Finds in the Week: Vintage Poster on Food, 1917

I like the simple advice on this vintage poster put out by the U.S. Food Administration in 1917, especially how the advice never ages...

Finds in the Week: Logs at Sunset

 

At one of my favorite places to walk I was captured by the view of logs piled up in the lumber yard.  They looked as though they were waiting- for what? 

As I continued to walk the sky began to change colors and I loved the look of the contrast of wood that was once trees now laid horizontal, when so often I would instead see the logs as trees and pointed vertical towards the sky.

Perspective, perspective.

Finds in the Week: Chris Hardman's ECOlogical Calendar

One of my friends keeps a daily planner as a bit of a diary and a way to keep track of her gardening and what she does from year to year.  Besides journaling about my day and life in general, I too like how the list of the small things that take place in every day life begin to make up my life as a whole.  I find I can be more intentional with spending my time wisely instead of watching the days move by in a blur, even though they still go all too quickly.

So when I found Chris Hardman's ECOlocigal Calendar that keeps track of time based on the seasonal changes of nature, I knew that I had found the perfect planner for me.  Each week there are various "bands" that chart the sky, the sun, the moon, the Earth, and the tides. Therefore the week is constructed more around the lunation of the moon, the location of the stars and the unique aspects of each season.  Each day is given a name- flora, fauna, astronomical, meteorological, and geological- associated with the season in which they take place, and when read produce a poem.

The calendar helps me to focus not only on what is happening in my life from day to day, but to remember to look at and take note of all the natural phenomenon's that are present in our world.

Finds in the Week: Dan Toro's Murals in Motion

The murals around downtown Laramie, WY, a part of the Laramie Mural Project, are fascinating to admire. The following is a video of Dan Toro's Book Shelf, one of my favorites around town, as he creates the mural piece by piece. Have a look at how time, vision, and creativity can make an ordinary wall on a building a masterpiece.



Murals in Motion: Dan Toro from Brian Guice Media on Vimeo.

Finds in the Week: Drizzle and Dip

I like to take photos of what I'm cooking or baking, as you can tell in my recipes section.  So when I found 10 tips for food photography on Pinterest, I had to find out more.  Not only did I find some great tips, but a fun, new (at lest for me) website on cooking and baking by Samantha Linsell: Drizzle and Dip.  Yum! to the recipes, and Thank you! for the tips and an inspiring sight for food photography.

Finds in the week: Chromation by Donald Jensen

Take a moment and watch this beautiful black and white time lapse of the Pacific Northwest created by Donald Jensen. Donald said this about his inspiration and wonder for what he creates, "There is something truly beautiful about the Northwest, and part of that beauty is shaped by the weather. While I love clear skies for shooting stars, I am more and more drawn to the variety of weather phenomenon in the Northwest. I have spent many mornings in awe of splendid bank of Alto Cumulous clouds. Watching lenticulars come and go has become a new favorite pass time. And, seeing a cloud bank seem to continuously pour out of (or disappear into) a void spot in the sky has been the source of many hours of wonder."
Chromation from donald jensen on Vimeo.

Finds in the week...

• Today, November 25th, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.  This day was created by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of violence against women and girls on a global level. Around the world up to 7 in 10 women experience physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime.  Violence against women and children is not a country specific problem, and many places do not yet consider it a crime.

• Are the Earth's poles about to flip? an article on PBS's website informing readers about the three European satellites launched to study the weakening of the magnetic field that surrounds the Earth.  The article is interesting with lots of great links, but some of my favorite comments are: "The Aussies and Kiwi's can't wait for this to happen. Finally on TOP SIDE of the map! lol." "So this is more than just hippies with their planet X conspiracy?

• Spain has been in the 'wrong' time zone for 7 decades, as informed by NPR.  Hitler had a hand in this, too.

• Advice to Little Girls was a children's book written by Mark Twain in 1865.  The article at brainpickings.org shows photos of the long ago book along with quotes from the hilarious and quite dry sense of humor that is classic of Twain. My favorite bit of advice: "If at any time you find it necessary to correct your brother, do not correct him with mud — never, on any account, throw mud at him, because it will spoil his clothes. It is better to scald him a little, for then you obtain desirable results. You secure his immediate attention to the lessons you are inculcating, and at the same time your hot water will have a tendency to move impurities from his person, and possibly the skin, in spots." I could see my daughter doing that...

An evening with Chris Thile, Bach...and my husband...

Recently my husband and I went to see Chris Thile when he performed at the University of Wyoming.

Wow!

In a way I could say three roads converged on that evening. Follow my line of thinking here for a moment.. In college I listened to Chris Thile (although the bluegrass side), I listened to Bach (even the crazy organ music which my sister will attest to), and I met my husband and fell in love. So there we were at the University of Wyoming, married, watching and listening as Chris Thile performed Bach. What was even more astounding than my ironic association of the evening, was the performance by Chris Thile.

