The Lion in Winter is a play by James Goldman that was made into a film in 1968 starring Richard Harris as English King Henry II and, most memorably, Katherine Hepburn as his estranged wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. The play was set in the twelfth century during the Christmas season, and the titular “lion” was … Read more
I have decided not to be gloomy about mid to late fall. Yes, the leaves are coming down from the sugar maple in my front strip faster than I can get rid of them. Yes, if I think about it, I can envision all of the icy blasts, damaging storms and winter grayness that is … Read more
Novelist Henry James thought the words “summer afternoon” were the most beautiful in the English language. I love that phrase, especially in July when I am sitting in a shaded spot with a glass of iced tea and a good book. Still, in my mind, “summer afternoon” comes in second to the phrase “sunny Saturday … Read more
There are some commercial locations that just seem jinxed. Businesses move in, last for a year or so and then die, only to be replaced by other businesses that repeat the pattern, sometimes for years on end. I have a garden bed like that. Every year I try to find a perfect landscape solution for … Read more
I love my oak leaf hydrangea, or Hydrangea quercifolia, now in bloom, along with the similar oak leaf varieties illuminating lightly shaded spots throughout my neighborhood. Its cone-shaped flower panicles are enormous; each one covered with creamy white florets. They make wonderful cut flowers—a symphony in fresh white and green. Eventually, of course, the panicles … Read more
