C. Fawley Fjeran

LowTide Morning - December 15, 2018 "Protecting Plants from Cold Damage" (from my archives: Extension weekly article 12/21/04) Local radio host, John Scott Kapaona recently introduced me to his listening audience on AM 720. Each week we chat about different gardening topics and John, not being a gardener, has learned to ask all of the right questions. Two weeks ago we talked about plant cold hardiness zones, which determines the minimum temperature that a plant can tolerate during winter and survive. A zone 7 plant that has acclimated to winter dormancy should tolerate temperatures as low as 0 - 10 degrees. Zone 8 will only tolerate between 10- 20 degrees. This week, as the temperatures dropped into the 20's, John asked about protecting plants against cold weather. As I was pulling information together for the show, I started asking some simple questions at the Extension office that seem to have rather in-depth answers. I wanted to know if and when I really need to pull o...

LowTide Morning - December 8, 2018 "How 'bout it, Greg?" It is the dead of winter. Coats are on. The maître d' collects coats at the entrance. Everyone enjoys an excellent dinner with appetizers, wine, and dessert. When it is time to leave, the maître d' hands Greg "his" coat. The problem: it isn't Greg's coat. Maître d': "Are you sure this isn't your coat?" Greg gives him the look. He puts the coat on, and the sleeves are three inches too short. "Oh, sorry. Someone else must have mistakenly taken your coat. Maybe he will bring it back." Greg gives the look again. If the sleeves on the coat left behind were three inches too short, don't you think one would notice the sleeves on the absconded coat were three inches too long? "We'll pay to replace your coat." According to Greg, the coat is irreplaceable. Not to mention it is the dead of winter, and he now is without a coat. Greg vows never to eat at ano...

LowTide Morning - November 24, 2018 "Hold everything" Most drivers brake for animals—if not out of compassion, they hope to avoid damage to their precious, shiny vehicles. With the exception of that one copperhead in my driveway, I do my best to avoid colliding with creatures that wander into the path of oncoming traffic. I also brake for plants. I find it nearly impossible to drive by a tree in full glory without slamming on the brakes to take a picture. I've learned to park my vehicle a few doors down, so it isn't in the picture. This leads neighbors to wonder what I'm up to. I don't like raising suspicion, but it's often the undesired effect when I amble around with a camera in hand. Today, I offer an explanation to the inquiring neighbor who rolls down her window. "I'm just taking a picuture of this beautiful tree." The sweet elderly lady gives me an understanding nod and carries on. A few clicks of the camera at different angles and expo...

LowTide Morning - November 17, 2018 "Thankful for Another Day" I'm sitting at Piedmont Hospital asking questions such as "What is his ejection fraction?", "How much function will come back?", and "Normally, how many arteries are there going to and from the heart?" I am surprised to learn that the number is not the same for each person. Purportedly, almost everyone has five arteries, maybe six; some might even have seven—cardiac superstars. So, we have lost a few arteries over the years. That's okay. It appears we can survive with just a few arteries, perhaps even one. Although, I can't imagine walking around with only one artery like a single engine airplane. That would be banking everything on one engine. It's frightful to think what could happen if it sputters and stops in mid-air. At least a pilot has a chance of safely landing a malfunctioning plane. My preference is to keep every single major and minor artery, but for some, t...

LowTide Morning - November 10, 2018 "Colors for All Seasons" [The following is an article that I wrote while employed with the UGA Cooperative Extension Service. There are a couple of noteworthy changes since this writing. My dear Master Gardener friend, Ray Prior and his wife, Rita are no longer with us. My resistance to spring colors in the fall has softened.] He said, she said... My thoughts were revolving around the garden in fall, when one of our Master Gardeners, Ray Prior submitted an article on Fescue lawns. After reading Ray’s article, I realized that we see things through different eyes. Ray likes a green fescue lawn in the dormant season, noting " I’ll admit a well manicured bermuda lawn looks nice during the summer and early fall; but even though I have lived in the South for 25 years, I still can’t get used to a lawn being brown in the winter time." I sympathize with those moving from northern climates where cool season grasses, such as fescue are the n...

