South Carolina is apparently not “so gay”

All over the blogosphere and interweb are reports that South Carolina has disavowed the tourism ad campaign (and refused to pay for it) posted in subways during London’s Gay Pride Week, touting “South Carolina is So Gay” and a great travel destination for gay European tourists.
From the MSNBC article by Alex Johnson:
A state employee has [...]

The Opportunistic Gardener (Composting in Place and other Delights)

I am not a great manager of compost piles. In fact, I have great faith in natural processes being perfectly capable of breaking down organic material without my intrusion or management. So, it’s not that I don’t have compost–I have lots of it–here, there, and everywhere.
I am also a great fan of what’s [...]

River Nights

My posting has dropped off a bit in the past week or so.  There’s a reason for this: we’ve been spending some of our nights camping on the river.  It’s a nice break from the heat and noise of town, and the sun wakes us early enough to paddle back and get some early watering, [...]

Happy Solstice!

The longest day of the year–midsummer, or Midsommar to our local Scandinavian populace.

My annual summer solstice ritual inevitably involves taking a dip in some wild water.  Some years that’s meant Lake Superior, some have been in the incredibly clear and frigid waters of the Middlebury River.  One year, while working on a farm outside Madison, [...]

Who Turned Off the Taps?

We went from being completely soaked for a couple weeks straight–wondering when it would ever dry out, to the cracked-clay of dry conditions in just a few days.  While most of the crops in my garden are well-mulched, things started needing a watering a couple days ago.
However, a perfect storm of events and company kept [...]

Starting Small: A Remembrance of Marj Robertson

Many of the plants in my gardens come from the garden of my friend and former employer, Marj Robertson.  She died almost five years ago now, and left a legacy of plants and memories in the gardens and hearts of Vermillionites.
She was a hard livin’ woman, and she was one hell of a cook and [...]

Other Peoples’ Renters

My next-door neighbors have a very narrow drive that borders my property, and that their downstairs renters use to get to the lower parking area behind the house. They also have a hedge that separates their lawn from this driveway. And, although there is plenty of space down below to turn around, the [...]

Weather-Enforced Break!

Thanks to the strong storms that rolled through from about 2-3am, I’m taking a much-needed break from the gardens today and working on my summer classes–responding to the first round of composition drafts and literature reading responses.
I was feeling really run-down and overwhelmed yesterday–got to the farmers market with what I could get harvested yesterday [...]

Two Vermillions

Today is spring commencement at the university–a chilly, drizzly day for it, but it’ll be in the Dome anyhow.  All the local eateries have been prepping for the hoards of grads-plus-families–last night’s dinner and this afternoon’s brunches and lunches.  There will be toasts, there will be triumphs.
And then, it will be summer in Vermillion.
When I [...]

Local Contractor/Jack-of-all-Trades Needed!

Here’s an economic stimulus package for ya!
I need to hire someone with the skills to finish my bathroom this summer. I don’t have the time or skills to do it myself, and I’m tired of living with a crummy half-finished bathroom.
Here’s what it entails:
Replacing my tub backsplash and faucet fixtures. That might include [...]