Nelle and her friend both recently earned their cycling licences, opening up even more possibilities for summer adventures. They have already discovered how much fun it is to explore by bike, and this week they set off on another little road trip together. They cycled about 14 km (9 miles) each way, making it a … More A Little Summer Adventure on Two Wheels
There has always been one wildflower that has felt a little more special to me than all the others. In Latvian, it’s called ilzītes. My name is Ilze, and ilzīte is the affectionate, diminutive form of it—the kind of name someone uses with warmth and kindness. Ever since I was little, I’ve loved the fact … More The Little Flower That Shares My Name
It’s so hot here in Latvia today — +29°C (84°F for my USA friends). I don’t think I’m built for this kind of heat! 🥵 On the bright side, it’s the perfect weather for everyone who needs to cut the grass and make hay. ☀️ This evening, the temperature finally dropped to +20°C (68°F), and … More Heat, Hay, Sweet Peas & a Friendly Stork
Four years ago, I made dozens of beeswax candles. Most of the beeswax I used was bought from my friend Aija, but until this Līgo, I had never actually seen where it came from. I absolutely loved visiting this place. Surrounded by nature, this is where Aija brings the honey frames after the harvest. Here … More Where My Beeswax Once Came From
This week is terribly busy at work! It feels I have no time for anything else! I can’t wait for this week to be over. The drive home from Salacgriva was absolutely spectacular. The first summer night fog of the year had arrived, quietly covering the land like a soft white blanket. I always look … More The First Summer Night Fog
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
My back isn’t getting better. It keeps hurting and limiting my movement, which makes even the smallest daily tasks feel heavier than they should. Today is another hot one — hot and wet, like being trapped in a sauna. I’m all sweaty, struggling to breathe, and honestly, I’m not a big fan of this kind … More Hot Days, Tired Back, and String Bean Harvest
Today felt unusual for September — the thermometer showed +28°C, and the heat weighed heavily on me. My back hurt, and I couldn’t quite figure out why. I decided to take a short walk, hoping the fresh air would help, but instead, I ran into thick smoke from someone burning woodchips and branches right next … More A Hot September Day and Pizza Night
Day 26 morning started with a little surprise – we found a snake skin in the greenhouse! I guess my greenhouse is cozy enough that even a snake decided to hang around. I actually love the look of the skin, so I’m drying it and will keep it in a jar as a little keepsake. … More Vacation Day 26 – Car Troubles and a Snake Surprise
Hello, July! June passed quickly — full of rain, a few small wins, and some things that just didn’t go as planned. And that’s okay. That’s life. We didn’t get to start on the bathroom like we had hoped. The worker who usually helps us had to take care of some personal issues, so that … More July Goals & Intentions
I finally did it—I planted and seeded the furrows. This year I have 4! It’s ridiculously late in the season, I know. Normally by now, the garden would already be showing signs of life, and I’d be sharing photos of sprouting rows or eating baby carrots! But this year… this year has been strange. It … More Late Seeds, Soaked Soil, and a Bit of Hope
Hello, June 🌿 I can hardly believe we’re here already. Usually in the middle of May, all the furrows are full of carrots, beetroots, potatoes, etc. The new growing season is started. But not this year! I still wait for the tractor to come and make a furrow in my field! Also, I’m feeling a … More June Goals & Intentions
It’s been raining non-stop lately, and of course, we’re trying to get the yard ready for Nelle’s party. Not ideal timing, right? The grass has been growing wild, and the ground is still bumpy since this is our first year mowing it. Today, though, we got lucky — no rain! It’s a bit cloudy, but … More Prepping for Nelle’s Party: 4 days to go
I can’t recall a spring quite like this one—so cold for so long! These past few weeks have felt more like late March than May, and it’s starting to wear on me. By now, I’d normally be busy in the new garden (at least in the greenhouse), hands in the soil, finally planting out my … More A Cold Spring and Tomato Troubles