LowTide Morning - November 3, 2018 "Oh, look!" I can't remember the last time I strolled through a proper mall. Does it seem that the new trend in outdoor plazas has replaced malls? That suits me; I prefer plein air opportunities, especially on a crisp fall day. In addition to shopping and eateries, the thing I like most about browsing a mall, or other public venue, is people-watching. (Although, it was far more interesting before people started plastering their noses to electronic devices.) Airports abound with people-watching opportunities, which were most enjoyable before we were expected to report anything unusual. Unusual? That used to be our source of entertainment. Observation is in our genes—watching other people and wondering... For a brief period, stimulated by a college assignment, I entertained the thought of becoming an ethnographer. In some ways, the power of obsevation increases with age, e.g., reading every single street sign and billboard along the way, a...

LowTide Morning - October 27, 2018 "Mother's red truck" Mom is currently "living" with us, but she views it as an extended vacation. Good enough. Since May of 2017, she has had two knee replacement and two cataract surgeries. We believe this year, and likely longer, it is in her best interest to stay with us. True to her alternative-medicine mantra, Mom refuses further testing, so we assess her abilities via day-to-day occurrences and conversations. Mom and I are watching the news featuring the 3D Ronald Reagan hologram in the Ronald Reagan presidential museum. Reagan speaks and moves as if in real life. Mom comments, "Ohhh, I haven't seen him in a long time." Nor, have I, Mom. I don't find this alarming, simply something to note, like my father-in-law calling flower blossoms feathers because the right word doesn't pull up. I know what he means. That is what matters most. Indicators hint we are fading into a new season in life. I take it as...

LowTide Morning - October 20, 2018 "Navigating change" David signals me, "We have a big buck in our backyard!" I scan the yard, and sure enough, there he is sporting a rack of antlers. He wanders between the yard and the edge of our meadow. A couple of does with fawns used to hang out in the meadow when David fed them apples for breakfast—a B&B of sorts. Bad idea. I watch the buck amble through my landscape nibbling on low hanging tree leaves. He's in no hurry. I worry that he is heading toward the road and hope his mother taught him to look both ways before crossing. So many have not learned that lesson well. You hit this big boy with your car, and it will be more than a fender bender. Why is this majestic buck passing through our subdivision? It occurs to me that, similar to Hurricane Michael, developers decimated land at the end of Lora Smith Road to build another subdivision—elimination of more habitat. What's a buck to do? It's not like we give ...

LowTide Morning - October 13, 2018 "Go/No Go" Confession: I have a secret desire to be a race-car driver. Other than driving too fast, primarily on interstates, I'm a safe driver. Off the track, I mean interstate, there are many more twists and turns. With extra caution, I drive David's truck to Atlanta. Old parking garages, like the one at Hurt Plaza, weren't built for modern-sized vehicles. I find it difficult getting in and out of tight spaces even with my compact car. I circle the parking levels going higher and higher to find a space big enough and at the best angle to safely park this big truck. Success—I find a spot that works. I'm in and out of the Hurt Building in less than 15 minutes. I jump in the truck and carefully start inching out of the parking space. I have my eyes on the vehicle parked across the narrow aisle. "Be sure to cut the wheel. You don't want to hit that car." I look in my side view mirror and think I'm clear. I...

LowTide Morning - October 6, 2018 "What else do you have?" It's ultra-early morning. Our task-oriented grandmother is ready to get the show on the road — feed these granddaughters breakfast and clean the kitchen. Grandmother, with a no-nonsense note in her voice: "What do you want for breakfast?" Granddaughters: blank, sleep-deprived stares. Grandmother: offers suggestions to which we unenthusiastically respond: "Bacon and eggs?" "Nah." "Pancakes?" "Nah." "Oatmeal?" "Nah." "Cornflakes?" "Nah." She's had it. "Oh, for heaven's sake, make up your mind!" Grandma would have been a natural at The Varsity. Chili dogs, onion rings, Frosty O's — "Whaddaya have?" Atlanta's age-old super fast-food "assembly line" just celebrated its 90th anniversary. My dad, one of many, loved The Varsity. I appreciated eating at The Varsity in the same way that I e...

