Blooming and growing - our plants and our lives

Life is moving at a relentless fast pace – in a good way. It has been warm and summer-y, and all the plants are way ahead of schedule. My roses are blooming two or three weeks earlier than usual. I am not complaining – I love the scent and beauty of my Old English roses.

I am relishing my flower garden a lot. On Mother's Day, my husband Steve helped me tackle (and complete!!!) a project that has been on my to-do-list for over half a decade. It never gets done because there are always so many other priorities. So when Steve asked me what I wanted do do for Mother's Day, I quickly made my wishes known, and after hours of hard labor my garden beds now look Sunset Magazine-worthy. My previously wild-and-tumble flowers are now somewhat tamed and look a little bit more civilized – just in time for my mother's visit from Germany.

We also re-did the access to the beehive.  Before, it was a mess: uneven ground, mulched with cardboard, ugly.  We leveled the area, mulched it with cedar chips, and landscaped with rocks.  It looks decent now, and we can actually inspect the bee hive without having to do a balancing act while trying to stay calm and move slowly as to not upset the bees! 

We love our bees!  They are very well behaved and are busy building comb and making honey.  We have so much to learn!

Aside from gardening (my garden is in!  my garden is in!), I have been working hard on my online cheese making course.  I am writing e-books on four different varieties: how to make Greek Yogurt, how to make Chevre, how to make Gouda, and how to make Cabra Al Vino.  I'm putting the finishing touches on all four books.  Next, I will make movies to demonstrate all the techniques.  Check out my class here.  At $59, it's a really, really, really good deal.

You can totally learn how to make this wine soaked cheese!

We are managing to fit in some fun as well!  The other day, we went to one of our local, wild creeks, "swam" (which involved jumping into the glacier fed creek, screaming really loudly, and jumping out again really fast!) and roasted sausages and marshmallows over a fire the boys built.

And, of course, we continue to play with the goats.  The goat babies are growing up!

I will leave you with a picture of my twelve year old son baking an apple pie, all by himself.  One day, he will have a very happy wife.

A perfect mother's day gift

Here's an idea for a mother's day gift!  I created a four-week online cheese making class (more info here), where I teach how to make Cabra Al Vino, Gouda, Chevre and Greek Yogurt.  

In case the video doesn't play, click here!

Many people love coming to my homestead to learn how to make cheese.  I have taught hundreds of people the art of cheese making here.

But the truth is - we live in the boonies, and it's a long (albeit scenic) drive for my students.  That's why I designed this online workshop so everyone can participate.
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In this four-week class, I teach how to make four different kinds of dairy products - one every week.  We start with the easier ones and then move up to the more involved cheeses.  Keep in mind that even the more difficult cheeses are not hard to make!  I will hold your hand every step of the way! 

In this workshop, you will receive my beautiful, detailed e-books on making each cheese, filled with gorgeous pictures, step-by-step instructions, and many tips and tricks that I have learned in over a decade of making thousands of pounds of cheese at home.

​​You will know exactly what supplies to order, where to order from, and how much.

My recipes are easy to follow, clear and simple.​​  I also will provide you with recipes on how to cook and bake with what you make (cheese cake, anyone?).
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And if you are a visual learner, you will watch me demonstrate techniques and methods on video, right in my own kitchen.

​​​The really exciting part of this program is the weekly live coaching call with me, where you can hop on the phone or computer and ask me questions, let me help you solve problems, and celebrate your successes!

Plus, we will have a private Facebook group where students can interact with each other and me.​​

Interested but not ready to buy? Keep in touch and get more info!

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