Monarch butterflies (not to be confused with Catholic Monarchs, such as Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the exploration of the New World by Christopher Columbus) require milkweed plants to survive. In fact, Monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed. But the breakfast table can easily become the lunch and dinner counter too. Each… Read more »
Every Time I pull weeds, a little snake slithers by, but I don’t think it’s the same snake! So I called Animal Movers to help with a possible infestation. The person who came to my rescue, hereafter dubbed “Hunter,” arrived with loads of information. First thing I learned is that garter snakes are so named because they… Read more »
I am a terrible golfer. I’ve taken lessons and been given lots of friendly advice, but the thing I need the most is practice. Lots and lots of practice. Yet, when the rarity of free time becomes available, I find plenty of other things to do. The truth is, I find golf more fun when… Read more »
Not long ago, all I knew of the agave plant was the printed picture on bottles of tequila. We’ve had a few of those in my kitchen, and the subtleties of varieties is akin to appreciating the nuanced differences in a bottle of wine. I also believed the tale that the Century Plant was so named… Read more »
Think Red What images come to mind when you think red? Little red dress? Red lipstick? Blood? Red has a diversity of symbolism. Sin – (red-light district) Salvation – (The harlot Rahab and her family are spared when she places a scarlet cord in her window. Joshua 2:17-20) Power – The British army had red coats to denote virility during the American Revolutionary War. Red… Read more »
Recently I spent a spectacular week in Alaska while learning story skills from the brilliant founders of Catharsis (StoryCatharsis.com). The classes were amazing. The weather was not what I had expected. Isn’t Alaska supposed to be cold? I baked in flannels and sweatshirts because of the 80° heat. But the views were clear, as you can see from the two posted… Read more »
Vogue. Not the magazine, but vogue as in something popular, and in this case … hidden. Ancient, yet new. Once upon a time, a few hundred centuries ago, women who did not want or could not join a Roman Catholic religious order (think nun) had another option. They could become consecrated virgins. I’ll explain in… Read more »
I measure the passing of time by seasons; whether there’s snow in the forecast or flowers in the garden. My husband, on the other hand, judges time by the game: football, basketball, baseball … but he would be at a loss to explain Ulama, an ancient Mesoamerican ball game played by the Aztecs and Mayans…. Read more »
Do you know the name of this ruin? I have searched everywhere and still cannot find its location. ______________________________________________________________ Here’s what I know: My grandmother is the woman in the photo. Her brother lived in Tucson, Arizona. She had gone there to visit him at least once, so I think this mission church ruin is… Read more »
Yesterday afternoon I received a wonderful gift: in my courtyard came a robin … in February! Although it is still winter, the robin’s song gave me hope for longer days, warmer weather, budding trees, and the sweet smell of spring. As I listened to the lilt, I was reminded of another springtime when I traveled… Read more »
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