“Ray Bradbury (born August 22, 1920, Waukegan, Illinois, U.S.—died June 5, 2012, Los Angeles, California) was an American author best known for his highly imaginative short stories and novels that blend a poetic style, nostalgia for childhood, social criticism, and an awareness of the hazards of runaway technology.” Google ai I’m not exactly when it…
Month: July 2024
Birds in My Mississippi Backyard – Includes Calls & Songs of Each Bird
Because my mockingbird has been my most faithful backyard bird, I’ll begin with him. I lived in this house for almost a year before I had any backyard birds other than my mockingbird. The Carolina chickadee’s bird call is a fast, high pitched “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” (Photo from Canva Pro “If you hear a bird call that…
How to Build a Metal Raised Bed for Your Garden – Step by Step
Supplies: Aador Metal Raised Bed Open Bottom – Amazon Cardboard to place beneath the metal bed. STEP 1: ASSEMBLE THE BED Select the spot to place the bed Be sure that a water source is available. Set the bed on top of the cardboard pad. Level the bed
American Meadows Plants Added to My Fall Garden in 2024
Pale Purple Coneflower Image Credit American Meadows Height: 24″-36″ Price $6.99 Sale “With slender petals surrounding the central cone, Pale Purple Coneflower offers a charming, showy addition to pollinator-friendly gardens. This native wildflower blooms from early to mid-summer, offering food for bees and birds earlier than most Coneflowers. Though it has a delicate appearance, its…
Best Poppies to Grow in Mississippi
“Poppy seeds require a cool period of 2-4 weeks to break dormancy, and some gardeners choose to cold stratify their seeds.” Eden Brothers Poppies that Grow Well in Mississippi California poppy A native Californian flower that can be found in most states east of the Mississippi. Some varieties include the NW60 California Poppy, which has lemon…
How to Write Short Reflections for a Nature Journal: How to Show and not Tell
Tuesday July 9, 2024 The morning was slightly overcast and the wind whisked through my roses. Branches swayed, until a dainty drip of water drifted from the sky. Another drip followed–and another–and another. A soft, summer rain peppered all around. Jacki Kellum ____________________________________ Yesterday morning, I stood in the rain for a few minutes and…
The Truth about Writing Picture Books When You Are Past Your Prime
Perhaps it’s my bucket list, but I have recently jumped into a flurry of production that I only wish I had jumped into 50 years ago. But at that time, I was marrying the wrong person, trying to be a decent single parent, trying to survive doing anything I thought might earn a dime. I…
How to Write about Nature – Learning from Dorothy Wordsworth’s Grasmere Journal
Excerpts from Dorothy Wordsworth’s Journal DOROTHY WORDSWORTH’S JOURNAL WRITTEN AT GRASMERE (From 10th October 1801 to 29th December 1801) Sunday, October 25th.—Went upon Helvellyn. Glorious sights. The sea at Cartmel. The Scotch mountains beyond the sea to the right. Whiteside large, and round, and very soft, and green, behind us. Mists above and below, and…
Building Support – A Lesson from My Garden
One of the identifying characteristics of cottage gardeners is that they grow as much of their gardens vertically as possible. The traditional cottage gardeners were not as financially well endowed as others. Because they had small tracts of land, they needed to grow as much of their gardens upward as possible. Cottage gardeners grew roses…
And Finally, It Rained!
As soon as I walked outside this morning, I knew that it was going to rain. A couple of tiny, soft , drops of water splashed on my bare arms. The rain was on its way. Yesterday, I went outside and planted some seeds in my garden, but I didn’t do what I normally do…