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?
While talking with a friend about indoor plants, we got on the topic of bugs. “Those tiny black flies that buzz around my face while I’m working on the computer? They’re driving me crazy!”
Your throat itches. Your nose drips. Are you doomed to suffer a cold? Nope. I’ve stopped many a cold in its tracks with this easy recipe for oregano tea. Research now shows oregano has essential…
This article was originally published as one of my weekly garden columns… Let me begin with a gentle apology: Professional columnists say you should never devote your columns to more than one topic. Fat chance. Here in Kodiak, Alaska, there’s so much going on
After shutting down the boat engine we leaned against the railing to watch two humpback whales feed close to the surface. Winding slowly through the kelp bed, they created small whirlpools with their pectoral fins and tails, like a
I’ve written a weekly garden column for the Kodiak Daily Mirror for over 15 years. This article first appeared on April 11, 2016… Last Friday it rained, hard. Inside the gym though, it was bright and sunny, thanks to neon shirt day when everyone was encouraged to wear
If you’re like me, you need a goal—even a tiny one—or you might end up like a lost duck, waddling along the lake shore, but never getting into the water. Today I’m sharing a dozen resolutions, mostly slanted for gardeners. But if you’ve never used a trowel,
As I sipped my coffee, a large BC Ferry made its way through the narrow, granite-lined channel in front of the bed and breakfast we were staying in on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. It was October 11, a soft, overcast day; the day before Canada’s Thanksgiving. Our hosts who lived upstairs, had loaded the fridge
I was photographing at Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC recently, bedazzled by the amazing display of dahlias. I was having a lot of fun composing the sea anemone-like shapes, textures and
My humblest inspirations seem to occur in the autumn when I’m putting the garden to bed. It’s fall and the garden says, “I am growing old.” The potato vines are limp and the tubers huddle underground in their rough, weather-proof skins, waiting to be dug. Is there any greater treasure hunt than digging for