Thanks to Laurie for alerting me to this review of The Leaf and The Page. Her e-mail said, “nice review”. It is nice, though there are a couple of phrases in there that certain people may have a field day with (the reference to craft, for instance), but all in all, it’s good to get reviewed, and I’m happy to be cited for comic relief. (I just got another text message saying “WooHoo!” because it is good to be reviewed by this writer. So: woohoo and thanks, Mr. Artner.)
Austin “ball moss”. It’s growing all over the trees there. Eventually, it will kill them if too many balls form on a single tree, and I was also told by the UT students to be careful, because chiggers like to live in there. Still, I liked it, and packed up one to bring back, along with some Mountain Laurel pods and a couple of other odd seedpods I found whose forms I liked. But the TSA searched my checked bag, and removed the box that contained them… a September 11th legacy, which begs the question: what could someone possibly do that’s dangerous with moss and nicely-shaped seedpods? Maybe make art that’s frighteningly well-crafted?
Maybe it wasn’t terrorist-related but them stopping you from taking noxious/foreign/diseased plant or insect life across state lines: that truly is a serious environmental problem these days.
I understand that, BUT nowhere is any plant material mentioned – or prohibited – in the extensive list of TSA restrictions.
Not TSA, but USDA — my ex used to work for them….
CONGRATS on the review!!! It’s great.
ALSO, we can only just hope that the ball moss WAS infested w/chiggers, and now all the TSA folks are sorry they ever took it away from you.
Oooh, Aimee, that’s wicked. But TSA wear rubber gloves (even while they’re stealing your whisky).
there’s tons of those little moss balls on the trees and electric wires down here.
congrats on the review.
Wow – tsa took your ball? I’m sorry – that’s mean of them.