Trespassing ~

I'm not sure additional words should accompany this image, for the point is made loud and clear.  Although, when I stop to think about it, too few people are actually getting the point.  We need to wake up and restore sustainable, organic land practices to the Earth ~ the soil, the dirt, the very thing we are made of, we live from, we return to.  Is it that hard to do?  Or will the greedy forces of humanity continue to reign supreme when it comes to the use of chemicals, pesticides, genetically engineered seeds, and unethical 'farming' practices?  

I love this planet I call home, the dirt beneath my feet, the food that maintains and keeps my body healthy and alive, the water I drink, the air I breathe, the stunning vista visions which surround me, and I refuse to just accept the common food/farm/agriculture practices of today's society.  Instead of feeling overwhelmed and defeated by what I consider a personal trespassing upon me and my family, I choose to continue to educate myself and make a difference in every way I can. Obviously, I do not have millions of dollars to fight the aggressive conglomerates {aka chemical trespassers}, but I do believe there is power in numbers; people who wish to go back to the days when organic didn't seem to carry the weight of 'privileged and wealthy' but rather as it has always  meant to be ~ simple, pure, healthy living for all mankind.  

[Reverie-Daydream Image]

Bees ~

 

"It is the peculiar nature of the world to go on spinning

no matter what sort of heartbreak is happening."

~ Sue Monk Kidd

This past weekend, we had a little documentary fest at our abode.  One of the  viewings was of Vanishing Of The Bees.  Eye, heart, and mind opening in every way.  Damn us humans for messing up nature's perfect harmony.  Newsflash, in case you didn't know it, BEES are essential to life.  They are vanishing because of pesticides.  I've always been enamored with these buzzing little beauties, but now it's time to BEE the change we need to be in this world to help keep these vital lifelines strong and happy.  

Watch this film and you will agree.  

DIRT! and Ayurveda, art of being were the other two films we enjoyed and highly recommend.  Important stuff that feeds good knowledge to your mind {and soul}.

[Reverie-Daydream Images]

Growing ~

This weekend, the crumb and I visited Tara Firma Farms.  I left there a different person, a person seeking a way to be a part of this amazing place.  I'm not sure when or how this is going to happen, but my heart danced there, my senses were in overdrive, and my desire for a deeper knowledge of bio-intensive gardening needs to be nurtured. 

Tara and Craig Smith founded this farm in 2009, and I was blown away that neither of them had any farm background when they purchased this 300-acre property.  The Omnivore's Dilemma is what changed their life causing them to step away from their corporate jobs in order to help balance the needs of environment and nutrition via a harmony with land and animals.  So far, it is remarkable what they have accomplished and are offering to the community. 

Tara gave us a tour of the farm which included baby chicks {biggest deal ever for the crumb}, goats, a new to the world baby bull, baby owls, piglets, and the vegetable gardens.  She spoke freely, proficiently, and brilliantly.  I could have listened to her stories, ideas, lessons, and facts for hours, and I did ask how I could learn more about the bio-intensive farming from their mastermind gardener, Elijah.  I'm hoping a valid answer is forthcoming...

[Reverie-Daydream Images]

A PUBLIC Wish ~

All it takes is a vision, a group of like-minded people who put their thoughts, ideas, and plans of change into action.  A movement has started in the U.S. ~ one that not only benefits the environment but also improves health and socialization.  Europeans have proven this brilliant concept equates to a more civilized society, and now we are finally taking note.  

PUBLIC bikes is Rob Forbes' (founder of Design Within Reach) newest venture, and this design based business is on "a mission to help us reduce our dependency on cars and think more intelligently and artfully about the way we get around and connect with our cities and communities". 

I don't know about you, but this is one bandwagon I'm going to jump on ~ and yes, I've already picked out my PUBLIC M8 beauty (in Cream, please) and have added it to the top of my wish list.  

[Reverie-Daydream Images]

Plastiki

"What we have to do is eliminate dumb uses of plastic.

Thirty-eight billion plastic bottles went into landfill last year."

~David de Rothschild

Hence the premise behind Plastiki, to dramatize the message that plastic is evil and that sailing a 60-foot catamaran across the Pacific [with 68 percent of the boat’s buoyancy derived from a matrix of 12,500 recycled plastic bottles] will capture the attention of people around the world.

An engineering feat from conception, the stunt for an environmental cause has evolved into a new way to build. Design 'roadblocks' forced 'think-outside-the-box' solutions resulting in a boat constructed using self-reinforced plastics (no resins). The parts are heat-welded together, or in some cases they’re joined with a glue made from sugar cane and cashews. The boat’s solar panels are good for 600 watts, and a recumbent exercycle is rigged to produce 7 amps. A hanging hydroponic garden will grow chard, kale, spinach and other leafy greens. The boat's cabin [egg-shaped as a form of biomimicry] has been described as "the ultimate off-grid house". Plastiki is another 'role model' for our future proving once again that it is possible to use recycled goods and build with non-toxic chemicals.

On Saturday, we attended the traditional Polynesian christening ceremony which means the boat is blessed and ready to make its journey. David de Rothschild will, with a six-man crew, sail across the Pacific Ocean starting in San Francisco and ending his journey in Sydney. Along the way, there are planned visits of several sites of ecological importance such as the man-made disaster called the Eastern Pacific Garbage Patch, a floating landfill located between California and Hawaii that’s twice the size of Texas. This is definitely a noble mission, and one I personally look forward to following.

[Reverie-Daydream Images]

Love & Release

Today, we visited the newly-renovated Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. If you already didn't know, I am a huge animal lover (land, sea or sky), so everyday I thank my lucky stars for granting me the fortune of living in such an amazing place that is filled with a plethora of nature's magnificent wonders.

The Marine Mammal Center is a nonprofit organization that rescues, rehabilitates and releases injured, sick and orphaned marine mammals (seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, whales and sea otters) along a 600 mile stretch of California coastline. There were 110 'patients' there today. My heart breaks to see the reasons why most are there - negligence and ignorance of the human race - from fish hooks, plastic bags, fishing nets, water bottles, etc. Environmental and other causes such as abandoned pups were also high on the list. Luckily, these sweet little loves are given the greatest care, by an amazing staff of veterinarians, scientists and volunteers, with the highest hopes of being released back into nature once they are 100% healed and recovered.

This is an incredible facility, not only for the TLC that is given to each mammal that arrives, but also for its environmental-friendly design (recycled and sustainable building materials, solar panels, use of reclaimed water, efficient fixtures and lighting and more). With over 800 volunteers, one can easily see that people are very passionate about making a difference. We are all connected on this great planet and being considerate of every living species is a vital commitment we all need to make.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress

can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

~Mahatma Ghandi

[photograph by Simply Mel]