LowTide Morning - September 29, 2018 "Keep it simple ..." I toss Mom's mail on the back seat. I'll check it later—my friend calls this Southern lazy. Later, I flip through the usual junk mail and statements. Then I see it: Fulton County Jury Summons. Are you kidding? Mom is almost 88 and reluctantly doesn't drive. Okay, I'm sure there is an out for older residents. Yes, there is. You can exempt from jury duty once you are 70 years of age. Can you call and ask to be exempt? Seriously, that would be too simple. No, you have to sign and return a notarized affidavit. Come on; we know they know our date of birth, mother's maiden name, the name of first pet, the color of our first car, et. al. Why does it have to be notarized? Caught in the net, we comply. I call my local bank where I do a lot of business. I explain our need to have Mom's statement notarized. "Yes, we can do that." "Quick, Mom, put your shoes on. We are 'running' up to...

LowTide Morning - September 22, 2018 "Keep your friends close ..." I receive a phone call. The voice on the other end is urgent. "I lost Mom. I left her to browse while we were shopping and now I cannot find her anywhere. I've circled the store more than once. She's gone!" A tiny lump forms in my throat. "Have you checked the restroom? Notify the store clerks," I respond. When someone goes missing, I know the quicker we respond, the better our chance is of finding them. "Another shopper is helping. We looked in the restroom. She is nowhere in sight!" I've been in similar shoes, albeit much younger shoes. Years ago the words, "I lost Mom," would not have gripped me like it does today. I probably would have rolled my eyes and said, "Oh brother, here we go again." In my younger shoes, Mom and I were shopping at a mall with two anchor stores, and we agreed to browse different departments within the same store and meet ...

LowTide Morning - September 15, 2018 "Gentle singing of the lark" The historical marker at the Penn Center in Frogmore, South Carolina reminds us of the potential devastation of tropical storms. All too often hurricanes decimate coastal areas. For that reason, Hurricane Florence has caused my husband to chop the southeastern coast from our list of options for retirement—bummer. He doesn't believe he will be up to evacuation and reconstruction once he rolls into his 70s. Even worse are the actual losses, especially the loss of life. The 1893 Sea Island hurricane took more than 2,000 lives and left 70, 000 destitute.   https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1893_Sea_Islands_hurricane Our systems for tracking storms and issuing advanced warnings save many lives, but, it cannot stop the destruction. My prayers are with friends, family, and those who are in harm's way. Irish Blessing: May you see God’s light on the path ahead When the road you walk is dark. May you always hear, E...

LowTide Morning - September 8, 2018 "Deeper Dive" I recently shared a post about roughing it, which features camping and the natural wonders that are our reward when we set aside the comforts of home. When I wrote "Roughing it," it didn't take long for the thought to bubble up that the desire for comfort blocks many rewarding experiences. When we cling to comfort, we miss extraordinary places in life — waterfalls, star-filled nights, brilliant sunrises. Back in the day, I worked on the 22nd floor with a western exposure at 34 Peachtree Street in Atlanta. I spent long hours at the office and on many occasions was the last one out the door. My reward in addition to the paycheck: a spectacular 22-story view of the sun dipping below the horizon. There is nothing quite like it. This morning in Newnan, I'm jolted into action much earlier than usual. The cat.... Getting up ultra early doesn't thrill me, but today my reward is a glimpse of a beautiful starry sky...

LowTide Morning - September 1, 2018 "Cleanup on aisle nine ..." It's three o'clock in the morning. David interrupts my dream as he elbows me in the side. "The cat is sick." Again? Ugh. Yes, Seb insists on sleeping with us. Yes, he gets his way. With my eyes half open, I strip sheets and load the washer. We limp down the hallway to our guest room to ride out the remainder of our sleep-deprived evening. Seb has digestive issues. We medicate and control his diet, which works 85 percent of the time. We spend the other 15 percent on clean up. When prompted, I wash, spray, and scrub. Cleanup. It's what we do. For the moment, it seems this is unavoidable. Parents with young children understand. I'm officially old, and it's not like I don't care anymore — I'm just tired of fighting the inevitable. Life is messy. I try to keep things in order (more or less) and prevent incidents, but now I understand and accept that "it" will happen. Whe...