Lawyer, novelist, writer and world traveler, Spengler writes about law, business, travel and gardening. She holds an MA in English, an MFA in Creative Writing and a JD (law degree) from UC Berkeley.
Awakening Your Inner Artist
Children love coloring and playing, but adults also have inner artists that need care and feeding. When the urge to get inspired reappears in your life, don’t hesitate to make room for creativity. Pablo Picasso claimed that art washes away from the soul the dust of ordinary life. If you’re ready to spend a relaxing getaway pleasing your senses, here’s how you can entice your inner artist to come out and play.
Casual Art: Taking It to the Streets in Austin
Art is everywhere in Austin, Texas. I...
USA Hotspots
It’s summertime, and travel is on every bucket list. While overseas trips offer exotic charm, you can always find adventure and delight across the USA. Here’s a roundup of the latest hotspots, transporting you from one edge of the nation to the other and back again.
The Many Facets of San Francisco
It will surprise no one to find San Francisco at the top of the hotspot list. Often considered the most beautiful city in the nation, the City by the Bay is a many-splendored thing with a vibrant a...
Coo-Coo, Coo-Coo
Spring is a season of hope, as daffodils push through the cold soil and the forsythias put out their yellow blooms. The blood quickens, dreams reappear out of the waning darkness of winter, reappear and seem possible.
But to me, the true harbinger of spring is neither sights nor dreams. It is a sound, a repeated sound that I remember not just from the prior spring, but from the spring of my life, the call of the cuckoo.
The First Cuckoo
When I was a child in central Alaska, my mom was given a...
Teo Spengler
Teo has studied horticulture and master gardening both in California and in France, and has put those skills to use in personal and public gardens in those regions. Spengler also completed an intensive 16-week program to qualify as a docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden and has given public tours there for some years. She writes about nature, plants and gardening for a variety of websites including Hunker, Gardening Know How, Home Guides, and Gardening Guides. She is also an attorney ...
Going Nature-al
In this age of global crises – including ongoing conflicts, rising populations, and climate change – it’s hard not to fear for the future. There are so many curves on the road ahead that it is impossible to get a realistic view of what to expect. But in my mind, one thing is certain: the relationship between humans and Mother Nature must grow closer if our planet is to survive.
Going “Nature-al”
This might be called the golden age of technology, as machines are built to take over our day-to-d...
Pecan Tree Problems: Common Mistakes When Growing Pecans
Pecan trees are tall and beautiful additions to the backyard, plus mature trees produce all those delicious nuts. No tree this spectacular grows well without a little effort though. Before you invite a pecan tree into your garden, you’ll want to know about pecan growing problems that others have experienced. Avoid these same mistakes when growing pecans by understanding potential pecan tree problems in advance. Read on for info and tips to help you get started.
Pecan Tree Problems
Pecan trees...
Plant Week
Welcome to Hunker's Plant Week: A five-day guide to all things indoor plants. Throughout the week, we'll be sharing tips for plant beginners, advice on care for everything from succulents to ferns, and plant-spo for adding more greenery to your home.
How to Manage Indoor Plant Pests: A Gardener's Ultimate Guide
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Just because you site a plant indoors doesn't mean it is safe from pests. Some of the same pests that damage your outdoor flowers and foliage can also be indoor plant pests and attack your houseplants. Indoors, insects have few — if any — predators, and their numbers can increase rapidly. However, if you take steps to prevent houseplant pest infestation and detec...
What to Plant in the Fall: The 20 Best Home Garden Ideas
Autumn is an excellent season for planting, with the weather mild but cooling and the fall rain on the way. Many of the pests that bother plants in spring and summer are already gone when the leaves fall, and summer garden cleanup is ongoing. What should you plant in your garden in the fall? You will have more than a few choices.
The 20 Best Things to Plant in Fall
Almost anything you put into the ground in the fall will grow happily for you, from leafy greens to annuals to perennials. For so...
Can a Husband File Criminal Charges Against His Wife in Divorce Proceedings?
In some divorce cases, insults and allegations fly like autumn leaves. Even when spouses file for no-fault divorce in which no blame is established, spouses may recite ugly incidents, real or fabricated, to affect the court's property, support or custody rulings. However, spouses wishing to file criminal charges must take their allegations to a law enforcement agency.
Court Jurisdiction
Not every court can hear every case. Rather, court jurisdiction is limited by state statute. Family law cou...
What Is Common Law Marriage?
You might think from the name that common-law marriages are common, but they aren't. Perhaps they were in another century, but today few states allow couples to be legally married simply by acting as if they are. It's certainly an inexpensive path to matrimony where it is permitted: no marriage license, no civil or religious ceremony and no expensive bachelor's party or bridal dress.
What Are the Requirements for a Common-Law Marriage?
Now, don't panic all you single-status tax filers. Just l...