Down in the Valley "Down in the valley, valley so low, hang your head over, hear the wind blow." Dang it. What book is that? It's set in the Appalachian mountains and repeats the "Down in the Valley" lyrics multiple times. Please tell me; it's driving me nuts. I should be able to look it … Continue reading Down in the Valley
An Abundance of Curiosities When you're down by the sea, and an eel bites your knee, that's a moray... I got excited this week, reading about eel life cycles in An Abundance of Curiosities: The Natural History of North Carolina's Coastal Plain. So excited, I had to stop and draw a diagram: Larvae --> glass … Continue reading An Abundance of Curiosities
Handmade World You'd recognize it at a glance, even if you don't subscribe, don't read it, or don't even like it (How is that possible?) The magazine with the yellow border - the one with the naked people, the one from your childhood. National Geographic, may it never go out of print. I've been a … Continue reading Handmade World
Coquina Soup Last week, I came across a quote in An Abundance of Curiosities: The Natural History of North Carolina's Coastal Plain (Bolen and Parnell), that took me back to the summers of my childhood. “With a little effort, gourmands can acquire enough coquinas as stock for a savory broth or chowder.” I call baloney, … Continue reading Coquina Soup
Egg Snatcher You probably don't think much about eggs, except for that point last year when they cost five dollars a piece. Brown or white, organic or the cheapest possible, extra-large or medium. Sunny-side up, scrambled. These are our choices. Not so for oologists. I recently finished The Falcon Thief, by Joshua Hammer, an account … Continue reading Egg Snatcher
Stoneflies and Centipedes The downpour began in earnest at bedtime, which was convenient, since we were getting in the tent anyway. The tarps, over the rainfly, over the tent, blocked out most of the waning sunlight. It was dark - too dark for reading bedtime stories, yet I persisted, even as water seeped in along … Continue reading Stoneflies and Centipedes
The Evil Eye Sometimes I don't know which way to turn. I am lost and confused. That's because I've never been good at distinguishing right from wrong. I mean right from left. Like I said, I get confused. I recall standing in front of my preschool teacher at age five, being quizzed on which was … Continue reading The Evil Eye
Tramp Life I won't be posting next week, because I'll be living in a tent down by the river, with my husband, children, and the local insect population. The kids are really looking forward to it. So are the bugs. The current weather forecast shows rain every day. As a child, I loved camping and … Continue reading Tramp Life
Cancer Cure I didn't always plan on being a high school science teacher. Or a yoga teacher. Or a writer, or a mom, or whatever it is that I am. I planned on being a doctor. There was a time when that dream meant veterinarian, but gradually it shifted, to naturopathic doctor. That's basically like … Continue reading Cancer Cure
Saving Kittens Now I have you. Cute baby animals are a guaranteed attention grabber, especially if they're in danger. "Don't play with me," you say. "Are there really baby animals in danger?" No. Not in this blog post. But yes. Just ask the Animal Cops. I'm not allowed to pick TV shows in my household … Continue reading Saving Kittens
Jessi Waugh Writer 