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Generic Halloween

It’s that time of year again. The air is chill, night comes more quickly than before, and ghosts roam out with ghouls in search of things that go crunch in the night. And by that I mean Nestle’s Crunch, along with bite-size Snickers, miniature Snickers, and full-size Snickers. Here’s hoping your share of theContinue reading “Generic Halloween”

Well, Wellness

There are plenty of postcards which deal with doctors, just as, if you can remember way back to the serialization of my book on old jokes, there were a lot of jokes about doctors. I have related this to a medieval fear of powerful community figures who spoke Latin and who seemed to beContinue reading “Well, Wellness”

Ranunculus to You: Coriander Through Cypress

CORIANDER “Concealed Merit”* Henry Phillips says this comes from the use of coriander as an anti-colic drug given to women and children disguised in a bonbon. The men took it straight, I guess. Anyway, most all the pioneers agree on this meaning: Mme. De Latour, Robert Tyas, Lucy Hooper, and Frances S. Osgood. Continue reading “Ranunculus to You: Coriander Through Cypress”

Another One for the Birds

There have been so many references to roosters, hens, and chickens in this space lately that I thought a few of my own reflections on birds would be of interest. No, I said that incorrectly. I thought they would be of no interest at all except to me, but it’s my blog, and I’llContinue reading “Another One for the Birds”

A Bunch of Spring Chickens

Oh, all right, if you’re going to cry and kick your heels, we’ll talk about the chicks and their role on postcards of a century or so ago. This is NOT the right time of year, as you will see, but as, just like last year, I don’t really have any Halloween cards, IContinue reading “A Bunch of Spring Chickens”

Ranunculus to You, Carrot to Coreopsis

CARROT “Good Character” As Dennis the Menace will not tell you, eating all your cooked carrots builds good character. Animals, birds, and insects seem to get all the really good superhero names; even weather conditions and abstract qualities seem to be preferred. There was Captain Carrot (a superhero rabbit) and The Black Orchid,Continue reading “Ranunculus to You, Carrot to Coreopsis”

CEO, Chicken Egg Operations

As you may recall from our last thrilling episode, we were considering the rooster as CEO of a work force, producing a great deal of effort on the part of his work force by sheer inspiration. (Okay, he contributed a bit more than inspiration. If you’re not willing to play along, you can sitContinue reading “CEO, Chicken Egg Operations”

CEO of this Chicken Outfit

I hope you didn’t think we finished up our concerns with the animal world, having covered bulls and horses. We must not neglect the animal frequently associated with farms which writers have often advocated bringing to the city: the chicken. There have always been those writers who, hoping to instill in you aContinue reading “CEO of this Chicken Outfit”

Ranunculus to You, Browallia to Carnation

BROWALLIA JAMISONII “Could You Bear Want?” This shrub is now officially Steptosolen jamisonii. BRYONY “Prosperity” BRYONY, BLACK “Be My Support” This is a climbing plant without tendrils, so it cannot climb without some kind of support. And why did Nature provide us with a climbing plant that can’t climb? BUCKBEAN “Calm repose”* Continue reading “Ranunculus to You, Browallia to Carnation”

The Horse Strikes Back

In our last thrilling episode, we considered our ancestors and their mutually beneficial relationship with the horse, an animal you could easily ride or hitch to a wagon, carriage, or plow. People worked together with horses to make a happy, peaceful society based on a relationship of mutual trust and admiration. Except whenContinue reading “The Horse Strikes Back”