Yesterday, I noticed that I had eight passionflower sprouts up in the yard. This is cause for great celebration, as passionflower not only has a splendid flower, but is the most reliable herbal remedy for insomnia. Passionflower loves to climb, and gets thick and fruitful if it has something to climb on. So I have three round … read more How do they find the trellis?
Tag: 2012
Big brown jug
My sisters and I long ago stopped buying each other gifts for birthdays and Christmas. I think we all hate the process of shopping for presents because, when you live far apart, it’s a guessing game with too many wrong answers. There’s one gift that my sisters will accept any time of the year, though. It’s always … read more Big brown jug
A walk on the wild side
Toland Way is a very steep, winding road. It’s a tough walk up. This time of year, though, it’s worth the strain on my legs and back. The flowering plants are bountiful all along the steep banks of this road. Perhaps the soil is richer, gathering all the minerals that get washed down the mountainside. … read more A walk on the wild side
The cautious wren
The Carolina wren is a cheeky little bird. It produces song at an earsplitting volume, and will build a nest right on your front porch. At the cabin in Booger Hollow, we have a spot that’s been used by wrens for several years. The first year that we spent a week at the cabin, we … read more The cautious wren
The red buckeyes: Cruel hands
April 8, 2009 I’ve been reading a book called “Growing Trees from Seed,” by Henry Kock, which is filled with practical advice for growing native species of trees in North America. It’s a bit scary, too, because the author makes you aware of the various hazards to the health of a seed: chipmunks, slugs, soil … read more The red buckeyes: Cruel hands
Newborns
The dirt crumbles under my fingers. My hair is full of raindrops. Bright green laughs against the backdrop of the still-awakening forest. I laugh along and talk to them. “Little basils, I want to be sure you have enough room to grow. How about six of you in this planter box, would that be OK?” … read more Newborns
Anger isn’t stupidity
A popular meme from a liberal writer, Andy Borowitz, today: Stopping Trump is a short-term solution. The long-term solution, and it will be more difficult, is fixing the education system that has created so many people ignorant enough to vote for Trump. Here’s the problem with that statement: It’s playground name-calling dressed up in a grown-up … read more Anger isn’t stupidity
The early spring
The weather’s been delightfully sunny, for March – 70s and even low 80s. The flowers jumped right up, fruit trees burst into blossom, and the carpenter bees began their war dance of mating – a full week or more before the official start of spring. I am astonished that it’s so warm I need to … read more The early spring
Bears are not our pals
The kids really enjoyed themselves playing with the black bears. They climbed on top of Mama bear’s head, tried to stick their fingers in the bear cub’s mouth, petted all four bears with vigor. Would you let your kids do that? Three times this week, I watched parents encourage their kids to play with bears. … read more Bears are not our pals
Pretty, and pink, and edible
The air is so warm and sweet, winter must be gone for good. Not just this year, but forever. The birds are singing their little bird hearts out, and the redbuds are bursting with blossoms. Those delicate pink flowers started to show all around Atlanta last week, already. They’re not out yet in North Georgia, but I plan to … read more Pretty, and pink, and edible