My mother’s obsession began at her friend’s 50th birthday party themed “50 by 50.” The friend had just returned triumphant from an overnight solo Alaskan trip, the 50th state crossed off in the nick of time before turning the big five-oh.
My dad started composting in our backyard eight years ago. As an avid gardener, he wanted to boost the tomato and zucchini harvest. Also, ever environmentally conscious, we wanted to cut our weekly contribution to the city landfill.