2024 Backyard Garden 1: planting seeds

Hi! Welcome to my gardening series, where I'm going to document the progress in my new backyard veggie beds!

I made these "no dig" beds last year with lots of CARDBOARD to kill the grass and several cubic yards of compost on top, mulched over the winter with fall leaves. I took this photo a few weeks ago, before I had cleared some of those leaves away. I still need to figure out my paths between beds a little better. I don't have enough brick to go around all the beds, and I don't really want to buy more. Anybody know of any free brick or pavers in town? You can drop them off at my house, heh heh!

Those two beds in the back, mulched with pine shavings, are strawberries!

Anyway, here is my plan:

Cookies, books, turkeys . . .

Good morning!

One of my favorite places to go on Tuesdays!

I've been busy lately! E was in the middle school production of Mean Girls (Jr) -- a lead role, Janis! -- so there was a lot of energy expenditure around that, both with her and with me. I went to all 4 performances because that's what I like to do. :) She was AWESOME!!

I've begun some initial gardening, which I'll describe in the next post!

I've been fiddling around testing recipes to try and recreate Osmania biscuits! They're a shortbread cookie that I really enjoy, and I buy a box or two every time I'm at the Indian grocery. (They're made by Karachi Bakery and apparently are a Hyderabad specialty!) I figured I could make them myself, so I've been trying!

Multi Muffins, or Lemon Power Muffins Recipe: high fiber, high protein!!

Using a crazy-creative, innovative muffin recipe I found on the internet (here) as a starting point, I made up a really fun, healthy muffin recipe full of fiber and protein!! Yeah!!! I call them Multi Muffins, or Lemon Power Muffins. (Note: Karen's other muffin recipes look equally crazy-creative and innovative, so I'll be back to try more!)

They're very lemony, not too sweet unless you add the lemon glaze (included in recipe), and they're the BEST for a mid-morning or after-school snack. My recipe makes two dozen muffins, because what is the point of making only one dozen muffins for a family of four?? Can anyone relate? They will be all gone in mere hours. SO, these should last a bit longer than that.

Let's get to it. I wrote it out, so it's a picture! Easy!

Homemade Seven Stars Granola copycat recipe!

I was given this bag of yummy Seven Stars Bakery granola (happens to be vegan, though I don't really care), and I knew I could make it myself! I have a go-to granola recipe that a friend gave me from New York Times a few years ago, and it's easy to adapt.

Without further ado, here is my recipe!

I've been busy! New Dorybird website updates and offerings!

(This is my cozy afternoon recently)

Hi there! It's been a little while, because I've been working on a little of this, and a little of that. The big thing I did was to update my website! So if you click on over to Dorybird.com, you'll find A LOT of new photos, info (my art process! And more!), and . . .