On May Day morning, I woke up to the puzzling combination of an onerous jet lag and a blog post bouncing at my fingertips. In various ways I’m beginning a different chapter, including a new iteration of the Alien Botany art series gestating after a period of recalibration. Plus, this quarter positively brimmed, and in these increasingly unsettled days it’s worth commemorating while I can. The result is this Postus colossus, illustrated with images entirely from my phone; I’m hardly …
Read more
Kew Gardens in September are all deep greens, juicy reds, and crunchy browns. The spice of wilting roses drifts over the formal bits of the garden. Chestnuts and acorns are almost-not-quite beginning to fall, but the squirrels waste no time starting their annual stores. The waterfowl’s offspring are almost independent adolescents, and young gulls and crows chase each other high over the temperate house’s glint. It’s a busy time after the lull of summer and autumn’s advance is certain, even as …
Read more
I’ve grown accustomed to January blur over the years, though it usually comes around by way of our two big anniversary celebrations (wedding, and the day we met), and boisterous productivity following a return from a holiday somewhere frosty. In the “blur” respect, this year’s no different, amidst America’s political circus culminating in a finale worthy of the past four years, Covid-19 continuing to ravage England, and feeling drained by renovation among other things. Still, Sunday’s heavy snowfall was needed more …
Read more
After a day spent peacocking along the English coastline it was time to get back to civilization. I was excited to meet Cathy, an internet buddy whose acquaintanceship goes way back to the days of LiveJournal. She generously offered her place, setting up the most adorable little bedroom nest I’ve had the pleasure of seeing, complete with gourmet pillow chocolates and towels. The perfect place to lay down my weary, sun-drained bones. This was my birth month, and I was …
Read more
