This past weekend was one of those beautiful Central Texas January weekends where we spent the whole weekend outside. The sun was shining, the 70-degree temperatures made us hopeful for spring, and there are no mosquitoes yet. As we shift into the season of preparing the soil we, quite literally, began preparing the soil and hardscape in our garden. The hum of spring is a gentle undercurrent right now, but it’s present, just waiting to surprise us with delicate blooms in late March and April.

*If you see an asterisk next to a link, it links to a video with sound. Just a heads up in case you need to turn the volume down or pop on your headphones.

HOME

When we begin to have a string of sunny, warmer days this time of year, our meal planning seems a bit conflicted. I still crave cooked comforting meals, but I’m wanting to spend more time prepping in the garden and less time in the kitchen. The warmer, sunny weather also has me interested in meals with brighter notes like citrus. The lemons we harvested from our trees and oranges arriving in our Farmhouse box coupled with the Mesa de Vida simmer sauces I’ve been using have been the perfect way to combine all of the flavors I need right now to keep meals simple and seasonal.

One of my favorite Mesa de Vida simmer sauces is their Caribbean flavor. Here’s my quick recipe:

1. Sear pork stew meat with cubed bell peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, and a few cloves of garlic in coconut oil.

2. Transfer to a slow cooker or stovetop dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and add the simmer sauce, a can of coconut milk, and a little lime zest.

3. Slow cook on high for 4 hours in a slow cooker or 45 minutes on the stovetop.

4. About 25 minutes before dinner is ready, make the white rice (15 minutes usually), add some chopped cilantro when it finishes cooking, and let it steam with the lid on for an additional 10 minutes. Squeeze a little lime on top of the finished meal and you’ve got yourself a tasty dish with more time for getting creative in the garden.

Enjoying this meal is a little like giving yourself a mini tropical vacation for your mouth in the middle of winter. Enter the code SOMMER52 at checkout to get 10% off your first order on the Mesa de Vida website.

This fall I splurged on an All Clad Slow Cooker. We use it several times a week, so it was worth the investment. Yes, I know there are lots of Instant Pot and traditional slow cooker fans out there, but I love the heavy cast iron liner that works perfectly for searing the meat and/or veggies directly on the stovetop before re-inserting the liner in the base to begin slow cooking. I’m kind of a sucker for the weight and heft of cast iron.

GARDEN

The warmer weather this week has me spending every free moment out in the garden. Last week we installed the cedar and grapevine trellises made with found branches (and added the trunk from our Christmas tree!).

I also worked on hammering out the final planting plan for the garden and mapping out the hardscape updates (as well as installing a few of them like our new cedar boards for our garden beds), and I called in the help of my son to start our seeds for the spring garden.

Our seeds arrived this past weekend, and we began our little seeds starts in our mini greenhouse. I placed it in a spot in the yard that receives full sun almost all day and plan to cover it if we have extra cold temperatures. I’m not using a heat mat, and I’m probably taking my chances there, but I’m hoping the full sun and heat inside the mini greenhouse will get those little guys growing.

If you decide to start seeds (indoor or outdoor) make sure they receive as much light as possible and that the soil is always damp so the seeds will germinate. Ideally, 70-degree temperatures will ensure the best growth, but don’t worry if the temperature fluctuates a bit. Be sure to bring the trays indoors or keep your greenhouses covered and warm with a blanket if you anticipate freezing temperatures. I switch the direction the seed trays face each day to help keep the sprouts upright. I’ll keep you updated on their progress in the weeks to come.

If you’re looking to start seeds this year and need a few tips, here are some resources to get you started:

*Garden Jobs and Seed Starting Tips for February from A Beautiful Nest

*Elliot Homestead’s Seed Storage Box Idea and Starting Seeds Indoors

*A really helpful video on considerations for starting seeds outdoors (this video focuses on cucumbers and zucchini)

Homestead and Chill Seed Starting Calendar

I recently took an herb garden class through Bowood Farms and learned so much! They have a variety of classes available for such affordable prices (many of the classes are only $5!). The class I took was engaging and I even ended up with several handouts to get me started. I’m taking the class on cut flowers next week and can’t wait to get a little floral inspiration for our spring garden.

My gardening Pinterest board and seed organization Pinterest board have plenty of ideas on ways to plan your garden and stay organized in the process.

WELLNESS

Her weekly classes are now a part of my weekly routine and a way to center myself and invite joy and laughter into my days. She is down to earth, relatable, and all of her videos include her sweet dog, Ollie. Each week she sends the lineup of classes for the week, and you are able to watch when they are convenient for you or you can sign up for her live classes through Zoom.

Here’s a link to Angie’s Yoga at Home program with a 14-day free trial. It is truly a gift to yourself or you can gift it to someone you love.

CREATIVITY

*Portraits made from grass seed? I received this link from my mom and was immediately captured by the creativity behind it. I found myself stunned by the final product, but also the process that really came about because the artists were open to new possibilities using nature’s own processes as a guide.

BOOKSHELF

I’m currently reading Kitchens of the Great Midwest ($) (a *Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Book Club February pick). I’m not sure how I feel about it just yet, but I’ve only just begun. It hasn’t been one of those books that I can’t put down, but I’m being patient for a little longer. MMD’s winter picks are all based on food, and they pair nicely with the book I’m listening to: Writers and Lovers by Lily King on Libro.fm ($) from MMD’s spring book list.

I’m also setting aside a little time each day to dive into my garden book stack. I know this is probably the last month or two where I will have time to read them before I’m actually out in the garden planting and harvesting. I moved our garden bench to a nice spot where I can bring my tea and a garden book while I watch the birds and do a little dreaming about all the possibilities of our modern kitchen/cottage garden.

In case you are looking for book recommendations for kids (or yourself!), gift ideas for all ages or want to peek into my TBR List for 2021, head over to the 52 Seasons Book Shop on Bookshop.org. ($)

COMMUNITY

World Central Kitchen is an organization that brings meals to communities that are affected by natural disasters. They use networks of chefs in the areas where the natural disasters take place to cook and distribute food to community members. We’ve supported World Central Kitchen for the last year. A hot meal can make a big difference in a time of crisis.

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." - Desmond Tutu

If we all make a difference in our communities, that change will begin to happen on a global level. It begins at home. It’s what we teach our families and IT MATTERS.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read 52 Seasons. I’d love to hear your feedback and ideas so that we can grow together.

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