Compost Matters . . .

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If any of you doubt the value of composting. . . let me tell you that the richest growing matter can be created from old previously consumed material.


Like most things green, sometimes the first attempted planting doesn’t find the best conditions to grow and become a regular feature in the garden. The key is to keep the seeds . . . and when conditions ARE right, mix in the compost, scratch in the seeds, give them some light and water them with new ideas. Then, keep working the plot and hope that this time they’ll grow into something new, beautiful and lasting.

Peter and I have been keeping the Green House seeds dry and warm, tucked into pockets close to our hearts and waiting for the right conditions to plant them again. This is that time.

The original concept for the comic began in 2006 and was featured in actual PAPER newspapers.

“At the Green House” was originally, “The Green House,” a comic strip about Pam & Todd Green, a young couple dealing with the daily issues of surviving and making a life for themselves. Mixed into the daily situations they faced decisions with environmental impact and like most of us, try to be more eco-conscious. Pam was a teacher and Todd was a cartoonist who created a cartoon character called “Earthworm- the World’s Most Down To Earth Superhero!” The strip also featured an interesting supporting cast, including a group of critters who lived outside in their yard, Wormy (a young earthworm), a soulful Praying Mantis (Mantis) and a leftist blogging rat named Link.

Back in “the day,” we sold the comic to about 30 Newspapers and “Green Magazines” and had a nice, growing following, until the newspaper industry started to change. Editors (who bought our feature) were being let go, papers were folding and unfortunately, we weren’t getting paid. We shifted attention to the website and selling subscriptions to try to keep going until it became apparent that two creators couldn’t feed their families with online donations. So, we sadly left the Green House and went on to other endeavors. We kept the seeds . . . our creative connection- and checked in from time to time to turn the compost.

A lot of time has passed, and it seems that the planet needs all of our help, maybe now more than ever. Peter and I are at places in our lives where we have some time and even more ambition to create. So, we’ve decided to replant the seeds of this eco-conscious feature and let it grow in the new garden of social media and www’s. Over the past few months, we’ve been meeting, writing, drawing new material and working the soil to create this organic, heirloom variety edition of “At the Green House”. The Greens are still here (unlike us, they haven’t changed) but they have some new critters and friends for you all to meet.


So, here’s our new website, “At the Green House,” where we’ll be sharing comics, thoughts, daily sproutings and our “process” here with you. But, this year’s garden is going to feature a lot more than just our produce. . . it’s going to more like a Community Garden. In the first month or so of features, you’ll join the Greens as they buy their first home on a street named Evergreen Circle. They’re surrounded by wonderful neighbors and create a caring, conscious community where ideas and talents are shared by all. . . that’s where YOU come in. . . as Mr. Rogers would say, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”

While we share our stories and develop our characters, we hope you will join us and sign up for our Newsletter, where we’ll be sharing stories about you and your green interests. We hope to connect to many like-minded spirits who want to make the world a greener, healthier place. There’s so much to talk about here and on Evergreen Circle. . . and in the Green’s backyard. We hope it will turn into a never ending Garden Party! Peter and I will be posting more about Evergreen Circle as the days go by, but please, just sign up for the Newsletter so you can share in the process. We aren’t about selling you things, we just want to open up our backyard, have some creative conversation and share your green plans and dreams.

Earth Day 2026 is tomorrow. We’ll be sharing a new post then. . . like offering you an apple from our tree. That tree took a long time to grow and bear fruit . . . and we’re proud to share it with you. If you like “the apple” we’ll also be sharing all the fruits and veggies that are sprouting from our years of careful composting. . . mixing a little of this. . .with a little of that . . . green stuff, brown stuff. . . history, new ideas, failings, dreams, a little manure. . .

Our gratitude goes out to all of you who’ve kept in touch with us, asking, “How’s Wormy doing?” and hoping to see some new foliage. New Greens will be popping up here and growing toward YOUR light. We hope you’ll read and contribute your thoughts and comments. See you all at the Green House!


Peace,
Brad & Peter

Today’s Green Tune:

All of our At The Green House posts will be accompanied by a musical link. . . a song for your day. There’s so much great music out there by singer/songwriters, Indy artists. . . your neighbors. . . we want to share it with you- and it’s even more fun if it connects to our comic and post for the day. Today’s Green Tune is by Mark Erelli and this is a live performance of “Everything in Ruin.” I love this song and it speaks to my feelings about Connecticut winters . . . with the hope for life to be renewed in the spring, “soon to be renewed.” I had that “junked out truck, stuck in the mud. . . ” when we first started working on The Green House- it was a black Chevy plow truck for my 900′ uphill, twisty driveway. Before each storm I’d park it at the top of the driveway, and hope it would make it down (and most important, back UP). It had a knack of breaking down every time there was a snow coming. . . starter, hydraulic line, battery, mice nibbling through wires. . . another hydraulic line. . . something. But this song sang in my head all winter. . . every winter since I first heard it and it helped me remember that the Earth, like us, needs seasons, rests and rebirths.
“And all I gotta do is make it through these next few months. . . ” Check out more of Mark’s music, especially the CD with this song on it “Delivered.” Mark’s an amazing performer and writer.

A Reggae Christmas Carol- When Jacob Marley Meets Bob Marley. . .

