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  1. Phaedra

    Life around Garden and Café

    After such a long winter, today is the first day that we have more than 10 hours sunlight! The planters on the window sills were reloaded. Bagels baked Walked with dogs I finally made small herb pillows - dried herbs and flowers from last year. A lovely brunch for myself (2 off-days)...
  2. Phaedra

    Life around Garden and Café

    Yes, I transplant them as early as I reasonably can. This first batch usually handles a bit of late frost just fine. Keeping them indoors for too long actually creates more problems — pests, excess moisture, and that constant need to manage everything. A few years ago, I sowed very early and...
  3. Phaedra

    Life around Garden and Café

    The first sowing (veggies) is done :) Peas for shoots, broad beans, lettuce, small brassica, Japanese crown daisy (for leaves) Tomorrow, i will sow seeds for cut flower patches.
  4. Phaedra

    Life around Garden and Café

    We have snow today, outside is white world again :P But I start cleaning greenhouse. The mini greenhouse inside greenhouse is ready now for sowing.
  5. Phaedra

    Coffee

    i am on leave these two weeks, and the weather is still cold, so....i usually get up at 10am XD We visited some friends yesterday and went home late, the first thing I did today after getting up is making new bread, feel good at home.
  6. Phaedra

    Life around Garden and Café

    I have 9 days off now, so let's celebrate with some nice bagels! The filling is blueberry and pear compote. It's so wonderful to enjoy fresh bagel with cream cheese! Time to plan what to sow this and next week. After a few hours of working, the first batch warriors are chosen. :lol: Hens...
  7. Phaedra

    Life around Garden and Café

    I did. Last year, part of my vegetable growing (especially leafy greens for salad and herbs, as they don't need so much direct sunlight) shifted from the main garden to the front yard (in front of cafe). It's very interesting decision, and customers see what's on their plate are just within...
  8. Phaedra

    Life around Garden and Café

    New thread, new chapter, happy to be back. I might not be a disciplined gardener like before. Winter is still in full swing, and this is NichiNichi’s second winter. This year I decided to take a small gamble and stay open as usual—but January brought heavy storms, which meant nearly a full...
  9. Phaedra

    Joy in the Little Things

    Every winter, I seem to restart my sewing practice from Level 1 🤣 Alright, honestly speaking, that’s part of the fun? With homegrown catnip, I’ve made a few simple, handmade catnip pillows for the gift wall in the café.
  10. Phaedra

    Coffee

    Dear everyone, how is everything? I am doing fine here. This winter i didn't close the cafe and keep daily services (Mon-Thur 12-14 / Fri-Sun 12-17) - and the business is better than I imagined. The tiny cafe has some lovely regulars now, almost like chosen family. Gradually, there are also...
  11. Phaedra

    Can You Survive a Gardening Winter Without Buying Seeds?

    agree, this winter so far i bought nothing. Last December, I used one week to review and reset the family finance goal. After that, things are easy. It's not because I am not curious about new varieties, it's simply because my time and attention is the rarest resource. My 2026 gardening...
  12. Phaedra

    Joy in the Little Things

    For those didn't have sufficient resources to grow up in late summer - i transplanted them into individal planters today. They will stay in the greenhouse when severe frosts hit, but outdoors when the weather is mild. Another joy of today, one more milestone in my journey understading...
  13. Phaedra

    Cut flower garden

    We have a dinner party last night in the cafe, so, i got some flowers and branches from the garden for making two small table decoration. Nothing fancy, but it feels good. Let's set up the table
  14. Phaedra

    What are You Eating from the Garden?

    It's absolutely worthy for a try, not too complicate. Ingredients: 4 medium apples (firm varieties like Honeycrisp) 2 cups red wine ¾ cup water ⅓ cup sugar (adjust to taste) 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 2–3 dried orange slices (or a few strips of fresh orange peel) ½ inch piece of fresh ginger...
  15. Phaedra

    What are You Eating from the Garden?

    Red Mutsu Apples, poached in red wine, served warm with ice cream This week, I also served this dessert in my tiny cafe 🤭
  16. Phaedra

    Cut flower garden

    One is fading, and the other starts blossoming
  17. Phaedra

    Joy in the Little Things

    Thanks @Dahlia and @flowerbug - it's something i didn't imagine in the past, but as i am on the way, have to embrace the challenges. The lunch sets from yesterday and today The salad greens are from the garden~ In today's plate, i used homegrown potato and apple
  18. Phaedra

    Coffee

    I didn't realize such things after my baking studio was done - kind of shock how can an oven heat up so quickly and quietly.
  19. Phaedra

    Coffee

    Steve, you are CUTE!
  20. Phaedra

    Joy in the Little Things

    I felt seen and affirmed. A new customer from a neighboring town asked if we can arrange a Christmas celebration dinner party (usually in December, not really on Christmas Eve or Christmas) for her team of four persons. I told her that private dinner parties usually require at least six guests...
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