NB: I guess I randomly checked some box to remove the comment section from the previous two posts. My tech support (Rosie) went in and unchecked them performed remedial operations, so now you can leave a comment over there if you like!
I'm showing my knitting and gardening and bread making in their respective “corners,” even though I'm not an expert at any of it!
I used to have a post tag “If I can do it so can you.” You can still see it over there in the category menu.
I abandoned it as useless, since every single post could have this tag. This whole blog is one big “If I can do it, so can you!”
My intuition is that the relentless attack on homemaking over the past 50 or 60 years has resulted in a crisis of competence, since homemaking does involve using your mind, solving problems, and acquiring skills, combined with a fear that one will be consigned to a life of drudgery if one embraces the challenge.
A bit paradoxical, I think. And unfounded. Let's have the confidence to flounder about a bit (accepting Chesterton's advice about things worth doing being worth doing badly) and recover the collective memory!
Then our children will learn and do along with us (and often better become better at whatever it is and quickly take over, leaving us more time to read and knit). Occasionally I see some comment about how this or that skill should be taught in school. Well, some should. But not all could, and if the attempt were made, the academic curriculum would suffer, but I digress.
I once heard in a radio interview, an Indian gentleman describing his profession as having “job satisfaction extremely very high” — and that's how I think of keeping the home!
Gardening Corner
If you haven't already, time to do some winter sowing! It's the easiest way to start seeds. (I'm in zone 6a, FYI.)
Gather your containers:
These veggie containers already have drainage holes:
The milk jugs need some added, and be sure to put some on the lower sides as well as the bottoms, and I find that the wood-burning tool works great.
Use well wetted potting mix, about 3-4″ in each container, and sow the seeds according to the directions. Some seeds need to be scarified and/or soaked, and some need to be covered with soil, while others need sun and should just be sprinkled on top. The packet will tell you.
Milk jugs will need to be duct-taped shut. Use an “extreme” sharpie to record the seed variety (not the regular kind of sharpie, which will wash away, and then you will be ignorant as to contents and rue the day).
Set outside where they can drain (last year I made the mistake of putting them in trays on the deck, where they got sodden; on the ground is better) and are not sheltered from sun or rain. However, if it gets hot, you will have to open them up or stick them in the shade. Other than that, they are pretty maintenance-free! When the seeds are ready, they will sprout and grow, ready to be planted out when the time is ripe. Another benefit is that they don't have to be hardened off!
Bread Corner
In this post I gave you a tip about your starter.
I hope you have incorporated it in your routine. For your next batch, try this:
Let your dough rest once you've mixed it — whether you are using sourdough starter or yeast. Just let it rest for 20 or so minutes. Especially if you are using any whole grains, the particles have sharp edges — a rest allows the edges to absorb water and soften. Gluten begins developing and the chains will align themselves and make your task easier after this rest.
I do very little kneading, mainly relying on a series of rests, of which this is the first.
This loaf has a lot of whole wheat flour in it, and some rye. It's light and soft!
This little rest is not autolyse, technically, because technically that involves another step of hydrating the flour with the liquid of the recipe before adding the starter and salt; but for home baking where you are trying to get a lot of bread baked without a bunch of steps while also doing laundry, teaching someone to read, and nursing a baby, I think it works in a similar way and saves a step.
Knitting Corner
I love these wrist warmers I made a few years ago (the details are on my Ravelry). It's actually ridiculous how much I love them!
I have discovered something (besides layering and keeping your core warm): keeping your wrists and ankles toasty goes a long way to reconciling you to winter and even a cold, gray, and wet early Spring day like today! So yes, swath yourself in woolens!
I wish I had known this long ago!
I had two little balls leftover from some long-ago mitten project, I guess? I don't know what this yarn is other than nice wool in a good color:
A quick project, knitting just as much of the pattern as uses up the yarn, motivated by having organized my yarn stash a few weeks ago, including finally going through my mother's stash as well. I have no idea how we had so many projects!
Are you knitting or doing some other craft these days? Planning a garden? I'd love to hear about it!
bits & pieces
- This little post on “attractive utility” has a good point about how junky stuff begets purely decorative stuff, leading to annoying visual clutter and subsequently, I would add, the reaction to that: minimalism. Puts me in mind of my distinction between clutter and “curated abundance” and offers another perspective on “putting my pretty things about me,” a good and low-stress way to think about decorating.
