Our Favorites


Here are some things that we use and highly recommend. We were not paid by anyone to post these, nor did we choose them for profit, however some of them are Amazon affiliate links. These really truly are things we like.

Blogs   •   Websites   •   Children’s Books   •   Cooking   •   Gardening

Blogs

  • SouleMama.com

    Sarah: I am intrigued by Amanda Soule creativity, ideas about raising her family, and homesteading.

  • Orangette.blogspot.com

    Sarah: I first read Molly Wizenberg’s book “A Homemade Life” and fell in love with her story telling, life’s focus on food and recipes. Now follow her on her blog that started it all.

  • thelongthread.com

    Jenny: Author and fabric designer, Ellen Luckett Baker, created this blog with beautiful pictures, thoughtful links and functional patterns and tutorials. I like to window shop around there for inspiration.

  • Bird And Little Bird

    Jenny: If you can see the contentment in your seven year old’s eyes when she cracks open a book and smells and feels the pages… if your pre-school boy would choose to walk out of the playground to sit under a tree and listen attentively to a stranger reading to her kid… if your second grader walks to the bus stop reading a book and tries to sneak them hiding under the dinner table… and if you totally understand what they are feeling, then this is a good blog for you.

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Websites

  • Ravelry.com

    Sarah: Be careful if you love knitting you could get lost in here for hours finding the perfect patter. It is worth it!

  • Epicurious.com and Allrecipe.com

    Sarah: Both are great recipe resources. I have found many of my go to dishes from there.

  • Schedule A Pickup

    Jenny: I try to freecycle, ReUseIt, pass on, donate to the local library or church, but lots of times I’ve cleaned out a bunch of mixed items and I’m too lazy to sort through or separate the stuff into appropriate piles and deliver them to 5 places and still have a pile of things leftover not accepted by local drop-offs. I have also arranged pickups through The Epilepsy Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation , but the VVA has truck in my neighborhood at least once a week, sometimes 5 days in a week. I’ve signed up for the next day before with no problems.

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    Children’s Books

    • Sarah: Steven Kellogg is one of my favorite illustrators and authors. This is a fun book about a new addition to the zoo trying to fit in.

    • Sarah: Silly book for little guys, but also great when they are starting to read.

    • Sarah: The whole Llama Llama series by Anna Dewdney. The main character of these books is a preschool Llama dealing with much of life: from bed time to tantrums in the supermarket. Fun illustrations and rhymes, I have never minded reading them 100 times.

    • Jenny: Blueberries for Sal (Puffin Storytime) and One Day in Maine are two of my favorite books to read to the kids. Something about them really reminds me of what it’s like being a kid (if you spent a lot of time outside as a kid).

    • Jenny: This has been my favorite book to read to my kids since we received it. I really love it. They like it a lot.

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    Cooking

    • Sarah: Saco Cultured Buttermilk Blend is my secret ingredient in much of my baking. Makes adding buttermilk very easy.

    • Sarah: This is my cooking bible. I have good ol’ Joy of Cooking on stand by too, but this is great for just about anything!

    • Jenny: My family has requested repeats of everything I’ve picked out of here, and I have enjoyed reading the process that went into developing the recipes. There aren’t many pretty pictures at all, but most everything you can prep ahead of time, which is excellent if you make meals for other people, have a busy schedule, or just like to cut down on the craziness dinnertime can bring.

    • Jenny: I use this book more than any other of my cookbooks. If you have a garden or a CSA, this is a great resource giving the general and more creative suggestions for cooking pretty much any vegetable. Good luck if you don’t own it, you’ll likely have to find a used copy.

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    Gardening

    • Sarah: I have always hesitated to get garden gloves because I love digging in the dirt and feeling the dirt. However, I hate the feeling of fingernails bending backwards! The Atlas Nitrile Touch Gloves are awesome! They are knit with the finger tips and palm dipped in rubber. Very snug fitting allowing you to do most everything you do bare handed.

    • Sarah: This book changed my assumption that you can only plant veggies after Memorial Day in the North East. It is broken down by month out lining what to do and plant when.


    • Johnny’s Selected Seeds

      Sarah: I ordered my seeds this year from Johnny’s. They were highly recommended. There were tons of seed to chose from (a bit overwhelming). The service was great when I had questions and the shipping timely.

    • Jenny: We’ve used this Mosquito Barrier (garlic juice) spray for a couple summers and have found it to really (temporarily) work. Your backyard might smell like a pizza place for a day or so, but you’ll be pretty much bug free for about a week (sooner if it rains and get washed away). Spray it the morning of an outdoor party and you’re guests will be happy.

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