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What is Urban Agriculture? Part 2

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The other day, I was talking about urban agriculture in America through World War I. When the Great Depression hit in the U.S. in 1929, it hit hard and lasted about 10 years. During that time, many cities instituted what became known as relief gardens. These gardens, also called welfare garden plots, were used to not only feed people, but also take their minds off desperate times. In places like Detroit, city employees who still had jobs donated money to help finance the gardens. Soon, organizations such as the Family Welfare Society and Employment Relief Commission were formed to help … Continue reading →

Remembering Cher Ami and Other Veteran Carrier Pigeons

When Wayne and I took a trip to Washington, D.C. last year, I was blown away. I’d never been there before and didn’t really know what to expect. I sure wasn’t expecting to become so smitten with the place. It captured my heart and still has yet to let go. (I’m thinking it probably never will. I absolutely loved my visit there.) The museums were all incredible. And something I thought was really neat was how I found a story about an animal detailed in almost all of them. Animals Make Up Our History, Too Like when we were in … Continue reading →

What’s This about the Obamas Getting a Puppy?

Barack Obama’s win was, naturally, the talk of all the news yesterday. But of course the thing that caught my ear was the focus on how the Obamas were considering getting a puppy. The Puppy Speech I’d tried to stay awake for Obama’s victory speech Tuesday night, but instead I ended up falling asleep. I guess if I would have watched it I would have heard for myself the part where he said he was going to reward his daughters’ support and patience during the campaign with a puppy. I was surprised to hear they were considering a puppy. I … Continue reading →

All Hail the Resident Pets in Chief!

Photo by Peter Mackay Presidents are often known for their policies, diplomacy (or lack thereof), and in some unfortunate cases their scandals or assassinations. In honor of Presidents’ Day, I thought I’d focus on a different side of the White House. One Pets Blog readers might better appreciate: the variety of pets who have called the White House home. I think the first pet I remember hearing of living at the White House was Jimmy Carter’s daughter’s cat. I was just a little girl at the time (maybe eight?), and it caught my attention because I was surprised a cat … Continue reading →