VT (for all of my design-obsessed peeps)

imagecourtesydinnergarden.org Peeps, The Victory Garden that Mom or Grandma carefully tended is probably not there any longer; nevertheless the underlying principle still remains, and with the increased emphasis on sustainability, nutrition, and quality of life, items such as tomato cages runner-bean tepees, and potted herbs have become almost commonplace in many cities and towns.  Sure, I admit that driving down a quiet tree-lined suburban street of manicured front lawns, pristine-white picket fences, and the requisite clematis climbing up the mail-box post (or street lamp) is enjoyable, nevertheless the site of corn and artichokes plants carefully and skillfully integrated within a perennial bed of peonies, boxwood, and shrub roses, quickens my pulse for here is someone who ‘gets it.’  ‘Getting it’ for myself and many others means finally realizing how easy it is to convert a small area of a suburban yard or garden plot into something which provides hours of enjoyment...

photocourtesyalnwickgarden Peeps, I am shocked and saddened at the death of Amy Winehouse; it seems quite surreal that all that remains of this particular individual’s life are the images we experienced electronically, shared moments in the attendance of a live performance, or the singular bewitching voice which pierced through our consciousness thereby forcing us to understand her—as well as our-- need to feel, to risk, to love, to live.   Brilliantly and mischievously, she made not being good, devilishly good.   She will be missed. She will be simultaneously missed and remembered for both on and off stage performances; there is no denying her incredible talent, yet lately this had been clouded by public incidents of the loss of control attributed to drugs and alcohol, both poisons to which much caution must be attached.   It is argued that the substances (or the base materials) in themselves are quite benign, and only in application does any danger arise.   I...