jade plant

The nation has new a poet laureate, W.S. Merwin, who has written more than 30 books of poetry, translation, and prose over the past 60 years. Despite what Merwin’s title says, don’t expect him to parade around the Library of Congress with a leaf wreath on his head. The word “laureate” is derived from Latin, meaning “crowned with laurel.”Also known as the sweet bay, or just …

If you celebrate Christmas, it’s likely that at some point this season you’ll find yourself puckering up under a mistletoe branch. What is the tradition of kissing under a plant all about? And does the name have anything to do with human toes? Mistletoe is a European plant that grows parasitically on trees. The etymology of the word is uncertain. Because mistletoe can be spread through birds’ feces, …