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You know I was just telling my neighbor that the best way to start a vegetable garden is to actually just pick three things you really like to eat and focus on those. I tried growing tomatoes, basil, and bell peppers last year and it was way more manageable than the huge plot I attempted before. The soil preparation matters a lot and I finally figured out that composting kitchen scraps gives everything a nice boost. I spent a whole weekend building a small raised bed from reclaimed wood and it came together pretty well. The local nursery had some great starter plants and I grabbed a few herbs too because they practically take care of themselves. I think the key is to water consistently but not drown everything and to check for pests every few days before they get out of hand. My neighbor suggested using companion planting to keep bugs away naturally so I tried marigolds near the tomatoes and it seems to help. I also learned that you need to prune tomato suckers or the plant gets too bushy and doesn't produce as much fruit. The basil I planted next to the peppers did really well and I made pesto twice last summer which was amazing. I am thinking about adding some cucumbers this year and maybe trying a trellis system to save space. The whole thing is more of a hobby than a chore once you get into the rhythm of it and the fresh produce tastes completely different from store bought stuff. I am excited to see how this year's garden turns out now that I have a better feel for what works in this climate.

Oh and I finally watched that documentary series about national parks everyone has been talking about and it was stunning. The cinematography alone makes you want to plan a road trip out west. I have been looking at maps trying to figure out a route that hits a few parks without spending the whole vacation driving. Yellowstone and Grand Teton are supposed to be easy to pair together and I hear the fall crowds are much smaller. My cousin went last September and said the wildlife viewing was incredible and the weather was perfect for hiking. I think I will try to book something for later this year if schedules align.

I was talking to my friend about the best way to organize a home office and she mentioned using a pegboard system for supplies and cables. I had never thought of that but it makes so much sense because you can reconfigure it whenever you need to change things up. She showed me photos of her setup and the pegboard was painted a nice soft gray that matched the desk. She used small bins and hooks to hold everything from scissors to charging cables and it looked really clean and intentional. I have been meaning to declutter my desk for a while because the clutter makes it hard to focus when I am working on projects. The idea of having everything visible and accessible is appealing and I think it would cut down on the time I spend rummaging through drawers looking for a specific tool or cord. She also recommended using label makers for the bins so you can quickly find what you need without pulling everything out. I am thinking about trying a similar approach in my kitchen for utensils and gadgets that always seem to get buried in drawers. The pegboard concept could work in a lot of rooms actually and it is relatively inexpensive to set up compared to buying custom organizers. I found a few tutorials online that show how to mount them securely and even how to add shelves for small plants or a speaker. It feels like one of those simple changes that can make a big difference in how a room functions day to day. I am going to measure my wall space this weekend and order a board and accessories to get started.

Also I finally picked up a new book from the library that a colleague recommended and I am really enjoying it so far. It is a mix of travel writing and memoir and the author has a way of describing places that makes you feel like you are there. I have been reading a chapter each evening with tea and it is a nice wind down routine. The library had a few other titles by the same author so I grabbed those too since I tend to binge read series once I find a style I like.