Making memories.
Sometimes the weather has a way of testing our patience. This weekend we were in Salacgrīva, my hometown, for a birthday celebration of a lovely boy! Unfortunately, the weather decided not to cooperate. It was cold, rainy, and windy, and since the celebration was outdoors, we spent most of the day trying to stay warm. … More A Rainy Day in Salacgrīva and a Field of Lupins
This is one of those breakfasts I make when I open the fridge and nothing really catches my eye. Luckily, we always have eggs from free-range hens, and that’s usually enough to get me started. If I find some cheese, I grate it and mix it with the eggs. Then I spread the mixture onto … More My Go-To Breakfast
It’s monday morning. My inbox is full, my task list is long, and I’m wondering how I’ll get everything done. But that’s a problem for one task at a time. I want to share something much more impressive than my workload. A few days ago, just before a thunderstorm arrived, I looked up and saw … More Right Before the Storm
Some evenings are simply too beautiful to let slip away unnoticed. This sunset was one of those moments. The sky was painted with soft colours, the clouds catching the last light of the day, and everything seemed to slow down for a little while. I stood there looking at it, knowing that a single photo … More I Couldn’t Resist
I walked past my rhubarb today and immediately noticed something wasn’t right. The leaves have turned a bright purple-red color. Not the whole plant—just parts of the leaves, mostly around the tips and edges on a few leaves. The rest of the plant seems reasonably healthy, which makes the whole thing even more puzzling. Now … More What Is Happening to My Rhubarb?
This week I had the chance to travel to Līgatne for a work meetup. Most of my workdays are spent at home, sitting behind a screen, so it was a nice change of pace to get out, meet people in person, and spend a day somewhere different. The meetup took place at Zeit, and I … More A Lovely Day in Līgatne
Today I pushed myself a little bit outside my comfort zone. I went for a walk. That doesn’t sound like a big deal, does it? And honestly, it wasn’t. But at the same time, it was. Sometimes the smallest steps are the hardest ones to take. A day ago, I probably wouldn’t have done it. … More A Small Step Outside My Comfort Zone
Today we visited the former Latvian Army camp site in Litene. The forest was peaceful, birds were singing, and it was hard to imagine how much history this quiet place has witnessed. Before World War II, Litene was one of Latvia’s largest military training camps. Thousands of soldiers spent their summers here learning military skills, … More A Visit to Litene
Yesterday’s sunset was one of those moments that made me stop whatever I was doing and simply look. The sky was painted with beautiful shades of orange, pink, and gold. Soft clouds drifted across the horizon, catching the last light of the day and turning into little works of art. They looked almost too perfect … More A Colourful Goodbye to the Day
The internet is full of advice about self-confidence. Stand tall.Think positive thoughts.Look in the mirror and tell yourself you’re amazing. I don’t know about you, but if I stood in front of the mirror every morning declaring myself amazing, my family would probably schedule an intervention. So I started wondering what self-confidence actually is. At … More How to Build Self-Confidence (According to Someone Still Looking for It)
The strawflowers had been waiting patiently for me to plant them outside. They sat in their pots for longer than planned, and I knew I had to find them a home before they outgrew their temporary one. I would say they did outgrew these small plugs… After walking around the property and looking for an … More A Home for the Strawflowers
Back in 2017, we had a favorite picnic spot. It wasn’t anything grand or famous. Just a place deep in the forest where a huge stone stood among the trees. Someone had built a simple table and benches nearby, and there was even a small shelter for firewood. We always talked about making a fire … More The Stone That Stayed
Yesterday I had plans. I wanted to go for a walk after lunch, stretch my legs, and get some fresh air. But then the rain arrived. And honestly? Thank goodness for that. Instead of heading out, I sat inside with the door open and watched the rain. No mosquitoes buzzing around my ears. No pressure … More A Rainy Day Gift
It was finally time to clean up and set up the pool for another summer. Unlike many sensible people, we didn’t clean it properly in autumn. We emptied the water and left it outside all winter. With temperatures regularly dropping to -20°C here, I was too nervous about leaving water inside and hoping for the … More Pool Season Has Begun
A few years ago, we installed the windows in our old house. At the time, it felt like a huge milestone in our renovation journey. The house suddenly looked more complete, more protected from the weather, and a little closer to becoming the home we had imagined. Now we’re preparing for the next stage: finishing … More Important Life Decisions
