This Week in My Garden, Kitchen & Home — January 25th to February 1st, 2026

A cozy weekly recap from my garden beds, kitchen projects, and homemaking.

🌱In the Garden

Germination/Growth: I am starting to see germination on the dwarf tomatoes and eucalyptus that I started on January 20th. Also, the hydroponic garden, featuring cucumbers, dwarf tomatoes, and calendula, has germinated. I’m holding on to hope for the sage and feverfew.
Harvest: Indoors from the hydroponic systems. I have freeze-dried various basil varieties and catnip from them.
Challenges: Two weeks of severe winter weather have kept me indoors. I do a walkthrough each day to observe any changes. My raised beds are kept covered with insect netting. My GreenStalks are covered with frost covers. There is not much else I can do. I can usually tolerate the cold, but the icy wind has been unbearable. I choose me...LOL.

🍲In the Kitchen

Meals & Preserving

Cooked/Baked: My memorable meal for this week was based on a bulgogi sauce recipe by Maangchi. For me, I used it on soy curls, and for my family, I used it on thinly sliced beef that is typically used for hot pot. It cooked up quickly and was satisfying with lots of steamed rice. I added some of the kkaennip jangajji that I made in the fall.
Preserved: I freeze-dried orange zest and sliced and quartered oranges. Since I had some space, I added some raspberries that I had frozen from fresh. Since I still had a bit more space, I harvested catnip from one of my hydroponic garden systems. Pre-freezing items before placing them in the freeze-dryer has made a positive difference in the process. It doesn't have to run as long, which saves energy. The freezer is always running, so it's not an additional usage of energy.
Pantry wins: I took the soybeans from my bulk storage and made soy milk. I love to use soy milk to make my own yogurt.

🏡At Home

Rituals: DJ has been willing to allow me to hold him if I tuck him into a blanket first. He is a senior dog and is trying to age gracefully. Just like his human, he has aches and pains. He seems to enjoy it because he makes his way to me and stares at me near bedtime to get held and his paws stroked. His breathing slows, and he closes his eyes, and I can feel the tension ease for both of us.

▶️

My First Seeds of 2026 🌱 Hydroponic Seed Starting for Tomatoes, Herbs & the Garden

Click a thumbnail or title to watch directly on YouTube. Don’t forget to subscribe 🌼

📋Looking Ahead

Garden: As soon as the weather and time permit, I will be planting onions in one of my 4 x 2 x 1 raised beds and try growing a few in GreenStalk tiers.

📸Closing Photo

garden journal weekly recap kitchen diary cozy home

wwonderwwho