That retired teacher in Portland knew more about moss than my whole garden club

I was pulling weeds at the community plot last spring when this older woman stopped to point at the damp brick border. She said my soil was too acidic for the moss I wanted, and she showed me how to test it with a simple vinegar trick. She'd spent 30 years teaching kids about Pacific Northwest flora, and she named every fern along the fence line without looking up. She gave me her old field guide before she left, and I still use those margin notes today. Has anyone else had a stranger just drop knowledge on them like that?

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thomas.parker19d ago

That hits home. Strangers sharing wisdom like that is a rare gift.