Suddenly, old-fashioned road trips are trendy again. Surveys show they’re on the rise. Websites, newspapers, magazines and even books are featuring road trips like they’re the next big thing — even though they’re actually a longstanding American tradition steeped in nostalgia and pop culture, from the 1950s Beat Generation literary classic “On the Road” to […]

In many regions, sufficient rain falls throughout the growing season that you can pretty much forget about watering except to get newly planted transplants established. But even in those places, timely watering often spells the difference between a ho-hum garden and one that is truly exuberant. Timely watering need not involve setting up your sprinkler […]

About 7 years ago, when my three boys were still little, when two of them weren’t teenagers and the youngest still had a wispy, bowl haircut, a robin made her nest outside — like, right outside — our kitchen window. I suspect the bird was just as surprised as us the first time we had […]

With summer here and the promise of perfect tomatoes peeking up over the horizon, the prospect of an excellent BLT shines brightly. What is interesting to me about a BLT is the dueling dynamics of how the ingredients join together in this sandwich. On the one hand, the bread, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes all become […]

New technology is easing the way we garden, store equipment, monitor watering and re-shape landscapes. And some of those tasks can be done remotely, using phones or tablets. The innovations extend well beyond downloading a few apps. New to the horticultural mix are 3-D modeling, GPS mapping, laser technology, drones, robotics, devices that can read […]

When you are given the name Ford, as my oldest son was when he was born 17 years ago, you can expect certain things in your life: Onsies with the Ford emblem on them. Every Matchbox car that looks like an F-150. Ford T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and socks. And every variation of “Built Ford Tough” […]

The difference between the produce at farmers’ markets and supermarkets is more than “tomayto” versus “tomahto.” And buying fresh fruit and vegetables at farmers’ markets offers opportunities to save money in ways you might not find at a grocery store. The produce sold at most supermarkets is typically harvested before it’s ripe, says Chris Curtis, […]

SHAFTSBURY, Vt. On a warm June morning in 1922, Robert Frost sat down at his dining room table in southern Vermont and wrote “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” one of his most famous poems. That house, including the 7-acre grounds with rugged old stone walls, a barn and some of the heirloom apple […]

Who couldn’t love a plant with a name that speaks of both sweetness and nurturing? Yet there are those who scorn honeysuckle. And — just as bad — there are those who shower honeysuckles with too much affection. The key to experiencing honeysuckle’s sweet side is having the right plant in the right place. The […]

Last week I wrote about the struggle of being a mother and trying to be two places at once. My oldest son, Ford, had Academic Awards night at his high school at the same time my youngest son, Lindell, had a baseball game. I tried to split my time at both events, but I ended […]