Link-o-Rama
Just a few of the interesting articles I've come across recently
Whether you’re a gardener, a writer, or both, I think you might find some of the following story links to be useful, fascinating, or just a really good read. I’ve tried whenever possible to include links that aren’t behind a paywall or to provide a gift link. Enjoy!
Links for Writers
Considering a writers’ retreat or residency?—I had such a great experience at the Northern California Writers Retreat earlier this month that I was intrigued by this collection of residency sites both inside and outside the U.S. for writers and other artists. These include group sites or individual residencies you can do all by yourself. (From the New York Times)
How to craft an artist’s statement for grant and residency applications—Shelley Wong wrote a helpful piece on writing an artist’s statement, which almost all applications will ask for. “The artist statement is a space to honor who you are and why your writing is important to you,” she says. “It is your now and aspirational future, an evolving document.” (From Poets & Writers)
Yet another example demonstrating that you can’t trust AI for anything—Type a completely made-up idiom into Google and ask for the meaning and you’ll get back a detailed but completely fictional explanation. Check out ‘You Can’t Lick a Badger Twice’: Google Failures Highlight a Fundamental AI Flaw. (From Wired.com)
Research is a necessary and all-too-inviting rabbit hole—Jennifer L. Blanck’s article on “How to Take Your Writing Research to the Next Level” has some helpful guidance on the resources that can provide important detail for your writing, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. (From The Writer)
Links for Gardeners
Green is my favorite color but this new garden trend is not right for me. Is it right for you?—“Green Drenching Is the Trend Taking Over Gardens This Spring” takes a look at the trend and how you can achieve it in your garden. (From Sunset.com)
Thinking about raising your own chickens to beat the high cost of eggs?—You might want to read “The Real Cost of Backyard Eggs” by Tove Danovich. Seems like it’s more of volume business than I realized. (From The Atlantic)
Just when you thought nature couldn’t get any weirder or more fascinating—Read about the “bone collector” caterpillars of Oahu, Hawaii, that are not only carniverous—they actually decorate their bodies with bits and pieces of the insects they devour. (From the New York Times)
You can improve your raised beds for free—There are plenty of good tips in Kristen Guy’s article “This $0 Hack Will Fix Your Raised Beds” and they all use salvage, scraps and things you’ll easily find at hand. (From Sunset.com)
Dive into the archives—Did you know that you can access a hundred years’ worth of horticultural advice for free? At the website of the American Horticultural Society, you can search through issues of The American Gardener magazine from 1922 to 2023, even if you’re not an AHS member. To enjoy the most recent issues, however, including the completely redesigned May/June issue, along with many other benefits, you need to join.