EACH FALL, GARDENING FRIENDS CAN BE HEARD swapping tales of garden cleanup and whatever the year’s aberrant weather brought, while also sounding their annual lament: “The season’s almost over,” they say, the level of their voiced despair growing louder as each week passes. “Another year gone.” Maybe I am just stubborn—not a bad quality to have when you work a steep hillside in Zone 5B—but such talk rankles me. I see no evidence that the garden is ever really out of season. [read more…]
woo woo
happy accident: a garden for 365 days
January 23, 2011 at 10:32 am
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nothing lasts (as i keep reminding myself)
November 20, 2010 at 4:35 pm
NOTHING LASTS. I KEEP SAYING IT, reminding myself of this essential fact of every living thing–from the magnolia blossom to the Japanese maple leaves (above) to–yes, that’s right, say it out loud with me–our own human lives. [read more…]
world premiere: book video and soundtrack!
September 13, 2010 at 9:25 am
LET ME GUESS: You sometimes say, “I don’t have time for … “ even though you’re referring to something you really want to do. Where do the hours, days, weeks, garden seasons go? “And I Shall Have Some Peace There”—the book I call my dropout memoir, about walking away from my career to make time for things I’d postponed for decades—is now in what’s called “pre-sale,” a phenomenon deriving from successes like Harry Potter and iPads, so I’m going with the flow. It has a proper website–Version 2.0–with new stuff, such as its video, its soundtrack (crazy, huh? but you know me…), and more. (If you get my free email newsletter, you already know this; otherwise, sign up here.) Ready to watch the video, and play some tunes?
so what’s this about ‘woo-woo’? a video explains
July 10, 2010 at 8:45 am
YOU CAN READ IT RIGHT UP TOP, BELOW MY LOGO: Horticultural how-to and woo-woo practiced here. After the question of “Where’d you get that plant?” (alluding to whatever oddball thing I post a picture of), the second-most common question I’m asked is, “What’s up with the woo-woo, Margaret?” The video above–my first, since I am happier behind a camera than in front–attempts to explain. Woo-hoo! Er, no, sorry: woo-woo.
(If you need to download the QuickTime player to watch, here’s the link.) And thanks to my friends at Catman & Mary Productions for forcing me to do this. Now if they’d only rename the company Catman and Margaret…. [read more…]
coping with my throw-in-the-trowel thoughts
July 5, 2010 at 11:47 am
BETWEEN SPRINKLER REPOSITIONINGS, I’M TAKING MY OWN ADVICE. I’m quieting my nerves by re-reading my 20-year-old essay written at just this time of year, when the garden always confounds me and seemingly just won’t cooperate. Are you having a throw-in-the-trowel moment over at your place, too? [read more…]
birthday tradition: an old essay from the old gal
June 10, 2010 at 12:01 am
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE CELEBRATED BIRTHDAYS with me here before on A Way to Garden each June 10 know the routine: I show you my favorite childhood photo (above), and then try to make you read an essay that I wrote to mark my 35th. The essay, called “My Hill of Beans,” is on the jump page…or you can skip it and just send me a new umbrella as a gift. (Truth be told, what I like about the snapshot is the optimism in it: Busted umbrella? No worry. To quote Leonard Cohen: There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.) [read more…]
everything old is new: ‘green’ posters from wpa
March 17, 2010 at 1:08 pm
THESE POSTERS FROM THE WPA ERA SEEM SO FRESH, I just had to share them after my friend with a keen eye for vintage, Pam of Retro Renovation, tipped me off yesterday. She emailed me the link to the Library of Congress treasure trove the graphic beauties live on in, called “By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943.” The messages–of conservation, hard work, simplicity, rich with phrases like “preserve food” and “spare our trees”– just struck me as right for now. Have a look at a slideshow of what I found. [read more…]
oh, happy day: first wet knees of 2010
March 14, 2010 at 12:25 pm
BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE BLEW IN SATURDAY, with its relentless 50-plus mile-per-hour winds, there was a brief moment of sanity. The snow was finally melting, revealing the first bulbs, and the very best part: I got my knees wet in the process of going to have a closer look. The outdoor garden season is officially upon us (once the broken branches stop swirling, that is). May we all ruin many pairs of pants during our upcoming gardening experiments.
a garden buddha who wears many hats
January 26, 2010 at 8:06 pm
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HE’LL SHOW UP IN NEXT, that big bust of Buddha out back by the frogpond. Such a snappy dresser. Catch a glimpse of a few of his recent looks (all washed away now by 60-ish degrees and Monday’s Big Meltdown….um, is that a waterfall I hear in the basement?): [read more…]
