Sep 22, 2023·edited Sep 22, 2023Liked by Amy Stewart
I got hooked on the Kopp Sisters series, and then found out about the rest of your books which are also some of my favorites because of the story-telling along with factual information. The newsletters are fun to read while waiting for more books. Thanks for sharing both in writing and illustrations!
New to Substack myself and found you here. Agree this is an amazing space to find good reading. I've read everything you've written in book form. The art is a delight. And since I'm a sucker for a contest, I'm leaving a comment in the off chance I get lucky in your drawing of the illustration. (I submitted a ms. to Tin House and finding the drawing of this drink is the kind of serendipity that makes a girl believe in wishes.)
I can't hear the word huckleberry without thinking of Val Kilmer's Doc Holiday. Even after all these years. And as for The Shining, I'm just about done with the book. Saw the film a number of times, and I have to say, there are some elements to the film I like better, while also preferring some things in the book.
I love to paint and I love a good cocktail. I took a class from you a few years ago thru Etchr and really like the loose style you make look so easy. My main jam is pastels but if I want to stay clean I love to do watercolors. Also up until a few years ago was a long time PDX resident.....so I love your references and delightful watercolors of that wonderful city. I now live in Seattle so I feel still close to the Rose city.
Well, this was a lovely way to begin a week. Thank you. And your piece reminded me of the time I was touring some prospective parents at the school where I work. It was a gentle Saturday as I remember it and we were strolling and chatting on the playground about children and childhood when a resident red tailed hawk dove and grabbed a young squirrel. They then perched on a nearby phone pole glaring and eviscerating. I turned to the parents and said, “The hawk has yet to pick up a child.” I think I had a Maple Old Fashioned that night and read On Writing by Stephen King.
As always, love these newsletters. So here's where I'm stuck on huckleberries. I keep hearing they can't be cultivated commercially, but I grow them (technically, if not always successfully). I'm blaming BIG HUCKLEBERRY for their very successful PR campaign.
I bought several plants from...hmm...maybe it was Raintree Nursery and Farmington Gardens? (Vaccinium Ovatum) Anyway, when the stars align, they do produce blue-black berries that taste just like huckleberries. So I'm confuzzled on the idea that they can't be cultivated. Maybe I unknowingly have some illicit plants smuggled from WSU? It's a mystery.
Well, I think by "commercially" we're talking about growing massive quantities of plants and harvesting the berries at a scale that makes it profitable--like at a price people want to pay, with enough income to cover your costs and leave a little profit. That's a whole different ballgame than what gardeners might be able to do.
It's lovely hearing about the swallows and seeing the drawing.
I wonder sometimes what huckleberries really are and I look it up from time to time and then forget, so when I read this, I looked it up again in Pojar and MacKinnon, as Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast is fondly known. It confirmed that what we consider huckleberries (basically the red ones, as opposed to the blue ones) really are huckleberries: Vaccinium parvifolium. They grow all over our lot along with blueberries. And we are nowhere near 3,000 feet, but apparently there are quite a few plants with the common name of huckleberry. Last year when my grandson and I were picking, we started opening up the funny-looking berries, which seem to be a majority of them, and there were always worms in these. This may be another reason for the high price.
Our local independent movie theater just announced a drive-in showing of The Shining. I had always had the impression that The Shining was a horror movie, and that's not my thing, so I wasn't interested, but the venue promised to be great - watching it outside on a dark stormy night, so I did watch the trailer. The trailer sounded instead like it was a very sweet little movie. Google implied that the trailer was a spoof. Or maybe there is a movie that is a spoof of The Shining. I'm a little confused about the whole thing, but it was a coincidence to hear about it from you, also.
Ha! Yeah, it's definitely not a sweet little movie--I mean, it is a horror film--like so many Stephen King stories, it starts with an interesting normal-ish premise and then goes to a very scary place.
Like your Kopp novels, I enjoy reading your news letters. I had just seen Laura's pictures from the Tin House booksellers event. Lovely to see your swifts and Shining-related paintings.
I got hooked on the Kopp Sisters series, and then found out about the rest of your books which are also some of my favorites because of the story-telling along with factual information. The newsletters are fun to read while waiting for more books. Thanks for sharing both in writing and illustrations!
I love the Kopp sisters too. and I have most of your garden books!!!!
Wow, thanks so much! I'm glad you're here.
Oh that's great! Thank you so much! I, too, am waiting for more books! Coming soon!
New to Substack myself and found you here. Agree this is an amazing space to find good reading. I've read everything you've written in book form. The art is a delight. And since I'm a sucker for a contest, I'm leaving a comment in the off chance I get lucky in your drawing of the illustration. (I submitted a ms. to Tin House and finding the drawing of this drink is the kind of serendipity that makes a girl believe in wishes.)
