Since my knowledge of poinsettias is limited to buying several just after Thanksgiving, setting them around the house and then carrying them to the dumpster sometime in February, I visited one of the larger growers in the Solanco area for a few pointers. ... Read More

Several days ago on a hike with a few friends, a wooly bear caterpillar crossed our path. I was quick to share some wisdom gained from an ancient sage, friend and neighbor of my parents who departed this earth while I was still a schoolboy. Black means cold, while brown suggests... Read More

Recently, the car, my wife and I spent two weeks of quality time together. Our primary destination was some farm fields just west of the Mississippi River in southwestern Louisiana. Louisiana is among the nation’s leading producer of sugar cane and rice, two crops about which I knew very little. Sugar cane... Read More

In their early days, one of the "Buy a membership to shop and save" stores offered the following slogan to lure shoppers, and I paraphrase; You never know what you will find around the next corner. I can’t think of a better description of... Read More

This past week we packed up the car and drove to Iowa to visit my husband’s family. Driving 900 miles across the country with two kids gave me lots of time to look out the window and appreciate the changing season. ... Read More

Between the showers and the downpours I have been attempting to duplicate a project I easily completed last year in several days. That’s planting a large daylily bed. I started what I thought would be a leisurely project about the middle of August. After all, what’s several days when you have... Read More

Although lots of goodies still linger in my vegetable garden, it is September and maybe a good time to take stock of the good and the bad this season. Top on the doing real well list were zucchini, tomatoes and redroot. Everyone already knows that half a zucchini plant will feed... Read More

Thinking of heading south to find warmer temperatures? Now? Not me, but many of our bird friends are getting restless. Migration has started. The pace will accelerate through September and early October before dribbling to a conclusion by late November or early December. My goal here is to offer... Read More

One of my earliest memories of my grandmother was her eating tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches. The tomatoes, still warm from the garden, the soft wheat bread, a dash of salt and a slather of mayo was just about her favorite supper from about July 1st... Read More

As a life-long farmer, avid gardener, serious bird-watcher and a retired hiker, I have always spent a lot of time out of doors. I’ll confess that a garden with too many plants, a lonely trail or a large sitting-rock in a shaded forest top my... Read More