The creatures I met in the fields and woods around my house came to feel like a secret family, though I spent a lot of time chasing and catching them and not thinking much about how that made them feel. ~ Helen Macdonald The loud noise came from across the alley, and I was curious […]
Tag Archives: my yard
“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Greek Proverb “In Iroquois society, leaders are encouraged to remember seven generations in the past and consider seven generations in the future when making decisions that affect the people.” Wilma Mankiller “It’s all Al Gore’s fault anyway,” […]
I think it started when I decided to move the bird feeder. It was tilting, and the corner of the flower bed into which the pole was planted had begun to sag and break up. The nearest branch on the oak had grown long enough that the squirrels could go to the end, bounce the […]

“We do not seek to imitate nature, but rather to find the principles she uses.” (attributed to) R. Buckminster Fuller “Our task is to make cities function more like natural landscapes.” Nature’s Fortune, Mark Tercek and Jonathan Adams “A companion rock? Really? Can’t we just move the tree and leave the rock here?” my buddy […]
My garden is growing, the farmer’s market is bulging with fresh fruits and veggies, and the Olathe sweet corn is in. My diet is better this time of year; I can’t resist the peaches and berries, and the garden is providing a steady crop of squash, beans, tomatoes and greens. Life is good. However, it […]
“You are one of the forces of nature.” Jules Michelet, quoted in the comic “Mutts” The other day I inadvertently stepped on one, thus proving that X-bugs are more mortal than X-Men. Every spring the boxelder beetles swarm out from the two boxelder trees at the back of the yard, coating various surfaces with their […]