Prickly Olive

For years I have damned Osmanthus heterophyllus or false holly with faint praise–or no praise at all.  Two of the prickly evergreen shrubs stand silently in front of the house, and for years I longed to remove them. Why have I harbored such thoughts about a pair of innocent shrubs?  For one thing, I didn’t … Read more

Crafty Holidays

If I had more spare time, I would be a consummate DIYer.  I would master skills ranging from house painting to brick laying and everything in between.  I would have thousands of dollars of extra disposable income because I would save large amounts of money by fixing my own toilet and cooking up my own … Read more

Tea Olive

For years I have damned osmanthus with faint praise or no praise at all.  Two of the evergreen shrubs stand silently in front of the house, growing nicely and receiving absolutely nothing from me except an occasional, grudging pruning.  When I think of them at all, I think about what I would grow in their … Read more