Author: Ashley

Lavender Infused Honey

Lavender Infused Honey

A plant that brings me a great amount of joy to have growing in my garden year after year is lavender. Lavender is not only beautiful to look at and beloved by pollinators, but it is also so versatile and can be used to make 

Touring the Best of the French Riviera in Three Days

Touring the Best of the French Riviera in Three Days

After our tour through Italy (read about that here), Alyssa and I spent a lovely three (and a half if we’re counting travel) days in the South of France along the French Riviera. I have previously travelled to Paris (read about my nine days in 

Garden Companion Planting Guide

Garden Companion Planting Guide


I’ve been growing vegetables in some capacity since I was about seven or eight years old. When I was growing up in Toronto, my best friend who lived around the corner from me had a pretty large back garden and would grow some veggies every year. I used to come over and help her out with the planting and then the harvesting later in the summer. Our specialty was potatoes. I remember going over to her house to harvest the potatoes and then using them to make homemade french fries. It was always a lot of fun. I’d say that this summer activity of ours is what sparked my interest in gardening, which has only grown bigger over the years. Continue reading Garden Companion Planting Guide

Nine Days in Italy: An Itinerary

Nine Days in Italy: An Itinerary

In early September I set off on a three-week trip around various parts of southern Europe with my roommate Alyssa. Our adventure began with nine fantastic days touring around Italy. We started in Venice, then hit Rome, travelled to Naples and explored the Amalfi Coats 

Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups with Toasted Buckwheat

Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups with Toasted Buckwheat

Back in December I went to the One of a Kind Show in Toronto to get a bit of holiday shopping out of the way. For those of you that are not familiar, the One of a Kind Show is a large multi-day convention of Canadian 

New Years Sustainable Swap: 2023

New Years Sustainable Swap: 2023


Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a nice holiday season and that your holiday plans weren’t derailed too much by the crazy winter storm that seems to have swept right across North America. Every year I make a point to make a sustainable lifestyle swap for the new year. I also add sustainable swaps throughout the year, but I feel like the turning of the calendar year is a nice jumping off point. Consider it a ‘new years resolution’ in a way. I’ve never shared my swaps here on O+W, so I listed my previous new years sustainable swaps below to serve as some ~inspiration~ in addition to my 2023 swap. Continue reading New Years Sustainable Swap: 2023

Strawberry & Pistachio Bark with Flaky Salt

Strawberry & Pistachio Bark with Flaky Salt

It’s no secret that I love chocolate. I have never been huge on candy, but chocolate is something that I always keep on hand. I especially love dark chocolate. If we’re getting specific, I love the Lindt Excellence Ecuador 75% Cacao chocolate the most. I 

Sweet Raspberry Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet Raspberry Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope that you are all enjoying your long weekend. I unfortunately came down with Covid on Thursday, so my long weekend has been spent indoors in isolation. Definitely not ideal, but it is what it is. On the plus side, it 

Photo Journal No. 3: Green Valley Lake, CA

Photo Journal No. 3: Green Valley Lake, CA

This past December I visited my extended family on the West Coast in California. During my time in the LA area I was lucky enough to get to spend a few days at the family cottage on Green Valley Lake at an elevation of 7,000 feet! The landscape in the area was absolutely stunning and I thoroughly enjoyed my time up there. It was a very different experience from the Canadian cottage country I am used to here in Southern Ontario. Here is a collection of my favourite photos from my time at Green Valley Lake. Enjoy!

xx

Ashley

Continue reading Photo Journal No. 3: Green Valley Lake, CA

Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Salad with Lemony Tahini Sauce

Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Salad with Lemony Tahini Sauce

At the end of the winter semester when I was in the thick of group projects and was bouncing between group meetings I had one evening where my meetings went well past 10pm. Between meetings, I scored the pantry and fridge looking for something I