The greenhouse has changed quite a bit over the past few weeks. The first photo shows what it looked like when I finally decided it was time to tackle it. There were boxes, bags, old cardboard, and all sorts of things that had accumulated over time. After a good clean-up (apart from washing the greenhouse … More Progress in the Greenhouse
Yesterday I was in the greenhouse, continuing the endless task of taking care of the tomatoes. While I was there, I decided to finally clean up one corner that had somehow become a “later” place. There were mostly cardboard from IKEA furniture and a few empty potting soil bags. Nothing exciting. Or so I thought. … More Surprise in the Greenhouse
Today is the 1st of June, and just like that, school is over. The kids are home! I’m happy for them. Summer holidays always felt magical when I was a child — long days, freedom, adventures, and not having to think about school for a while. Now, as a parent, I see it a little … More June Has Arrived
This morning, I stepped outside with one simple goal — to see what food I could find in the garden. To my delight, there was plenty. I picked fresh rocket, radishes, dill, spring onions, and salad leaves for breakfast. There is something incredibly satisfying about gathering food just a few steps from the kitchen. It … More Shopping in My Own Garden
Some photos are special not because they are perfect, but because they capture a moment that can never happen again. Recently, some relatives spent time going through old slides and photographs. I can only imagine how many boxes, memories, and tiny pieces of family history they sorted through. And among all those slides, they found … More A Photo Found Among Old Slides
Yesterday, Nelle turned 14. Fourteen feels strange to say out loud. Somewhere between a child and a young woman. Old enough to roll her eyes at me sometimes, but still young enough to laugh at silly things and disappear into her own little world. Time really does move in the strangest way. The days often … More She’s 14! Already?
Lovely evening sun… Ilze
Being in Riga for a work conference feels a little strange in the best possible way. It’s work, yes, but also not really just work. It’s one big mingling event between colleagues and clients — conversations flowing from reports and dashboards to travel stories, coffee, and life in general. Yesterday evening I had such a … More A Few Days in Riga for a Work Conference
There are times when we make sushi at home… and then there are times when I simply say: “Let’s order sushi.” Living in the countryside means food delivery is almost nonexistent here. No delivery apps, no endless restaurant choices, no late-night cravings magically appearing at our door. So whenever our local bistro announces sushi offers, … More Sushi Night
It was time. For a while I dreamed about renovating it. In my mind it was going to become one of those cozy little caravans with curtains, soft blankets, tiny shelves, and warm summer evenings somewhere in nature. I even started thinking about colors and little details. And I started to renovate it … But … More The End of Our Caravan Chapter
In the weekend, me and Helmī spent some time gardening together, and honestly, those are the moments I want to remember. We planted beans together — the kind you eat whole with the pod. I made the holes in the soil with a poker, one by one, and Helmī carefully dropped the beans inside. Such … More Little Garden Helpers and Hopeful Foxgloves
After spending hours planting tomatoes in the greenhouse, carefully trying to fit every plant into its “perfect” place, I stood there looking at the remaining empty spaces between the beds and thought… “Well… surely I can still squeeze something else in here.” And that is how I ended up scattering calendula and marigold seeds all … More Companion Flowers for My Tomatoes
I spent almost the entire afternoon in the greenhouse on Friday — around 2.5 hours cleaning it up, planting tomatoes, moving things around, and trying to calculate what else I can still squeeze in there this year. A while ago I even wrote about it here: And honestly? I still have a complicated relationship with … More My Greenhouse Tried to Kill Me Again
I published a post yesterday and closed my WordPress. But today I noticed something I haven’t seen in a long time. Achievements! Many years ago I remeber there was trophies/badges in WordPress and then they disapered. Do you remember? Now today – two new achievements! And honestly… WOW. I had to pause for a second … More A Small Surprise Inside My WordPress Stats ✨
This year’s experiment is about melons and watermelons. Usually, people here start them indoors early, carefully growing tiny seedlings on windowsills and protecting them from every cold night. This year… I did not do that. I simply dropped the melon and watermelon seeds straight into the greenhouse soil and hoped for the best. I started … More This Year’s Melon Experiment Begins in the Greenhouse
This afternoon we received a cell broadcast warning on our phones — a message telling people in several regions of Latvia to stay indoors because of a possible drone threat in Latvian airspace. Not war. Not missiles falling around us. But still something frightening enough that schools moved children into safe places inside the buildings … More Today felt different. Heavy. Disturbing.
