Gardyn Music

There's probably no one out there who hasn't already seen this video by the Australian sound artist Pogo (aka Nick Bertke)...but what the heck! I find each viewing more compelling than the last, so I keep watching it. The flow of time in this video seems frozen yet fluid; I consider that feeling of loopy suspension to be a big part of the magic. This is a work of sonic genius (the visuals are pretty good too), a notion affirmed by the video's selection as as one of the 25 most innovative, unique and groundbreaking video works of the past two years, as determined by the YouTube Play jury. This video, along with the other jury picks, was recently celebrated at the Guggenheim Museums in New York, Bilbao, Berlin and Venice.

Instead of Chopping a Tree Down, Chop One Up

If only it was this easy...


Maya Lin - Unchopping a Tree from What is Missing? Foundation on Vimeo.

Dude, Where's My Tornado?

Wish we got some of this rain. Could do without the wind though.

The Pause That Refreshes

Oops! I realize a fair amount of time has passed since my last post. I even missed two Fab Foliage Fridays. I guess that means I'm taking a break. Circumstances (but good circumstances!)warrant a brief hiatus. So, I'm outta here. But I'll be back--and so will Fab Foliage Fridays--in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, you can take a gander at my patio, where a dismal garden season actually managed to end with flourish.

Open Garden Today

Since I've spent the last several days sunk deep into the endless tasks that that precede going public with the garden, I forgot to mention something: today is Garden Conservancy Open Day, 12-4. Come if you can.

Follow The Burning Man

I've always wanted to attend Burning Man, the sci-fi/art/music/tribal event held each year around this time at Black Rock City in the Nevada desert. But I never have. This year though, I've happened onthe next best thing, the Burning Blog, which offers fine coverage of all the goings on. I guess it's just about the next best thing to being there. You might also check out Burning Man.

Fab Foliage Friday

Shades of Audrey II! Not since "Little Shop of Horrors" has there been a plant so hungrily carnivorous as the rat-eating pitcher plant recently discovered in the Phillipines. You may recall reading about the real mutant monster in the newspaper. As it turns out, the plant, named Nepenthes attenboroughii (after the intrepid BBC naturalist), may not actually eat rodents. At least not on purpose. What does all that have to do with Fab Foliage Friday? Well as it turns out, those amazing pitchers, of the aforenamed Nepenthes and its many relations, are actually leaves. Who knew? It's fascinating...but why not let Richard Attenborough himself explain. Enjoy the hypnotic imagery.

Hat tip: Boingboing

For A Fun Five Minutes...

If you haven't already seen Jill, Kevin and company stepping out for their wedding, check it out now.

No Way Am I Crossing This Bridge. EVER.

I have crossed some very scary, pedestrian-only suspension bridges in the Andes and in Indonesia, but this one? Don't think so. Not even on all fours. Can anyone tell me where in the world this is? I am never, ever going there.

Shout out: Dark Roasted Blend

Why Can't I Ever Get A Flight Attendant As Entertaining As This One?

Shout out: Huffington Post

Everything Is Amazing, Nobody Is Happy

There's so much truth in Louis CK's rant, you just gotta love it.

Botanicalls: When Plants Twitter

Stop worrying how to take care of your plants. Soon, they will be able to tell you what they need.

Shout out: Boing Boing

Life in the Food Chain

So, a fish is floating along, minding his own business...

Jurassic Park Lives!

There may be a Jurassic Park yet. French and Spanish scientists recently succeeded in briefly resurrecting, by cloning techniques, an extinct animal, the Pyrenean ibex. The species went extinct in the year 2000, and the clone lived for only 7 minutes. But it's a start. So what's next, velociraptors? Read all about it at Ecoworldly.

Energy is a Good Thing

With other writing deadlines looming, I've had a tough time posting lately. Perhaps if I had this kid's energy, there wouldn't be a problem. The lad is not only full of vim and vigor, he's curious too-not a thing in the room goes untouched during his excellent adventure. If only we could harness that energy and put it to work in the garden.

Tip o' the hat to boingboing.