A 100 km trip for new trees brought more than just magnolia and cherry saplings—it stirred memories of last spring and a surprising sadness for a once joyful place. Now, with soil under my nails and hope in my heart, I plant anyway. … More A Spring Trip for Trees
This day was full of a lot of things.Goose, for one. I’ll write more later…. Or will I? Ilze
We had a burst of summer warmth these past few days, but now it’s back to the chill — just +11°C again. Yesterday, I noticed the Prunus cerasifera in bloom — the first tree to flower on our land each spring. It always arrives too early, like a quiet whisper before the season truly begins.And … More Prunus cerasifera: The First to Bloom
This weekend was supposed to be about unwrapping memories. And it was—but not quite the way I expected. Among the many boxes we brought back from storage, there was one I was especially excited to open: my vintage German porcelain from Seltmann Weiden. I bought that set during my mom’s 60th birthday party—the one we … More Let’s Talk About Weekend or Seltmann Weiden Service
Yesterday was my final dentist appointment—yes, really this time! If you’ve been following along, you might remember the post I shared after my fifth visit back in February, when the main problem tooth was taken care of. This last visit wasn’t about that one—it was for two other teeth that had small holes. They were … More Final Dentist Appointment – And a Surprise Winter Return
I’ve finally spotted Sturnus vulgaris—the common starling—around our house! These birds are a familiar sight here in Latvia, but it’s only recently that I’ve seen them near our home. Their presence is such a joyful one, and it feels great to have them around! Starlings have this remarkable ability to brighten the surroundings with their … More The Starlings Are Back!
Yesterday, I saw them again—the doe family that had visited throughout the winter. It was a quiet and peaceful sight, one I had almost forgotten in the bustle of everyday life. They had come regularly when the ground was covered in snow, searching for food, their graceful forms blending into the stark landscape. But by … More The Return of the Doe Family
Yesterday, I shared a blog post about the pig fat stealer, and guess what? I was lucky again! This time, I managed to capture some lovely pictures of my favorite bird — the Raven. It feels like nature keeps rewarding me with these little glimpses of wonder, and I am so grateful for every one … More Nature’s Unexpected Gifts
Yesterday, I saw something magical—a horse and sleigh gliding through the snow. It felt like stepping into a winter wonderland. This wasn’t a tourist sleigh but a 100-year-old Latvian worker’s sleigh, originally used for hauling wood from the forest. No one does that anymore! This one had been cleverly repurposed into a sitting sleigh, with … More A Glimpse of the Past: Horse and Sleigh Gliding Through the Snow
Let’s talk bird feed! Usually, I buy sunflower seeds and fat balls from Janis’ parents’ vet shop to keep the birds fed throughout the winter. This time, I decided to try something a little different and ordered a big bag of mixed feed: oats, dried worms, seeds, and even some corn. I’m not sure if … More Winter Bird Feeding: A New Mix and a Little Family Humor
I stumbled upon a beautiful Amanita muscaria right next to our house recently. What a sight! It’s such a stunning mushroom, with its bright red cap and white spots—definitely a showstopper. Of course, we all know it’s poisonous, but it still adds something magical to the landscape. I love how nature keeps inching closer to … More Amanita Muscaria and the Beauty of Nature Close to Home
When we first bought our house, we weren’t exactly thrilled about living next to a dirt road. The dust would roll in every time a car passed by—especially in the dry summer. But we loved the house and the land, so we decided to stick with it. The dust is still an issue, but I … More Life by the Dirt Road: Unexpected Joys and Challenges
This weekend, we took a break from renovations and went for a long walk around the area. The weather was perfect, with sunlight streaming through the trees. As we strolled, the girls ran ahead, and everything felt calm—until we spotted a zalktis (grass snake) lying right in the middle of the road. She is a … More A Grass Snake on the Road
I woke up and opened my eyes.I couldn’t believe what I saw!I got up and walked to the window…And there it was — a foggy winter morning. The girls were still asleep, so I grabbed my camera and rushed outside. Okay… not before putting on my down coat, scarf, hat, and mittens! 🙂 Today reminded … More Foggy Winter Morning