You know I went outside for the fox, waited there for almost 20 minutes, enjoyed the beautiful view over the dandelion field… and in the end, the fox was gone. The wind was blowing from me toward her, so of course she smelled me and chose another way. Smart fox. A little disappointed, I started … More The Unexpected Surprise
Yesterday looked out the window and saw a fox crossing the dandelion field! Just like that — quietly walking through all the yellow flowers. Of course, I rushed outside with my camera and waited for the fox to come closer. I sat there for probably 20 minutes, simply enjoying the view and the evening silence. … More A Fox, a Dandelion Field, and an Unexpected Surprise
My very first harvest from the garden this year! I stepped into the greenhouse and suddenly realized how much the salad had grown already. And dill! And the best part — it had self-seeded. Without much planning or effort from me, there it was: soft green salad leaves and dill. Peaked at my rased beds … More My First Harvest This Year
Jānis decided that, considering the situation in the world — living next to an aggressor country and having Donald Trump as the president of the USA — we should plant potatoes! Honestly… fair enough 😅 My answer was simple: “No problem. Talk to your dad — he has a tractor and knows what he’s doing.” … More We Planted Potatoes 🥔
The first residents have moved into our new raised veggie beds! First, I planted out the leeks I’ve been growing from seed since February 21 — DE CARENTAN. They are still very small, but I hope they’ll love their new home and grow strong over the summer. I already can’t wait to harvest one for … More First Residents in Our Raised Veggie Beds
I got a question recently — why raised beds? The answer is simple: heavy clay soil. Our entire property is covered in it. If I want to plant something directly in the ground, I need to dig a hole by hand, bring in compost or better soil, fill the hole, and only then plant something. … More Let’s Talk About Soil
A week ago I mentioned that we were working on something bigger outside. Well… now I can finally show you what it was. Can you guess? Three long raised beds. Not pallet collars this time — proper wooden raised beds built from real planks. And honestly… it all started because I realised I needed more … More We Were Working on Something Bigger
The journey with my rhubarb started on February 25th, when I decided to sow rhubarb seeds that I got as a birthday gift. 🙂 Someone probably thought it would be a funny joke… but clearly they forgot who they were giving them to. I absolutely love growing things from seed, so of course I took … More Rhubarb From Seed
Congratulations to all the mums and grandmothers around the world on Mother’s Day. ❤️ This Sunday turned out to be really lovely this year. In the morning the kids brought me flowers, which already made the day feel special. But what surprised me the most was something their teachers had prepared at school. Each teacher … More A Slow and Lovely Mother’s Day
And honestly? I’m not even sure I like Mother’s Day that much. This year I bought our family tickets to see Emīlija Bērziņa in concert (I’ve also been listening to her music on Spotify lately), and I’m genuinely looking forward to that. I didn’t know it’s on Mothers day! Music, time together, an evening somewhere … More Tomorrow is Mother’s Day.
