On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Seed Savers Most people who have been gardening for many years already have their favorite seeds in mind for planting this spring, be they hybrid or non-hybrid. It can be a bit bewildering when looking through the various seed catalogs, as there are so many varieties of seeds to choose from. However,…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Winter Musings “When the wintertime cold wraps the garden in snow, in my bed I am dreaming of Spring!” ~ from CD Songpoems by Christine As of this writing, there is no snow, but there is lots of cold! Somehow, we gardeners, ever busy during the planting and growing seasons, must…
On The Wild Side
Ring Out the Old! Bring In the New! by Christine Maccabee “As certain as the turning of Fall into Winter, there can be no stopping the changes, for change is the very nature of Nature.” ~ from Life Poems by Christine Life changes can be challenging, sometimes sudden, sometimes sad or happy, but at…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee The Facts About Christmas Cactus I always wondered why my two “Christmas Cacti” plants bloomed way before Christmas. The mystery was cleared up when I went on Google and discovered that mine are of another species, commonly known as the Thanksgiving Cactus. They do indeed bloom before and during Thanksgiving. Perhaps, you…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Our Precious Water From the Mountains to the Bay, and Beyond Everyone knows that human beings are a part of nature, not apart from it. An ecological understanding of how everything is connected should be included in every child’s education. Sadly, I personally never learned it in school as a child, though…
On The Wild Side
A Thing of Beauty by Christine Maccabee If ever there were proof that nothing lasts forever, the moonflower’s flower is it. Most of the great civilizations throughout world history were transitory, as are our little lives. Of course, most civilizations endured far longer than my moonflower flowers, though their seeds may come from ancient stock.…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Tall Beauties and Late Bloomers Where I live in upper Frederick County, I get to enjoy the various flowering plants blooming on our roadsides, truly making rides in our cars “scenic,” as many signs say along the roads. For me, it is not just the wonderful wide open landscapes of fertile farmlands…
On The Wild Side
My Wild Gardens, “Oh the place that I’m from is the place that I won, It’s the joy of my heart, it is my own. It took many a year but I’m finally here… With a hey and a hoe to the field I go.” ~ from Song of a Homesteader…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Slowing Down As of this writing, it is still spring. I find springtime goes much too fast and comes much too slowly after a long, messy winter. In winter, I am dreaming of spring. I miss the green leaves and the wonderful life that springs from the soil…maybe that’s why it is…
On The Wild Side
Seeking the Things That Unite Us: An Ecological Necessity by Christine Maccabee Lately, I have been pondering a lot about the necessity of thinking and living ecologically, that is, with awareness or consciousness of the intricate web of life within which we all live. Certainly, everyone knows how the balance of nature becomes disturbed when…
On The Wild Side
Climate Change: A Hoax? by Christine Maccabee No matter where you stand on the subject of climate change, no matter how skeptical or how impassioned you are, I am sure there are many things we all can agree on. Of the many concerns I have, personally, the one that stands out the most for me…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Winter Musings: Seed Stratification Through the many days and nights of this long, cold winter, trillions of seeds lay sleeping. They rest in their icy cradles of earth, awaiting the warmth of spring. Offspring of last year’s flowers, herbs, grasses, and trees, these seeds—though inactive—are preparing for change. Naked, these small capsules…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Where Have All the Large Moths Gone? I will begin this article by asking a question: Have you seen many large moths, such as the luna, cecropia or polyphemus, these days? I am starting to research moth populations in upper Frederick County, and I would appreciate knowing of your sitings of these…
On The Wild Side
The Holly and The Ivy by Christine Maccabee The Holly There are about 15 native hollies in America, which, if grown in moist soil, are quite beautiful if you are fortunate enough to have one around your home. They can grow tall, but tend to be more shrub-like. Hollies are famous for their reddish berries,…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee I listen to C-SPAN on the radio, though some people watch it on TV. It is a great station that invites all sides of issues to be discussed, and even though I do not agree with every opinion expressed, I try to keep an open mind. However, one issue I am passionate…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Summer Flowering “When the pink mimosa blooms, it fills the air with the sweet perfume of summertime fair, butterflies everywhere.” ~ (lyrics from songpoem “Dreaming of Spring” by Christine) It is nearly impossible to believe that spring is over already. No sooner do the crocus and violets appear that they…
On The Wild Side
Noise Pollution by Christine Maccabee It is hard to believe that Charles Lindbergh, who made the first transatlantic flight in his plane in 1927, would say such a thing as in the above quote, but he did. Upon retirement, he and his wife, Anne, started a foundation that gave grants to persons who were working…
On The Wild Site
Better Living Through Chemistry by Christine Maccabee I am finding it difficult to decide what to write about during this magical time of year, when the crocuses are beginning to bloom and when the grays and browns of trees and fields will again become green. This is the time of year we all wait for…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee To De-Ice or Not to De-Ice, That Is the Question I was a bit shocked, but not really surprised, when I read of the harm that is being done to the environment by the salt we throw on our sidewalks, steps, parking lots, and roads. After the Second World War, when the…
On The Wild Side
by Christine Maccabee Nature’s Valentine Years ago, I began exploring design in nature and pressing many flowers, mostly dissecting them for their basic components of petals, stamen, pistil, and sepal. Once pressed, I used them to create designs—mandalas mostly—framing them and sometimes selling. I also pressed leaves of many shapes. Basically, I was exploring the…
