I suspect there are manuals for everything. If I were to resume my interest in the rebuilding of motorcycle engines, it would be pretty easy to find, online or otherwise, lots of guidance for “How to do it.” Almost anything one wants to accomplish is well documented. We are an information-rich world now. No excuse not to know.

I am mentioning this because I neglected to consult the “How To” manual, or perhaps better described as the “How to Bible” for writing. E.B.White I am not, although I was given the White and Strunk “Elements of Style” by my aunt when I launched my college fiasco career of long ago. Many of the Elements went unnoticed. Joe Gelarden would not have my back on this one!

In my last week's adventure column I managed to overlook a few fundamental items of high priority, namely the correct spelling of those about whom I wrote. Molly is how I spell Molly but it isn't the way Mollie spells Mollie, and Welles is not the way Wells spells Wells. I think I recalled Welles Steane on that one, which is the only time I had ever heard the name Welles, or Wells. So, for me, the lesson is, confirm the correct spelling of everything, especially names of those with title roles! I'm sorry, Mollie and Wells. I never thought to ask. I assumed. Bad dog! This will probably happen again as I embark upon the writing journey, which is largely foreign to me, as could be noted by all who read my weekly expose' with red marker in hand. Recollections of “Intro to essay 101,” all but totally discouraged me from ever doing more than writing a check for the landlord.

So, as an attempt to redeem myself, this week I have chosen a safe subject and also a subject which will not be graded. It is lupine time as I'm sure will be well documented on social media by everyone in the blooming zones. My lupine photo required no interview and only a short stroll to the back field. It appears to be a lupine bumper crop year, at least at home. We have so many plants that we have been transplanting them to new locations, which is not a sure thing. It seems especially dicey this year as the lupine dining slugs also seem to be plentiful. And I'm not about to be wandering the property collecting slugs.

The next time I interview someone, no matter how well I know them, the first factoid of note will be, “How do you spell Bob, or Bill or Mary?” In the short run, I will recover from my errors by employing a sure fired technique learned in college: Read the “Cliff” notes before the exam. My musings about water, sky and sunshine will be forthcoming. The columns may be a bit boring but they will be accurate.