Yesterday I saw a strange little bird in the garden.At first glance, I honestly thought it was a sparrow that was bleeding 😅 I quickly grabbed my phone and took a photo and a short video to send to the local birding group. And decided to grab my camera. I was lucky to get two … More A Bird I Almost Mistook for an Injured Sparrow: Common Linnet (Linaria Cannabina)
Terrible 24 hours… My breakfast this morning — couscous, pesto, tuna, and Fetaki cheese.My husband’s breakfast this morning — a hospital meal. Yes… I had to call an ambulance for Jānis last night. He is coming home at the moment I’m writing this… But not because everything is sorted out — because they HOPE it … More Not Out of the Woods Yet…
I walked into the greenhouse… and I had to pick the nettles. They were growing everywhere. I didn’t really have a plan—just a feeling that they shouldn’t go to waste. So I paired them with what I had: fettaki, cottage cheese, and a sheet of store-bought puff pastry. And honestly? I was surprised how good … More Recipe: Nettle & Cheese Puff Pastry Triangles
I can’t believe I’m back at the office. The last four days were just so good—warm, calm, and exactly what I needed. A little pause in the middle of everything. With Labor Day on May 1 and Independence Restoration Day on May 4, and a weekend in between, it felt like the perfect stretch of … More Back to the Office
I don’t have many photographs from my childhood. Somehow, those moments were lived but not captured, or maybe just lost along the way. That’s why this one feels like a small treasure. It’s the only picture I have with my grandmother. I wish there were more pictures like this. But maybe… this one is enough. … More A Rare Photograph
The final warm days are here, then back to +8℃. While we’re working on bigger things around the house—the kind that take weeks (or months) and, in the end, somehow don’t even look that big—I felt the need for a small, visible win. So I decided: enough thinking… it’s time to choose a color and … More A Small Project That Feels Big
I walked into greenhouse… and I had to pick the nettle! They were growing everywhere. I tried something a little different today—hand pies filled with nettles, fetaki cheese, and quark. It started with a simple idea: I had nettles, I had pastry, and I wanted something warm and comforting. The kind of food that feels … More Nettle & Cheese Pastry Triangles – Experiment
The first dandelion always catch me by surprise. One day the grass still feels tired and colorless… and then suddenly—there it is. A small, bright sun, glowing quietly close to the ground. They are survivors. Healers. Dandelion is one of those plants that looks simple—but nutritionally, it’s surprisingly rich. Almost like a wild multivitamin growing … More Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
After what felt like an endless stretch of cold, ice, and even snow, today finally brought a little bit of relief — a warm 17°C (62°F). It almost feels unreal to step outside without that biting chill in the air. Check the pic of Marley 🙂 This change means more than just comfort. At last, … More Finally, a Warm Day
Walpurgis Night celebrated on April 30, is an old European tradition rooted in pagan spring rituals and later connected to Saint Walpurga. Last year, I wrote about this night as something magical and in-between seasons. This year, I feel it’s simpler than that. I celebrated it in my own quiet way. I walk through our … More Between Spring and Summer: My Quiet Walpurgis Night
There are days when I don’t really plan what I’m going to eat. I just open the fridge and start building something from what’s there. This tuna & egg open sandwich came exactly like that. Simple ingredients, nothing fancy—but it turned into a really satisfying lunch. The kind you don’t overthink, just eat and enjoy. … More Tuna & Egg Toast – My Quick Comfort Lunch
Lately, walking hasn’t been simple. My legs start to hurt, and I can’t just go . It seems that around 5000 steps a day might be my sweet spot. Not painless, but manageable. I need to get up to 10000 steps a day… But not sure when and how I would do that. This walk, … More Finding My Distance, Nature Inspired
I got busy potting out my tomatoes. And yes… I did it the way I always do — sowing them all together in one container instead of carefully placing one seed per pot like a more patient gardener probably would. I know the “right” way. One seed, one pot, neat and simple. But somehow I … More Potting Out Tomatoes and Seeding Flowers
Oh no… this is not what I expected to feel today! We chose to live here for a reason. Not for convenience, not for perfect roads or quick access to everything—but for the quiet. For the space. For the feeling that nature is allowed to just be. All around us, there have only been natural … More When the Field Across the Road Began to Change
Thirteen years since I first pressed “publish” with WordPress. I blogged before. Back then, I didn’t know this space would grow with me. It has seen everything — my early creativity, the busy years with little kids, the experiments, the pauses, the returns. It has quietly held my thoughts through different seasons of life. Somewhere … More Happy Anniversary
We planted 350 strawberries. Yes—three hundred and fifty! My in-laws decided it was time to start a new strawberry field, and suddenly there we were, with boxes of tiny plants waiting to go into the ground. It sounded exciting… until we stepped outside. It was freezing. Only +8°C, but the wind made it feel much … More One Freezing Day, 350 Strawberries
So… we had a decision to make. Stay home and watch every little detail, or go and live a little — carefully. We chose to go! It was Niks’ birthday (Helmī cousin) — he turned 7 — and it was one of those parties you don’t want to miss. The kind that happens outside, with … More April birthdays: Part II
April always feels full in our family. Helmī godfather, then our friend Mario, then Niks (kids cousin) and Ilze – Jānis mother. Usually it means cake, flowers, getting dressed up, and those long evenings filled with laughter and stories. This weekend was two celebrations planed – first Grandma Ilze’s birthday. At 6 PM we started … More April birthdays, four in a row
I was lucky enough to spent some time with Līga from Cēsis Medieval Castle garden. It was two-hour lecture about raised beds and kitchen gardening and seed swap. It all happend in Gulbenes Library. And somehow, it felt like a piece of the Cēsis Medieval Castles kitchen garden had travelled to us. Līga Eglīte’s kitchen … More A Medieval Castle Garden Came to Gulbene
The storks are back. I noticed them a week ago. They always return quietly, and at the beginning it looks lonely. For me it’s a small shift. A sign. In Latvia, their arrival means something deeper than just birds coming home. It feels like the land is waking up again. Spring is here for sure! … More Storks has returned!
