Tag Archives: wildlife

Three Ways to Feel More Connected with Nature

Today you can find a guest post about my three favorite ways to feel more connected with nature on Dawn Gettig’s blog.  She’s an amazing and inspirational yogini, artist, and feng shui practitioner who will be sharing some of her favorite feng shui tips with us here in a few days.

Please hop on over to my article on her blog: Three Ways to Feel More Connected with Nature.

We also love to connect with nature by visiting some of our favorite natural places.  Holden Arboretum had its annual Arbor Day Festivities over the weekend and we had a wonderful time searching for wildflowers (I found some gorgeous bloodroot and twin leaf!) and playing in Buckeye Bud’s adventure area for kids.  Continue reading →

It was a warm and sunny day…

We went for a leisurely walk around the neighborhood.  Sounds of chickadees, red winged blackbirds, and woodpeckers calling, “Spring! Spring! Spring!” Continue reading →

An Avian Visitor + Wormville Update

Nearly every day for the past week, I will suddenly hear raucous alarm calls coming from the flock of sparrows that hang out in the backyard.

It appears that we have attracted a regular visitor who showed up on two separate occasions today. An adorable, killing machine – a Cooper’s hawk. Continue reading →

With Nature at Honey Horn

Yesterday, I finished Thich Nhat Hanh’s Peace is Every Step, an excellent written meditation to help foster mindfulness and awareness.

Often, Thich Nhat Hanh suggests that we would benefit to become more aware of nature.  This is both to increase our level of mindfulness, and to reduce the suffering in others’ lives.  When we are disrespectful to the Earth, we are being disrespectful to all other living beings and to ourselves since we are all connected.  When we become more aware, more conscious, we are naturally inclined to be more respectful of the Earth. Continue reading →

Why Bats are Awesome + Bat Crafts

I’ve never quite understood some people’s revulsion toward bats. Recently someone told me, “I understand bats are important for the environment, but they just aren’t very attractive.”  Continue reading →

The Fall Garden and Her Vegetable Soup

The peak of gardening has passed, but there are still plenty of things to be seen, done, and harvested this time of year.

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Urban Nature

Yesterday, I felt the desire for a nature retreat and I thought about going to spend the day at my parents’ house.  However, the trip was not in the cards for the day, and so I decided to do what I usually do and look for nature near my home in the city.   Continue reading →

Gardening for Wildlife

My aspirations for living life as sustainably as I can probably began when I was a young girl deeply concerned with the well-being of other creatures. Although my interests and understanding of life and nature have spiraled out a great deal since then to encompass many more concerns and observations that I’ve made, I remain fascinated and indebted to the teachings of wild animals.

So when we’re discussing designs for the future, to me, it’s important to incorporate wild animals into (or near) our spaces.  Nonhuman animals have many lessons to share with us and are also essential to properly functioning ecosystems. Landscapes designed for wildlife are also beautiful and life affirming.

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Hands-On Permaculture

After almost two weeks of intensive living and learning, I have my Permaculture Design Certificate from Midwest Permaculture! It’s my first full day away from the course and I’m a bit sad that it’s all over.

During these past weeks, I learned that life can be full of community, of learning and working with others, of meals and conversations and a fullness that seems to be lacking so often in “the real world” (or is experienced fleetingly). I felt like less of an outsider on the planet and like I had found some place that I have always been looking for where people want to learn to live in harmony with the Earth. I felt connections and relationships blossoming in ways that I rarely do in my day to day life.  And I was learning a tremendous amount on a daily basis.  It’s hard to leave that behind.

Continue reading →