So the apostrophe — that key orthographic distinguisher that protects Western civilization from confusion between the genitive case of the 3rd person singular neuter pronoun and the result of attaching the clitic form of the 3rd person singular present tense form of the copula to that pronoun — is...

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This post is number 36 in a series.

Wild social whirl. Home after midnight. Post thought but unwritten, and rules allow skippage, so ...

Monday last, the Italians elect Silvio for a third-term, definitely the triumph of hope over experience. And I sit on the station platform for almost an hour...

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This post is number 35 in a series.

Moonflowers. Hyacinth beans. A Mandevilla I got from the big garden on Saturday. A sweet-scented white-flowered shrub that makes glaucous, dark-blue berries, nabbed from friend Cini's terrace. My own cannas, years old. An Ipomoea, ditto. And a tomato from some...

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This post is number 34 in a series.

Got into a slight cooking frenzy last night, which included a thick split pea and pancetta soup that went straight into the fridge. And lo! This evening it was great to have on hand, having spent the day hard at work doing justice to the newly pruned potted...

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This post is number 33 in a series.

We were visiting a friend who is responsible for a large garden. He had to check the greenhouses. Plural. In one, row upon row of seedlings, including many tomatoes. I cannot see tomato seedlings but that I have to brush my hand over the tips. My science brain...

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