on a downtown detroit day
discovering
beautiful little gems
in so many
unexpected places
buoying our hopes
for a city
that has not given up
and is beginning
to thrive once again
in spite of
challenges
that once seemed
insurmountable.
—
“there is no power for change greater
than a community discovering what it cares about.”
– margaret j. wheatley
imagination was given to man to compensate him
for what he is not;
a sense of humor to console him for what he is.
– francis bacon
carpool mates
ride with smiles
chat about the day
throw down our heavy things
relax at last
stop to buy a ticket
and
share
what we’ll do
when/if
we win
the 800 million
and
the first thing
that each of us names
is a donation
to someone else
who needs some of it
more than we do
and
it’s part of
the reason why
we
all ride together
with smiles.
—
image credit: partyideasinabox
lesvos, greece.
volunteers have
a message for the world
made from refugee life jackets.
—
credit: open homes open hearts u.s.
j. leach
local english teacher and writer
has launched
a wonderful new business in my town called,
‘why not pie?’
it’s a virtual bakery
where she
creates homemade pies
each week
for pickup or delivery.
she’ll try most any flavor you request
using locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible.
this is really a win-win situation in my eyes
and i can’t wait to try one.
or more.
—
—
if you wish to make an apple pie from scratch,
you must first invent the universe.
– carl sagan
—
credits: current magazine, reddit.com, whynotpie.com
what’s that little table for, peaches?
it’s where i like to write sometimes.
when?
when it’s quiet in the morning.
can we do it too?
yes, let’s have a writer’s workshop.
when?
right now.
how long can we write?
for as long as you like,
and i hope that you’ll write forever.
behold the golden tower.
whoever enters
shall do so
at the
risk and joy
of
gaining
something
they may
never
have imagined.
—
image credit: wordables
the bees could really use some help. in the last 10 years, a phenomenon called colony collapse disorder (ccd) has killed off huge numbers of honeybees around the world. it’s normal for beekeepers to lose 10–15 percent of their hives each winter, but beginning in 2006, beekeepers started reporting losses of 30–90 percent. scientists believe ccd may be caused by a combination of pesticides, parasites, and a decline in wildflowers as more and more land is developed.
this is where seedles come in. each “bomb” contains wildflower seeds packed in compost and brightly colored clay. “planting” them is easy: you just throw them on the ground and wait for the rain, sun, and soil to do their work. the candy-colored seed bombs “practically grow themselves,” says the company’s website.
there are six varieties, one for each region of the country, so bee lovers can be sure to plant native flowers that will thrive in their area.
seedles are the brainchild of ei ei khin and chris burley, a couple who initially hoped they could get people to plant a million flowers. they surpassed that number in 2014. in an email to mental_floss, burley (now the company’s “pollinator-in-chief”) said they’ve since set their sights higher: a billion flowers for the bees.
they are especially concerned about the interdependence between honeybees and our food supply. of 100 major american crops, 70 are pollinated by bees; without them, we might not have apples, almonds, carrots, or avocados. to encourage interest and awareness in the plight of the bees, seedles partners with local food companies to give out free seed bombs. because they’re pretty, simple, nontoxic, and foolproof, the seed bombs make great educational tools.
—
credits: seedles, mentalfloss, kathy horowitz
I didn't have my glasses on.... 