See this little orange bowl? It's today's harvest from our "farm." It's not much—just a handful of berries and about half a cup of cherry tomatoes—but few things give me as much satisfaction as growing this stuff in my own backyard.

Back in 2005, when my husband and I moved here (our first house) and had our daughter a mere two weeks later, my life was a flurry of nesting, of putting down roots. These days, it's more about tending to growth. In about a month, I’ll have more tomatoes than I know what to do with, so I've signed up for a canning and preserving class at San Francisco’s Studio for Urban Projects (studioforurbanprojects.com). I must tell you—I never thought there would be a time when I'd make pickles and jam! But I love, and continue to be fascinated by, the twists and turns of life—I love spending the morning writing stories and the afternoon pulling sun leaves off the tomato plants. Grower one year, nomad the next. That’s why I’m so excited to be a part of the Growers and Nomads team and look forward to posting here weekly about people, places and things that inspire me; products I can't wait to recommend; books you've got to read; and general musings on the lovely intersection of design and home.

'Til next week,

Allison