27 February 2012

finding your nature… wherever you may be

Nature is lurking in unsuspected corners.  If you live in a big city or urban area like I do, sometimes you forget it's there.  The littlest bits of nature are so often overlooked in our big and bustling schedules weaving through the concrete jungle.  Living in Bangkok, sometimes I feel like I’m trapped in a cement box; the natural world being choked out of me.  That just means it’s time for a walk…

I set out the other day into the urban jungle and decided to wander into a very local area a handful of blocks back from my building.  The tall buildings diminished to wooden homes of beautiful carvings and I found myself walking down a pathway.  Giant leaves and delicate flowers began to grow up around me and along the path.  A calico cat took a seat and watched me on my pilgrimage.  I felt like I was in a rural village, not the big, bad, Bangkok I sometimes feel trapped in.  The urban gardens at each house continued to grow as I reached the edge of the canal.  Families sat out on their porches roasting their lunch and chattering happily.  


Green exercise is crucial to our mental and physical health.  Living in a city can make us assume it just isn't possible!  Step outside and follow your instincts around an unsuspecting corner and you may find something you never would have expected; something green, something beautiful and natural making its way up through a crack in the pavement or an urban garden hiding in a damp corner.  Regain your serendipity; your chance to stumble upon something unsought for!

Try and go for a walk every day.  Discover, breath it in, take a photo and send it to your friend.  Many types of doctors are even beginning to give "green exercise" prescriptions for a variety of problems.  Next time you’re at the doctor, you should demand one… and don't forget to stop and smell the flowers.  I will go into the benefits of green exercise in my next post, and adventure, so stayed tuned!


Artwork: Manu_H,  Leah Flores

10 February 2012

groovy vibes, four tet



Artwork by Leah Flores

bianca green

Today I came across an artist, Bianca Green, and I fell in love with her mixed and matched patterns paired with her use of white space.  Truly inspiring.



You can find all these and more here, where you can purchase as a print, iPhone case, computer case and almost any other way you can think of.
I hope not.


Artwork by Nick Nelson

09 February 2012



 For myself I hold no preferences among flowers, so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous. 

-Edward Abbey


pic: rainbow wildfox

08 February 2012

the nature principle

“The future will belong to the nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”
—Richard Louv

I just finished The Nature Principle by Richard Louv.  This book stemmed from his prior publication, The Last Child in the Woods (which I'm reading next!).  In The Last Child, he introduces the concept, Nature Deficit Disorder as a major cause for many of the 'problems', ADD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc, that kids face in an ever technologically dependent world.  After the book was released, adults were telling him, "We have it too! It's not just a problem with children!" and hence The Nature Principle was born.


This book is full of ideas and hope for green jobs, cities, communities, and so much more.  It helped me gain some stamina and ambition and made me question exactly what I ought to be doing in this world.  

What ought this world be?

braid crazy

As a kid I always had long hair, partly so I could pull it up to be a ballerina.  When it wasn't in a bun, I just let hang down over my shoulders and back, unless I was lucky enough for my mother to give me a french braid that day.  I keep seeing braids everywhere lately.  These beauties are being styled for photo shoots and the run way left and right.  I just can't get enough.  Their ruff-and-tumble, earthy vibes come up or down and usually in volume.  Where's my mother when I need her?




pics: the brides find, free people, the beauty department, examiner, face art


one teaspoon









My favorite new looks from one teaspoon... I love the north-beach vibes by this Aussie line.