food

Abundance in My Garden with Herbs & Chilis

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When I planted my garden, my goal was food—but I was methodical about what plants I brought home. I wanted herbs I could cook with, but I also chose ones that could help keep mosquitos and ticks away. That’s why I started with mint, lavender, citronella, lemongrass, and rosemary. Over time, the garden turned into more than just practical; it’s become this little haven of flavor and color right outside my door.

The rosemary is strong and fragrant. I love running my fingers through it just for the scent. Oregano is spilling everywhere, always ready for sauces or soups. Basil has been a favorite, too, with soft green leaves that go perfectly in just about anything. And then there’s the mint. I never quite know what to do with all of it. Other than mint ice cream—which sounds amazing, but I’d have to figure out how to extract the oils first, it just keeps spreading and taking over its corner of the yard.

I’ve been clipping bunches of the herbs and hanging them in my dining room window. They catch the light during the day, filling the room with their scent as they dry. It makes the whole space feel alive, and I love knowing I’ll have jars of homegrown herbs to reach for even after the season ends.

The chilis are another story. I love a little heat to my entrées. So I have habanero, cayenne, and red jalapeños growing, each one fiery in its own way. The funny thing is, I can’t eat spicy foods right now because of diverticulitis. So while they’re growing beautifully, I mostly admire their color, dry some, and am thinking of giving some away. I know one day I’ll be able to enjoy them again, but for now, they’re more for drying and jarring up at the moment.

What I love most is that even without the heat from the chilis, my meals still have plenty of flavor. A little rosemary on roasted veggies, basil with fresh tomatoes, oregano in a simple pasta, it’s enough. The garden has been teaching me that abundance isn’t just about having a lot, it’s about appreciating what you can use in the moment, and being patient with what you can’t.

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Homemade Gluten-Free Pasta on My Diverticulitis Journey

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Living with diverticulitis this past week has definitely made me rethink the foods I eat. I’ve had to cut out a lot of things I used to enjoy, and at first it felt like all the good stuff was gone, especially pasta. I’m gluten intolerant and also need to stay away from corn now, which makes finding store bought pasta that actually works for me pretty difficult.

The other day, I decided to try making my own noodles at home. I used a simple mix of rice flour, tapioca starch, and a little psyllium husk for binding. The dough came together quickly, but I had to play with the water a bit until it felt right. In the end, it took about ½ cup of water to get the texture I wanted.

I rolled the dough out by hand, cut it into strips, and honestly, I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. But when I cooked the noodles and served them up with sauce, my kids and I were surprised — we actually loved them. The texture was light, and they held together so much better than I expected.

For me, this was more than just about pasta. It was a reminder that even with diverticulitis and food allergies, I don’t have to give up comfort foods completely. Sometimes it just takes a little creativity and a willingness to try something new.

And I’ll say this — there’s something really satisfying about sitting down to a bowl of pasta you made yourself, especially when it’s something your whole family can enjoy together.

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Uprooted, Adjusting, and Now Learning to Heal

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I feel like my whole life’s been flipped upside down lately. I packed up everything and moved 2,700 miles away from the place I called home for the last 27 years, all because I wanted a better future for me and the kids. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t expect the small things to get to me the way they have.

Take the water, for example. Not only does it taste off, but I don’t like all the stuff in it — the chemicals, the fluoride, the PFAS. It just doesn’t sit right with me. So I started filtering the water in the kitchen and even went as far as buying distilled water jugs for the bathrooms so we could brush our teeth with something cleaner. I even bought filters for the shower heads. It might sound over the top, but honestly, it gives me peace of mind.

Even with all that, I probably drink less water than I should. And now I’m realizing how much that might have been catching up with me. Yesterday I ended up in the ER for seven hours. They ran everything — bloodwork, urine sample, CT scan — and finally told me what was going on: diverticulitis.

So here I am on a three-day broth diet, on top of 10 days of antibiotics, and after that, I’ll have to completely change the way I eat. No corn. No popcorn. A whole list of things I’ll have to avoid forever. Which feels overwhelming, because I was already so limited with food. I’m gluten intolerant, allergic to chicken, and my body just rejects a bunch of other things. Now it feels like I’ve got to become a full-on food cop with myself just to stay healthy.

It’s exhausting. I already gave up so much by moving, and now my body is asking me to give up even more. But at the same time, I don’t really have a choice. If I want to be here for my kids and actually thrive in this new chapter, I have to figure out how to work with it.

I never imagined my “fresh start” would look like this — standing in my kitchen sipping broth, keeping mental tabs on everything I can’t eat, popping antibiotics, while giant jugs of distilled water sit in the bathroom. But here I am. And honestly? All I can do is take it day by day, and try to see it as part of the journey I was meant to be on.

☕ Support the Journey

If this post resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele