In short, an olla (OY-A) is a clay-pot watering tool, invented thousands of years ago by people who lived in arid climates to water their crops. Unglazed terra cotta pots with small openings were inserted into holes in the ground. Water poured into the pot would slowly seep into the…
Making Micro-Climates During the pandemic, I, like everyone else, was stuck in my house, using the internet as a tool to learn. My mother had just died, and I was getting used to the idea of making decisions about my childhood home, which included over seven acres of land –…
As a child I spent parts of my summer vacation with my mother’s relatives, mostly her sister. My Aunt Jo had two daughters my age, and since my own sister was five years my senior and wanted nothing to do with me, having two playmates who actually wanted my company…
When I removed my mother’s pin-striped valance and replaced it with an ornate Victorian curtain my heart skipped a beat. I knew my replacement was too elaborate, but it was my first attempt at getting a foothold into my mother’s Sensible Beige House. My mother had been in assisted living…
The lamp you bought in ‘92When it was new,When it was fine,Now it’s mine. Glass beads,Tiles and fabric,Bags of lentils,Surplus goods,Came home with me. Proof you lived,Now deposited at the transfer station,The contents of your kitchen,Sparkling on top of the trash. Glasses, stemware, dishes,Your special China.I was with you when…
When I had my DNA tested several years ago, I was disappointed that there was no scientific trace of Native American ancestry, as family legend claimed there was. (This is a common myth in many New England families; I think it comes from a desire to be legitimately attached to…
So as the sun now leaves the skyAnd to its warmth we say goodbyeWe hearken back to days of yoreTo honor those that came before The ones that shared their DNAWhose blood and bone is in my veinsEach time I dance and breathe the airI thank you for the gifts…
A sip of brew,A gift from Lu.She laid it neatRight at my feet.And you can guessTwas motionless“Oh no!” I said,“This mouse is dead!” Said she, “this louseWas in my house!It was my rightTo bat and bite.The catnip toysMake little noise,So I did shredThis mouse instead!” Karen BrockelbankAugust 5, 2021
Dos Mujeres (Two Women) is the 16th painting by the pioneering Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Painted by Kahlo in 1928, it measures 69 x 53 cm (27 3/8″ x 21″), oil on canvas, and is prominently displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in “The Americas” section. It…