Hi Jill! Thanks so much! Tin House is a wonderful publisher and I wish you luck! (hey there's always luck involved, isn't there?)
Luck is involved most def. Right manuscript to the right editor at the right time. Roll the dice!
I can't hear the word huckleberry without thinking of Val Kilmer's Doc Holiday. Even after all these years. And as for The Shining, I'm just about done with the book. Saw the film a number of times, and I have to say, there are some elements to the film I like better, while also preferring some things in the book.
I agree! Some aspects of his books just don't translate to film. I guess that's true of most books.
Please tell me you have audio of the swift-watching pop-up. Tipsy writers insulting raptors must have been hilariously brilliant.
I'm sure there are loads of videos out there but I've never managed to catch the hawks in action--they're fast! Swift, you might say.
That illustrated tale about the swifts was lovely!
Thanks! It was fun to do.
I love to paint and I love a good cocktail. I took a class from you a few years ago thru Etchr and really like the loose style you make look so easy. My main jam is pastels but if I want to stay clean I love to do watercolors. Also up until a few years ago was a long time PDX resident.....so I love your references and delightful watercolors of that wonderful city. I now live in Seattle so I feel still close to the Rose city.
Wow thank you! I have not explored pastels much, unless you count Neocolor
Well, this was a lovely way to begin a week. Thank you. And your piece reminded me of the time I was touring some prospective parents at the school where I work. It was a gentle Saturday as I remember it and we were strolling and chatting on the playground about children and childhood when a resident red tailed hawk dove and grabbed a young squirrel. They then perched on a nearby phone pole glaring and eviscerating. I turned to the parents and said, “The hawk has yet to pick up a child.” I think I had a Maple Old Fashioned that night and read On Writing by Stephen King.
Yikes! Yeah, there's a nature moment for you.
As always, love these newsletters. So here's where I'm stuck on huckleberries. I keep hearing they can't be cultivated commercially, but I grow them (technically, if not always successfully). I'm blaming BIG HUCKLEBERRY for their very successful PR campaign.
I bought several plants from...hmm...maybe it was Raintree Nursery and Farmington Gardens? (Vaccinium Ovatum) Anyway, when the stars align, they do produce blue-black berries that taste just like huckleberries. So I'm confuzzled on the idea that they can't be cultivated. Maybe I unknowingly have some illicit plants smuggled from WSU? It's a mystery.
Well, I think by "commercially" we're talking about growing massive quantities of plants and harvesting the berries at a scale that makes it profitable--like at a price people want to pay, with enough income to cover your costs and leave a little profit. That's a whole different ballgame than what gardeners might be able to do.
That makes sense to me!
love your newsletters. the stories, the art, and your perspective! Thanks!!
Thanks so much!
It's lovely hearing about the swallows and seeing the drawing.
I wonder sometimes what huckleberries really are and I look it up from time to time and then forget, so when I read this, I looked it up again in Pojar and MacKinnon, as Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast is fondly known. It confirmed that what we consider huckleberries (basically the red ones, as opposed to the blue ones) really are huckleberries: Vaccinium parvifolium. They grow all over our lot along with blueberries. And we are nowhere near 3,000 feet, but apparently there are quite a few plants with the common name of huckleberry. Last year when my grandson and I were picking, we started opening up the funny-looking berries, which seem to be a majority of them, and there were always worms in these. This may be another reason for the high price.
Our local independent movie theater just announced a drive-in showing of The Shining. I had always had the impression that The Shining was a horror movie, and that's not my thing, so I wasn't interested, but the venue promised to be great - watching it outside on a dark stormy night, so I did watch the trailer. The trailer sounded instead like it was a very sweet little movie. Google implied that the trailer was a spoof. Or maybe there is a movie that is a spoof of The Shining. I'm a little confused about the whole thing, but it was a coincidence to hear about it from you, also.
It's always fun to read your posts.
Ha! Yeah, it's definitely not a sweet little movie--I mean, it is a horror film--like so many Stephen King stories, it starts with an interesting normal-ish premise and then goes to a very scary place.
Thank you for the recipe, look forward to tasting!
Cheers!
I really like how you weave story into art and art into story...and into a great newsletter!
Thank you! I'm really enjoying writing these.
Like your Kopp novels, I enjoy reading your news letters. I had just seen Laura's pictures from the Tin House booksellers event. Lovely to see your swifts and Shining-related paintings.
Hey Parag! Good to hear from you. Thanks so much!
Thank you for your news letters, yours is the only one I read
That's so nice, thank you!
I've never eaten a Huckleberry. Now I know how pricey they are I doubt I ever will! Interesting to hear about their habitat though.
Ha! Well you never know, you might see huckleberry pie on a menu someday!
I love your newsletters ❤️
Thanks so much!