Bear here...

Theresa and I have noticed a lot of people visit our page on how we cook on our wood burning stove. We've been preparing to write a book about it for several years, and have lots of recipes and photos saved up, but now Theresa is finally having fun starting to design the book pages. We have 10 years of experience we want to share with others.

We couldn't decide which book to continue with, so I convinced Theresa that it made sense to combine them. So our book will be about how to stay warm while cooking on your wood stove with food from your well-stocked pantry.

​I wanted to say that we hope to have the book out in less than a year, but Theresa keeps reality checking me. She's the one putting the book together in the graphic design program, and she says she has no idea how long it will take. We'll do our best.

Thank you for sticking with us and our website.

​Type at ya later...

Bear here...

Hi everybody. As you might have noticed, we like to yarden & have our yard look more like a natural setting than a typical mowed lawn. It's more interesting and it's more biodiverse, so it is better for the planet. Theresa read somewhere that more natural settings also create "Outdoorphins." They make you feel good like endorphins do, but are from Nature instead of from workouts. (She could explain better but I'm typing the blog and I sooo don't speak science tech.)

A lot of people drive a long way to see parks and the wild, to get back to Nature, but wouldn't it be nice to walk out your door into a park like setting?  A yarden that looks a little wild can bring you lots of joy and be healthier. Here are some photos of our yarden/ small park...

Hopes this helps inspire you to yarden instead of yard...  Ooo... Theresa found the article from Forbs and here is a small part of it...

Type at ya later...

Think You Don't Need Houseplants? Science Says Different...
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Whether it's a bland living room or boring workspace, potted plants are a safe bet if you want to jazz up interiors on a budget. Interestingly, spending a little green on greens can do wonders for your well-being as well. A significant amount of scientific evidence suggests that being around greenery can stave off stress, elevate mood and improve cognitive function, among other things. ‘Nuff said. Here are five proven reasons you need some houseplants in your life RN:

• They reduce stress and anxiety. According to a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, active interaction with indoor plants (like touching and smelling) can reduce physiological and psychological stress. What's more, even the potting soil can help you keep a handle on daily stress and anxiety. This is because soil contains microbes dubbed "outdoorphins" (M. vaccae) which work as natural antidepressants. "It boosts your mood by releasing cytokines, which then leads your brain to produce more serotonin. So, just by being around soil, these outdoorphins flood your body and boost your mood," writes Joey Doherty, a Certified Wellness Counselor. Although a walk in the park would be more effective (due to increased exposure to those microbes), being around houseplants can be beneficial too. "It has also been established that plants confer positive changes in the brain's electrical activity, muscle tension and heart activity," notes environmental health expert Danica-Lea Larcombe, in an article published in The Conversation. Place potted lavender or snake plant in your bedroom to de-stress and sleep better.

If you want to read more, see the full article here.