Hello! My name is Martha Alex, but you can call me Martha. As a passionate video blogger, I’ve spent a lot of time creating content that captures moments, stories, and experiences through the lens of a camera. Over the years, I’ve connected with so many amazing people through vlogging, and that journey has inspired me to branch out into something new: blogging in written form. Now, I’m excited to share parts of my weekly routine, thoughts, and behind-the-scenes life not just in videos, but also here on this blog. For those who prefer to read and reflect at their own pace, this space will give you a closer, more personal look into my world. I hope you enjoy reading just as much as I enjoy writing and sharing with you!
Day 1
Do you know what my outdoor grounds crew is doing? I do this task every year around this time and before Easter. They’re removing all the protective burlap that has covered my precious boxwood shrubs all winter and exposing what I hope for every spring—lush, green plants.
Day 2
I’ve accomplished so many early spring tasks around my farm. My giant azalea border along both sides of the carriage road between my summer house and my stable is now mulched for the season. I also added a few more specimens to the beds. Once again, this area will be filled with blooming azaleas. Designing and developing any garden takes time, planning, and a lot of patience.
Day 3
Hens and chicks, those charming mat-forming succulents with fleshy, pointed leaves arranged in rosettes, are one of the kinds of plants now displayed in two of these urns outside my Winter House kitchen.
Day 4
Have you yet made my Linguini with Clams dish from my 100th book, THE COOKBOOK? “MARTHA” It’s so easy to make and so flavorful that I know it will become one of your family’s favorites. I recently made this along with my Meyer Lemon Drop cocktail, my Kale Caesar Salad, and my Pasta Limone.
Day 5
This is the fruit of the Osage orange tree, Maclura pomifera. It is not an orange at all and is more commonly known as a hedge apple. Before the invention of barbed wire in the 1800s, thousands of miles of hedges were constructed by planting young Osage orange trees closely together. The goal was to grow them “horse high, bull strong, and hog tight.” Farmers wanted them to be tall enough that a horse would not jump them, strong enough that a bull would not push them, and woven so tightly that a hog could not find its way through. I have hundreds of Osage orange trees growing at the farm, and it’s time for them to get pruned.
Day 6
Today I went to my farmland and saw that my mint plant is getting yellow. I thought that I would tell you that there is a method for renewing the mint plant. So, if your mint turns yellow and has brown spots, here’s how you can make it fresh and look healthy all the time. Do this fast
Tips
– Cut it back to the soil level
– I add a little fish fertilizer water, and you’re done.
Day 7
At the end of this week, I went to the park for fresh air and a walk. I realized that trees are extremely important to our environment. They are the world’s largest source of breathable oxygen, they absorb carbon dioxide and potentially harmful gases, and they create an ecosystem to provide a habitat and food for birds and other animals.