by Kelli Donley | Jun 1, 2014 | Celebrate!, Domestic Art
Finny got her farmer degree last week. You know that sense of pride and happiness you feel for family when they do something amazing? Well, Fin is an extension of my family tree — and I truly couldn’t be more in awe of her accomplishments. She left a big...
by Kelli Donley | May 29, 2014 | Arizona, Flora and Fauna, Heirloom Hacienda
More garden porn. The tomatoes are coming in by the handful these days. I am watering twice a day, now that it is consistently hotter than 100. I keep bringing in baggies of tomatoes and basil to coworkers; I swear this is the perfume of summer, warm tomatoes and...
by Kelli Donley | May 28, 2014 | Community, Heirloom Hacienda
This is Fozzie Z. Bear. He is staying with us for the week while his parents travel to visit family on the east coast. Fozzie could be Nelson’s smaller, scrappier cousin. He is a sweetheart, even if he refuses to sleep through the night, instead opting to do...
by Kelli Donley | May 27, 2014 | Arizona, Domestic Art, Flora and Fauna, Happy Hippie
Those little yellow tomatoes? The best thing I’ve ever grown. Paired with tart blackberries — divine. ~K
by Kelli Donley | May 23, 2014 | Domestic Art, Recipes
I mentioned the other day how much I loved the movie, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” There is a clementine cake mentioned in the film — one I’ve tried to reproduce. Ingredients Cake: 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups white sugar 8 egg yolks 3/4 cup...
by Kelli Donley | May 22, 2014 | Politico
I heard about the Monica Lewinsky essay in Vanity Fair earlier this month, and knew I’d pick up a copy. Monica is 6 years older than me. When she fatefully was interning at the White House, I was in my freshman year of college. I remember when the Starr report...
by Kelli Donley | May 21, 2014 | Domestic Art, Flora and Fauna, Heirloom Hacienda
You’ve heard of the farm to table movement. May I present my version of garden to table: Pesto chicken with roasted tomato sauce over steamed veggies. (That tomato sauce is just about the best thing I’ve ever made. I might have sipped some of it the next...
by Kelli Donley | May 20, 2014 | Media
Have you read “Where’d you go Bernadette?” How about “The Invention of Wings?” Or perhaps “The Cuckoo’s Calling?” I’ve enjoyed all of these recently, the first being my favorite. I have sent it to several friends...
by Kelli Donley | May 19, 2014 | Arizona, Earth Mama, Flora and Fauna, Heirloom Hacienda
It has been several years since I gardened this earth, and while I thought things were going smoothly in the bountiful tomato plot, sadly — they are not. I have blossom-end rot, causing all of the larger tomatoes to get mushy bottoms on the vine. Come to find...
by Kelli Donley | May 15, 2014 | Colorado, Domestic Art
My friend Mark has unbelievable focus; in the last few months, he’s perfected homemade pizza by making 300 different versions and combinations of dough, heat and ingredients. I may be exaggerating a bit, but not by much. When I was in Colorado a few weeks ago, I...
