It’s been way too hot here. But, even in the swelter there are delights–like the pot of Corsican mint with a few volunteer lady’s mantle seedlings…

We found that it was really helpful to have some paths in the backyard during the winter when it rains all the time. Grass won’t grow because of the huge Oak tree and it’s become a challenge to navigate the mud. When we bought this house, I found a stack of old brick along with some flagstone–the same ones used in the first path I added to the back yard earlier. I had an inspiration for the second path in my backyard–the one that will go from the deck to the shed and composter area. I had to rototill the area because the dirt had gotten really hard with no rain for the past month. Fortunately, it worked great this time (the tiller) and I got that done a couple of days ago.

Since I added the bird feeders, I thought I could highlight them with the flagstone and brick and then run a path off this. First, I laid out the flagstone to see how things would look. Then, I dragged over some sand bags left over from a prior project (those pavers we put in several months ago) and used it as a base for leveling the flagstone.

I wanted to ring the flagstone with the brick, so my husband suggested tying a string to the feeder pole and using that as a guide. I determined the point from the pole to the flagstone furthest from the pole and used that as my guide. I made a knot at the end and then was able to run the string around the pole to make a “perfect” circle. Actually it worked quite well! After placing the brick around the circle, I ended moving some of the flagstone out towards the perimeter so it would flow better. Thank goodness I had rototilled–it made it a lot easier to put the brick in. I used a level to ensure I would end up with something that wasn’t all over the place.

I had bought a flat of Corsican Mint–a ground cover that does well in the Northwest and likes partial shade. I planted part of the flat and will see how well it spreads. I added some 1/4″-10 (a crushed gravel & sand mix) to the bed and watered it all in. Now I just need to add the extensions from this to the deck & shed–another day, that’s for sure!!

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with Corsican mint.

This was just a few days ago: politics aside, it’s been another good season for Corsican mint!

Of all the groundcovers we introduced into the garden, Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) has attained a particular affection for us. Although it has thrived in several places in the garden, it is most spectacular in the crevices of our stone wall, where it seems to have grown with a true sense of purpose and deliberation, a quality so often lacking in less disciplined plants (and you know who you are!). Its translucent lime leaves provide a beautiful contrast to the darker hues of the surrounding stone — a warm gray — the deep greens and silvers of the conifers and the burned reds of the brick path. Our only fear is that with a hardiness level of Zone 7, it may not survive the New York City winter; but we will not think of that now, and instead imagine a spring marked by tiny fields of Corsican mint, and the even more microscopic blooms that will hover above it like infinite stars on a clear night.

The Gay Recluse, September 2007

In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with Corsican mint.

We were worried that our Corsican mint wouldn’t come back this year.

So we bought some more!

But then it did come back, just as we were told it would.

Some obsessions are obviously more benign than others.

Of all the groundcovers we introduced into the garden, Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) has attained a particular affection for us. Although it has thrived in several places in the garden, it is most spectacular in the crevices of our stone wall, where it seems to have grown with a true sense of purpose and deliberation, a quality so often lacking in less disciplined plants (and you know who you are!). Its translucent lime leaves provide a beautiful contrast to the darker hues of the surrounding stone — a warm gray — the deep greens and silvers of the conifers and the burned reds of the brick path. Our only fear is that with a hardiness level of Zone 7, it may not survive the New York City winter; but we will not think of that now, and instead imagine a spring marked by tiny fields of Corsican mint, and the even more microscopic blooms that will hover above it like infinite stars on a clear night.

The Gay Recluse, September 2007

In which The Gay Recluse shares a letter.

Robert from Ohio writes:

“I saw the article you wrote on the Corsican Mint. I live in North East Ohio, which is just as harsh a climate as NYC. I have planted the mint at several folks’ homes and it does come back every year. Sometimes the plant survives and sometimes it doesn’t, that depends on the harshness of the winter. It does however seed itself back into existence every year, so fret not Great Gay Recluse!”

Thanks, Robert! In a word: awesome. We have traveled many (many many many) times across the plains of Northeast Ohio and feel very reassured that if “the mint” can survive there, we are — as you rightly point out — in good shape in New York City. We were just out in the garden this past weekend, looking at the rocks and crevices where it had so pleasantly established itself last season; while we didn’t see any signs of life, we will stop fretting and look forward to May, when we can retire to the verdant pleasures of a garden in bloom!

This was last season. According to Robert from Ohio, we need not fret: our beloved Corsican mint will return! Obviously, we will keep you posted.

In which The Gay Recluse ponders some recent search terms used to find the very pages you are now reading. Note: All search terms listed are in the exact form provided by WordPress.com, which is the host (at least for a while) of this blog. Hyperlinks to relevant posts included.

Search: where to find sweetie clementines in nyc
Comment: We got ours from Fresh Direct, but be forewarned: they have also been known to stock inferior varieties.

Search: rodentologist + Texas
Comment: An underrated but useful career.

