Our time in southwest Florida is nearing its end, as Peggy (my partner) and I are moving back to Massachusetts in a couple of weeks. We've missed our community of family and friends, as well as the familiarity of places and offerings, more than we imagined. It's been a mixed experience in Florida: unusual circumstances, like friends moving away within months of our arrival; disconnect with aspects of the culture that don't resonate with us; surprises and delights with the ecology; learning … [Read more...] about Lessons Learned in Florida
Environment-Green-Sustainability
Journey to South Africa – Week 2
The first part of our 2-week journey to South Africa was spent doing volunteer work at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Daktari Bush School. We then entered "safari mode" and went to Kruger National Park. These pictures are accompanied by brief narratives that describe what we experienced. Day 9 - Oct. 21, 2016 Daktari Bush School to Olifants River, South Africa Our final morning at Daktari was quite moving. Each student had written a list of "promises" and, one by one, stood on a … [Read more...] about Journey to South Africa – Week 2
Journey to South Africa – Week 1
In Oct. 2016, I went on an incredible 2-week journey to South Africa!! The words to fully describe the experience spill out in pictures. It was a trip of a lifetime, organized and facilitated by Shayne Traviss (of VividLife) and Dawid De Wet (of Toerboer). Day 1 - Oct. 13, 2016 Johannesburg, South Africa Our flight out of Boston was the morning of Oct. 12. We flew to Atlanta, had an 8 hour layover there, then caught our flight to Johannesburg. There was an unexpected delay with the "Joburg" … [Read more...] about Journey to South Africa – Week 1
We Are All Connected
During the 22 years I lived in Somerville, Massachusetts, I discovered many grassroots environmental groups right outside my front door. We had a second-floor apartment in a triple-decker, not far from the Mystic River. I didn't visit the river very often because there are busy highways next to it. For years, I'd drive on one of those highways, Mystic Avenue, to get to work, and I became quite fond of a beautiful mural adjacent to it. I began to take walks down to the river so that I could look … [Read more...] about We Are All Connected
In Honor of Earth Day
In honor of Earth Day, I share with you one of my favorite poems by e.e. cummings: i thank You God for most this amazing day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes (i who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth day of life and of love and wings:and of the gay great happening illimitably earth) how should tasting touching hearing … [Read more...] about In Honor of Earth Day
T-shirt Art and Design for Thoreau Society
Influence and Inspiration Henry David Thoreau has had a great influence on me. I first read his "Civil Disobedience" essay in high school, which inspired me to take part in various anti-war (Vietnam) and anti-nuclear actions. I can't remember exactly when I read his iconic book, Walden, because it feels like a book I've been familiar with since I was a child. Thoreau was the first environmentalist I could relate to on an emotional, spiritual level. It is my great fortune that I live near … [Read more...] about T-shirt Art and Design for Thoreau Society
Art at the Market
September 3 was "Tomato Time" at the Belmont Farmers' Market. As part of our celebration of the tomato harvest, we created an "Art at the Market" tent. Jeanne brought the art supplies, and Heli organized the tent, table, and chairs. We encouraged market shoppers to join us in artful pursuits, offering a variety of paper sizes and mediums: crayons, cray-pas, colored pencils, and markers. Children were immediately drawn into the activity and were impressively focused on their art creations. … [Read more...] about Art at the Market
Painting at the Farmers’ Market
I've been inspired this year to paint at our farmers' market in Belmont. Interestingly, it was my participation in the current art show at the Belmont Gallery of Art ("From the Garden to the Kitchen to the Table") which planted the initial seed of inspiration. The art in this year’s show relates to all aspects of the cycles of sustainable agriculture: sowing, tending, harvesting, preparation, and distribution of food and plants. The show is coordinated with the library’s town-wide reading … [Read more...] about Painting at the Farmers’ Market