Last week, my young friend, Grace and I invented our own “art camp.” She stayed with me for four nights and we had 3 full days of creative fun. I sure hope we get to do this a couple more times this summer. Hanging out with young people fills my cup, especially when they are as enthusiastic about life and learning and creativity as Grace is. It was super cool that we got to do so many projects and have some adventures. I promised I’d show her how to make a blog post, so next time, we’ll publish some tutorials. Enjoy our photos!
Tag: natural
My New Favorite Season: Spring Near Yellowstone
It’s been a long time since I have visited Paradise Valley and Yellowstone Park in springtime. Starting when my sons were little, we camped in Yellowstone but usually after school was out for the summer, or in the fall. I’d always heard about the incredible spring surge of baby wild mammals and birds there, but I’d never experienced that awesomeness until this retreat. Fall was always my favorite Montana season. I’ve changed my mind, though. My new favorite season? Spring-near-Yellowstone. Yes. That is a season. Springtime-near-Yellowstone. Not just plain old Spring.
Eating Dirt May Be Good For You
What can we, as teachers, parents, grandparents and friends of children, do — to make sure kids reap the benefits of unstructured time connecting with nature? Read this article for some ideas and background about “Nature Deficit Disorder.” Here’s an excerpt from “Last Child in the Woods:” As a child, I was unaware that my woods were ecologically connected with any other forests. Nobody in the 1950s talked about acid rain or holes in the ozone layer or global warming. But I knew my woods and my fields; I knew every bend in the creek and dip in the beaten dirt paths. I wandered those woods even in my dreams. A kid today can likely tell you about the Amazon rain forest—but not about the last time he or she explored the woods in solitude, or lay in a field listening to the wind and watching the clouds move.” Read more and find a list of ideas …
Nutritarian Adventure … How are we doing?
Early on in our Eat to Live adventure, I made a Nutritarian grocery list using Evernote (with the checklist feature) which syncs to all of my devices. So I always have the list on my cell phone when I am shopping. It really helps to just look at the list, check off the things we need, and stick to it — at least 95% of the time. Here we are a little over a year after starting this health adventure and we’re doing pretty well. Not perfect. But who is perfect? I’m happy with mostly great, much healthier eating and feeling lots better. Here is a gift for you — a well balanced, healthy grocery list to download and use for smarter, healthier shopping. Enjoy!
Good Art Fosters Good Connections
The ideal is to foster not isolation, but connectedness. Art of any kind must affirm human values. — Brett Busang
Why Nature is So Important to Me
I make my living as an artist. The core message I try to express with my art and photography is “connection.” Connection to Nature, to the heart of the Earth. If I can inspire one person to become more deeply connected to the natural world through my artwork, then I know I will have succeeded.
A Gift for You – a Calendar for March
These monthly calendars are a gift from me to remind you of your heart’s connection to the Earth. They’re free, downloadable for your desktop or your (actual) wall. I post these calendars the first day or two of each month. Please download them for your personal use — you can print the calendar if you prefer, or make it your computer wallpaper. There is also one for iphones. Please tell your friends these are available. Thank you! May you always feel loved. <3
A Prairie Sunset that Fills Me with Peace
I love the soft gradients of some sunsets. This kind of sunset is a quiet counterpoint to the wild, heavily textured sunsets we sometimes have. I like both kinds. This kind fills me with peace.
These two skies were on either side of me. The top photo is looking east in the evening twilight … then I turned around and shot the photo below, facing directly west.