When I was young, I hated most vegetables. So when Grammie came to visit, there were issues. Oh, she dished up hot biscuits and gravy, salad, and fresh peas. But then… “Eat your greens,” she’d say. “Then you can have dessert.” Groan. I couldn’t bear the thought
I spend many hours at my home computer, writing articles, and processing images. I’m not fussy about dress codes (I draw the line at bathrobes and bunny slippers) but I am fussy about
The sun was shining but the damp breeze felt like ice cubes rubbing my cheeks. A typical spring morning in coastal Alaska. But this morning would not be typical. A surprise was waiting…
Gardening feels like a bosom-hug from my Grammie. She loved to grow beans, putzing quietly in the dirt. Now it’s April 2020 and COVID-19 has gifted me with
I went to a garage sale recently in search of a used shovel. No luck. But I did find a used book of hysterical gardening stories. (More on that in a second). Okay, I know you’re here for
I live on Kodiak, the second-largest island in the U.S. Did you know that it’s mostly a wildlife refuge for coastal brown bears? What does that have to do with Christmas cactus? First of all, Merriam-Webster set me straight. Again. Because the plural of cactus
Have you ever seen those drawings in National Geographic of what Alaska looked like in the days of the dinosaurs? Far from a frozen wasteland. We’re talking a lush, tropical
What do red bell peppers, broccoli, and papayas have in common? They’re awesome sources of vitamin C. But there’s another source of vitamin C that blows these guys out of the water…
To my chop-wood, carry-water friend Mary, the equinox means one thing: Time to dig the ashes out of the woodstove. For the rest of us, let’s dive into a little
What do whales and your summer garden have in common? I’ll share a tip that has solved many a garden problem. But let’s begin with a story: One morning, we departed the Kodiak boat harbor on our boat. As luck would have it,
Is Mother Nature a lovely goddess draped in green? Or an old hag that stirs up violent tornadoes? If you dare, I’m going to share one of life’s
During World War I President Woodrow Wilson asked Americans to plant vegetable gardens “to ward off the possible threat of food shortages.” By 1943, victory gardens supplied an amazing 40 percent
On a beautiful fall day, podcaster Catherine Praiswater stopped by the garden to ask me about the birds and the bees. Eagles and bumblebees, actually. She adjusted
In 1988 I decided to grow a few vegetables. Problem was, I’d never grown more than a sunflower in a milk carton. So it was no surprise when 50 years later, I was totally overwhelmed
It’s snowing. Big fluffy flakes. You start to worry that your shrubs and winter flowering plants might suffer. The good news: Snow benefits plants. But it can also spell trouble. Here’s a
It’s been a busy week. Our local Walmart sold pumpkins for one dollar each. I bought 12. Now what? As I researched recipes online, I came across a haunting statistic: About 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are thrown
I invite you to pause and ponder for a moment… Why do you get up in the morning? Why do you volunteer at the animal shelter?