Are we hoping for tragedy or triumph? — Humans love stories; it’s how we share our lives and often how we try to make sense of the world. As an aspiring memoir writer, I need to know what makes readers want to delve deeper into other people’s experiences. So this year, I kept asking memoir readers Why do…

Naturalist. Humanist. Teller of tales. Autodidact. Lover of people, plants, places, and ideas. — When I was a child, I listened to the words of Big Wicked Bill and cried for the dog. Now my heart knows why Stuart Hamblen sang, “Sometimes in the hush of an evening when the winds have grown tired and are stilled, By the fire, I sit dozing and…

It could go either way, you know. — Like many people, during the years of COVID-19 isolation, I'd been existing in a foggy in-between place, feeling half in and half out of reality. I'd also recently moved from my family's organic vegetable farm to an apartment in the fast-growing outskirts of Austin, Texas. It was tough for me to adapt. I wasn't sure I could. I was a barely rooted…

Creative work requires kindness to thrive. — I recently read a post by someone who said editorial work could be like polishing a turd. Perhaps they intended to be clever or to create a click-bait title. In the writer’s defense, they said they’re happy to accept credit for helping an author polish their turd. I assume their…

What 50 years of gardening taught me about dirt. — I love gardening. In fact, of all the hobbies, activities, or jobs I’ve had — growing plants is my favorite. As a kid, I began learning about raising vegetables growing up on a homestead in Alaska. Then I was a home gardener for many years and was fortunate enough to…

New standards lower acceptable limits to ZERO. — Bad news? Good news? Sometimes it’s hard to figure out where to put our attention! There is so much to keep track of that you may have missed—or chosen to avoid—the stories about polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, you need to know about these dangerous chemicals. Good news? New standards released on June 15, 2022, by…

This may be the secret to a happier, more peaceful rest of your life. — Don’t you love the mystery of serendipity? That unexpected collision of thought and sudden discovery resulting in just what you need? And no! I’m not talking about unbidden advertisements suddenly arriving on your computer the day after you discuss your need for new hiking boots with your sister! Last week…

We all need to learn these helpful watering techniques. — According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, about 51.39% of the contiguous 48 United States is in moderate to severe drought on August 2, 2022. And in some states, like Texas, 99% of the state is in drought conditions. While lack of water is tough on all plants, it…

This book can help you grow more food. — I’ve been gardening for more than fifty years and reading books about growing plants for just about that long. You can read the article If You Want More Success Growing Vegetables, Here are the 9 Books You Need I wrote a couple of years ago. Now that I’ve moved, I…