Desert Celebrations and Byrd Baylor

June 26, 2021 00:04:44
Desert Celebrations and Byrd Baylor
Growing Native with Petey Mesquitey
Desert Celebrations and Byrd Baylor

Jun 26 2021 | 00:04:44

/

Show Notes

I read from the book  I’m in Charge of Celebrations, but I could have read from many others. If you live in Tucson or in the desert nearby then Byrd Baylor’s novel Yes is Better Than No is required reading. I’ve included a photo of our tattered copy from the late 1970s. It was republished in 1990 and illustrated by Leonard Chana, which makes it a wonderful copy to have as well.

I had a few chances to chat with Byrd over the years and every time was special. In the early 1990s I wrote a radio episode about Fremont wolfberry plants blooming on A Mountain near downtown Tucson. Byrd told me when she heard it she immediately drove to A Mountain to find them. I swooned.

Anyway, I guess that’s all. Byrd Baylor loved the desert and lived a long life. How lucky for us we had her. Below is a link to a nice piece by Tony Davis in the Tucson newspaper that may be of interest.

https://tucson.com/news/local/tucson-writer-byrd-baylor-voice-of-the-desert-and-its-people-dies-at-97/article_3f6683a0-d2c6-11eb-bdda-03e27dcace21.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

Other Episodes

Episode

January 06, 2014
Episode Cover

I am Andropogon

Petey jabbers on and on about some native bunch grasses. Fall is certainly the time to get out and visit the vast grasslands in...

Listen

Episode

December 05, 2014
Episode Cover

Mexican June Corn

Petey thinks seeds have stories and the Mexican June corn that a young farmer is growing will have some stories to tell. Let’s listen.

Listen

Episode

October 03, 2019 00:05:20
Episode Cover

Solidago missouriensis

I grew up in Kentucky where the state flower is goldenrod. The particular species that has that honor is Solidago gigantea. I wonder how...

Listen