Rooted in Reading
Late winter is a divine season for reading. The hustle and bustle of the holidays are behind us, and we find ourselves in a perfect space for nesting—before spring calls us outdoors once again.
There are so many places to wander in search of books and reading material. I love a good thrift store, especially for their book selections and unbeatable prices. It’s a book lover’s dream! The average price for a hardcover is just $1–$2, making buyer’s guilt a thing of the past. In contrast, stepping into a new bookstore often brings sticker shock. That said, the books you stumble upon serendipitously are not the same as the ones you carefully research and seek out. I save my full-price purchases for books I simply must have—ones that meet all my criteria. At today’s prices, a book needs to captivate me completely. The photography, illustrations, and text must sing to me. I need to feel like I can’t live without it.
Cookbooks often top my list. I love reading a cookbook just as one would a novel, and the photography must be exceptional. What I really adore, though, is a lifestyle cookbook—one that embraces all aspects of daily life.
Today, I’m sharing what I’ll be reading. Over the next few months, I’ll be reviewing some of my favorite books.
On a cold and windy morning, I set out to two thrift stores in search of books. One of my finds was a beautiful, large coffee table book titled The Great Wine Estates of America. I save books like these for lazy Sunday afternoons.
At one of my favorite little bookstores, Books & Company, I stumbled upon a true treasure trove. As a delightful little giveaway, I picked up an illustrated edition of The Secret Garden, with gorgeous artwork sprinkled throughout the pages.
I also took a gamble on two books I hadn’t researched but that seemed perfectly aligned with my interests:
- Old-Fashioned on Purpose by Jill Winger, which is described as “You don’t have to live on a farm to cultivate a simple life.”
- The Secret of Cooking by Bee Wilson, which came highly recommended by the staff as a beautifully written book about the art of cooking.
For fiction, I brought home two novels:
- The Housekeepers by Alex Hay, recommended by the bookstore staff. I must say, as soon as I started reading, I could practically hear the Downton Abbey theme song! I was hooked within two pages.
- Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder, a young adult novel that intrigued me.
Books are a consummate favorite as gifts! I chose the delightful I Spy books and asked the bookstore to wrap them up—because there’s something special about a beautifully wrapped book waiting to be opened.
Lastly, I picked up Bake from Scratch magazine—the Italy issue. I have loved this magazine since its debut and consider it more of a cookbook, given its quality and price.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on each of these books. But for now, I’d love to hear from you—what is your criteria for a great book?
Around the House
During my wanderings, I found this sweet little orchid on clearance for just $5. Oh, how I wanted to bring him home and make him mine! I repotted him into a lovely vintage glass vase I had been saving.
I’m eagerly awaiting the elderberry bitters/tincture batch I started several weeks ago. Lately, I’ve been reading a lot about homemade bitters, oxymels, and tinctures. Inspired, I decided to experiment with ingredients I had on hand, along with some of my favorite wellness staples. I chose lemon as the bitter base and wanted to incorporate tea blends I rely on during the winter months. I opened a few Reishi elderberry healer tea bags and combined them with the lemons in my vodka base. To enhance the remedy I also added a cinnamon stick and a few cloves.
Disclaimer:
The information provided on this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. The tinctures and remedies shared are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition. Always consult with a healthcare professional before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or have underlying health conditions. Use at your own discretion and responsibility.
Once the tincture is ready, I’ll be sure to share the full recipe with you!
The Nourishing Power of Bone Broth
Bone broth has enjoyed a long moment in the spotlight—and for good reason. Its deeply nourishing ingredients are undeniable. However, purchasing it in stores can be incredibly expensive. Not to mention, you miss out on the opportunity to transform simple, wholesome ingredients into a truly divine elixir.
My earliest introduction to the benefits of bone broth came from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. This beautifully written book is a blend of food writing and recipes aimed at reclaiming our connection to food as true nourishment. If you’re interested in food as healing and see processed ingredients as mere “fillers,” this resource is for you. Think back to basics.
