After about three years of indecision and inattention, I have finally acquired a crape myrtle, known to its botanist friends as Lagerstroemia indica. The acquisition involved aging by yet another year and alerting my daughter to the fact that a crape myrtle might make a wonderful birthday present. Now, I am the proud owner of … Read more
I went to Chincoteague Island, Virginia, last week to relax for a few days and see the wild horses made famous in author Marguerite Henry’s 1947 book Misty of Chincoteague. I caught sight of some of the horses, along with a wide variety of shore birds, wildflowers and gorgeous ocean scenery. It was inspiring and … Read more
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 fallen in love with a tall Texan, and, if that isn’t enough to scare the relatives, my Texan is very prone to falling over. At the moment it is very hard to keep this handsome individual grounded, though he hardly drinks at all. I have sworn to find a way. The name of … Read more
When I am out walking each day, I look at plants—the manicured specimens maintained by landscape crews, the lovingly grown clumps of annuals and perennials on smaller lots, and even the strays—self seeded individuals growing where they may or may not be wanted. The other day I saw a butterfly bush or Buddleia davidii growing … Read more
