It seems that choosing the Pennsylvania state flower was not an easy task. As a matter of fact, as the story goes, it was most stressful. The year was 1931 and the state flower was still officially unnamed, so disgruntled Pennsylvanians opted to take the deed into their own hands. They lined up in [...]
Because I have a small yard. Because I have just a few spots of sunlight. Because I must have home-grown herbs and tomatoes. Because of all these reasons, I merge my edible garden into my small plot to create an artful landscape. That’s the idea anyway. This means limiting the use of wire tomato [...]
It’s happening: The meadow buttercup (Ranunculus acris) is gathered for its annual parade of bright, waxy petals. It’s a sea of yellow standing poised above tall grass. This European native also grows in pastures where cows graze or horses roam, but since the stem and leaf are toxic––especially to cattle––the animals avoid eating it. Which [...]
This time every year it’s the same: a wild profusion of bright, yellow dandelions (Taraxacum officianale) poke their way through the grass. I have never cared if this plentiful perennial dotted my yard. Like The Dandelion King, I let dandelions grow with abandon. They, like the little purple violets growing alongside them, wake up my spring [...]
Sometimes by the end of March I get stuck. Stuck on what to cook. What to eat. What to wear. It’s just that we are between almost spring and spring: spring is officially here, but I can’t officially feel it. Know what I mean? So to get unstuck, I begin planning. Planning meals for inspiration. [...]
It’s hard to conceive life in Japan right now. The devastation so dire, I turn away from the images. At the same time I about-face though, I want to help. In some small way if I can. Then I discovered Handmade For Japan. Ayumi Horie, a Japanese-American ceramicist, came up with the idea to raise [...]
