Ridley Cottage

09/28/2026

I’m putting together a few fall blessing bags for neighbors and friends. Nothing fancy—just a fall dish towel, a little ceramic pumpkin, Mrs. Meyer’s pumpkin spice hand soap, and some homemade cookies once they’re ready. Then I’ll tie each bag with a pretty plaid ribbon. 🍂

The brown bags came from the dollar store, along with a few autumn leaf picks. I pulled the leaves off the picks and hot glued them to the bags. Simple, inexpensive, and such a fun way to make each one feel special.

Are you making fall blessing bags for neighbors or friends? I’d love to hear what you’re putting inside and what you’re using to hold your goodies. Pictures are always welcome!

09/06/2026

A proud day for the girls of Ridley Cottage! 🏆🏆

With a little help in the ring from Chris, Daisy earned her International Champion title at the IABCA show—and, naturally, Rosie kept pace and earned hers as well.

They may have impressive new names—IntCH Freedom’s Daisy CGC and IntCH Coast Range’s Crisper Rose Finn—but here at the cottage, they’ll always be our sweet Daisy and Rosie.

Today, however, they’re allowed to strut just a little. 🤎

09/05/2026

A little throwback to the AKC dog show in Missoula, where both of my beautiful girls earned Reserve Winners Bitch! 🐾🏆

Today and tomorrow, Daisy and Rosie are competing at the IABCA dog show. We’re looking forward to a wonderful weekend together, and I’ll keep everyone posted on how the girls do—and all the fun we have along the way! ❤️

Do you have dogs and have you ever considered showing them or competing with them? There are so many fun competitions that don’t require purebred dogs or AKC registration. 🐕🏆

09/04/2026

Late summer tastes like apples. 🍎

Apples still warm from the sun. Apples gathered into baskets. Apples waiting to become pies, cakes, sauce, or simply an afternoon snack eaten over the kitchen sink.

If there is a U-pick orchard near you, perhaps this is your invitation to go. Wander between the trees, choose a few favorites, and bring home a little taste of the season.

Do you have a favorite apple—or a favorite orchard to visit?

08/17/2026

08/17/2026

BABE! Do not buy any more tomatoes.

Not today. Not next week. Possibly not for the foreseeable future.

The tomato vines had staged a quiet takeover of the lawn, so this morning I finally went in with the clippers. Every sprawling branch came off—and every last tomato came with me.

Some were ripe. Some were blushing. And some were greener than green, but they’ll ripen perfectly well off the vine. Around here, no tomato gets left behind simply because its branch has wandered where it shouldn’t.

By the time I finished, the lawn had been reclaimed, the patio table was covered in tomatoes, and my fingers looked like this.

Which made me wonder: is this where the expression “green thumb” actually came from?

The precise origin is apparently a little murky. “Green fingers” appeared first, and one theory is that gardeners’ hands were quite literally stained green from handling plants—or algae-covered clay pots.

Looking at my hands after wrangling those tomato vines, I find the plant-stain theory extremely convincing.

Do your tomato plants stay politely inside their beds—or are they also attempting territorial expansion?

What are your absolute favorite tomato recipes?

The ones you make every summer without fail. The ones passed down, scribbled on index cards, or discovered by happy accident when you had “too many tomatoes” and a little too much optimism.

Drop them in the comments—or better yet, share a link if you’ve got one. Let’s build the ultimate collection of tomato inspiration together.

—Kathi Jo
Ridley Cottage | The lost art of home

08/17/2026

Rice, but make it Greek. 🍋🌿

Because sometimes dinner doesn’t need to be complicated—it just needs one small thing that makes it feel special.

Cook 2 cups of instant rice in chicken broth instead of water, then fold in juicy tomatoes, salty feta, fresh herbs and a generous squeeze of lemon. Suddenly, the box of rice in the pantry has plans for the Mediterranean.

GREEK-INSPIRED RICE

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups instant white rice
• ½ cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• ¼ cup crumbled feta
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, dill or basil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Bring the broth and olive oil to a boil. Stir in the rice, remove from the heat and cover for 5–10 minutes. Fluff gently, then fold in the tomatoes, feta and herbs. Finish with garlic, oregano, lemon juice, salt and plenty of black pepper.

Serve it warm beside grilled chicken—or add chickpeas and call dinner done.

Simple food. Pretty bowl.

Save this one for the night when plain rice simply won’t do.

08/06/2026

Our hearts are heavy today.

These images are a sobering reminder that behind every wildfire is a family, a home, and a community forever changed.

Out of respect for those working tirelessly to protect lives and property, we have honored the fire department’s request to stay out of the evacuation areas. These images were shared publicly online and are posted here simply to help tell the story of what our neighbors are facing.

Today, we ask you to join us in prayer.

🤍 Pray that these fires will be fully contained and extinguished.
🤍 Pray for those who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses, and precious memories.
🤍 Pray for every firefighter, law enforcement officer, EMT, utility worker, and volunteer serving on the front lines. May God protect them, strengthen them, and bring them safely home.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” — Psalm 46:1

May we be quick to pray, generous in helping those in need, and deeply grateful for the men and women risking everything to protect our communities.

08/04/2026

Every garden has a beginning. 🌼

This little corner of our yard is our nursery—not because it’s finished, but because it’s full of possibility.

Vegetables grow in barrels, flowers feed the bees and butterflies, rescued plants wait for their forever homes, and one day a greenhouse will stand here. Until then, this is where we learn, experiment, rescue, and grow.

Sometimes the most beautiful places in our lives aren’t the finished ones.

They’re the ones quietly becoming.

This little nursery reminds me of what we’re building at Ridley Cottage, too. Not something perfect—just a place where good things are given the time to grow.

💛 What’s growing in your corner of the world today?

P.S. If you’d enjoy quiet stories of home, gardening, and ordinary beauty delivered the old-fashioned way, keep an eye out. The first Ridley Cottage Post is coming soon. 💌

08/01/2026

Does anyone else ever have evenings when you seriously consider wandering the neighborhood to see if someone might share a bowl of ice cream?

I wouldn’t actually do it…
But I have definitely thought about it.

I think what I’m really craving isn’t just the ice cream.

It’s the front porch conversation that comes with it.

More front porch thoughts (and probably a few more questionable cravings) in the September issue of The Ridley Cottage Post.