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
The winter landscape in my neighborhood features a full range of greens—from dead foliage green to glossy dark holly-green. It features an even larger range of grey-browns. In fact, even the omnipresent deer are grey-brown, their coats having morphed from the lovely chocolate shade of summer to something that blends better with the winter landscape. … Read more
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
What with all the seasonal decorations, scarlet poinsettias, and other adornments, we are all seeing red at this time of the year. But what about the cold, dark days that still loom ahead? You have to be a real optimist to look out at the winter landscape and see anything other than shades of brown, … Read more
Winter sometimes gives us brilliant days—sunny, crisp and clear. Everything sparkles, especially if fresh snow is part of the landscape. But then there are the other days, when earth, sky and human dispositions are all equally gray and dispiriting. Chilliness creeps in and stays put, making you understand why sensible animals hibernate during the dark … Read more
