Beautiful Landscape

Where I Am Now

A blog about what's on my mind today.

Blog

I've been blogging since 2010, with different blogs for different topics. With this one, I'm bringing everything together, gradually moving posts here from older blogs, which is why you see long past publication dates on some of them. This page lists, in chronological order, all the posts on this site.

Right Plants, Wrong Season?

Aug 28, 2014
4 min

Right Plants, Wrong Season?

One of the differences between Outlander - the Book and Outlander - the TV series is the time of year the story begins. In the book, Claire

A Druid's Herbal

Aug 24, 2014
3 min

A Druid's Herbal

I have always been curious about the Druids. Much of what is "known" about them is mere speculation because their most sacred rituals and

Meet the Family: The Mints

Jul 28, 2014
6 min

Meet the Family: The Mints

Here's a question for you, Outlander Gardeners: What do mint, rosemary, oregano, lemon balm, basil, sage, hyssop, thyme, lavender, bee...

Outlandish Hair Grasses

Jul 12, 2014
3 min

Outlandish Hair Grasses

"He sat on the stool in his shirt, closing his eyes in momentary relaxation as I unbraided his hair. He'd worn it clubbed in a tight queue f

Bee Is for Borage

Jun 19, 2014
2 min

Bee Is for Borage

it is likely that an 18th century herbalist would make a tea from the dried leaves as a remedy for depression or to relieve menopausal disco

Claire and the Fight Against Infectious Disease

Jun 7, 2014
3 min

Claire and the Fight Against Infectious Disease

Discouraging "germs" is a bit off- topic for a plant blog. But we are talking here about the Outlander books and Claire Fraser's pragmatic a

In Praise of Laudanum

May 27, 2014
2 min

In Praise of Laudanum

Claire wanted the laudanum to sedate Jamie while she treated his badly damaged hand. In the event, he insisted on substituting whiskey for t

Potatoes: A Story of Feast, Famine - and Poison

May 5, 2014
3 min

Potatoes: A Story of Feast, Famine - and Poison

As a time-traveler, Claire knew what a calamity The Rising would be. She advised Jenny to plant potatoes so the residents of Lallybroch woul

Lavender Blues

Apr 18, 2014
3 min

Lavender Blues

As Tom Robbins, another of my favorite authors, says in his novel, JITTERBUG PERFUME, "with immediacy and intensity, smell activates the me

A Gaelic Blessing

Apr 14, 2014
1 min

A Gaelic Blessing

This fun little song was part of my community choir's 30th Anniversary concert. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed sing

Rhododendron Hell

Apr 13, 2014
3 min

Rhododendron Hell

"Roger didn't need to read it; he knew well enough the thoughts that were going through the other's mind. The same thoughts he'd wrestled...

Garlic - a Food, a Medicine, an Aphrodisiac?!

Apr 11, 2014
3 min

Garlic - a Food, a Medicine, an Aphrodisiac?!

Claire might not have known how to grow garlic before Mrs. FitzGibbons handed her that basket of cloves and a digging stick, but she was und

Stinging Nettles

Apr 6, 2014
3 min

Stinging Nettles

If you've ever encountered a stinging nettle, you have no trouble understanding how being flogged with a bunch of them would be an effective

The Little Blue Flower At The Start Of It All

Apr 2, 2014
2 min

The Little Blue Flower At The Start Of It All

If it is possible for plants to travel through time, forget-me-nots would be well suited for the journey.

Preventing Scurvy with Watercress

Mar 30, 2014
2 min

Preventing Scurvy with Watercress

" 'What are you doing, Mr. Fraser?' Grey asked, in some bewilderment. Fraser looked up, mildly surprised, but not embarrassed in the...

Strawberries and The Clan Fraser

Mar 30, 2014
3 min

Strawberries and The Clan Fraser

In Drums of Autumn, Jamie tells Claire this story, "Strawberries ha' always been the emblem of the clan - it's what the name meant, to start

Sleeping With Mozart

Feb 24, 2014
1 min

Sleeping With Mozart

How is it possible to share a bed with a man who has been dead for 222 years? It's simple - try learning to perform his music. It stays wit

The Sustainable Alternative to the Alki 11

Jul 13, 2013
4 min

The Sustainable Alternative to the Alki 11

I wrote this when I had become tired of pointing out the problems with this project. Our protests fell on deaf ears anyway. It was clear tha

What Is the Difference Between a Fruit and a Vegetable?

Jul 9, 2013
1 min

What Is the Difference Between a Fruit and a Vegetable?

When people find out that a tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable, they are usually surprised. They think of fruits as being sweet and vegetabl

Will the Alki 11 Rowhouses Cause Flooding?

Jun 29, 2013
5 min

Will the Alki 11 Rowhouses Cause Flooding?

If you've been following these posts for a while, you are familiar with the math: for every inch of rainfall, nearly 5500 gallons of stormwa