Our Acorn-ness I collected acorns from an early age. The adage, “Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow!” spurred my boyhood imagination. I mused on the little nut’s pregnant potential, on the idea that everything it could ever become was contained in this little shell in the palm of my hand. Later, when I realized they … Continue reading Thoughts on Spirit – April 2018
Self-Respect In January’s column on “Respect,” I concluded that having respect for others cannot be legislated or mandated, but rather requires cultivation from within. … not an easy task! And, to the extent we were not shown how by our parents and teachers in our formative years, the task is that much more difficult. The … Continue reading Thoughts on Spirit – March 2018
Respect A 65-year-old comedienne from Brooklyn recently riffed on “sexual harassment,” “When I was a girl just starting out, we called it ‘going to work.’” The audience roared. It’s a quip chock-full of the history of gender relations, which gives us all much to consider. We are living in a time of seismic power shifts. … Continue reading Thoughts on Spirit – January 2018
Grouchy About Gratitude It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I woke up this morning realizing that I’ve been feeling kinda grouchy… at least since Thursday. I wanna blame it on the turkey, which was even a little drier than usual, despite having been cooked by Whole Foods for close to the cost of my first house. … Continue reading Thoughts on Spirit – December 2017
A Positive Perspective Helps Maintaining a positive perspective on current national and world events is difficult at best. There is much to concern us. But it seems important to me to strive to develop a healthy, positive perspective in the face of our concerns. A gloomy, doomsday-helpless view sours our whole life and mires us … Continue reading Thoughts on Spirit – November 2017
Welcome to spring. March came in like a lion and he is still roaring. After four storms, we will be very happy to say hello to April and hope for better days. I have a patch of heather by my front door and it has been blooming since February, even under the snow. The daffodils … Continue reading April 2018
I hope this finds you in good spirits and good health. I have a short column this month. If you plan to have a live Christmas tree, it is very important to have the stem with a fresh cut – no more than 6 hours old. The solution that works best is seltzer and bottled … Continue reading December 2017
Hope you have enjoyed the warm days so far into the fall. I think the plants are confused, too! We just received a much needed rainfall. The rain will help trees and bushes survive better going into winter. For December blooms, start paper white bulbs now. Place bulbs pointy end up in a shallow container … Continue reading November 2017
Hope all of you are enjoying the last of the summer flowers. My fall asters are in full bloom – taller than ever from all the CO2 in the air. My Korean mums are full of buds. I have pink, rust and yellow. My rose hedge is giving its last burst of bloom. I cut … Continue reading Gardening by the Sea – October 2017
I have good news to report on monarch butterflies. Previously, I told you that I had about 40 milkweed plants in my old vegetable garden. Now I have more monarchs than ever before. The moms lay up to 500 eggs in a week and then the mom dies. The larvae munch on the milkweed leaves … Continue reading Gardening by the Sea – September 2017
