Hey there, I’m Alicia! Welcome to Cultivating Nurse, a space where you’ll learn simple and practical ways to create homegrown food, a handmade home, wholesome recipes and a simple lifestyle. Here, you’ll read all about returning to simple living roots to build an authentic and non-toxic life/home.
I’m a child of God, wife to my high school sweetheart, registered nurse, and dog-mom to our black lab Astro! Over the past several years we’ve learned to garden in the heat and humidity of Florida, to cook meals from scratch, and to create/build things with our own hands. We continue this work in anticipation of owning a farmhouse with acreage, raising backyard chickens, bees, and maybe even a dairy cow (someday)!
Handmade Home
I grew up loving to create. Some of my fondest childhood memories are when I was able to simply make– bracelets with my sister, scrapbooks with mom, and entering in art fairs with my colored pencils and sketch pad. Now I get to create through DIY projects for the home, from macramé pieces to remaking thrifted décor.
Natural living is another passion of mine, and I strive to minimize toxins in our home by using homemade products. You’d be surprised at how simple and beneficial it is to make your own cleaning supplies and personal items! This is one of my favorite topics to write about, and I hope that it helps you on your journey to creating a naturally beautiful, Handmade Home.
Gardening
Over the past two years I’ve learned the art of gardening in the heat and humidity of Florida (Zone9a/9b). I spend a lot of my time here pruning, weeding, battling pests, and trellising. All of this hard work pays off when you sit down for a wholesome meal made of homegrown ingredients.
Along with learning to garden comes learning how to use the harvest. In this space you’ll dive into preserving food and using your leftovers to start composting. You can always find herbs hanging around my kitchen or a basket of fresh veggies waiting to be used up. I also love making tea using fresh herbs!
Healthy & Simple Living
As a Registered Nurse, healthy living is is simply part of who I am. In a world full of pollution, chronic disease, anxiety, and synthetics, I strive to use food as medicine to keep my family healthy and protected. Cooking food from scratch and making wholesome meals is key, so I love sharing recipes that are both simple and practical. With that said, life is all about balance. After all, what is Thanksgiving without warm apple pie or a birthday without cake?!
I firmly believe that a healthy dose of sunshine, daily movement, time with loved ones, and stress management are all equally important to building a healthy life. I’ve found that living intentionally in every way helps. Intentional use of time, intentional cooking, intentional relationships, intentional movement – it all matters. Living a slow and simple lifestyle has transformed my life for the better, and I hope that sharing this information will help you just the same.
My writing stems from the roots of these passions and a grounding appreciation for all that we’ve been blessed with. Each day we’re learning how to live homegrown and handmade through trial and error. I have much to learn and strive to use this space to teach, encourage, and help you cultivate a healthy life alongside us! So grab a fresh cup of tea, get cozy, and you’ll feel right at home here.
Warmly, Alicia