My father used to call them “salad birds”. Reference guides refer to them as Spinus tristus. Most of us know the bright, acrobatic birds as goldfinches. Though they look as colorful as parakeets, guidebook authors sometimes damn these songbirds with faint praise because of their ubiquitous presence among us. All I know is that American … Read more
“It’s a sad situation,” said my friend, the plant lover. “This climate change has gotten so bad that the plants are confused.” Since I am often confused myself, this resonated with me. “It’s the poor cherry trees,” said my friend mournfully. “They are blooming in November. Now they will never bloom next spring.” My friend … Read more
At the end of the garden season, I cling to my roses, at least figuratively. Even as night temperatures begin to dip and the geraniums on the porch shiver, I deadhead the roses to keep them producing flower buds. No one knows if the weather will cooperate long enough to bring those buds to bloom, … Read more
