Welcome to tiny gardens. I start out with a little horticultural essay for you, and then get into what I’ve been reading and working on this month.
If you want to: survive
What you will need: an atmosphere
The other day, someone asked me if I would go to Mars if I had the opportunity. I said no, quickly and definitely. They were equally sure they would.
I don’t love being on cars, planes or boats for long periods of time, I said. I get motion sick (as most astronauts do) and I don’t like the way the air smells. Whenever anyone romanticizes the Great American Roadtrip, I feel nauseous. My conversation partner said that a few years ago I had answered differently.
That makes sense, as I’ve spent the last few months thinking about the fragility of the chemical and biological surroundings (in other words, our atmospheres) that make our lives possible. For example: I planted clover in my community garden last year. The seeds did germinate, and then for some reason all the little sprouts died. Except for the ones that were in this old glass bottle that I have tried to dig up several times. I don’t know whether it was the temperature or the humidity that made a difference. I also don’t know how the seeds got inside.
What a difference a tiny environmental change can make. Though it’s getting hot, I like the conditions on our large soil spaceship; I think I would dislike a smaller one that smelled like plastic airplane seats.
So: replicate this experiment. Scatter seeds. Over some of them, bury a clear glass bowl, bottle or vase (there’s often inexpensive ones at resale stores, in my experience). Wait a month or so and let me know how it goes.
Things I wrote in July and August
I wrote about how to help your houseplants survive the summer.
I like this tweet I wrote on July 1st.
I wrote newsletters about how to clean your crocs and how to clean your retainer.
Things I liked in July and August
House of Sticks by Ly Tran. I don’t remember what it was like to be a child, but I’m sure Tran got it perfectly. And then the way she built up her emotional sophistication as she acquired the language to talk about what happened to her over time was so smart and beautiful.
The King Spa in New Jersey. If you like to lay somewhere hot until you get too hot and then move to a cold place until you get bored and move on to some fresh food, this is the place for you. They have a shuttle that leaves from around Penn Station.
This Willie Nelson and this Ivana Trump profile. I’m obsessed with this line about Trump: “YouTube is filled with Vaseline-smeary videos of her, blonde hair piled high, hawking silk blouses from House of Ivana priced to sell at $79.99 — always adding the 99 cents because people might pay anything but not a dollar more.” People might pay anything but not a dollar more.
The Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack. It was my favorite thing to play on the cello and I met a person in July who said it inspired her to become a professional musician.
The NYC oyster CSA. Definitely the most luxurious part of my summer. They provide a shucking knife. There’s plenty to share.
Vagina Obscura by Rachel Gross. This should be required reading for everyone. It’s somehow a mix of cutting-edge research and a takedown of myths about the reproductive system. It’s both a thrilling read and thoroughly educational.
The bear statues by the Met in Central Park.
These candlelit string homages to pop stars. I’ve been to Adele, Amy Winehouse and Taylor Swift.
Wishing you fresh, inspiring back-to-school September vibes! New notebooks and the smell of pencil shavings. Syllabus week; there’s nothing better.
Ellen