Garden Gate: The Origin Story

 

What do greedy elk, unhappy gardeners,  a busy editor (and alligators) have to do with creating Over My Garden Gate? A friend asked me the other day how I came to write Over My Garden Gate for the Highway Shopper.

What a good question, I’d be happy to tell you. (Apologies to TikTok content creator Elise Myers, but she lives in my head now. If you don't know her, go google her name and tacos, you'll be glad you did.)

Now where was I?

It all started in 2014, one beautiful July Friday when editor Dave Bunting was up to his elbows in alligators and wasn’t going to have time to write an extra column regarding preventing elk damage to local landscaping. He asked if somebody would be willing to write a couple hundred words on the various elk deterrent sprays.

Sure, I said. How hard could it be, I said. Leave it to me, I said.

30 minutes later I still hadn’t found an opening paragraph that didn’t make me sleepy, or worse—cringey.

I walked back to his office and asked if I could just have fun with it, while still imparting the information he needed. 

“Sure,” he replied, fending off another alligator, “go right ahead.”

When alligators escape the sewers.
Alligators in offices may appear larger.

 

 I wrote 290 words--some words about chasing elk, clad only in a bath towel—me, not the elk. The elk wasn’t wearing anything but a smile, and a cheek full of petunias. Some of the other words I wrote even mentioned the defensive sprays…

While it probably wasn’t what Dave thought he was agreeing to, I enjoyed it. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I campaigned to write a weekly column-- and Over My Garden Gate was born. Seven years and approximately 357 printed columns--slightly fewer blog entries (287) because lazy-- later I still have lots of opinions to share and unsolicited advice to offer. Thank you, Gentle Reader, for coming along on this adventure with me, and happy 46th Anniversary to the Highway Shopper!

March

 We have achieved March! February, with all its extremes, is in the books. Was it just me or did February seem about three months long? Shortest month, my eye.

March is the month in which daylight savings time makes its long-anticipated return—hello more daylight! March is also the month of spring, so even if we get a rogue snowflake or two, we can comfort ourselves that it’s “only a spring snow,” guaranteed not to stick around for weeks on end. That’s what I tell myself anyway, and I believe me.

Some years, March is also the month of Re-Birth and chocolate bunnies, but not this year. In 2022, you’ll have to wait until April to get your egg dye out.

While Easter is sometimes a bonus March event, St. Patrick’s Day is a constant. Green shamrocks! Green beer! Green everything! There’s also something about “coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb”-- or is it “in like a lamb, out like a lion”? Anyway, I think it means that March is unpredictable—but its unpredictability is to be expected—with all that extra daylight you can even see it coming.

March is the month of kites, daffodil parades, Winter Carnival, and Girl Scout cookies. Covid numbers are down, and mask mandates are slated to be lifted. Wouldn’t it be nice if March was the month that saw a return to “normal?” I’m looking forward to it. 

Hello “Normal”!

To keep our “Back to Normal” as safe as possible, free at-home Covid tests are available thru the post office. Go to special.usps.com and fill out the form to get your four free tests. Limit of one order per address. Test results available as early as 30 minutes, no lab needed. You can also call 800-232-0233 if you need help placing your order. And I’m told that these tests do not require tickling your brain with a cotton swab in order to work efficiently.

What’s not to like? Free, fast, and nasal friendly.