a few good books.

I usually can only read late at night after the house is asleep and my work is done. I always have a big stack of books next to the bed and read into the wee hours. Since reading is my way to unplug, unwind, and chill out, I like books that are peaceful, positive, or good for the brain. Here are two of my favorites so far this month...



Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting by R.J. Ruppenthal

I am liking this book! While I already do a lot of what is in the book and definitely enjoy the exercise I get from nodding my head throughout the entire book ( ;) ), it is written and organized well and I like the tidbits of information and resources for each section. For the small space/urban/suburban gardener - growing vegetables, growing fruit, sprouting, making yogurt and kefir, fermenting, growing mushrooms, raising bees and chickens, disaster planning - all great! Of course this book is not a deep 'how to' book, but an overview and guide with resources of what you can do in small spaces, where to find more information and supplies, and the benefits to be reaped with each thing. An easy read full of great info!





Baking Bread with Children by Warren Lee Cohen

This book is a wonderful resource for baking with children. It not only has the recipes - but also has activities, songs, and history to go along with it. There are chapters such as Recipes, Songs Poems & Blessings to Celebrate Bread, Building a Bread Oven, Enlivening the Senses, Seven Grains and Nutrition and more. Many of you know how we love to bake bread in this house, and my boys help with every step whether it is grinding flour or kneading...and having the stories and songs just makes it that much more fun and meaningful!


I also have a big stack of gardening books that I am really enjoying - I can re-read the same books every year and not get tired of them a bit! What are you reading this week?