Dyeing, pressure cooking and bees – oh my!

Last weekend my editor was kind enough to run the entire beast of an article, Bee Happy, on beekeeping. It’s a topic near to my heart, which makes it difficult for me to hide my enthusiasm. I know many of the questions people ask, and kept writing!

This week, I’m working on an article on pressure cooking. These contraptions are becoming popular with more people cooking at home, and still not having hours to prepare dinner. I bought one this week with a gift certificate from my friend, Karen, to test it myself. I zipped up carrots in five minutes, and pot roast the next night in a half an hour. It was done a little more than I would’ve liked, but I have to play with it some more.

I also am working on a story on using plants to dye fiber. One of my gardening mentors, Ruth Newberry, grew a lot of the plants the Shakers used. I remember bits and pieces from her wisdom in this realm, and look forward to learning more.