In which I go to a farmers market and remember I have a camera in my pocket

During the sunnier months, I enjoy going to the farmers markets for the usual reasons: local produce, supporting small farms, and all that. Up until last year, they shut down during the winter. Then Somerville started a winter market last year, but somehow we never made it to the first season. This year, there’s two […]

I do believe the Alewife hawks are back

Today, as I was loading fresh-purchased whole foods into the car, some motion made me look up. Then a barrel-chested, broad-winged bird swooped over the Petsmart. And another, which lit on some lights. Hawks! The red-tail hawks are back at Alewife! As you can see from the terrible quality of the attached images, it was […]

A green and happy new year

My herb garden wishes you a Happy New Year. Scallions are standing up and waving from the back. On the left quadrant, thyme is lounging. And on the right, bright green parsley clusters around the solar lamp. In the mild winter we’re having, a few mornings of frost doesn’t even dent these hardy souls.

In which I bid good riddance to 2011

When I look back at how my writing went in 2011, I see I’m going to add my voice to the chorus that says this year really stunk up the joint. Just about the only thing I got better at was gathering rejections, which is actually a good thing, because it led to making my […]

Even the critters get a merry Christmas

For the last couple weeks, I’ve left a small bag of pecans has been laying around, with the vague thought that maybe the squirrels would like them. You think? Anyway, today seemed like a good day to offer this treat, so I poured the pecans into a little cardboard basket, and set them outside.

Beware the plantains

I love plantains. They’re basically big starchy bananas, and so easy to cook. All you have to do is wait for the skin to get nice and black, really black, then slice them up and fry them in butter. The best part is if you happen to find them already ripe in the store, they’re […]

Chilly birds

Today we got a proper taste of winter. I went out with a tea kettle of boiling water to melt the bird’s water dish twice. It would have been three times, but my Michael saved me the first trip. I love seeing the birds swoop in for a drink before the water even stops steaming. […]

This is why I feed the squirrels, too

Squirrels don’t know which food is for the birds and which is for them. The acrobatics they go through getting past the difficulties I try to put in their way are so entertaining, I always forgive them. And then bring another ear of dried corn. Because you know sunflower seed and suet is bird food. […]

Raspberries that just can’t quit you

I thought I had posted the last about raspberries this year. I thought when I went out yesterday to cut down the spent canes, I would be done taking care of them. Even when I picked a ripe one and ate it, I thought that was the last. I was wrong, as usual. Yes, there […]