April 2017

X is for Xylology and other tree-related stuff

Xylology is the study of wood. Here is how the word is broken down: “logy” is means the study of and Xylo, which is derived from the Greek word xylon, which means wood. Xylologists focus specifically on the wood, while dendrologists study trees and other woody plants. Dendrologists study, identifies, and names woody plants. They’ll …

X is for Xylology and other tree-related stuff Read More »

Teacher stories 10: V is for a teacher’s vision

Note: Today’s teacher story focuses on Jeanne Percival, who teaches third grade at Huth Road Elementary School. Jeanne is the organizer of the school’s Relay for Life team. I have known Jeanne for more than ten years, as we are both members of the choir at Saint Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church in Grand Island. …

Teacher stories 10: V is for a teacher’s vision Read More »

The 52-week photography project: R is for remembrance

The theme for week 15 of the 52-week photography project was “hard.” It is an artistic theme and the people who organized the challenge at Dogwood Photography invited participants to interpret the theme in any way that they were inspired to do so. Unyielding and unchanging. The lossof a baby. Just one year on a …

The 52-week photography project: R is for remembrance Read More »

Q is for quirky characters and cliches (creative writing exercise, part one)

I had once tried to write a story with a character whom I called the cliche master. Everything that came out of his mouth would be a cliche.  Unfortunately, in the attempt to conjure up that many cliches from memory, my brain froze and went into auto shutdown mode. So I gave up the project. …

Q is for quirky characters and cliches (creative writing exercise, part one) Read More »

P is for predator-friendly farming

There are nonlethal ways to protectyour farm animals from predators. On April 15th, my topic for the day was “nature’s cleanup crew.” Lesley Sampson of Coyote Watch Canada, who came to Grand Island to discuss better ways for humans and coyotes to co-exist peacefully, mentioned the term, “predator friendly environment.”  Coyotes eat mice and ticks. …

P is for predator-friendly farming Read More »

Scroll to Top