- My husband studied under Joseph Cropsey, a student of Leo Strauss, at the University of Chicago. I was moved by Strauss' reaction to the death of Winston Churchill. Magnanimity is an almost forgotten virtue in its various manifestations — in public life and in the bestowal of riches.
- ‘Easy-peasy,' ‘Jiggery-pokery,' and 10 More Reduplicatives A fun article for word aficionados. It mentions the reduplicative hocus-pocus in passing, but fails to point out its origin as a derogative, anti-Catholic term mocking the Latin words of Consecration at Mass: Hoc est Corpus Meum, This is My Body ((Matthew 26: 26-28, Mark 14: 22-24 and Luke 22: 19-20).
(Back in the day, my husband reacted quite negatively to the title of the children's movie, Hocus Pocus — and rightly so, as it and especially its sequel are full of occult symbols and themes.)
from the archives
- How I organize and store my seeds (not the method you might have seen elsewhere)
- Ask Auntie Leila: Control-Freak Mama
- Toddler Life
liturgical living
Today is a Solemnity! Enjoy! The Annunciation of the Lord
follow us everywhere! share us with your friends!
My book, The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life is available now from Sophia Press! All the thoughts from this blog collected into three volumes, beautifully presented with illustrations from Deirdre, an index in each volume, and ribbons!
My “random thoughts no pictures” blog, Happy Despite Them — receive it by email if you like, or bookmark, so you don’t miss a thing!
My new podcast can be found on the Restoration of Christian Culture website (and you can find it where you listen to such things) — be sure to check out the other offerings there!
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bethanne says
I am happy about the commenting…something funny happened the last time I tried. I was commenting on your going-out-to-feed-the-chickens-and-cats garb and wrote that if you added a pink robe underneath the coat, we could be twins. A message immediately shot back that what I had written was inappropriate! The thought of that outfit being inappropriate made me laugh.
It surprises me that we are in the same zone since I live in Kansas. I never think of the swath of zone going horizontal, but of course it does. I like the idea of sow it and let it be outside! I may try it. I have several tomato seedlings going under a light in the basement, but I like the idea of planting some other things and seeing what works.
The final thing I’m doing is making Balm of Gilead oil. Fresh cottonwood (poplar) buds are put in olive oil and sit for about 6 weeks. Then you can strain and use as a medicinal oil for pain relief (sore muscles, etc.) or add beeswax and make a salve. I like that there is a connection to Scripture and we’re trying to rely less on OTC medicines.
Blessings on this final push before Holy Week–
Leila says
Oh, that salve sounds amazing!
Your commenting story is hilarious. The system is so judgmental LOL
Alea says
Ha! I wanted to rant about my dishwasher a few weeks back, after reading the linked article you posted, but couldn’t find where to comment. Maybe I’ll go back for it.
Nicole says
Oh, this post checks all the boxes for me, Auntie Leila! I’m currently taking a stab at my very first garden in our new home, growing peas, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, and onions, and starting tomatoes, peppers, and squash this evening at a seed-starting party with friends!
From said friends I also acquired some sourdough starter that I’ve been playing around with.
And! I’m currently working on knitting a baby blanket, and dishcloths when I don’t want to work on that.
So many fun winter hobbies to break up the dreariness!
Be well!
Leila says
Wonderful! I loved the seed-sharing party we had last year! You have great friends!
Brianna says
Hi there!
Thanks for sharing the link to the article on attractive utility. I wrote my senior thesis on the phenomenology of objects in the home, and in my ponderings I came down to the notion that the best type of object we can bring into our homes has the three marks of beauty, utility, and significance (I.e. bringing you to reflect on a person/place/experience beyond itself). By doing so, we bring “soul” into our homes— as you put it. I also argued how this is the better way over the minimalist response to the storms of capitalistic clutter that wreak havoc on our domestic spaces! I really enjoyed reading Poetic Spaces by Gaston Bachelard. I think you would like it!
Leila says
Yes, exactly!
Thanks for the recommendation! I have requested it from the library.
Lauren says
What sorts of things are you sowing there? Your posts always brighten my inbox, especially on this morning of 8 inches of snow!
Leila says
Lettuce, kale, broccoli, beets, some flowers… lots of things! We’ll see how they do!
