The visual manifestation of chlorophyll is truly lovely, precious even, when two-thirds of the day is cloaked in darkness. Chlorophyll is a poor absorber of the green portion of the electro-magnetic spectrum, hence its color, which it reflects. These luscious 18-inch patches, looking like stolen portions of a golf course green, are wheat grass. A friend … More A riot of chlorophyll on the darkest of days
Reading this slender collection of 150 haiku was like feasting on a fresh and juicy peach. It really brightened my day. I marvel at Sutter’s economy of words. This slim volume contains 150 haiku mostly in the classical form (5 syllables, 7, and 5), weighs in at just 81 pages, and has an asking price of … More Today’s accomplishment
I recently received my first truly negative review out on Amazon. What a punch to the gut! I know it comes with the territory, but I’ve proven myself to be more fragile than I’d care to admit. The anonymous reviewer was polite and appears to have choked down the entire contents of the book—like cod liver … More Dealing with negative criticism
Not only is Emily Larson the first woman to be elected Mayor of Duluth in its 150-year history, she’s also the first to be llama-certified. The 39th individual to be elected to the post, she is almost certainly the most outdoorsy, most athletic, warmest, and may even prove to be the most engaging and approachable of … More Meet Emily Larson, Duluth’s Next Mayor
Pure, unvarnished joy. Rosy red cheeks. Pearly white teeth. This photo, snapped from a neighbor’s iPhone, captures the evening and spirit of Cornucopia better than any I’ve seen. Hosting the event was like running with wild horses. Pictured above is Duluth’s Mayor, Don Ness, now in his final month of service. The lovely woman at his … More Reflections on a remarkable evening. Also, I have another book in the cooker!
My wife, Shawna Gilmore, just painted the back of Charlie Parr’s guitar. It’s the one you see here, which he has been touring the country with all summer and fall. I think she did a darn fine job. Here’s the finished product: Charlie’s instruments are essentially irreplaceable, so it’s amazing that he trusted her with … More Painting Charlie Parr’s Guitar, and Who the heck is Dave Hundrieser?
Coffee chaff in the chicken coop??? This chicken is pondering the same thing, but we’ve determined that it’s completely awesome! A byproduct of the roasting process, they are light, fluffy, compost much more rapidly than the pine shavings these are replacing, smell fantastic, block odors, and are free! I collect mine from high-end coffee roasters located … More Caffeinated Chickens, Castoffs, and How I Finally Used My Master’s Degree
In just about the craziest turn of events ever, I’m organizing an event that will feature two mayors (one present and the other future), four well-known bands/musicians/musical savants, and a freaking tap dancer. It all started when the current Mayor nonchalantly mentioned, “Hey, we should do a book event.” Since this is much like Cinderella … More CORNUCOPIA 2015, A Lavish Feast of Local Talent
Can you imagine spending your honeymoon with 16 sled dogs? Very few individuals, and even fewer couples, would consider toting along such company on their honeymoon. This morning I enjoyed a fabulous visit with Stephanie Love and Blake Cazier, who did just that. Imagine driving to Ouray, Colorado, all the way from Northern Minnesota in December … More Positive Energy Outdoors NEEDS Your HELP!
Rotting debris, intentionally piled as if sculpted, is beautiful. What some cast aside as worthless becomes valuable. What had been reviled is renewed. Redeemed, if you will. Ripe for obsession, I was introduced to hugelkultur through the impressive urban farming efforts being undertaken by The Duluth Grill. Pronounced “hoogel culture,” it’s a style of gardening … More Rot and Renewal, or “The Happy Hugeler!”
Ed's Big Adventure 