Heart of my heart
It’s February! This will hit the Times boxes on Valentine’s Day. We can hardly spend the month of February without thinking of love, our loved ones and about hearts. Since 2004, the topic of heart health has been on my mind, almost every day. Yep, I’m thinking about that lovely internal organ and not the […]
The myths of Dom Pérignon
Every great wine has a story. And the wine known as Dom Pérignon has numerous stories that may be fact or fiction, marketing genius, or a case of broken telephone. It is widely believed that the Benedictine Monk Dom Pierre Pérignon “invented” Champagne as we know it. However, this myth is somewhat questionable. Dom Pérignon […]
Representation
Have you ever been at a party, and got trapped by someone who thinks they are smarter than you? Admittedly, I have encountered people who are smarter than me, but usually I end up not talking to, but listening to someone who wants to tell me about their career in the Metropolitan Opera. Suddenly, I […]
Herbs and meadows
I can’t believe I just looked out the back window and started to plan how I would relocate the big raised planter to a sunnier spot in the spring. Then my mind branched out to the herbs I’d add to the mix already planted. Come on now! It’s only the end of January (and what […]
Orchid care
I’ve noticed a big trend in giving orchids as host/hostess gifts for the holidays. They are a beautiful choice instead of a cut flower arrangement because their blooms can last upwards of four to six months with proper care. The downside of orchids is that a majority of people have no idea how to look […]
Herbs on the windowsill
I am starting 2024 back at the basics for all of the new gardeners out there. One of the first spots that future gardeners often start is with herbs in the windowsill. If you can keep these alive, you can pretty much grow anything! Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as you think. Just ask my […]
Agriculture
I was born on a farm. Yes, on a wooden table in the kitchen surrounded by midwives and people waving sage. I would like this to go into my official biography, but I was actually born in the old Picton hospital. It was still operating then, so I wasn’t born in an empty hospital, with […]
Just saying
So, COVID is still hanging around. Did I mention that last week? I believe I did. According to the statistics I’ve read, the number of cases reported is going up. Add Respiratory Syncytial Virus to the COVID numbers and we’re looking at a long, miserable winter. But the good news is I noticed a lot […]
Eponymous wines
No other wine region in the world has had eponymous wine names for as long as the wines from Champagne. You are undoubtedly familiar with some of the names; Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, or even Krug and Louis Roederer. But it less likely that you know their stories. Who were the people […]
Growth
A friend of mine brought in some old newspaper clippings. Some more than 10 years old. They outlined problems in the County and, surprisingly, we have the same problems today we had in 2012. Affordable housing was on the agenda then. Ten years ago. Anything changed? Remaking County Road 49? Still in limbo. But remaking […]