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Dragonfly Journal
~ The Whiskey Porch Blog ~

Fika: the nordic coffee ritual

10/1/2023

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​Today is World Coffee Day. 

Sweden is one of the top coffee consuming countries in the world, but we do it with a special touch, and not just once year but virtually every day.  "Fika" is a Swedish cultural ritual that we need more of here in the U.S., and I thought that today was the perfect day to inspire you.  

Fika is a treasured tradition that is in that sweet spot between the elaborate English afternoon high-tea and the American coffee-to-go. 

​Growing up in Sweden, no matter where we were or what we were doing, we would stop mid-afternoon, take a short soothing break, and enjoy an earthy cup of hot coffee along with a little sweet and some company. In Sweden, we have quite a sweet tooth, and indulge often, but always in moderation.

Fika is all about celebrating the simple pleasures in life, with others.
​
a swedish fika coffee break set beautifully on a small tray with bullar and a silver coffee carafe
Photo: Ea Ehn/pexels.com

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Autumn equinox

9/23/2023

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And just like that, it just all settles into this easy, warm glow.  

We are celebrating the Fall Equinox in the northern hemisphere today.  Far from being just the end of summer, autumn always feels like a new beginning to me.  



Tips for you:
14 Ways to Embrace the Shorter Days of Autumn
Life starts all over again
​when it gets crisp in the fall.
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
​

​Everything is luminous with color and vibrancy.  The sun lower in the sky but still warm and gentle.  The bustle of the kiddos heading back to school and the birds enjoying the bounty of the summer season before everything lays down for a nice, quiet rest.  The freshness in the air in the evening and early morning brings new energy.

Always my favorite and most invigorating change of season - I hope this day is a lovely one for you too.  
Take a moment to smell the change in the air and listen to the birds chatter.  
​​
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Happy fall equinox to you,
​~Miriam

more inspiration

Love the idea of living with the seasons?  Looking for more inspiration?

You might enjoy 14 Ways to Embrace the Shorter Days of Autumn, an in-depth look at some inspired ways to jump into the season with all your heart.

More Inspiration
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8 Reasons to remodel instead of adding-on

9/22/2023

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The Problem
The home you bought seemed perfect for your situation a few years ago.  Or, it was bigger than you honestly needed so you just moved in and quickly went on with life.

Then things changed, ever so slightly over time or in some bigger ways.  Maybe Covid made everything seem harder - you were home more, or even working from home, and spending much more time together.  Or you found yourself offering space to your adult daughter who is going back to school, and you never planned on that but here it is.  And it's just not working anymore.

Regardless, with interest rates at a recent high, it means that refinancing or taking out a home equity loan may not be in the cards any longer.

What to Do?
Clearly, you have do something!  And I get that the most logical next step might seem obvious:  you need more space!!  It's too cramped.  It's creating stress and chaos.  You can't find things.  You don't have enough private space.  

So, you make the decision to add on 500 square feet to create an office and another bedroom.

But I've got a reality check for you...  there's a lot more to solving this challenge than just adding more space.

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Growing Hardy Plumbago

9/15/2023

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​Quick post here!...

I had an almost 100 year old cracked retaining wall along the sidewalk.  

So, about 3 years ago, I planted about 90 plugs - of 3 different creepers and trailing plants to mask the state of the wall.

One of those was Hardy Plumbago, which has settled in nicely, and while it's gorgeous all year, it really shines in the autumn.

And it is doing it's job to help us all ignore the old wall.

Here's a quick little video to give you a feel.  Enjoy.

​

Thanks for checking this out.  Let me know what you think!

​~Miriam

Looking for more?

I've got a whole lot of garden and landscape articles and inspiration for you here:  Garden.
​

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the truth about tiny homes

9/10/2023

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Today is "Sustainable House Day" - actually, the beginning of a month-long celebration that takes place in Australia every year now since 2017.  https://sustainablehouseday.com/ 

Many things go into defining whether a home is "sustainable" or not, and it depends on who you ask.  

Of course, most of us would assume that efficient energy use, low environmental impact during the build as well as use of greener materials, products and technology would always apply.    

​The result of much of that is to also end up being budget friendly for the inhabitants of the home over time (although I'm not certain that the up-front investment in these higher end materials and technology is less of a budget drain currently than standard materials, and that's part of the hesitancy.)

Bumblebee Cottage on the edge of a steel pot

Here in the U.S. (and around the world) we are still in the throws of the Tiny-House-Craze.  One of several reasons so many find it an intriguing concept is that it's assumed to be a vastly more sustainable option than your typical American home.  

​I would tend to agree with this idea theoretically, for some individuals.  

However, I would argue that when viewed from the collective perspective of making a real and ongoing impact in our larger communities, tiny homes are NOT a sustainable option.  And that there should be a wider, more vocal dialogue about small-not-tiny homes as the path to meaningful sustainability for both the environment and the larger community.

Let me explain.

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getting ready for spring

2/17/2023

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This in-between seasonal 'angst' that we can sometimes feel, right around mid-February, is real.

We've enjoyed (and survived) the holidays, the freshness of New Year has begun to wear off, and the days are ever-so-slightly getting longer. Those blue skies and sunny days are so promising.

​But, especially for us up here in the high country, the winter storms just keep popping in to remind us that it's still winter, and it's not quite time to let go of the hygge-vibe just yet.  
​
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My dragonfly kitchen garden gate glowing in the early morning.

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Featured on houzz.com

2/1/2023

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Our biggest motivation is always to meet and exceed the needs of our wonderful clients. 

We get almost all of our business through referrals from happy customers and colleagues, and choose to keep it that way.  And this allows us to keep our pricing more competitive without having to cover advertising overhead.

But I gotta say, getting recognition is pretty cool, especially when it's not something we pursued.  


​Voted best of houzz 2023
​

I am proud to share that we have just been voted Best of Houzz 2023!

That means we've been recognized as one of the top 3% of design professionals @ Houzz.com.  

​That's a big deal!
​
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Growing Mullein

8/30/2022

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As you know, I'm fascinated with growing less common AND useful plants.  

This is one of the 70-something herbs I've got going on in my little kitchen garden here in the high country of Prescott, Arizona.

And, while you might not know this plant by name, I bet you are still familiar with it.
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Chanterelle dreaming

8/16/2022

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🍄I lived much of my youth in Sweden with a large family (Swedish is my first language) and while the winters are long, and dark, the summers are oh so glorious.

I talk a lot about what I grow in my garden and in client's landscapes, but one of my most wonderful memories are the treasures that we foraged for in the wild, open woods of Sweden.  Most of that abundance came in July and August.

🌲So I just thought it would be pretty cool to share a few fun and inspiring posts about some of those hunting expeditions.

And I thought I'd start with the wild chanterelle mushroom.
​
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Image: Nick Grappone/unsplash

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Growing Feverfew in the high country

8/3/2022

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I have a kitchen garden that is pretty small but very well designed with 6 large raised beds and a rock garden along a fence - all of which allows me to grow 70-something different types of herbs (along with a couple of tomatoes, and fava beans).   

I keep thinking I need to put a post together with the whole list of what's growing in my tiny kitchen garden...

Today I wanted to do a quick spotlight on Feverfew.
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    Hey there.  I'm Miriam ~ and I've been doing this my whole life.  It's my passion.  ​

    Miriam Carlson-Maier

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