Let’s begin with the kitchen. No, it’s not the biggest we’ve been in, not even close. But how many kitchens have massive oriel windows that extend up two stories on three sides? When you stand there, you’re surrounded by granite counters with old-fashioned tiles depicting English nursery rhymes, placed randomly along the sides. There are […]
garden
Delivered Daily: New England Recipes and Tried & True Kitchen Tips from the Editors of Yankee Magazine Email(Required) Subscribe I’m haunted by a pickle. Delivered Daily: New England Recipes and Tried & True Kitchen Tips from the Editors of Yankee Magazine Email(Required) Subscribe The kitchen shelves glimmer with jars of homemade preserves after a summer’s […]
Here’s a way to keep oceanside memories close even when you’re landlocked: Make a seashell planter using a terra-cotta garden pot. The materials are simple: just the pot, some sanded grout (available at craft stores such as Michaels and A.C. Moore) and hot glue, and the shells. For that last item, you can scour beaches […]
Rhode Island
The Beaches of South County
Whether you seek isolation or bustle, waves or calm ripples, there’s a beach—and a beach town—for everyone in South County, Rhode Island.
Magazine
With a Little Luck | Mary’s Farm
I once realized with sudden clarity that owning a home, a home that has some land and a few outbuildings, perhaps some animals, is no different from owning a small business. I manage the budget and prioritize the needs the same as any shopkeeper, lying awake with worries as well as hopes for expansion and […]
Gardens
What The Heck Is A Garden Hod?
An unusual-looking contraption with an equally odd-sounding name, the origins of the word “hod” are uncertain; however, I think it’s a translation for the term “workhorse.” Not necessarily a prize-winning beauty, but it reliably gets the job done day in, day out. (I have to admit, upon unpacking my first shipment of garden hods it […]
Want to add an interesting focal point to your garden area? Consider installing a backyard water garden. I installed my miniature backyard pond in one day with the help of a friend. Though we were both rookies at the time, we must have done something right, because eight years later my water sanctuary is not […]
Cooking Advice
Tips for Packing Lunches Your Kids Will Love
Banish Peanut Butter Boredom There’s no denying that fixing a peanut butter sandwich is fast and easy. To counter the boredom of eating the same thing day after day, take an extra minute to blend a custom peanut butter spread. To ½ cup peanut butter, add a few tablespoons each of finely shredded carrot, sunflower […]
Gardens
Grow Fresh Herbs in Your Garden
There is nothing like walking out to the garden on a summer day to snip fresh mint for iced tea or tender chives for a sautéed meal. Once you have used ultra-fresh herbs for your recipes you won’t want to go back to using the store bought variety. I grow an outdoor herb garden, and […]
Massachusetts
Exploring Somerville’s Union Square
Boston is often considered “a city of neighborhoods,” each with its own personality and attractions. The North End is where you go for pasta and cannoli, Beacon Hill for brownstones and swan boats, and Kenmore Square for Fenway Franks and the Citgo sign. These Boston meccas are worthy of their immediate recognition, but they are […]
Crop rotation may sound complicated, but this age-old practice is such a useful method for thwarting pest and disease problems that it’s worth gaining a basic understanding of why crop rotation is important and how to try it in your garden. In The American Gardener’s Assistant (1869), Thomas Bridgeman offers this reason for crop rotation: […]
Q. I am crazy for herbs (cilantro, basil, parsley and mint). How can I get a head start on a great herb garden indoors that I can move outside when the weather gets warmer. Any tips for a year-round indoor herb garden? Answer: Herbs may be grown indoors year round, though they won’t be as […]