Sally Fallon’s website, Nourishing Traditions, offers insight into her fundamental approach to food. It’s aptly titled The Blog That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats—a perfect summary of what both her cookbook and blog are all about.
I don’t follow a specific recipe for beef bone broth because, over the years, I’ve learned that it’s a flexible process. The essentials remain the same: filtered water (if available), high-quality beef marrow bones, vegetables, onions, and apple cider vinegar. Feel free to experiment with herbs as well. Also consider saving remnants of vegetables in the fridge to add to this pot. I like to save celery tops and onion scraps.
Basic Bone Broth Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 good-quality beef soup bones (marrow)
- Cold water (enough to cover the bones and vegetables)
- Vegetables (use what you have—onions, leeks, carrots, celery, etc. Scraps work great for this.)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (helps release minerals and collagen)
Instructions:
- Allow the ingredients to sit in the pot for 30 minutes to an hour before applying heat. This helps the vinegar start breaking down the bones.
- Slowly bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 6 to 24 hours on low heat.
- You can also use a pressure cooker—I've done this successfully by cooking the bones for about 2 hours.
- Once cool, strain the broth. It will keep for about a week in the fridge or a few months in the freezer.
- For a cleaner broth, allow it to sit in a mason jar overnight and discard any fat that solidifies on top.
If your broth turns out thick and gelatinous, congratulations—you’ve achieved the nirvana of bone broth success!
Further reading and exploration on bone broth basics:
In the Garden
Last week, I talked about preparing for the garden in January. This week, I took out my stash of seeds from the plants I grew and saved in 2024 to take a quick inventory. This weekend, I plan to write down all the varieties I have and research the stratification process for each. Some seeds will need time in the fridge or freezer before I can sow them outdoors.
Among the seeds I gathered in larger quantities are purple echinacea, anise hyssop, yarrow, false sunflower, lupine, monarda, cosmos, and coreopsis. However, I don’t harvest all my seeds—I prefer to leave dried plants standing through the colder months for the birds and insects. As spring approaches, I’ll begin clearing them out.
Observing seed pods is always a fascinating experience. It amazes me how God designed these intricate vessels to hold the future of a plant. Often, studying seeds and their pods sparks the most exciting curiosity in me!
Yesterday, I selected some lupine seeds and pods to photograph while sitting in the sun, practicing still-life images. I’m not sure if these will be part of a final project or simply an outline of an idea. I have a feeling I’ll return to a white background and a clean, simple still-life composition.
Visually the background felt like it competes with the tactile elements too much. A solid color background is definitely preferred for me.
Photography Tips
Our first conversation about photography might be a bit unexpected—and even controversial—among professional photographers. There are two main perspectives on learning photography. The technical, type-A, rule-following photographers insist that you must first educate yourself on how to fully operate your camera in manual mode.
But I take a different approach. I’m an unruly, rebellious photographer—because I’m an artist. And in art, there are no real rules. My advice? Just start.
Pick up your camera and stop overthinking. Whether it’s your phone, a digital camera, or an old point-and-shoot, don’t let hesitation hold you back. You’ll miss countless beautiful moments if you do.
From personal experience, I found a learning method that worked for me. I ordered a more user-friendly guide to my camera, started at the very beginning, and took it one step at a time. I read the introduction, placed my camera in my lap, and began slowly. I chose one small setting or skill to master before moving on to the next. And I kept taking pictures—starting in full auto mode, then gradually stepping into manual settings as I grew more comfortable.
For example, the images I’m sharing here were taken in my living room on a TV tray. Natural light was streaming in, so I positioned my setup in an area without direct sunlight. I placed a plastic background down, arranged my subject in front of me, and started shooting. I always check my viewfinder, analyzing placement and composition. And then—I just keep taking pictures!
When I sit down to review my images on the computer, they’re rarely perfect on the first try. The process teaches me moment by moment. I make mental adjustments, return to my subject, and shoot again.
This is how you learn. If you’re so afraid of your camera that you never practice, you’ll never master it—and you’ll miss the chance to create something truly beautiful.