A STORY FOR THE THANKSGIVING SEASON Halloween has passed and Thanksgiving looms ahead. The magazines coming in through my mail slot are ablaze with pictures of turkey dinners and a variety of pies. I can feel my mouth water as I turn the pages. I don’t cook these foods for myself. I

A FAREWELL TO MARY Tomorrow, I’ll head for the garden store one last time before winter sets in. I’ve discovered a gap, a vacant corner that wants filling with a small shrub, possibly one with color in the fall. Like nature, I abhor a vacuum. A garden should be a place of irration

THOUGHTS ON PRUNING Several years ago, when I gardened on my own, I took a half day workshop on how to prune plants and shrubs and even trees at our local Japanese Garden. What I took away with me was the word “prudhoe” which is probably not how it’s spelled but which means to s

THOUGHTS ON WALDEN POND I never read Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden Pond” when I was in college. The book was part of the curriculum, but I skipped it. At 19 studying the words of a guy who spent his time observing ants didn’t mean much to me. I was absorbing ideas from

EDUCATION IS WASTED ON THE YOUNG A friend dropped by for tea a few days ago. He’s not retired. He came to visit on his lunch hour. I serve as his surrogate mother as his died when he was young. He spends the time bringing me up-to-date on his family —a wife, three daughters (a

Gosh, thank you for those nice words!  Was wonderful to have you attend the book reading.  Hope you stay in touch.  Any questions or comments, I’m glad to oblige.  Carolline

Just finished Heartland and Gothic Spring – What a joy! Thank you!  So great to see you last Tuesday at your reading. – Nancy (Young) McKay

RUMINATIONS ON EMILY DICKINSON AND THE WORLD WIDE WEB Many critics note that Emily Dickinson (1830-886) had a preoccupation with death but I’d say privacy was pretty high on her list, as well:                                 The soul selects her own so

THOUGHTS ON CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION I read in the news that a billionaire in India has built himself a seven story building which he plans to use as his private residence. My first reaction was, “Wait a minute, isn’t this the same India where “Slum Dog Millionaire” exp

THOUGHTS ON A LONG BLOOMING SEASON My garden this October is in full color, more so than in the spring. Last fall I added some plants that have done well by me as winter approaches. Not only are some of them turning the amber and red colors of the season, but an audacious few have com