Living In the World, Not on It

Happy Lughnasadh! Farmer's Calendar Imagine coming home with bags of salad greens and mushrooms, sacks of delicious nuts, and baskets of berries and not having to pay a cent for them! Many people do just that by foraging, gathering wild edibles in fields, forests, and lawns. If you'd like to try this, be certain that you identify each plant before eating it: Many have look-alikes that could prove deadly. Be especially careful with mushrooms and berries. Studying illustrated field guides is a good first step in learning about native plants, both those that are safe to eat and those best avoided. Also, check with garden clubs and your state Forest Service to see if your groups in your area that go on foraging outings; their expertise could prove to be invaluable. Collect your bounty in areas that are pesticide- and chemical-free. Gather no more than 10 percent of the plants from a given site and cut greens and mushrooms instead of uprooting them; this way, there...

Well, every issue is just chock full of... stuff. From the reviews, the famous people, the losers and the rich, there is seemingly something for everyone. Some issues naturally offer more than others, and this one certainly has an interesting mix of subjects. I'll go through it in order, which always begins with the mailbag. This may offer something of interest, and sometimes not. Almost always the main topics bring varying responses: some are favourable to the topic, others not. This issue is definitely atypical in that each topic had the same responses; three people wrote in about Matthew Perry and applauded him for getting through rehabilitation and turning his house into a "sober living facility". This is a euphemism for a wealthy, huge half-way house for a small number of men. I found the house to be beautiful, but strange that he'd want to do this. (I hate sharing my house with Luis' father - imagine how I'd feel about sharing it with strangers!) ...

Some weeks of People Magazine provide fodder, some don't. This week's - dated ahead for the 20th for reasons passing understanding - has fodder. Let's see what fun things there are to comment upon: In the Mailbag section, many people wrote in and denounced Arnold Schwarzenegger for his affair with the housemaid. The overwhelming majority condemned Arnold's behaviour and elevated Maria Shriver to a goddess-like stature. Realistically, marriages fail because there were issues on both sides. Women love to denounce unfaithful men, but never seem to think that the root cause may be due to the lack of sexual contact in their marriage. Men are not wired the same as we are. I tend to think that straying husbands stray because they are still sexually active but many women cease to have an interest as time marches on. Where I do feel Arnold failed was the housekeeper. Good gods above, this is the homeliest woman on the face of the earth! Couldn't he have at least picked a...