the great outdoors
[2.24.10]
Snow Day
We had the most beautiful snow the other day. It’s apparently very rare to get the right circumstances that produce those perfect little crystalline snow flakes, but we had it. Every snow pile was glittering with light. It was completely magical – all I wanted to do was frolic around and make snow angels…[more]
[2.22.10]
Northern Lights
I’ve always wanted to travel to the northern part of the hemisphere to see the northern lights. It’s probably beyond cold, but I think it would be worth it…[more]
[2.16.10]
What makes me smile…
I was looking through old photos and came across this and it made me happy. A day in the waterpark with friends is a good day indeed…[more]
[1.17.10]
Seen From Above
I’m always enchanted by satellite photos of the earth’s surface. It takes something you think you know so well and completely abstracts it. These pictures of sand dunes seen from the sky are really amazing – the colors and the shapes, they could be an abstract painting…[more]
[1.6.10]
Outdoor Transformation
These pictures of an outdoor transformation by HGTV are so inspiring to me. The backyard looks like (let’s face it) crap before, and is so inviting afterwards…[more]
[10.10.09]
Rocky Mountain National Park
I love National Parks. I’ve made it my goal to see them all before I die. It’s a pretty big endeavor, as there are a lot of National Parks! Some of them are definitely better than others but once you get the chance to learn the story behind them, you can understand their significance and beauty…[more]
[9.29.09]
Heirlooms
If you’re planning on planting a garden anytime in your life, why not make it a historical garden? Heirloom seeds offer fruits and vegetables that have been untouched by agri-business, which is great, but you also get a lot of variety that you wouldn’t otherwise find. I mean, who wouldn’t like to eat a white carrot? Or a purple tomatillo? We’re very used to heirloom tomatoes, which are beautiful and delicious…[more]
[9.11.09]
Natural Wonders
Have you all heard about the sailing stones? They are apparently these huge rocks out in the desert that move mysteriously. People have hypothesized that it’s something to do with high wind speeds and ice distribution, but I’ve lived around 90mph winds and I’ve never seen them move an 800lb rock across the ground…[more]
[8.22.09]
Cooling Fountains
I’ve always had a thing for fountains. They’re beautiful, they make gorgeous sounds (that drown out all other noise) and they always seem like a lovely oasis in an otherwise hectic world…[more]
[8.10.09]
Hammocks
For whatever reason, I’ve got hammocks on the brain this morning. Perhaps moving has made me sick of furniture. I’d like to just roll it all up and take it with me.
I’ve always loved hammocks. They remind me of relaxing on the beach, listening to the waves. I usually have a travel hammock that I carry with me just in case the need arises or the opportunity presents itself. Once, when I was in Costa Rica, we were in a small beach town and there weren’t too many places to stay, so we thought we’d just sleep on the beach in this lovely little park we found…[more]
[7.31.09]
Green Graffiti
As a follow up to my post on how much I dig moss, I present green graffiti:
A Brooklyn-based artist places installations of moss and other living plants in the shape of natural forms all over the city, notably in construction sites and other areas that might be considered blighted…[more]
[7.27.09]
Moss Envy
Are you sick of mowing your lawn? Does your backyard seem incapable of growing anything other than weeds? Moss might be the answer for you. It can grow on anything, since it gets its nutrients from the air. It survives in alkaline soils, meaning that it grows where grass and weeds cannot. And it never needs mowing, always looks green and can survive with very little water for long periods of time…[more]
[7.23.09]
Arizona Landscapes
We have some seriously weird plants down here. Forests are mixed with mesquite trees and cactus as far as the eye can see. There’s some grasses to be found, but there is strikingly little variety as far as most of the plant life goes. What there is is somewhat bizarre…[more]
[7.21.09]
The Future of Food
When I look back through my collection of midcentury books and magazines, it really gets me thinking about the way that food was viewed then. It was all about convenience and value, and although they were different times, it was still health be damned. I’ll admit that sometimes I wish I could live then, and eat mayonnaise and butter to my heart’s content…[more]
[7.20.09]
Casual Summer Lighting
After a really good rainstorm, I always find branches on the ground. In the peak of summer, it’s such a shame to see that much greenery going to waste. I’ve used large branches in the past for floral arrangements (takes up a lot of space and has a big impact without using too many flowers)…[more]
[7.20.09]
Drop City
I stumbled across pictures of this commune and they really caught my eye. Geodesic domes are interesting (somewhat) but a pretty typical sight in the hippie-prone west – however, I’ve never seen them so colorful and out of what looks like stained glass…[more]
[7.14.09]
Dreaming of Water
I love water, but I think that it’s even more lovely when contained in one of these fabulous Spanish pools…[more]
[7.14.09]
For the Love of Bunting
I made some bunting a while back for a project and then promptly forgot about it. Then I found this shop, and I couldn’t say no! I love the way that it looks strung over the rafters at that party, and I’m a sucker for anything outdoors that is still decorated. Stop by and pick some up for a party or just a really cool way to spend the summer…[more]
[7.3.09]
City Chicks
For whatever reason, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of having chickens. I don’t even really eat eggs all that much, and I really don’t think that I have the chutzpah to actually kill the chicken itself for dinner, but there’s something about the idea of a bunch of little hens running around in the yard that I find infinitely appealing. Perhaps it’s the rise of chicken raising as a hip urban movement in cities like Seattle (detailed here, here and here), or it might be the fact that last time I went to my friend’s house there was a monstrous contraption in the front yard apparently designed to hold chickens…[more]
[6.24.09]
Gutter Gardens
I saw this idea, and fell instantly in love! It solves so many problems with soil or critters or insects. You can learn more about them here, here and here…[more]
[5.3.o9]
Sunday Dreaming
I’m in Colorado, and though the weather can’t quite decide what it’s doing (somedays it’s cold and rainy, somedays its 70 degrees) the days are getting longer and the weather is moving towards something a bit more consistent. There is absolutely nothing better than a summer in the mountains, with a full creek running by a field of aspens and gorgeous wildflowers…[more]
[3.22.09]
Victory Gardens
I read a news article the other day that said the Obamas were planting a kitchen garden at the White House. That gets me really excited. Now, if they could only compost, I think my head might explode.
I think they are setting the right example, however. I think growing your own food is really important, and for several reasons. It makes you really think about where your food comes from…[more]
