Playing by Ear
"Anyone who does much language study knows that training your ear to hear the language spoken correctly is half the battle of language acquisition. If you know what sounds right, then when you encounter the words spoken incorrectly, they will sound wrong..."
To a Hare, From a Louse
But on this day, I am the louse. It’s my “impudence” and “cursed speed” that has made me break what little union I had with my fellow mortals.
Resisting Romanticism and the Elision of Labor
I thus find myself in the odd position of resisting romanticism while, nevertheless, hoping that future conditions will create that temptation.
I Am Not a Luddite
In my efforts to point people to various methodologies of eco-agriculture I often encounter those who dispute these approaches. One of the frequent refrains...
Learning to Die in the Garden
I’m prone to say that the gardening year resembles nothing so much as a succession of heartbreaks, and while it’s possible that this sentiment...
A Young Girl’s Guide to Power Tools
At age 12, our daughter discovered that our front yard could be more than a place to turn cartwheels. It was also an evergreen...
A Casual Birder
For most of my adult life I’ve considered myself a birder. Some people say “bird-watcher,” but for me that term conjures up the sort...
Take a Hike? (I Would Prefer Not To)
My grandfathers’ lives had a greater degree of integrity than mine. By integrity I do not mean the suggestion of morality and righteousness frequently...
Salvaging: Boat Trailers, T.S. Eliot, and Resurrection
I do not know much about gods; but I think that the river Is a strong brown god— . . . Unhonoured, unpropitiated By...