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Good ideas for daily living.
Urban Almanac August 2020: A monthly compendium of random wisdom from the natural world and beyond
1 Average temps today: high 92º, low 67º. Sunrise: 6:24am. Sunset: 8:42pm. On this date in 1944, Anne Frank wrote her last diary entry. 2 James Baldwin was born on this date in …
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Tattoos for bees: Making a point, one tatt at a time
Let most seven-year-olds loose in Utah’s Natural History Museum and they’re bound to gravitate toward the giant dinosaur fossils of the Past Worlds exhibit or the dazzling colors a …
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My rowdy friends: Paper wasps, yellow jackets and hornets are a gardener’s midsummer allies.
We all have that “one friend”—the one you think twice about taking anywhere, knowing they’re most likely going to say the wrong thing, get in a fight and possibly cause a little pr …
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Phony: Remembrances of phone systems past.
Felt deeply sad at the end of the month as I watched the clock grind to midnight. With one eye on the phone and one on the clock I was waiting for the flat line of my land line. Af …
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July 2020 Almanac: A monthly compendium of random wisdom for the natural world and beyond.
July 1 Average temperatures today: high 90º, low 64º. Sunrise: 6:10am. Sunset: 8:56pm. July 2 Garlic at a glance: Hardneck and softneck (Allium sativum) and elephant (Allium ampe …
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A novel approach to extending the gardening season: August 1st is the time to plant your fall garden!
I’m a huge fan of risky behavior in the garden. The edge is where the action is. Our seasonal weather in Utah is a wild ride to be sure, and you never quite know what the next week …
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Mulch: Few things have such a dramatic impact on plant health in our hot, dry climate – and are so simple
Mulching is the art of nourishing and protecting your soil with a layer of organic matter applied evenly to the surface. It mimics the way that nature recycles organic matter to bu …
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Herbs for a magical Midsummer: Potions you can make to soothe your summertime body and celebratory soul.
Summer Solstice is just around the corner! The last few months have been a bit dark and heavy for many of us, so I’m looking forward to celebrating the Sun, the Summer, and a littl …
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Creature of Nature: Jimmy Turner A visit with Red Butte Garden’s new Executive Director
Red Butte Garden’s new executive director, Jimmy Turner, arrived in Utah from Australia on March 13. The same day, in response to Covid-19, the garden shut down. At a time when thi …
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Spaceship Earth: A new film to inspire the power of small groups to reimagine our world
You may remember the story—in 1991, in Oracle, Arizona, about an hour north of Tucson, eight people sealed themselves inside “Biosphere 2,” a glass-enclosed space built to mimic Ea …
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