I love music from the Baroque period, I love the mandolin, I love my husband, but listening and watching Chris Thile play Bach on the mandolin is something you must do yourself... Enjoy!

Chris Thile: Bach: 'Sonata No. 1 in G minor - II. Fuge Allegro,'

Rose hips

One of my favorite things to do during the fall season is to gather rose hips.  My husband, kids, and I were out in the woods in search of blue grouse when we came upon several patches of rose hips, red and ready to be picked.

Rose hips with a few Oregon grapes mixed in.

People make a variety of things with rose hips: jellies and jams, syrup, wines, and I even read that they can be dried and powdered and then fed to horses to improved coat condition.  I typically dry them and then during the winter make tea with them.

Rose hips are high in vitamin C, contain vitamin A and B and antioxidant properties, and have anti-inflammatory effects among other nutritional values.

It takes close to two weeks for the hips to dry.

Rose hips can also be purchased at herbal stores, but when the snow flakes fall, the experience and the memories of the time spent gathering them go right along with a fresh brewed cup of rose hip tea.

Rose hips washed and ready to be dried.

Dried rose hips ready to be made into tea.
To make tea, steep 1-2 tablespoons of rose hips in 1 cup of boiling water.  Strain the hips before drinking.

Finds in the Week: Sign of peace

Alongside one of my favorite places I like to go to walk this post stands just off the trail.  Each side has the words "May peace prevail on Earth" written in several different languages, including the pictograph of sign language.  It's a good reminder- even for someone like myself who lives in the peaceful state of Wyoming, and generally peaceful world country.  When I see the sign I think of the Christmas song that Vince Gill sings and the line that goes, "Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me."  And so perhaps from now on when I walk by the sign I'll add my own additional part to it..."May peace prevail on Earth, and may it prevail in me."

Finds in the week: Chokecherries

Chokecherries in the area- along with Oregon grape, currants, rose hips, and lots of other berries- are ripe and ready to be picked.

I found several of the said berries this weekend as we were out exploring, but focused on picking the chokecherries as they were much more prolific.  While my husband fly-fished my kids and I tried to pick chokecherries where we could at least reach them along the trail we walked, as so many more were down steep embankments.  Mr. Bear and the birds had already beat us, and thankfully weren't trying to compete with us at the same time.  Plenty of the chokecherries still had time to ripen, leaving more picking for another weekend.

Next step, chokecherry syrup.

Finds in the Week: Pratical advice for relationships with writers...

Finds in the week: Summer reading

Browsing through my local thrift shop I always find exciting things, especially books.  I'm glad someone nearby likes to read what I do. Even after taking this photo my summer reading stack continues to build.  A cool drink in my hand, a river nearby, and a place in the sun- let the summer begin!

Finds in the week: Artist Cai Guo-Qiang

In the April 2013 edition of Smithsonian Magazine, Ron Rosenbaum wrote about his interview with the artist Cai Guo-Qiang in his article entitled "Burning Man".

Born in China, Cai Guo-Qiang now lives in the US and displays his art around the world.  His medium: explosives.  Some of his art that may be familiar to most people is the display of explosions he created for the opening of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

The interview with Cai Guo-Qiang is fascinating as Rosenbaum discovers the deeper meaning for the artists  choice in medium and his art by learning about his childhood, his father's life, and his own hope for eyes, beyond just the Earth, to view his art.  Rosenbaum describes Cia Quo-Qiang's art as: "Violence transformed into ethereal beauty."

Visit Cai Guo-Qiang's website for photos of his fascinating projects and read the article "Burning Man" by clicking on the links.

Finds in the week: Innovative Gardeners

In another place, somewhere in my dreams, I can garden for longer than the 28 frost free days that time allows for plants to grow in our little haven located in Sublette County, Wyoming.  Yes, 28 days, that is all.  It is not impossible for certain plants and veggies to grow, starting inside is a big key, but there are many that just won’t survive in our USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 2-3. 

 

So I was very intrigued to read the article “The New Generation” in April/May 2013 issue of Organic Gardening, about four individuals whose passion is gardening and who have been identified as professionals who will likely make profound impacts on gardening in the future.  The reason for some attention to be shown their way is for their exploration of plants, the varieties they have collected, the propagation of plants, and the use of hybridization.

Here is a list of the four mentioned gardeners found in the print version of the article, on the web there are six, with links to most of their websites.  A glance at their photos provides a visual for their individual passions for gardening and the beauty of innovation in which they have created with plants. 

·         Joseph Tychonievich

·         Brienne Gluvna Arthur

·         Riz Reyes

·         Kelly Norris

 

 

Click here to read the full article at Organic Gardening.