Mother Earth has so much raw beauty, and Tibet is no exception... Such a stunningly beautiful land, with a rich spiritual background... Although the peoples of this region have had more than their fair share of trials and warfare, even to this day, the beauty of the earth is breathtaking to behold... With a population of slightly less than three million, spread over 1.2 million sq-km (0.5 million sq-mile), much of the Tibet Autonomous Region is wide open space... Tibetans grow crops or herd animals, such as cows and yaks... A few years ago, watermelons were introduced to the region and now seem to be the summer fruit of choice... Local officials maintain this will not happen, but bold statements and action are often two different things... Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche, the second Buddha, flew onto the cliff on the back of a tigress, and then meditated in a cave which now exists within the monastery walls... … View Post »

Situated on a hill overlooking Summerbridge and Lower Nidderdale, Brimham Rocks are a series of fantastically shaped Millstone Grit outcrops, sculptured by erosion during the last ice age... Many of the formations have been named, though some imagination is required and the correct viewing angle is helpful... If you wish to enjoy the view, the property is open all year around; typically from 8 a.m. until dusk... These are indeed quite fantastic works of art formed by nature and adding a beautiful and wonderous image to the landscape of Mother Earth... … View Post »

I began to wonder why people seek such perfection, when the loss of such valuable healing herbs such as the Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) is the cost... Everything has a purpose; it is up to us to find out whether this purpose is truly beneficial to us as whole, healthy human beings... From the roots to the tips of the leaves, these little beauties serve many healthy purposes, and are enjoyed around the world to this day... Interesting Facts and Lore about Dandelions In Wales, they grate or chop up Dandelion roots, two years old, and mix them with the leaves in salad... If covered with an ordinary flower-pot during the winter, the pot being further buried under some rough stable litter, the young leaves sprout when there is a dearth of saladings and prove a welcome change in early spring... The young leaves may also be boiled as a vegetable, spinach fashion, thoroughly drained, sprinkled with pepper and salt, moistened with soup or butter and served very hot... Workmen in the furnaces and potteries of the industrial towns of the Midlands have frequent resource to many of the tonic Herb Beers, finding them cheaper and less intoxicating than ordinary beer, and Dandelion stout ranks as a favourite... The roasted roots are largely used to form Dandelion Coffee, being first thoroughly cleaned, then dried by artificial heat, and slightly roasted till they are the tint of coffee, when they are ground ready for use... … View Post »

Summer in Oregon was quite unusual this year... Although I love all seasons, I truly feel this summer was not a true summer as I remember in past years... Nevertheless, my daughter S and I enjoyed many precious moments amongst the green and colourful space we created... In this we have succeeded in creating our own healthy, personal environment... This is where we would escape to when we just wanted to enjoy peaceful moments, either reading, sharing a meal, beading, playing games, studying and completing homeschool assignments, practicing Qigong (a healing art for inner health and vitality), sharing stories and Dreams, or simply sitting quietly enjoying a lovely sunset... As always, we invited nature s fairy creatures to visit our garden, so the energy was very sweet... Truly our garden is a place to find peace and tranquility in a life full of unsettling challenges... Try adding gelatin to your plant water... … View Post »

Here is a time-line I found interesting to make note of... Yet for now, I thought this would be good to share with fellow tree lovers 1850 - California admitted as the 31st state of the United States of America... Assemblyman Henry A. Crabb s resolution to ask Congress to preserve all redwood lands fails in California legislature... 1886 - California legislator, Joe Russ, dies under indictment for Timber and Stone Act fraud... 1890s - A.P. Hill displays photos of California old-growth redwoods in an effort to prevent their destruction... 1900 - While still Governor of New York, Theodore Roosevelt urged the Federal government to purchase of both North and South Groves of Calaveras Big Trees... 1928 - California voters approved funds to establish a State Park System and allocated six million dollars in state park bond funds for acquisition of parklands... 1990 - Activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney are victims of a car bombing in Oakland... … View Post »

For some reason I am fascinated with the beauty I find all around me in nature... I just wish to capture each breathtaking scene to the smallest detail... First with my eyes and my senses, then with my camera to share with others, and to remind myself at a later time of my finest moments traveling along the Earthly paths... I want to visit the green Isle and really see it from the locals point of view... Tourists may visit key attractions, but I am an explorer by heart, and wish to adventure off the beaten path , so to speak... Ireland is a land full of mystery, as well as a rich culture and history... I know for certain that I will attain my dream of visiting the mysterious places of my ancestors in this lifetime, and I am very excited to hold this dream close to my heart... For now, I will indulge in viewing the stunning countryside through the eyes of a friend, and brilliant photographer, Jordan Clemments... … View Post »

~ Is homeschooling a right or an evasive privilege?... … View Post »

For some reason people just love to dress up and make believe they are someone or something else... Although the origins of All Hallows Eve have a deep spiritual connection which continues strongly to this day, people just love to dress up in fantastic and imaginative costumes, either home-made or created by masters... So, as the hallowed time approaches we fire up our imaginations to create fantastic costumes to suit our tastes... Personally, I prefer to be a little different, and one of my favourite memories was the year my little S dressed up as a hobo and hit the streets in search of treats and goodies... I was a wicked witch with a cackling laugh, so we most certainly left an impression of darkness and despair along our trail... It was such a grand adventure, and one we shall always remember fondly... … View Post »

Here is a great opportunity to share your own experiences of the wild places you love... Perhaps you love to hike, camp, kayak, hunt, fish, explore or capture nature through photos or art... Whatever pleasure nature brings you can be a great story to share with the world... Submissions will be accepted in five categories: hunting, fishing, birding, wildlife watching and photography, and backcountry adventure... Choose from one of the following categories, and in 500 words or less, tell about Birding: The time you got to check that rare bird off your life-list, or the one that you re still searching for... Nearly 3,000 wildlife species and 10,000 plant species inhabit these 449 million acres, and they depend on these federal agencies to keep these lands healthy... There are clean alternatives to our energy and fuel needs, and these are the areas that need to be explored and addressed in a responsible manner... Let s hear your stories today don t miss the November 30th deadline to get those stories told!... … View Post »