About

Hi! My name is Sonja. Thanks for stopping by to read about how I get my hands dirty in the garden and kitchen! I am married to Trevor and mom to Sophie and Emet. We love living in Central Montana and try to make the most of our short summers.

Brown haired woman wearing sunglasses and blue shirt in front of peacock mural. "Sonja" is typed in the bottom left corner

Growing up I often had cold hands, so when I shook someone’s hand I frequently heard, “Cold hands, warm heart.” I still have cold hands, but I realize how much I value my hands, since I work as a Sign Language Interpreter, and my hobbies center around my hands. I enjoy knitting and playing piano for my church (though I mess up nearly every song). Central to this blog, I love cooking and baking, so I want to grow more of my own food and create a more beautiful outdoor space for my family and friends to enjoy.

Brown haired woman standing on rock ledge with arms widespread, overlooking a scenic mountain valley

I am a novice gardener here in the frozen north (though still south of Canada) and probably an above-average home cook and baker. I love watching the Great British Baking Show and baked one recipe with the show every week in the fall of 2022 (except for the finale because none of the challenges inspired me… and I had 2 kids under 2.) This smorgastarta is my most memorable bake from that personal challenge.

Top view of a smorgastarta decorated with cucumvers, carrots, smoked salmon, tomatoes and arugula in flower shapes

Slice of three layered smorgastarta with whole cake in the background

Get ready to roll up your sleeves along with me, so you too can have dirty hands and a warm heart.