to work.”
We have temperatures in the sixties at night and eighties during the day. I don’t know about you, but this feels like fall weather to me.
September is National Chicken Month.
On their 40th wedding anniversary, my dad presented my mom with a ruby necklace that he’d picked out and purchased all by himself. Our entire family was speechless.
As always, August is throwing us a curve. This year it’s cool rainy days and even cooler night temperatures.
Mornings are busy for most households. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who skip breakfast, consider this: many studies have shown that both adults and children who eat breakfast weigh less than their breakfast-skipping counterparts.
Last week my husband and I were discussing something when I said, “Some people really value looks.”
Summer is in full swing and many gardeners are finding their gardens overflowing with summer squash varieties. There is no more versatile vegetable this time of year than squash, and its taste and texture can be adapted to many different types of recipes.
August has had more rain than usual and the major beneficiary appears to be the weeds.
These are lazy days in the garden, spent mostly gathering the harvest and staying cool. This is a good time to look through your catalogs and decide which spring bulbs you need to order.
We have friends who homeschool their children. We have friends who send their children to private schools.
Summer is here and fresh fruits and vegetables are everywhere, including tomatoes.
This is not a time for a lot of extended visits to the garden, but when you’re there, pick a few extra to give a friend or to leave at the senior center.
Now’s the time to enjoy the wonderful bounty of Hampshire County’s fresh peaches. From canning to peach pies there are many ways to enjoy this locally grown fruit.
In the 1990s my husband and I liked the song, “Peaches,” sung by the alternative rock band, The Presidents of the United States of America. It starts off with the lyrics, “Movin’ to the country. Gonna eat a lot of peaches,” followed by, “If I had my little way, I’d eat peaches every day.”
Sweet corn on the cob may be one of the most quintessential summer foods. Corn is one of the few vegetable crops that originated in the Americas. American Indians originally developed sweet corn by selecting for sweetness qualities.
We have been going out to the garden to water the plants in the morning. It’s been too hot and humid to do much of anything outdoors during the day and the evenings aren’t cooling off much either.
A few weeks ago, my mom couldn’t start her tractor. She asked my husband to look at it. He did so happily.
Gardening does not have to end with the summer weather. Fall gardening comes with plenty of advantages.
Last week we gave our son a virtual reality headset for his birthday. We’ve all enjoyed putting it on and participating in various virtual experiences.
These hot summer days are best spent on the porch, but it doesn’t always work out that way for gardeners.
Everyone is tired of staying home. After all these months, it seems it should be fine to go out and socialize again, but this virus is not done with us yet.
Did you know Hampshire County is one of the top livestock-producing counties in the state?
This summer, we’ve spent quite a few days on the river. Our 2 older children each take out a kayak, while my husband, youngest daughter and I float in our canoe.
Many folks in our country are having a difficult time feeding their families and Hampshire County is no exception.
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.
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