Search: philosophers + opera
Comment: Some are decidedly obese.

Search: is leonard cohen gay?
Comment: Sadly — because we will always love him — we have no reason to believe he is.

Search: decay and neglect
Comment: One reason to live in Washington Heights.

Search: peter nadas gay
Comment: Michael Kimmelman, among others, doesn’t seem to think it’s appropriate to speculate.

Search: die walkure metropolitan opera blythe
Comment: Timeless and beautiful voice.

Search: washington heights next gay area
Comment: We expect to see some very nice corners in the upcoming year.

Search: velcro jeans for gay
Comment: Is this a relevant detail in the context of a murder trial?

Search: “michael kimmelman“
Comment: Not a proponent of what we like to affectionately refer to as the “gay voice.”

Search: is spectacular gay
Comment: Someone else looking for Corsican mint.

Search: was george washington gay?
Comment: We already know about Abraham Lincoln, of course, and have heard rumors about George. For one, he was known to spend a lot of time “alone” at the Morris-Jumel mansion.

Search: gay philosophers
Comment: Anyone who thinks that Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche — to name two of our favorites — were anything but needs to think again. Evidence? Friends, you can feel it in the text.

In our daily travels, we are regularly confronted by some of our more clever but literal-minded critics with the question of why we would ever want to publish our thoughts and observations, if in fact it is our unending desire to be reclusive, or to obtain — in our own lexicon — a “community-free” existence. Then, after we offer a justification for the endeavor — namely, to promote our longstanding interest in the tiniest forms of perennial groundcovers — the discussion inevitably turns to the more practical question of how one goes about finding a gay recluse. With a thought to answer this question, we now present our 2007 Search of the Year Awards, which reflect some of our favorite (and least favorite) routes taken by readers to “click-through” to the pages of The Gay Recluse.

Most Obviously Gratifying Search: “the gay recluse” or “gay recluse” or “he gay recluse” or “gay rclse”

We wonder, are you looking for us specifically, or do you reflect a groundswell of interest in an aesthetic way of life encapsulated by the words “gay” and “recluse.” (Which, by the way, we wholeheartedly embrace.) Now that we are using Site Meter to monitor our traffic, we have noted the growing number of you who “visit” from the largest swaths of desert in the world, including the Sahara, the Arabian and the Gobi, which leads us to believe that you have fled civilization, an impulse we can understand if not endorse. (NB: A true gay recluse can be found only in the metropolis.)

Most Disturbing Search: “gay men gangraping little boys”

We shiver to picture whoever typed this into his (or her) search engine, and wonder what led you to click through to The Gay Recluse. In any case, we are certain that you were disappointed with what you found, and we are not sorry for that.

Most Sweetly Pathetic Search: “things to do on christmas eve as a gay man”

We who long for a life of resignation and reclusion never lack for things to do — so long as we are within reach of our library — but we were touched that in your search, you were intrigued enough to immerse yourself for just a few seconds into the ethos of The Gay Recluse. We would love to hear what you actually ended up doing on Christmas Eve, and if your search was influential in the decision process. (As we do every year, we stayed home with the cats.)

Most Guilt-Invoking Search: “recluse ‘Shut in’ forum”

For what it’s worth — and admittedly, probably not much — we would like to go on record to say that it is not our intention to mislead any of you who are in fact agoraphobic, which we — with jobs and subway commutes and other terrorizing responsibilities — are not in a position to truly understand. We hope that you were not misled by our appearance in your search results.

Most Redemptive Search: “Corsican mint”

Each day it seems that more and more of you arrive at The Gay Recluse by way of a search for “corsican mint,” and given our underlying mission — namely, to promote our longstanding interest in the tiniest forms of perennial groundcovers — we will always consider this, our second-page search rank on Google for this term, to be one of our greatest accomplishments. For this we award you — the term “corsican mint” — The Gay Recluse 2007 Award for Search of the Year.

(Although not completely on point, given that this award is for the search term as opposed to the ‘object-in-itself,’ we would like to report that despite our fears with regard to its Zone 7 hardiness, the Corsican mint in our garden appears to be thriving, even after being assaulted by not insignificant amounts of ice and snow this December. Naturally, we will keep you posted on its progress.)

Of all the groundcovers we have introduced into the garden this year, Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) has attained a particular affection for us as we consider it now, with the growing season on the wane. Although it has thrived in several places in the garden, it is most spectacular in the crevices of our stone wall, where it seems to have grown with a true sense of purpose and deliberation, a quality so often lacking in less disciplined plants (and you know who you are!). Its translucent lime leaves provide a beautiful contrast to the darker hues of the surrounding stone — a warm gray — the deep greens and silvers of the conifers and the burned reds of the brick path. Our only fear is that with a hardiness level of Zone 7, it may not survive the New York City winter; but we will not think of that now, and instead imagine a spring marked by tiny fields of Corsican mint, and the even more microscopic blooms that will hover above it like infinite stars on a clear night.