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New Year’s Resolutions That Matter: Reflection, Traditions, and a Fresh Start
New Year’s resolutions have long been meaningful traditions, offering time to pause, reflect, and look ahead. With the blog being developed these past few months, we’ve considered where we’ve been and where we hope to go, with a desire for growth, balance, and purpose. I’ve had so much fun working with our team, writing, gardening and cooking, which have dominated time. My favorite pics: Some of my resolutions concern health and choices I make every day. Like many people, I a

Karen Hand Allen
Jan 13 min read


Christmas Tree Decorating Tips: 10 Easy Steps for a Beautiful, Meaningful Tree
My childhood revolved around picking out, decorating and adoring our Christmas tree. There were live ones that drew all of us kids to the living room, aluminum ones with a color wheel, flocked snow-covered ones, and artificial ones. The best were the live. We’d race there and sit under the tree, savoring that clean, fresh pine smell that made us quiver with anticipation of what was to come. Pretty soon we had a pen and paper, drawing up our Christmas list. Over the years ther

Karen Hand Allen
Dec 4, 20254 min read


Live Christmas Tree Guide: 10 Easy Steps to Choose and Care for the Perfect Tree
A beautiful live Christmas tree has a quality that fills a room the moment it arrives. Its full, gorgeous presence, a standout in any setting. The needles are deep green with a slight sheen that catches the light, or like the silvery hue of the Fraser fir. The needles feel pliable, not brittle, and stay attached. The tree has a sturdy, straight trunk, giving it a strong, fresh appearance as if it was freshly cut. The fragrance is unbelievably aromatic and the very best thing

Karen Hand Allen
Dec 3, 20253 min read


Start A Tradition Series: 10 Quick Tips For Fall Vegetable Garden
Getting your garden ready for fall planting needn’t be a headache or overwhelming. A few simple tips and techniques can help you start a tradition that will give you and your family years of healthy eating and untold joy in the future! Karen's vegetable garden 1. Start a tradition of gardening for Fall & Spring planting to enjoy year round vegetables, fruits and herbs. Karen's goodies from her garden Keep it simple, mind you, we’re not experts, we’re just sharing what works

Karen Hand Allen
Oct 10, 20253 min read


The Gardener Who Inspired Me: Otto’s Legacy and a Fresh Mustard Greens Recipe
Looking for a fresh mustard greens recipe? Learn how my friend Otto inspired my gardening journey and try this flavorful dish straight from the garden.

Karen Hand Allen
Sep 13, 20257 min read
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