Compost Confidential

Back in the Writing Saddle Again

Well, I knew there would be a next book.  I just didn’t think it would be so soon!  Still feeling the affects of my last book writing binge, I get the call.  The Publisher ask; “We want you to write an eco-friendly gardening book.  Will you do it?” 

“When’s it due I ask”, expecting to get a reasonable response (one year would be a reasonable response).  “We need it before Thanksgiving so you’ve got about four months.  Will that work for ya?”

“Can I think about it for a day?” I inquire.  24 hours later we were finalizing the vision and details for the book.  Thankfully this would be a book of tips and no pictures.  I repeat…NO pictures.  That was a huge relief and a big time saver and a huge factor in my deciding to go ahead with it under such a short deadline. 

Actually, it was quite amazing that I got the call to begin with.  Ironically, I had been working on a similar idea that I was about to call them about.  I was preparing to suggest that I write a book on eco-friendly gardening and that we should get started on it right away.

However, my idea did include pictures and would have taken much longer to write.  So, in the interest of time and in deference to my publisher’s good judgment, I agreed to proceed with  their version of the idea and next thing I know, I have another book due before Thanksgiving.

Now, is this enough time to write an 80,000 word book?  It’s been done before in less time (but not by me).  Certainly I could use more time, but…would I really use it?  Probably not.  It simply means that now, EVERY day counts.  Will this be a good book?  You bet it will!  In fact it will be an excellent book.  The title is; The “Green” Gardener’s Guide; Hundreds of tips for Creating an Eco-friendly Garden.

I know this will be a good book because I’m passionate about the topic and I’ve lived these tips for years.  And it will be more than just tips.  Those that know me know I can’t just list the tips without going into an explanation on each one as to why this tip is important.  So, don’t expect a bunch of fluff just because there are several hundred ideas.  There’s real meat in these chapters.

I’ve got a little less than a week to write each chapter but I’m actually looking forward to this assignment.  My hope is that this book will inspire gardeners and non-gardeners alike to think a little bit more on how they can reduce their footprint on this earth.  Gardening is a great place to start.  I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.

If you care to suggest any of your favorite tips for creating an eco-friendly garden, I’d love to hear about them.  In fact, I’d greatly appreciate it. Even living as an eco-friendly gardener, I could always hear some fresh ideas.  Thanks in advance!
JL

A Fond Farewell to Alaska

As I write this entry, I’m sitting in the Anchorage airport, with nothing but time on my hands.  My flight doesn’t leave for another six hours and my crew has already boarded for their Los Angeles bound connection.  It’s been an amazing eight days here in Alaska.

Normally, I’m anxious to get home after a few days on the road.  And although I can’t wait to see my family, this time I leave with a different feeling.  Alaska can leave you in awe before you ever get off the plane.  With each passing day, I felt more connected and it’s easy to see why so many people that live here love this place.  In fact, some locals consider it a well kept secret that they just assume stay that way.

We taped three shows here for Garden Smart this week and made many friends.  On the last day of taping, we featured the Alaska Botanical Garden.  The experience of visiting a botanical garden built in the wilderness was a first.  As the day came to a close we had our first bout of rain since we arrived.  Unfortunately we had three hours left to shoot cut away shots.

Carl, our dedicated cameraman extraordinaire, shot through a steady rain while Jim, (Executive Producer) and I provided moral support as we stood watch through the rain, constantly scanning for bear. That’s one of the downsides about being in the Alaskan wilderness as it gets late in the day.

Fortunately, Jim eventually realized we could do our “bear patrol” job from the warmth and shelter of the car.  As long as we could see Carl, we felt like we were doing our job.  With at least one pair of eyes locked onto Carl the whole time, he finally finished after 9:00, soaked to the bone, cold and tired.  Big Jim offered Carl his extra change of pants.  Out of desperation to put on dry clothes, Carl gladly accepted.

It continued to rain all day yesterday.  The steady rain under a blanket of low hanging clouds only added to the mystique of this beautiful place.  I enjoyed the view from my room this day just as much as every other.  With plenty of work to do after nearly a week of running hard, the rain was a welcome respite and helped ease the desire to get out to explore one more day.

I couldn’t leave without taking one more stroll around the grounds of our beautiful lodge as I enjoyed picking native blueberries and raspberries and soaking in the vibrant colors of the many flowers that adorned the grounds.  This is one place I know I’ll be back to see.  I just hope it’s sooner than later.
JL

On Assignment in Alaska

As I write this, it’s 10:30 pm and still light outside!  I’m in Alaska, taping new shows for Garden Smart.  A lot of people wonder if you can even garden here.  I used to be one of them.  I’m not any more!

The days are long and the temperatures cool.  It’s the perfect combination to bring out the bold bright colors of every flower that blooms here.  It’s also the reason that so many world record vegetables are grown here.  More about that later.

Friday was our first day of work.  We start at 7:30, with only a few hours of sleep under our belts but with enough adrenaline to carry us through the day…barely.  But it’s an amazing one.  We feature the Alaska State Fair.  Most people don’t realize its history is rooted in agriculture and horticultural displays and events.  We feature some of their beautiful display gardens that will blanket the fairgrounds for the 300,000 plus visitors that will enjoy them when the fair opens in just over a week.

Our next stop is a short drive away to meet Scott Rob, holder of five current Guinness Book World Records for growing the largest vegetables.  This is a personal thrill for me as I’ve always wanted to see this in person and meet the people responsible for it.  Gardeners like Scott take their hobby very seriously and the competition is fierce.  Scott will be entering several of his plants in the fair.  He tells me we’re looking at some strong candidates for new world records.  How cool is that!

For the past two days, we’ve had some rare but much needed down time.  I started today with an exhilarating early morning run through the rain forest that surrounds the resort where we are staying.  The temperature was brisk and the aroma of the damp, pine-scented forest floor was heaven.  My feet felt like they had wings. I could have run for miles.

The next adventure of the day involved cruising through the Prince William Sound to view glaciers up close and personal.  Along the way, we saw many bald eagles, sea otters, seals and more.  The glaciers were incredible and on occasion, large pieces would break off and fall into the water with a thunderous crash.

I end this day once again exhausted but thankfully this time, not from a long day of work, but rather spending time experiencing the magnificence of just a very small part of what Alaska has to offer.  I hear many stories of people that come to Alaska to visit, fall in love and never leave.  I can see how that could happen and briefly contemplate the same outcome for myself. 
JL