Your resource guide for natural health and holistic living
"A Rough Patch" Written By Teresa Howell | Beth came out for coffee early one frosty morning, back in December. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I don’t have even a slice of fruit cake to go with it. I’m feeling a bit like Scrooge this year, and I haven’t gotten the Christmas baking spirit yet.” “Well, get ready for it,” she said. “I think I saw the Ghost of Christmas Past out in your yard. But in this frosty fog, it might have been my headlights on that crabapple tree you … [Read more...]
“A Rough Patch” Written By Teresa Howell | The year: 1908, or thereabouts. The place: Watauga, a soon-to-be born town at the end of the railroad line in South Dakota. The actors: Fred, John and Art Nehl, my great grandfather and his brothers. The task before them: sow the garden they’d tilled out of virgin sod before their wives arrived on the train from Iowa. Unfortunately, the Nehl boys got into a jug of whiskey. They didn’t want to let work interfere with the fun, so they put … [Read more...]
A Rough Patch Written By Teresa Howell | My daughter Lindsey and I were taking a walk with Beth the other day, looking at the way people had decorated for Halloween. Some of the comments Lindsey made seemed to be drawing an unfavorable comparison between my décor and that of the neighbors. “Hey,” I said. “I’ve nearly every element in my yard that we’ve seen so far, except the scarecrow.” “Your yard is pretty scary,” Beth said. “And you do so have scarecrow. I’m … [Read more...]
Written By Teresa Howell | A gardener in Nevada faces many challenges. Beautiful spring days coax fruit trees into bloom, just in time for a hard freeze to cancel the crop. In July and August, the sun sucks the juice out of the hardiest plants. Wind-borne sand strips paint off houses and leaves off plants. Drought and Mormon crickets get anything left. But Nevada gardeners can count on one thing--the purity of the soil. It’s either pure sand or pure clay, unless you’re lucky enough to … [Read more...]
Written By Teresa Howell | Travel in the summer is dangerous for me. This year, as I drove through Fallon in the middle of July, my car developed a mysterious pull to the left, and came to a complete stop in front of Workman’s Nursery, where plants were on sale at half price. Three flats later, I managed to get the car back on the road, only to need another emergency stop at Flower Tree Nursery, where six gallon-sized pots finally stabilized the car enough to make it home. Like … [Read more...]
Written By Teresa Howell | My friend Dixie made me a gift of two grape vines, and a few days later, she stopped by to check up on them. Dixie is a teacher, and realizes the importance of monitoring a wayward pupil. She approved my efforts, and we moved to the shade for a chat. “You know,” she said, “you could use some support. I recommend panty hose. They’ll keep things up where they belong.” “Nobody wears pantyhose these days,” I countered. “Don’t worry,” she … [Read more...]
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