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There’s a song. . . and a story. As for the song, this is an unlicensed use of the melody from Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” along with some of his timeless lyrics to other songs which were used in the bridge, including the beautiful “One Love.”

As a legal disclaimer, I’m not trying to sell this song or profit from it in anyway.

It’s just a fun idea I had and a wish I had to make it “real” and work with some of my very talented friends. What transpired in the creation of the song (and the card art) was kind of magical. . . the Christmas Carol is a story that touches (pretty much) every facet of the human condition and asks us all to reflect and allow ourselves to envision the possibility that everyone can change. It’s a story of hope and reclamation, or redemption. Through Tiny Tim, I see mankind as a hopeful young man eager to see the best in everyone, eager to see beyond his condition and hope the best for others. When I took Bob Marley’s words, “Don’t worry, about a thing, ’cause every little thing, gonna be alright” and changed them to “Don’t worry, about Tiny Tim, cause tiny Tiny Tim, gonna be alright,” I realized that they’re very much saying the same thing. Waking to a sun rising and birds singing is the essence of hope for a new day and new way for all of us. Every day is a chance to change and make a difference in someone else’s life and indeed, the world.

Bob’s music was rich in philosophy and soul. So was Charles Dickens’ writing. Am I really the first person to put them together? . . Am I the unlikely conduit for combing them both into a Reggae Christmas Carol?

Maybe. What I do know is this. . . Little things make a difference. Sending a greeting card with a small inscription makes a difference. The beautiful words of holidays songs make a difference. A greeting card and a song? Super cool :0)

Below is the player where you can hear the song. I hope you enjoy it and it makes you remember the little things. . . the Tiny Tims. If you want to hear more about the creative process and story behind the song you can continue to read after you give a listen. . . Happiest of Holidays to you and yours~ and all the best for the New Year!

Peace,

Brad & Beth Gilchrist

I’m a huge fan of “Scrooge- A Christmas Carol,” the 1951 British movie version of the Dicken’s classic. 

Alistair Sim’s performance as Scrooge is the ultimate (in my humble opinion) and a late night watch of the DVD is all it takes to put me in the spirit. So, last year (2024) I was sitting in my studio in mid-November trying to come up with ideas for our annual Christmas card, when somehow, Jacob Marley and Bob Marley met somewhere in my mind and I came up with the notion of Jacob singing, “Don’t worry, ’bout Tiny Tim. . .  ‘cuz tiny Tiny Tim, gonna be alright.”  Bringing the beauty and simplicity of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” into a scene on Christmas morning. . . why not? I jotted some more lyrics and then realized it would be even cooler if I could put together some friends and actually record the song to accompany the card.

Now. . . that would take some time and I was already “at deadline” for getting a card off to a printer if there was any hope of getting it out by Christmas.

I opted for “Plan J (Jayme)” asking my daughter Jayme to draw a picture of our new family member, Leo and we could put that on the card for 2024. Jayme came through and created an adorable card and the “Marley Mash Up” was shelved for 2025.

November 2025. . . time to start working on the next Christmas card and I started thinking about how to make the Marley Card recording a reality. So, I reached out to some of the talented people I worked with (before my “retirement”) at CT State Asnuntuck- Kellie Payne who is a radio personality in Springfield and singer in her church choir and other vocal groups, Mark Lyons, a Guitar teacher who also plays in several bands (one that is a Bob Marley Tribute Band), Nathan Thibadeau (drummer and IT specialist, also in the Marley Tribute Band and another band with Mark), and former student, Security Guard and super human being, Ajzhante (AJ) White (who also sang in Kellie’s church choir).

Artwise, I got the drawing done in about a week and got that off to the printer. It was fun getting back to the nitty gritty of using a brush and pens again. . . and digging out my old Mac G4 with Photoshop 5 on it. . . a relic from the days when you bought the software and didn’t have to pay a monthly subscription. Fortunately, it still works and I could still remember how to work it!

Back to the music. . .

The long story shortened . . . Mark liked the idea and within a couple days creates a base melody track in his home recording studio. By the weeks end, Kellie, AJ and Mark’s wife, Jessica Rose had layed down chorus and bridge vocals. The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come never sounded better.

A few days later, Kellie brings in Cedric Dion Rivers, the Music Director of her church Praise Group to sing the lead vocals and just like a magic Christmas morning, it all came together. Calling it magic isn’t a stretch. . . when Cedric sang the lead vocals, we knew we had the right voice. Then we asked him to adlib with “whatever feels right”. . . a couple “we’re singings” a “yeah” or two. . . but Wow. . . suddenly the ghostly “whooo’s” emerged and the character of the song took form. Mark plays all of the instuments, mixed and fixed everything and we got it done a week before Christmas.

So. . . what’s to become of the song? I’ve copyrighted my lyrics, but to license the music is not “in my league,” nor do I want anything out there that the Marley family might find “offensive” or improper. Therefore, it’s just a fun song, and a Blog Post that I hope you and yours will enjoy. I did discover that one of our “ghosts” also has a connection to Ziggy Marley and I’m hoping he’ll be able to hear the song. . . maybe even think it’s worth recording?

Whatever comes from it, it was a great experience and I’m truly blessed to have these talented friends. Thank you all for your work and friendship!

L>R: Kellie & Mark, a couple birds holding a place for Cedric & AJ