I’m Robin Ripley. I am co-author of Grocery Gardening and I am in love with making gardens that are beautiful as well as bountiful. I make as much by hand as possible, including cheese, bread, pastries and wine.

My paying work in life is mostly sitting at a computer or traveling somewhere to talk about what I did sitting at a computer. But hardly a day goes by that I don’t get to spend some time outdoors looking at the trees, grass, plants, birds and sky. Usually it’s because the little dogs demand their sniff time and drag me along as their chaperon. But I also spend a good chunk of time outside working in the garden and in the kitchen creating good food from what I grow.

Thank you for visiting Bumblebee. Please drop me a line.

Robin Ripley

P.S.  Since some of you have asked, here are my vital statistics

Location: Calvert County, Maryland
Zone: 7
Property Size: 21+ acres, 4-5 of them hay, ~1 house and garden, the rest woods
Animals: Two Papillons, one cat with an attitude, 12 hens and a rooster named T. Boone Chickens. I adore them all.



Right Now at Bumblebee

July 24th, 2010

It was nearly 100 degrees while I was working outside today. I have a sliver of wood in my big toe, poison ivy and am covered in bug bites. Sometimes I think I need an easier hobby.

Robin

June 24th, 2010

Holy moly, it’s hot. I was just outside providing drought assistance to the suffering greenery. Now excuse me while I cower here in the air conditioning for a bit before making dinner.

It has been such a busy work week. I have been chained to the desk. I can’t wait until the weekend. I have tomatoes to stake, flowers to plant, garlic to harvest, strawberries to keep in control, some clipping and pruning and, who can forget, weeding!

My friend Helen Yoest, from Gardening With Confidence, will be here in about 10 days. I plan to pick her brain and get advice about some real problem areas here. I was hoping for more time to prepare for an esteemed guest, but that’s just not to be. She’ll have to take me as I am.

I hope you’re all keeping cool.

Robin

June 17th, 2010

You can’t pick up the newspaper or turn on the television without hearing more about the Gulf Coast oil disaster.

The wildlife population will be devastated for years, perhaps decades, to come. You can help with the conservation, monitoring and aid to the birds by donating to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This is the top school and science center for birds in the U.S. and sponsor of many, many programs, including citizen scientist-type programs. If you cannot afford to donate, it’s a great place to just be informed or to get involved through volunteer activities you can do in your own back yard.

Robin

May 26th, 2010

Tonight I am grateful for the internets.

Over dinner we were talking about blast-from-the-past music and then blast-from-the-past comedy. Harry and I explained how we would play stacks of 45s on the turntable to my 19-year-old son. And I remembered my parents’ Dick Newhart album and “Driving Instructor.”  And while we were talking about old comedy, who can forget, George Carlin’s “Seven Dirty Words?” Ah, the things I am teaching my 19-year-old son! Yes, I taught him about seven dirty words!

I am also grateful that the chickens had walkabout time without destroying my garden this afternoon.

And I am grateful for that arms and shoulders P90X workout, although I will be sore again tomorrow.

Live the dream,

Robin

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