Ellen says
We are in northern Michigan and also got a ton of snow all day yesterday. It is so beautiful and i am appreciative even for the cold as it staves off mud season for a bit. If the kids are back in snow clothes it’s just wetness. Muddy winter boots (because rubber rain boots are too cold for early spring here) are such a mess!
I am Dreaming about my garden and love reading this post, but we are still about 2 or 3 weeks away from even being able to seed inside. Zone 4a so early June/end of May is our last frost date. And even then we had a frost in June one year that killed everyone’s tomato plants. I find it marvelous to even hear about friends in the south who are already harvesting things! I have a great stash of seeds just waiting…
Leila says
Winter sowing helps with that urge to start the tender seeds. Just chuck your hardier ones in jugs and set in the snow!
Ellen says
Winter sowing helps with that urge to start the tender seeds. Just chuck your hardier ones in jugs and set in the snow!
Leila says
Yes, as long as they are not super tender annuals, like tomatoes. The more cold-hardy ones do well!
Lauren says
I found myself being grateful for the snow too! It was great having the kids play outside all day, even though we did have to dry the snow gear a few times.
Amelia says
One domestic skill I really wish I had developed before now – with four young ones – is sewing. I can put a button back on or crookedly fix a popped seam, eventually, and I have a sewing machine, but I hardly remember a thing about using it. Do you have any advice for getting comfortable with it? I feel like I need to block off a lot of time sans children to figure it out, so that never happens, and thus things go unhemmed, unpatched, etc.
Leila says
I think the way to go is to watch a few youtubes on how to thread your machine and how to do basic stitches.
Then choose a simple pattern like a skirt for a little daughter or an apron and just start! You will learn as you go! (Pro-tip — problems with the sewing machine are 99.9% always due to not threading it correctly! So get that down, and you will be good to go!)
Joanna says
I second this! For years I had problems sewing anything because the thread always gathered under the garment. It turns out I was missing a step with threading my machine properly. Bingo! Now that I have that figured out, sewing things have become SO MUCH EASIER!!!
Michelle says
Another note on the same theme. I have a lovely Viking sewing machine (present for my birthday ten years ago from my family). I love it and it is easy to use, but it will only sew nicely with Gutterman thread (goes on sale at Joann’s fairly regularly). So, if you do have issues after threading properly, it may be the kind of thread. Being frustrated when you finally get a minute to sew is so exasperating! Hope you are able to find time!
Kari Brane says
When my (now) husband bought my sewing machine before we were married, it came with a class on basic sewing skills, maintenance, etc at the sewing shop where he bought it. I didn’t use the class for another several months though. (I was away at college in another state.) I highly recommend looking up sewing and vacuum shops in your area and taking a class (on a Saturday afternoon when hubby can give you some free hours). They’re usually not very expensive and worth the time and money! There are classes for all skill levels, too.
sonrie says
the store I bought my machine from had a free class too! It was great – the class went over everything. I suppose if someone has a secondhand machine, then someone on youtube will have a video on how to use a certain brand or model. Threading and tension are important! The right kind of thread is too. I can get away with using vintage thread for the most part, but sometimes a spool is too frail and there is a lot of breakage. Or some thread is too thick for machines. Final thought – once you have threading mastered, just make some rags. Cut up an old shirt or sheet, a plain, light colored one, and just practice sewing straight lines. Then zigzag lines. Then play with spacing (length and width of stitch).
Dixie says
Oliver + S has a great learn-to-sew video series here https://oliverands.com/learn-to-sew/ and a good first skirt pattern here https://oliverands.com/free-patterns/lazy-days-skirt/
They are my favorite kid pattern makers!
Donna L. says
Hello Auntie Leila~ Thank you so much for sharing what you do–bread, seeds, baby care, prayers and family! I used some of your garden ideas last year and saved so much money by starting our own seeds–so empowering and fun! I need to dig my seed box out and begin–it has been unseasonably cold and snowy–unusual for us in our maritime climate. God bless you!
Leila says
I agree, Donna — way over here on the other coast I have not had the urge to plant! But the garlic is coming up and so are the daffodils…
Tori says
We just built two new garden beds today! We are a little late here in zone 9b, probably should have had things planted already. But the tomatoes and peppers were started in January and are ready for their new home once the soil arrives from the local worm farm. Hopefully we’ll get some results before it gets too hot!
