Barnsley House - Scent suckers
10-24-19 Once upon a time, I had an idyllic period in my life, one of several. I was living with, and soon to marry, the coolest girl I had ever met, and she was beautiful to boot. Through her parents, I fell in love with gardening. From there, I realized horticulture was an actual thing, a thing I could use to pursue a career which involved design, art, and my forte - esoteric information. I was on the cusp of 30 and desperate for some toehold on a path where I could make a living while satisfying my personal dispositions. We were in Knoxville, 1993-6, she was in law school, wanting to do public interest stuff, mediation. I had a job as the fundraiser (now development or advancement officer) at an established nonprofit, doing community organizing in the most rural areas of East Tennessee. But, as altruistic as my job was, it didn't hit enough sweet spots of what made me tick. Doing good in the world was #1, always has been, but my creativity wa...