Frederick Law Olmsted was known as the father of American Landscape Architecture. He completed over 500 landscape architecture projects during his lifetime, starting with Central Park in New York City and finishing with the design for Biltmore Estate, here in Asheville, NC. He is honored in Landscape Architecture circles and his design philosophy — that landscape architecture should include design elements that promote aesthetics, economics, environment and social needs — are at the heart of the North Carolina Arboretum, where Amy & I spent a lovely day. His influence is so great, that the Arboretum commissioned a statue of him: Also at the Arboretum this weekend — and for the rest of September and into October — is an exhibit of flower- and nature-based Lego sculptures, magnificent in both scale and execution. I was so taken by their complexity and beauty, that I felt I had to share them with you, with some photos of some of the flowers they emulate. I hope you enjoy them.
Today we are taking a day trip to see a bald mountain. Well, because Rhododendrons which cover the bald area in bloom. People told us about them and we thought it sounded like a local myth. I will, of course, be taking photographs which I will share with you. Have a great day everyone. I am writing today to share something that many of you who have followed me here at WordPress have heard me say before. We are not born racist. We are born completely loving and accepting of goodness. We are born not seeing each other differently but as a version of ourselves. We are not racist at birth. Well, we are taught by others, by adults to be racist. We are taught to care what color we are and what color others are. We are taught that color has value. Some colors are more important than others. Being a painter as well as a photographer, color is important to me. The color of a flower, a bird, a tree, the color of sand at the beach, the color of the majestic mountains which scrape the sky.
When I am painting, I often mix two or perhaps three colors to create the perfect color for what I am painting in the world. One color is not needed more than others. Some colors are needed in just a little dab. Sometimes you wash a little color over what you have already painted to enhance the color. It doesn’t really change it. It deepens or accentuates the color. Every color on my palate is just as important to me as the next one. Yes, they are different, but each has equal value to the heart and to this beautiful Universe. I included the Iris below because it is an unusual color. I raised it and photographed it. It not a common color for an iris, but it is a pretty color. And the photograph is my gift to you. I can’t really give you a gift but this is as close as I can come. Please accept it in the spirit in which it is given. I am also writing this blog in memory of every human being, adult or child, who has suffered in any way or has been killed because of the color of their skin.
I am writing for every grief stricken parent who will never be able to fill the hole within themselves. I am writing for every sibling left behind because their sister or brother is dead because of the color of their skin. I am writing for every lost sibling who will never laugh together over a private joke. I write today for everyone who is different in some manner and is afraid that one day someone will kill them for their differences. I am writing this today for a young man. A young man who worked for me along time ago. He was a hard worker, he had a good sense of humor, he had a good and loving heart. He offered someone a ride home one evening and the person slit his throat because he was different. He bled out all alone. I am sure he was afraid, and wondering why? Because he was different and this person hated him for being different. Labels were applied by the stranger who killed him and so he slowly bled out behind the wheel of his car alone. Alone and gone too soon. “Immature grapes are made by the breath of the Master.
Then the sourness of duality, hate, and strife disappears, and they are peeled of their skins to become one in the wine.” I was having a really interesting conversation with a friend yesterday, and my friend, who has never been to any of my houses up north, where I had room for gardens, asked me if I have a green thumb. I decided that, rather than just answering, “yes, I do”, I would post some pictures of gardens and flowers that I loved so much. It is one of the very few things I miss now that I moved to the South, because I no longer have room for gardens. I hope you enjoy them, and perhaps even become inspired to add your own gardens. Le Petit Journal posted this video in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, and I wanted to share it with you. It is important that we teach Peace to our children, and that we make sure they do not grow up afraid of others, because fear breeds hatred and violence. There will always be bad men, but good men can overcome them with Peace, Love, Compassion, Kindness and Gentleness;
and, yes, Flowers and Candles. Barbara The Idealistic Rebel Beloved is the One Who spoke and all things came to be! Beloved is the One who created all in the beginning! Beloved is the One Who speaks and acts! Beloved, Who determines and fulfills! Beloved, Who deals kindly with the world! Beloved, Who acts kindly towards all creatures! Beloved, Who responds with good to those in awe! Beloved, Who removes the dark and brings the light! Beloved is the One Who lives eternally. Beloved, Who delivers and redeems! Beloved are You and Your name! I will open my mind and heart to others in need. I will try my hardest to do my best. I will make new friends. I will take the advice I get from those who care. I must learn to be myself, and love myself. I will listen to more music and write more music. I will try to make somebody’s day a little bit better. I will have fun! I can express myself.
I will write about my feelings. I will reflect on the past. I will look towards the future because it is coming soon. Today is the day I will begin I will continue to smile. I will dream about tomorrow. I will challenge myself. I shall travel to new places and see new things. I will do more good deeds. You see, these are the things I hope for so much. and I will pray. Wishing everyone a Peaceful and Harmonious Weekend There’s just no accounting for happiness, or the way it turns up like a prodigal who comes back to the dust at your feet having squandered a fortune far away. And how can you not forgive? You make a feast in honor of what was lost, and take from its place the finest garment, which you saved for an occasion you could not imagine, and you weep night and day to know that you were not abandoned, that happiness saved its most extreme form No, happiness is the uncle you never