Jenice says
I’m winter sowing in KS zone 6. My first year. Started in late Jan and early Feb. so far I have a couple of lettuces and radishes sprouting. Ready to transplant soon. I love the process. So much easier than heat mats and grow lights and gardening off
Dixie says
I’m transitioning over to a large no-till row garden after several years of using beds. I’m excited, but a little apprehensive! We won’t grow anything but a cover crop this year. But we also are putting in grape vines in a new arbor…hopefully in 3-4 years we’ll have grapes! And, finally, we are putting in a clothesline! So it’s a building/transition year for us.
Dixie says
It keeps not letting me reply to Amelia’s comment above but I want to share the Oliver + S basic sewing videos. Maybe the problem is that I am trying to put in a link? So I will just say do a search for “Oliver + S learn to sew.” They also have a free easy kid skirt pattern for starting out. They are my favorite maker of kid patterns.
Leila says
You will have to be patient! When you get something saying that your comment is in moderation, give me a chance to … moderate it! (Yes, it’s the links)
Dixie says
Oh, it didn’t even say that! It was just like nothing happened, so I wasn’t even sure it had gone through…
I will wait longer next time, though!
Leila says
I’m pretty sure that people get an email saying that their comment is in moderation — perhaps yours went to your spam file?
That said, things have been wonky on the blog!
Mrs. T says
You are the second person who has mentioned the sowing outdoors method. I think I need to try it, seems to be the least fussy way to do it. I usually perch several trays on a large bay window sill in my dining room, but the hardening off becomes bothersome. With baby number nine due in August, I’m looking for simple ways to streamline any sort of production I have going on.
Mrs. T says
As far as the bread making, I do a simple, white flour “rustic style “loaf for most of our soups and stews. Very little hands-on, one long rest, and then one short. Always turns out great! I have yet to try it with heartier grains.
Sarah says
I dearly love winter sowing. I am a greedy gardener and sow enough for myself, mother and mother-in-law’s garden, and a historic house my mom gardens at. Cosmos plants by the dozens! And lots of others. I discovered a new hack last year if one wants quantity. Just plain old pots of dirt, put seeds on top of a few inches of soil, set outside on an unplanted garden bed, and cover the whole batch of pots with some greenhouse plastic. Cheap at Home Depot or someplace like that. Weight down the corners with rocks. Lift a corner and water the whole thing if it needs it, once the days get warm. Since the pots are on soil, not cement, they get some moisture from the ground. I used to use milk jugs but hit 150 of them, which takes a while if you’re sticking a watering can spout in all the milk jug holes! In April and May, one does sometimes need to water before you can set out your baby plants. Some of mine just stay small until mid May.
I second what Auntie Leila says about sowing anything besides really tender annuals. Just try what you like. Seeds are so lovely and cheap. I do use the plastic to start my tender annuals but sow them in April to give just a little head start. I’ve gotten some wonderful plants. And wonderful mysteries! If I see seeds ok for the taking on a plant I like, I’ll pop them in an envelope (or pocket) and label “mystery seeds from X garden.” My favorite sunflowers came this way. And old reliables like parsley and daisies and black eyed susans just love winter sowing. It’s a lovely way to get a really full garden for a pittance. Best wishes!
Oh! One other note. Did you know that you can plant Easter lilies in the garden? They’re gorgeous. They won’t bloom at Easter the next time, but they will indeed come back year after year if you find a happy spot for them. Mine like a good amount of sun and don’t seem to be picky about the soil. I have brought home whatever lilies our church was about to throw out, a couple of weeks after Easter. Fun to see at least some of them thrive!
MG says
My mother-in-law taught me that trick about the lilies! She actually does it with any of the spring-time bulb flowers (daffodils, tulips etc.) In the spring before lawn mowing season starts, her whole lawn is just dotted with random spots of flowers that she has started this way over the years. I’m trying it out at our house this year.
Sarah says
Oh how beautiful! I admire that sort of naturalized look with bulbs. Old houses in New England often have lovely bulbs sprinkled in the lawn. I love to see it. I am always hoping to meet the landscaping company ready to throw away the tulips our nearby office park discards each year. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Nancy says
I just learned of winter sowing last month and I it is something I’d like to try next year. I’m a little late for it now. Keep us updated!
Teri Pittman says
If you have a problem learning how to use a sewing machine, please consider getting a treadle. Lots of beautiful old machines out there. Treadles run slower and quieter with no irritating motors. And they have beautiful decals!
And hoping to get some beds set up this weekend. I have help coming to do the work but the cold won’t leave us alone.