Some things in the kitchen carry more than just coffee or biscuits. My green cups with the golden rim were never just cups. They always reminded me a little of France — french bistros. The kind of places where cups are sturdy, used every day, and part of life rather than decoration. That is Apilco! … More Apilco: Green Cups, Gold Rims, and a Memory
The raised beds are ready. Weeded, mulched, and quietly waiting — just like me. Now it’s that in-between time where everything looks prepared, but not much is happening yet. The sun teases a little, but I know better. The last frost here usually lingers until late May, and anything not frost-tolerant still has to wait. … More Waiting for Warmth
The 100th day of the year has its own quiet rule in Latvian garden — peas go into the soil. No discussions, no overthinking, no checking the forecast for the tenth time. No matter what, the peas are going in. Some years the ground is still a bit cold, some years it’s perfectly ready. It … More Peas Go In on the 100th Day
UPDATED: Here is the estimated average age of attendees Coachella ~26–28 young, trendyPinkpop ~30–40 mixed, relaxedGlastonbury ~35–40 all ages, communityBurning Man ~35–45 oldest, most intentional I’m sorry, I peeked into the wrong festival! That is why I felt old and didn’t get it! _______________________________________ I had heard of Coachella before, of course — one of … More Coachella – Justin Bieber
I’ve written about coltsfoot so many springs now. About waiting for them, about picking them, about drying them carefully for tea. It has become something like a rhythm — not a strict ritual, but a familiar return. 2017: https://latvianmom.com/2017/04/21/coltsfoot-is-blooming/2018: https://latvianmom.com/2018/04/25/coltsfoot-finally/2025: https://latvianmom.com/2025/04/02/coltsfoot-the-hidden-guardian-of-spring/ But this year feels… different. I have changed. And somehow, I feel like I … More Coltsfoot hasn’t changed. I have.
Today doesn’t feel like spring at all.It’s cold, gray, no sun… brrr. But maybe Easter isn’t always about bright light and warmth.Sometimes it’s just about holding on quietly, waiting for things to shift. As a Latvian, I couldn’t give up dyeing eggs the traditional way, using natural materials. But the kids had their own ideas … More Happy Easter
Easter weekend is already around the corner… and honestly, I’m not even done with the last one. You know that feeling when time just keeps moving, but you’re still somewhere back there, trying to catch up? That’s me right now. I don’t feel ready to jump into another “weekend mode,” another set of plans, another … More Not Ready for the Next Weekend
The weekend was supposed to be lovely… and to be fair, it really was — right up until 2am on Sunday morning. That’s when everything went downhill. I got sick. Properly sick. The kind where you spend the entire night running back and forth to the toilet. And not even in the comfort of your … More Surviving the Weekend, Starting the Garden
For a moment, I thought something exciting had happened to my blog. A spike in views — nice.Mostly from the USA — normal.But then… China. A lot of China. China!? That’s when I started to feel a bit suspicious. I’m used to occasional traffic from different countries, but this felt different. The numbers didn’t quite … More When Old Posts Suddenly Come Back to Life (and Maybe Bots?)
