I needed sheets, towels and pillow cases. But in Kodiak, Alaska where I live, the choices for linens can be summed up in one word: Wal-Mart. So I climbed into my late model Subaru and drove to the giant box store, never realizing the life lesson waiting for me.

The cash register rang up a total of $250. I felt a little sheepish buying so much from a store that is bashed to pieces in the movie Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. Yet my guilt was quickly displaced with gratitude toward the clerk who cheerfully went beyond the call of duty   more »

When you think you're having a bad day, think of Jill Weiss. She not only gardens from a wheelchair, she donates her vegetables to people with AIDS...

First, let's go back to the Torino Olympic Winter Games Closing Ceremony, where Canada invited the world to ‘come play with us’ at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. One of the special moments in the closing ceremony occurred when Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan accepted the Olympic Flag, using a specially modified wheelchair.

Vancouver resident and gardener Jill Weiss, knows what it’s like to get around in a wheelchair. Thirty-five years ago, a car accident left her disabled. But she didn’t let that stop her from digging in the dirt. In one of Vancouver’s many community gardens, I caught up with Jill as she maneuvered her wheelchair to pick lettuce.  Listen to her story. I promise you'll be inspired by her Olympic spirit.

To hear my 2-minute interview with Jill, subscribe to my podcast feed (so you can open the attachment below) or simply download/listen here to the mp3.

Across the country, grandparents are stepping in to care for children of parents that are drug addicts, in prison, working as a single parent, or simply need help caring for their kids.

Operating out of a van, a special program in Hawaii called Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool visits community centers, schools and churches, bringing grandparents, caregivers and kids together for two hours of science, reading, history, Hawaiian traditions and even gardening. ("Tutu" means grandparent in Hawaiian.) Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the program has received high praises as a model solution to a growing problem.

Listen and learn as Carrie Kowolski describes how the Tutu and Me organizers pack a van full of garden supplies to teach the how-to's and importance of gardening, Hawaii style. To listen to this inspirational interview (only 2-minutes long), subscribe to my podcast feed (so you can open the attachment below) or simply download/listen here to the mp3. Who do you know who might benefit from a program like this?

Women are the fastest-growing group of people going to prison. Some say the system is broken. In a Michigan state prison, women get a taste of freedom through working with plants...

According to Christina Rathbone, author of A World Apart: Women, Prison, and Life Behind Bars, "The U.S. incarcerates more people each year than any place in the world other than China. The fastest-growing group within those incarcerated is women. Women who are mothers, primary care givers between the ages of 15 to 25, all there due to a non-violent offense, usually drug use."   more »

On Tuesday, the radio-alarm goes off at 5 AM. The BBC news keeps me company as I slip into my clothes and bumble into the dimly lit kitchen. Today is early morning circuit training at the gym, a short 5-minute drive away. My husband and I usually go together, but he's still in Seattle. I eat part of an orange, grab my water bottle and duffel bag and head to the car, carefully shuffling across the icy driveway.

At the gym, or should I say, the Kodiak Athletic Club, I pull my black, fingerless gloves and strap the velcro around ...   more »

“'Scuse me while I kiss the sky.”

If you play professional football, you’d like to win the Super Bowl; if you’re an actress, an Academy award would be nice. But if you’re a vegetable, flower or herb, the title of “All America Selection” winner says you’re the best of the best, garden-wise. This year’s winners include a very unusual carrot called "Purple Haze," named after the song by Rock 'n Roll legend Jimi Hendrix.

[Please Note: I produced a fun, 2-minute audio piece from this article. To listen, you can subscribe to my podcast feed (so you can open the attachment below) OR simply listen to the mp3 file now by clicking here]

Otherwise, enjoy yourself and keep reading...   more »

I'm not a football fan. Never was, never will be. This weekend, however, I will be parked on the couch like millions of other people. It's my way of supporting Travis Britt, my nephew who, thanks to the Make a Wish Foundation and others, will be in the stands cheering for the Seahawks.

USA Today columnist Jon Saraceno describes Travis' situation beautifully. Grab a tissue and when you're done reading, pass this on to a friend...
 
If Seahawks need inspiration, they can look to courageous fan

DETROIT--His thick, auburn curls are gone. So is every other hair on Travis Britt's 18-year-old body, the one ravaged first by a sinister disease, later by a potent chemical cocktail his doctors call "the sledgehammer."   more »

In my early 20s I purchased every back issue of Mother Earth News. I devoured every article written by Helen and Scott Nearing, back-to-the landers who lived in Vermont and Maine. The authors of 50 books, Helen and Scott (they both lived long lives: Helen 91, Scott, 100) cleared brush, built stone structures, and raised most of their own food in gardens that were amazingly productive for New England. Today, their lifestyle continues to inspire and teach, like how to grow lettuce when it's freezing arse cold outside!

[NOTE: To listen to the 2-minute audio version of my article, subscribe to my podcast feed (so you can open the attachment below) or simply download/listen here to the mp3 file.] Otherwise, keep on reading. Trust me...
   more »

During holidays and special events, sales of alcohol tend to peak. For Stephen Cipes, “to peak” is an everyday thing. The Canadian winemaker ages his wine inside a pyramid, a 4-story replica of the Great Pyramid he built at his Summerhill Pyramid Winery in British Columbia. Cipes says the pyramid clarifies liquids like wine, bringing out their finest qualities. (The photo at right, taken at night with a special digital camera, shows the pyramid's energy)

Whether you’re a believer or not, Summerhill’s organic wines have won many prestigious awards, including a gold medal for sparkling wine in France and recognition for the best ice wine in the world.

Listen to this fascinating interview: Subscribe to my podcast feed (so you can open the attachment below) or simply listen here to the mp3 audio file.