Life Style & Travel

UNITED STATES—Few trees that inhabit home gardens begin their residency as nature intended them to. Most are exotic, from other ecosystems, regions and climates. Almost all initially grew in nurseries, with their roots confined to cans of soilless media. Most rely on pruning and binding to develop straight and tall trunks. In the garden, most rely on stakes for...

UNITED STATES—I will be the first to admit I love to cook on the grill. There is nothing more satisfying than firing up the grill and placing a piece of meat on the grill. Why? The taste is unlike anything else. You’re not going to have the same tasting chicken in the skillet, the air fryer or oven, compared...

UNITED STATES—Superbloom is brief for two main reasons. It involves native species that know to bloom quickly before arid weather of summer. Also, wildflowers in the wild receive no irrigation to sustain bloom through arid weather. With irrigation, some of such species are capable of prolonging bloom. A few can disperse seed for subsequent generations to bloom later. That is...

UNITED STATES—Someone managed to sing without a guitar. They sang to deafen their ears to the approaching whirlwind. The access streets to the plaza were blocked. There were warning shots fired though the heads of the leaders. In the cavernous middle of the Great Depression, over 100,000 workers from 30 separate unions declared the Great Banana Strike. Involved were seven...

HOLLYWOOD—The current strike involving the Writer’s Guild of America is entering its third week and it looks like there will be no end in sight anytime soon. The writers are asking for a reasonable paycheck for their work and addressing concerns involving AI that has become a major concern not just in the technological arena and how it is...

UNITED STATES—Spring bloom is the most colorful color in the garden here. It is not the only color though. Some deciduous foliage will provide color at the opposite end of the year. Bark can add a bit of color, particularly while deciduous trees defoliate for winter. So can colorful fruit. Furthermore, ornamental foliage, both deciduous and evergreen, can contribute...

UNITED STATES—It does not happen often. The average frequency is about 10 to 15 years. However, it occurred in both 2017 and 2019, prior to this spring. That is enough for 30 to 45 years! The current superbloom is only now finishing locally. It may continue through most of May near the coast farther North. The best bloomers enjoy...

UNITED STATES—Bloom that was delayed by the unusually wintry winter is making up for lost time. Spring bulbs, flowering cherries and deciduous magnolias were amazing. Wisterias and lilacs continue their pastel display within some climates. More flowers bloom during springtime than at any other time of year. Even roses of summer will begin their performance soon. Pollination is the priority...

UNITED STATES—It was not the “constitution” per se that got Allied Fruit Co. back up again and going. It was the energy behind the policies. It was a new deal, and the new deal was an old deal, going back to the lean and small Chamelecón Co. format, the minnow that swallowed the whale of Allied; it was a...

UNITED STATES—Home gardens are becoming shadier. Modern homes are taller to fit closer together. Modern fences are taller to compensate. Densely evergreen trees and large shrubbery compensate more. Taller homes and fences, and denser vegetation, shade more of their smaller modern parcels. Not much sunlight can reach the soil of modern home gardens. Portions of a garden that are too...