No, it’s not what it sounds like — but the concept of doing nothing to do something can be applied to all of life A few months ago in Persephone Days, I described one of my favorite gardens — a wild jumble of vegetables planted haphazardly on windrows of composted manure on a farm in…Read More
Articles from August 2019
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Lammas: Waters and Roads, Part III
A UFC match between the Old Man Sea Captain and the Mountain Forest Man inside me It occurred to me, coming down Cannon Mountain, just before I completed my quest to find the holy Pemigewasset, that I had gone from being a beach-and-city person to a mountain-and-forest-and-fresh-water person. I wasn’t sure how I felt about…Read More
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Lammas: Waters and Roads, Part II
The quest to become a hobbit-elf intensifies with a search for sacred waters A key component of my quest: to touch the sacred waters of the Pemigewasset, the Jordan River of New Hampshire. It sounds like a simple enough task, yet it had been one that was out there lingering despite annual proximity to this…Read More
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Rick Derringer and Grandma
The most gonzo Wikipedia journey of all time I navigate the Wikipedia page for Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” to scope out who sang those gnarly “Turn around, bright eyes,” backup vocals. The man singing sounds like a campy Halloween ghost from a long-lost cartoon. Perusing the credits on Ms. Tyler’s musical epic,…Read More
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Lammas: Waters and Roads, Part I
In honor of the year’s first harvest festival, I wander by waterways and coastal roads to discover why I should be more of a hippie I have a very special Lammas tradition that’s been remarkably consistent for nearly a decade now: first, I fail to mark the actual observance of the cross-quarterly holiday on August…Read More
Magic carpets, hidden roots, wings of flight — and the quest for connection
Dreamscapes: Just Send Me the Priest From Fleabag
Magic carpets, hidden roots, wings of flight — and the quest for connection “I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid,” I sing softly, as I make my way through a semi-outdoor restaurant. I don’t know why I feel compelled to sing A Whole New World, but soon I am belting it out. Suddenly…Read More
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The Magic Mop
Mrs. Marble was getting angry. “You will rise this instant, Jordan Marble!” she yelled upstairs to her cagey nine-year-old, who had just held her in conversation for a good five minutes while remaining comfortably in bed. She had come in fifteen minutes earlier to rouse the sleeping angel, who then begged for a little “stretch…Read More
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CBD and the Fog of War
Cannabis, Legalization, and New Hampshire Part 5 July 28, 2019 Somewhere in the Low Country of South Carolina Normally I begin my pieces with a little intro: where I am, what I’m doing, the music I’m listening to, and possibly a foreshadowing of where I’ll go in the piece. Not this time. What the fuck…Read More
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Persephone Days: Can Plants Really Invade?
Permaculture means rethinking common notions of “native” vs. “invasive” flora We’re halfway through summer. Our gardens have gotten away from us a little. Herbaceous perennials sometimes tower over our heads. The flowers are no longer the dainty things of spring, but bold, hearty summer blooms. This is the chaos of Lammas, just before things start…Read More
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August Outlook: Time to Live it Up in the Dog Days
The worst part of the year is behind us. We might be a little bit battered — but what comes next? The clearest message I can give about our entry into August: we’re in a completely new phase now. This does not mean immediate triumph, but it does mean that the miserable and oppressive state…Read More