Housekeeping 101

This blogging thing has a real learning curve attached for me! As you visit from time to time, you may notice that things look a bit different. That's because I am slowly learning to organize the layout more efficiently (I hope!). The latest thing - I got courageous and started playing with labels. For a while there I didn't understand what labelling a post could do for me as the blog administrator and for you as the blog reader. From now on, each post will have a label - starters, meats, pasta, veggie side, veggie main, desserts, snacks, beverages, rants, etc. If you would like the printable copy of the recipe, you can find it immediately by clicking the link labeled 'recipe name - printer friendly' that is just before the recipe within the post itself. That link will take you to a new window within my ScribD account. There you find viewing and printing options. Just click away... and when you are done you can hit the back arrow to return to The Spice Garden. Simple, huh?

The other cool thing about labels... you can drop into The Secret Garden and look at Labels on the sidebar. Click one of the labels and the posts that have recipes within them for that category will come up. Then you just choose the post that has the recipe you wanted and go for it.. re-read for discussion of the recipe, access the' printer friendly' link, or make a comment if you've done some cooking and have something to say on the issue! I'm thinking this is a better way of organizing and managing the recipes as the numbers start to mount up... I hope you find it helpful!

And speaking of comments... another housekeeping thing... many of you are telling me your reactions on my Facebook page... I'm hoping that you will overcome your shyness and begin posting your comments in the posting area at the end of each post ... it's easy and you can be 'anonymous' if you choose. Your email address is not posted along with your comment, so no fears there. Part of blogging is sharing each others comments, as that spurs thought, dialogue, and learning ... think about it.

So here's your practice below... if you are new to working your way around cyberspace! Have fun!

Practice Link - printer friendly

OH! Before I forget ... thanks for supporting me in this grand armchair adventure!

Susan

Welcome to... The Spice Garden

When my children were small, I read them a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett called The Secret Garden. In the story, young Mary Lennox asks her caretaker for ' a bit of earth'. In this small plot, she hopes to create a garden that will be a beautiful refuge from a cold and lonely world. To make a long story short, she succeeds famously. Her garden becomes a source of joy and wonder to her and those who befriend her... and that's what I hope The Spice Garden does for you, dear reader.

The Spice Garden is all about finding the fruits, vegetables, spices, and food items that spring at us from season to season. It's about celebrating them in the things we eat, the songs we sing, the literature we read, and the recipes we share. Expect to encounter recipes, essays about food, travel stories, commentary on current issues in agriculture and nutrition, and yes, the occasion 'rant' that may leave you shaking your head or posting your own comment. That being said, I invite you, dear reader to get your feet wet and your hands dirty in this spice garden of ours. I certainly hope the posts you read inspire you to try the recipes, experiment with new food items that you've not encountered before, read up on issues surrounding our national food supply and the current state of our agricultural practices, find new items to try growing in your gardens, discover new cookbooks that excite you, or find a special place in your neighborhood that is providing exceptional foods or cooking products to your community.

The Spice Garden ... our bit of cyberspace for nurturing each other as gardeners, cooks, conscientious consumers, and thoughtful readers and writers.