It’s been a strange week. Coming back to work after being away for a month sounds simple in theory — you just open your laptop and continue where you left off. But that’s not how it feels. It’s more like stepping into a moving train, trying to find your balance while everything is already in … More <>A Heavy Week<>
Ostara is celebrated around the spring equinox, usually on March 20 or 21, when day and night are almost equal. It marks the moment when the light begins to win over the darkness and the days slowly grow longer. In many nature-based traditions, Ostara is a celebration of renewal. The earth is waking up after … More 🌱 Ostara, Day & Night, and more
I think I’ve just realised where my trust line is. Recently I bought a book about canning. And while I already feel confident with water bath canning, pressure canning is a whole different level. It’s not something you casually experiment with—it’s about safety, not just taste. And that’s exactly where my hesitation kicked in. I … More Old Books, Real Knowledge
Today is the day when, for a brief moment, day and night are exactly the same length. From now on, the days will slowly become longer than the nights. Even if it’s only by a few seconds at a time, the light will gradually win over the darkness. I’ve always found this day special. It … More When Day and Night Are the Same Length
For two days in a row, I had the same quiet visitor. Almost in the exact same spot, too. A snake. I have to admit — I love snakes. Not in the “I want one as a pet at home” kind of way… but out here, in nature, they feel right. Like they belong. Like … More The Same Visitor, Two Days in a Row
Last week was full of outdoor work. It felt like the garden was slowly waking up after winter. At the beginning of the week there was still plenty of snow around. It’s always funny how quickly things change at this time of year — one day everything is white, and a few days later you’re … More Cleaning the Greenhouse and Starting the First Seeds Outdoors
Friday’s sunset caught my attention. The sun looked unusually big and deep red. It felt like I was in another country – like from movies. The color was so unusual — that heavy, dark red that you don’t see very often. The sky around it was much softer, almost pale, which made the sun stand … More The Big Red Sun
Remember I shared the edible cookie dough recipe here, yesterday: They made a video showing how they make the dough. Usually I help with something, but this time I took bath, so they can do whatever! Linna edited the video, and I like how it turned out! It’s real, and it’s rough 🙂 Go watch … More Edible Cookie Dough Recipe – the video
Sometimes the best part of baking cookies is not the cookies themselves — it’s the spoonfuls of dough before the tray even reaches the oven. I did that all the time when I was a kind. Now it’s unsafe for many reasons (well, I still do!), so my kids find the safe recipe. This recipe … More Edible Cookie Dough (Safe to Eat!)
In February, the author looks forward to spring gardening and begins sowing various seeds indoors and outdoors using methods like winter sowing. While some seeds thrive, others take longer to germinate or struggle. The post lists various seeds being grown, emphasizing experimentation and the joy of nurturing plants for future growth. … More February Seeds: Some Sprouted, Some Didn’t
After months of darkness, light slowly begins to take the lead… I can’t wait for Spring equanox to happen! Here in the north, winter doesn’t disappear immediately. There may still be snow in the garden, frozen patches on the paths, and muddy ground everywhere. But if you look closely, you can feel that something has … More Shaking Off the Winter Blues
I was never a huge IKEA fan, but… it turns out I’m spending quite a lot of money there and even all of our holidays building their furniture. My first real encounter with IKEA was last summer, when we decided to buy temporary bedroom furniture. It turned out to be easy to install and looked … More Our Holidays, Apparently, Are for Building IKEA
Spring is slowly returning, and the garden is starting to wake up! In this video, I take a walk around my garden to see what’s happening: my raised beds are beginning to take shape, snowdrops are starting to appear, and I check on the plants I sowed over the winter in my mini greenhouses. I … More Spring is here!
Late February always feels like a strange in-between season. The sky stays grey, snow lies heavy on the ground, and it often feels as if winter might never end. The days move slowly, and everything becomes a little dull and tiring. This year felt exactly like that. Snow kept falling, trees were covered in ice, … More Is Spring on Its Way?
I have a small piece of news to share. YouTube After thinking about it for… well… for 13 years, I finally started a YouTube channel. At the moment there are only two videos there. One of them is in Latvian, but please don’t let that stop you from visiting anyway. You can still come along, … More Some news to share 🌱
I was lucky enough to see the aurora — the Northern Lights — for the third time this year: First time: Second time: This time, Aurora was pretty pink 🙂 I think I’m living in the most beautiful and peaceful place. Right after saying that, I remembered our aggressor neighbour is only 90 km away…But … More Third time is a charm!
