Category Archives: nature

Aug9

nature library.

Posted on by
Standard

All libraries are good libraries – but there’s one that just opened near Denver that’s as much of a destination for nature lovers as it is for book lovers. Called the Anythink Nature Library, the 15-acre campus is home to a calming darkroom, a nature lab, an indoor-outdoor cafe, gardens, a mud pit, and a mile-long loop trail (as well as plenty of books, of course).

According to the website, it’s the nation’s first public nature library, with a mission to “help people of all ages discover their connection to the natural world.” The building itself is a testament to that vision, as it features hundreds of solar panels, bird-safe glass, and geothermal heating and cooling.

Patrons are invited to check out hammocks, telescopes, tents, and other experience kits dubbed “TryIts” so people can explore the outdoors without having to spend on pricey gear. “Public libraries have always evolved alongside the needs of their communities,” Mark Fink, executive director of Anythink Libraries, said in a statement. “The Nature Library represents the next evolution: a place where books, nature, science, and community come together to inspire curiosity and connection.” Take a look around the grounds.

‘there is no greater beauty or charm than what we find in nature.’

-todd romano

 

 

 

—

source credits: Anythink Nature Library, nicenews

May15

sticks and stones.

Posted on by
Standard

 river of stone

stone to find home

stone for resting

stone to remember

*sticks to make rustic latilla fences 

‘to so enter into it in nature and art

that the enjoyed meanings of life may become a part of living

is the attitude of artistic appreciation.’

-george h. mead

 

—

*In New Mexico, you’ll find charming fences made of small branches called ‘latillas’ made primarily from native cedar or juniper poles. These rustic fences have a rich history, passed down through generations of indigenous and Hispanic communities.Originally built to keep out wildlife like coyotes, they’ve become a beloved part of the Southwestern landscape, especially in Santa Fe-style architecture.

 

 

—

new mexico, usa, may 2026

 

‘
Oct18

what the tide leaves behind.

Posted on by
Standard

salt flats, tide pools, birds, fish, dolphins, grasses, treasures

beachcombing

 on the southern side of the entrance to Charleston Harbor,

north of the city on Folly Beach, South Carolina, USA

—

‘there’s peace in the pull of the tides.’

-author unknown

Aug16

framed.

Posted on by
Standard

walking over a bridge in the park

i glimpse a slice of life beyond

centered

in a natural frame

—

‘bridges become frames for looking at the world around us.’

-bruce jackson

 

*Bruce Jackson is an American folklorist, documentary filmmaker, writer, photographer. he is SUNY Distinguished Professor and the James Agee Professor of American Culture at the UB. Jackson has edited or authored more than 30 books.

 

—

argo park, Ann Arbor, michigan, usa, summer 2025

Aug2

a hall of fame toy that costs $0.

Posted on by
Standard

anyone who knows me well, knows that i absolutely love sticks, rocks, shells, leaves…..

and why I was thrilled to read this recently:

Curators at the Strong National Museum of Play branched out when they added the stick to their collection of all-time beloved toys. Among the most versatile amusements, sticks have inspired central equipment in several sports, including baseball, hockey, lacrosse, fencing, cricket, fishing, and pool. Humble twigs are also ready-made for fetch, slingshots, toasting marshmallows, and boundless make-believe.

Located in Rochester, New York – about 70 miles northeast of Fisher-Price’s headquarters – the Strong acquired the fledgling National Toy Hall of Fame in 2002.  To date, more than 70 toys have been inducted, including Crayola Crayons, Duncan Yo-Yos, and bicycles. The stick was added in 2008, three years after another quintessential source of cheap childhood delight: the cardboard box. Hail to the mighty stick!

—

‘some of you did not spend your childhood making potions

out of random leaves, berries, flowers, and twigs

tossed into a tub of water and stirred with a stick that you found….

and it shows.’

-author unknown

 

 

 

—

source credits: google image, nice news, strong national museum of play

 

May25

silent sunday.

Posted on by
Standard

fiddleheads 

baby ferns

one of the most beautiful things in nature

their name comes from their resemblance 

to the scrolled end of a violin

there’s a certain magical quality about them. 

—

‘if you listen carefully, the silence is beautiful.’

-purpleclover

 

 

 

—

photo credit: solstice

 

Apr29

in quietness.

Posted on by
Standard

another lovely day, another lovely park to sit in quietness.

—

‘in quietness, the soul expands.’

*rockwell kent

—

*Rockwell Kent, American, (1882- 1971), illustrated hundreds of books and was known as having been a painter, writer, architect, wood engraver, sailor, adventurer, voyager, political activist, laborer, lobster fishermen, union organizer, and lecturer.

 

 

 

—

ann arbor, mi, usa

 

Apr22

we must return it.

Posted on by
Standard

‘even a wounded world is feeding us.

even a wounded world holds us,

gives us moments of joy & wonder.

i choose joy over despair, not because i have my head in the sand,

but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and i must return it.’

-robin wali kimmerer, author, braiding sweetgrass

—

today, on earth day, and every day

 

 

 

 

—

walking the ann arbor parks, michigan, usa, 2025

Apr19

the herds.

Posted on by
Standard

These animals, crafted from cardboard and plywood, make up “The Herds,” a public art project that recently set off from the Democratic Republic of Congo on a journey through major cities in Africa and Europe. The goal is to raise awareness about how the climate crisis is endangering the very animals represented by the life-size puppets. “We believe thousands and thousands of people are watching us,” project member Siphokazi Mpofu told AFP. “We believe out of these thousands, maybe 10 will take out something on what we are doing and then take it back to their communities, to their cities.” Watch a video of the herd in motion. 

—

‘The wildlife and the natural beauty of this earth are the heritage of all generations to come.

We must act as their guardians.’

– Sir David Attenborough

—

source credit: AFP

Mar24

into the woods.

Posted on by
Standard

even in the midst of a very cool spring 

one of the best ways to enjoy the day.

 

—

“walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh

 

 

 

 

—

saginaw woods, ann arbor, michigan, usa – spring 2025