Guerilla Gardening
Guerrilla gardening is a form of environmental and social activism involving the cultivation of plants in neglected or unused public or private spaces without the owner’s permission. It is an act of “people power” that transforms forgotten urban areas into vibrant pockets of green space, blending gardening with protest against
Nature takes back
All my life I have been fascinated by flowers and plants. Yet it is amazing that you are touched every time. The beauty of flowers is inexhaustible. During my pilgrimage from Porto to Santiago de Compostela it happened again. The walk makes all your senses open. I can still conjure
Moja House
In Japan, a moja house covered with ivy and plants that you sometimes see in the city is called a “moja house”. （shaggy house） I am curious about what kind of people live there. There is also a moja house in the neighboring town of my house. The house is
TOO MUCH CONCRETE!
Two years ago we moved from a large house into a new build apartment. In our home my wife and I each had our own studios. In the apartment my wife took over one of the bedrooms as her studio and I rented a studio in a Church. It didn’t
Surpassing Angst
I don’t live in an urban setting, so for this prompt, urban nature, I thought about times I’ve visited large cities. My first thought was a memory of Tokyo, where we visited an Imperial garden, with beautiful trees, plants, and water features. It was like being in a magical Japanese
Urban Nature: Instinct Interrupted
There are an estimated 1.3 million alligators living in Florida. Growing up in Miami, I always knew I might open the door and find a prehistoric sunbather lounging in the yard or under my car. When I first heard the prompt, my mind went straight there. I imagined a gator
Flowers Among the Stones
I got an inspiration I got during my trip to Portugal. I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful flowering bushes that broke up the cobblestones and stone homes in the ancient city of Óbidos. A guide told us that the flowers were mandated by the dictator Salazar (until his overthrow
Green Spaces
Gardens are our human oases to relax and enjoy nature. That doesn’t mean one has to do all the work that comes along with a plot of land, no matter the size, it can be a public park! When we visit cities, at some point, we’re all ready to walk
Thoughts on Urban Nature
Martha Ressler 5-3 There are so many possibilities for Urban nature. Community gardens, roof gardens, parks, green spaces, and back yards are all dear to my heart. I’ve been influenced by Doug Tallamy’s work promoting the benefit of people’s individual yards when planted with native plants as an invitation to
Green Park and Houston Quilt Festival
From October 9th to 12th, the International Quilt Festival was held at the Huston convention, and I went to see it. Huston is easy to get to and from Japan because it has direct flights from Japan, so many Japanese people also participate in this event. During the event, I
Springtime in New Zealand
Its Springtime in New Zealand and the blossom is in full flight everywhere. Its so pretty! The juxtaposition of the beautiful blossom against hard architecture of buildings tends to soften the view and make it more pleasing to the eye. However, after our major earthquakes in Christchurch in 2010/2011, I