Lately, I’ve been ill.Nothing dramatic, nothing you can clearly point a finger at — just this exhausting, dragging 37.2 °C (about 99 °F) that keeps coming back. On paper it doesn’t sound like much, but in my body it feels awful. Aching muscles, heaviness in every limb, that strange “almost-flu” feeling, and a constant tiredness … More Somewhere Between Sick and Fine
I’m not feeling well, as I wrote yesterday: Today I took sick leave till Monday. It feels a little strange to press the pause button after three weeks of vacation… I know this is what my body has been asking for. For now the plan is simple – rest, warm cups of tea, and quiet … More A pause till Monday
I couldn’t work today, yet I didn’t take a sick leave because the thermometer showed only 37.2C (98.96 °F). A small, unimpressive number that makes you apologize instead of resting. Still, my body told a different story. Last night I woke up at 1 a.m. with an itchy, painful throat, a stuffed nose, and irritation in … More Not Sick Enough — Yet Not Okay
There is a tradition I grew up with — Latvian, I think (though I wouldn’t be surprised if it exists in other countries too): on New Year’s Eve, the table should hold twelve dishes. I clearly remember my grandmother telling me that even salt and pepper count. Back then, Latvia was poor. Under Soviet rule, … More Twelve Dishes on the New Year’s Table
Snow was falling quietly when I noticed a family of deer near the house. I was watching from the living room door, camera in hand, when they suddenly ran off — not because of me, but startled by the neighbor’s dog barking. In the deep snow, they didn’t look elegant at all. More like tumbling … More A Snowy Evening with Deer
My comfort food is as Latvian as it gets — gray peas with bacon and onions.Nothing fancy, nothing trendy. Just honest food that warms you from the inside. Gray peas with bacon and onions don’t try to impress. They simply are. And somehow, that’s exactly what I need. And gray peas are special, read more … More Comfort Food, Latvian Style
Do you remember this blog post? I started this little practice almost without expectations. One message a day — not read, just burned and sent out to the universe. No analysing, no overthinking. Just trust, intention, and letting go. Today is January 2nd, and I opened the very last one.This time, I am supposed to … More The Last One – The Real One
Everyone seems to be making New Year’s resolutions today. Lists, goals, promises to become someone faster, better, more disciplined. That has never really been for me. If anything, I feel ready to do the opposite — to slip deeper into winter. To rest. To unwind. To let life move slowly for a while. Outside, the … More First of January
I’m not sure I want to dive into how this year went… and you know what? It doesn’t matter. Some years are meant to be understood; others simply survived. What matters is this: we’re looking forward. Lessons taken, weight put down, hearts a little tougher, a little wiser. Onwards we go — heads held high, … More Year 2025
After making crème brûlée over the holidays, we ended up with a mountain of egg whites. I didn’t want to waste a single one, so we brainstormed what to make next. That’s how chocolate mousse entered the picture — our first time making it! Nelle was thrilled. She has a true love for anything chocolaty, … More 🍫 Chocolate Mousse with Egg Whites
Finally, the snow is here. I don’t know if it will stay for a while or melt away as quickly as it arrived, but for now — it’s here. And I love it. The world feels quieter under snow. Softer. The yard, the house, the road — all of it suddenly feels a little more … More Snow Is Here — At Least for Today
I was always a bit against making crème brûlée at home. Not because it’s difficult. But because I love it too much. It’s one of those desserts I prefer to keep slightly out of reach — something you order occasionally, savor slowly, and then let go. I was genuinely afraid that if I learned how … More Holiday Crème Brûlée
I didn’t plan to make three desserts over the holidays… I planned to make one. It all started innocently enough with crème brûlée. The kind that feels festive but calm. Nothing extravagant — just a proper, classic dessert for the holidays. And then I counted the eggs. Sixteen egg yolks. Which meant sixteen egg whites … More How One Dessert Turned Into Three (or: The Holiday Egg Math)
I loved this. Truly loved it. I had to share this recipe! I’ve baked a lot of quick breads over the years — soda bread, all kinds of fast no-yeast solutions, seed and pumpkin breads when I want something nourishing without waiting. They all have their place.But these bagels? This was something else. Two main … More Just Two-Ingredient Breakfast Bagels (Oven Baked)