Author: Tommy Clarkson

--- Tommy Clarkson is a bit of a renaissance man. He’s lived and worked in locales as disparate as the 1.2 square mile island of Kwajalein to war-torn Iraq, from aboard he and Patty’s boat berthed out of Sea Bright, NJ to Thailand, Germany, Hawaii and Viet Nam; He’s taught classes and courses on creative writing and mass communications from the elementary grades to graduate level; He’s spoken to a wide array of meetings, conferences and assemblages on topics as varied as Buddhism, strategic marketing and tropical plants; In the latter category he and Patty’s recently book, “The Civilized Jungle” – written for the lay gardener – has been heralded as “the best tropical plant book in the last ten years”; And, according to Trip Advisor, their spectacular tropical creation - Ola Brisa Gardens – is the “Number One Tour destination in Manzanillo”.

The Twisted Way We Speak – VIII

November 1, 2012November 3, 2017Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the November 2012 Edition In as much as our alphabet starts with the letter “A”, what better prefix than that one to discuss the, often, weird way we, of the English writing and speaking ilk, communicate. For examples, take the word “atheist” – “somebody who does not believe in God or […]

WE ALL HAVE MET ‘EM. . . XI

November 1, 2012November 3, 2017Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the November 2012 Edition . . . it may be a brother-in-law, next door neighbor or that particularly irritating high school bully badly who has gone badly to seed. You know the kind – those guys (and occasional woman) who, no matter what you say, are the “I can top that” […]

Purple Heart- I Planted Roots in Mexico

November 1, 2012February 5, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the November 2012 Edition Tradescantia pallida Family: Commelinaceae Also known as Purple Queen or Wandering Jew (To those with whom I served, worked and wearied, in VietNam and Iraq, who incurred injuries or gave that final great measure of life during the course of those hostilities, and who so very correctly […]

Medjool Date Palm- I Planted Roots in Mexico

October 1, 2012February 5, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the October 2012 Edition (Also called Mujhoolah), Phoenix dactylifera, Subfamily: Coryphoideae Tribe: Phoeniceae From when first seeing this magnificent palm up to 20-30 meters tall it has been a favorite. In fact, ours are the “children” of date palms Saddam Hussein had transported from Basrah, in Southern Iraq, to be planted […]

Starfish Flower- I Planted Roots in Mexico

August 1, 2012February 5, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the August 2012 Edition Giant Starfish Flower, Stapelia gigantean Family: Asclepiadaceae (Also known as a Carrion Flower, Carrion Plant, Carrion Lily, Toad Cactus, Zulu Giant or Hairy Giant Starfish Flower) In the Asclepiadaceae – Milkweed or Madagascer Jasmine family there are around 100 species of the succulent perennial Stapelia. They originated […]

Tommy’s Tummy, A Night Out

July 1, 2012November 4, 2017Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the July 2012 Edition Manzamigos at Godzillas (A PIctoral Essay ) […]

Coconut Palm (Part II)- I Planted Roots in Mexico

July 1, 2012February 5, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tomy Clakson from the July 2012 Edition Cocos nucifera Family: Arecaceae Sub-family: Arecoideae (Also known as the Coco Palm, Coconut Tree) Welcome back to our two-part discussion of the best known of all palm trees – the Coconut. Last week we discussed a bit of its history and a few of its very many […]

The Coconut Palm (part 1)- I Planted Roots in Mexico

June 1, 2012February 5, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the June 2012 Edition Cocos nucifera Family: Arecaceae Sub-family: Arecoideae (Also known as the Cocos Nucifera, Coco Palm, Coconut Tree) While there are around 1,500 different varieties of palms, when most people think of them, the Coconut is the species that generally first comes to mind. The most ubiquitous of all […]

Croton- I Planted Roots in Mexico

May 1, 2012February 5, 2019Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the May 2012 Edition Codiaeum variegatum Family: Euphorbiaceae (Also known as: Joseph’s Coat) The Croton’s wide array of speckled, striped and splotched colors, splashed on a diversity of uniquely shaped leaves, is a pure and simple plant delight. They can be used in pots on terraces, by pools and in entryways […]

The Twisted Way We Gringos Speak

October 1, 2011November 8, 2017Tommy Clarkson

By Tommy Clarkson from the October 2011 Edition Humans are a funny lot – an observation made in a not altogether complimentary way. Sometimes, it seems, we’re actually a rather pathetic lot bent on mimicking the actions and speech of others rather than engage on own metal capacities to communicate. Too often, we appear inclined […]