New Substack Newsletter

Join me on Substack to read my newsletter Annotations, which will cover memoir, family, history and other topics. Read past entries and subscribe to get each edition delivered to your in-box.

Solstice Hope Springs From Midnight Soil

On Sunday, I held the darkness of the earth in my hand. It was warm and comforting. As a gardener, I hope for any day with weather fair enough. Sunday was one, with clear, still air and patches of blue sky. So I walked the yard looking for a good project, and found...

Shirley’s Beet Pickles

If your beets are sizing up, or you can get a big batch of them at a farmers market, how about making some tasty pickles? This is my mother’s beet pickle recipe, simple and yet delicious. And of course, since it came from her and it is food I loved as a child, it...

November Tasks: Slow Gardening

Grab that sliver of sunlight between showers and get out into the garden. Fleece up and tidy the shed on a rainy day. Scratch out some thoughts on next year, with notes on this year’s successes and duds. There are some November tasks for us Maritime Northwest...
Save Your Own Seeds

Save Your Own Seeds

Do friends rave about your vegetables? I don’t have to ask if you rave about them to your friends, because I know you do. Most committed edible gardeners are more than just a little crazy about their produce. It’s closer to a love affair. I can still hear myself...

Sharp Idea: Tend to Your Tools

Heather from a Southern California beach town contacted me recently about using sand for cleaning garden tools. She had come across my Seattle Times article on tool maintenance. This seemed like a good time to revisit this task, which I do every winter. Hi Bill,...