Tuesday, May 1, 2007

“Beth?” I ask, looking at our front flower bed. “I wonder, are the Fritillaries related to the Merrybells?”

I’m thinking they both have droopy flowers and sort of longish leaves, but the Merrybells seem happy in the shade northwest of the house with the spring ephemerals and the Fritillaries are obviously enjoying full sun for a large part of the day on the south side in the front. While I’m asking this question I’m feeling very scientific and thinking about Everything is Miscellaneous, which I am enjoying as much for David Weinberger’s swell writing as for the insights relating to classificatory schemes. David wrote:

Adler fought Ahab-like against the alphabetical because he was sure that “inherent in the things to be learned we should be able to find inner connections.”

I practically chortled. And, when he did not follow that up with “battling his bête noir bested him in the end” or some such alliterative prattle, I admired his restraint.

“No.” Beth says. “I mean I guess maybe they’re both liliaceae, but — no….” I had to look that up.

She’s going to enjoy this book when I’ve finished reading it.

[tags]Everything is Miscellaneous, when is a lily not a lily[/tags]

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