About the Blog

Hello, and welcome to The Thistle Field, a blog about life, from the everyday to the extraordinary. The “Thistle Field” is an affectionate moniker for my home, a place where we cultivate peace, wonder, and yes, plenty of thistles.

The thistle is a persistant and enduring plant: Though its roots run shallow, they spread far and wide, ensuring the plant’s survival. The thistle is practical, too: Spiny prickles cover its surface, preventing herbivores from casual nibbling. But, crowning those prickles is a beautiful flower, presenting a pleasing dichotomy.

My relationship with thistles is complicated. They spring forth with great exuberance every growing season. Thus, every year I do battle with them on my property, which was, long ago, a farm field. Because I refuse to pollute our Earth with weed-killers to eradicate my nemesis, the plants triumph, when, by the end of the season I throw in the trowel and say, “Okay, Thistles, you win again this year. But next year! Next year …”.

As they are a part of my life that is here to stay, I have humbly accepted the presence of the thistles on my property, and I have committed to appreciating them (in as much as is possible). Of course, I’ll still wage my campaign against them each year, so as to give my garden a fighting chance.

This blog is a place for me to share my interests, which, like the thistles’ roots, range far and wide. I plan to write about anything and everything. My interests include subjects such as: organic gardening / permaculture / sustainability; cooking and preserving; travel; walks in the meadows and woods; history (my career); zero-waste practices; peace; literature and the written word; entertaining and breaking bread; education; nature; frugality; mindfulness; mothering; and children’s interests. (And many more).