Where to Buy My Books

 My most recent books are available from the following vendors:

Appalachian Cooking at Amazon

Appalachian Cooking at Barnes & Noble

Unlike some other books devoted to the cooking of the southern Appalachian region, this one was written with home cooks in mind. 

Succulents at Home at Amazon

Succulents at Home at Barnes & Noble

Are you planning to join the trend and add some houseplants to your interior decor, but don't want to spend a lot of time caring for them? Succulents are just right for you! Find out all you need to know about growing them in this handy guide.

Grow Food at Home at Amazon

Grow Food at Home at Barnes & Noble

If you are planning on a vegetable garden this spring, now is the time to get a copy and get ready to grow! 

Welcome to a New Look!

 With spring less than two months away, we are launching our new blog site. We will resume regular postings, and posts will cover a wider range of topics. We will continue to discuss Appalachian cooking and growing the heirloom vegetables that add authenticity. Our gardening coverage will expand to include ornamental plants, with a strong--but not exclusive--emphasis on plants that are native to the region.

The photo, taken a couple of days ago, shows Crocus chrysantha interplanted with Sedum 'Angelina.' Several sedums are valuable for winter color, and Angelina is among the best, in our view. 

Complementing the foliage color of the sedum, the crocus is among the earliest to bloom of all the spring bulbs.

Both these plants thrive in full sun in the well-drained, lean soil around the perimeter of our garden pond.

Once the weather warms up, the sedum will assume a more familiar light green color, while the crocus will go dormant to escape summer heat. Both plants are widely available in the nursery trade.