Writing
Embedded Files
In the summer of 2014, Gambian griot and virtuoso musician Foday Musa Suso sat down with me to begin recording interviews about his amazing life. Our friendship of 40+ years made it a very enjoyable process, from our first session to the last, and during months of compiling over 200 hours of recordings into a one-of-a-kind, written autobiography. Its 30 chapters detail his journey from a childhood in a remote and traditional Gambian village to performing and recording all over the world with some of the preeminent composers and musicians of our time. His lifetime of memories fills over 450 pages, including over 50 photos from his personal collection, and a foreword by longtime friend and collaborator Philip Glass.
The photo at left shows Foday with one of his koras in the 1980's. The photo above was taken at the book release party on September 16th, 2019, which was held at the NYC home of Susan and David Rockefeller.
I have finally recently begun writing another book, one that has been "brewing" in my mind and heart for many years.
It's a personal journey of understanding the complexities of my ancestry and family history, and of understanding my own life experiences growing up in a country that has been plagued with racism since its inception.
The book's working title is: 1/32 (One Thirty-Second).
This is a photo of my great-grandparents standing on the shore near their home on the Isle of Pines, Cuba, holding my mother.
Over the years, many people have asked me why I haven't written a book about organic gardening, and/or about my 25+ years of outdoor teaching experiences with kids. Perhaps someday I will... but until then, I think you'll enjoy my Tales from the Garden blog. It's filled with true stories about gardening and nature in the Pacific Northwest and Desert Southwest, and tips for gardening in both areas.
For several years, I also wrote a monthly column for The Southern Arizona Connection titled "Tales from the Garden", about the wildlife and plants of the Sonoran Desert that live in or visit my garden in Arivaca.
The Connection was a wonderful, free, open-forum newspaper in publication from 1983-2022.
Other Published Garden and Nature Writing, Photos, and Illustrations:
Magnuson Nature Programs and Magnuson Children's Garden monthly e-newsletters: 2012- 2023
Magnuson Nature News monthly radio show: 2018- 2020
Green Light Gardening blog: 2008 - 2019
Contributing author to "A Field Guide to Common Puget Sound Native Bees: Southern Region" by Elias Bloom, 2015
"5 Favorites For Kids" for the Molbak's Spring Garden Guide published by the Seattle Times on April 7th, 2011, and by the Woodinville Weekly in April 2012
"Sustainable Design 101", "Wildlife-friendly Gardening", and "Edible Garden Design Guide" for the IPMopedia website - 2009 & 2010 (a project of toxicfreefuture.org)
"Designing with Edible Plants" for The Designer magazine, published by the National Assoc. of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) - Winter 2010
"Wildlife-friendly Garden Design" for The Designer magazine, published by the National Assoc. of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) - Summer 2010
"Wildlife-friendly Gardening" for the Savvy Gardener newsletter, published by the Saving Water Partnership - 2009
"Vegetable Gardening" and "Incorporating Native Plants in the Landscape" for WSNLA "Around the House" section of the KPLU website - 2009
"Wetland Discoveries" (2009) and "Birds of Magnuson Park" (2006) nature activity books published by the Seattle Dept. of Parks & Recreation for Magnuson Community Center.
"Dirty Knees: 30 years of King Co. Master Gardener Youth Programs" - published by the WSU/King Co. Extension Master Gardener Program, 2004
"The Children's Corner" monthly column for the WSU/King Co. Master Gardener Program newsletter, 1998-2002.
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