Go With the Flow of the Universe

The universe flows, I flow with the universe.

"Being of service is merely being in flow with the Universe. The quickest way to fall into flow with The Universe is to allow it to use you."

https://rebeccacampbell.me/being-of-service-is-merely-being-in-flow-with-the-universe/

Plants R Us

Plants are so important to humans, but really to all the life on the planet. All people feel a strong attachment to nature. Nature, meaning plants, is what nurtures us, gives us life, gives us the very breath we take in. 
   Humans are here because plants are our food. We eat them directly or we eat the animals that have eaten the plants. Plants have starches, oils, sugars, proteins—all the building blocks of life. It is only through plants and the photosynthesis that they have created for themselves, that all other forms of life have evolved. 
   I say that plants are us, but really we are plants, we are from plants, we are all part of the life force of planet Earth.

Connecting to Joy

It's full summer, my work is going well, websites are taking on "personalities" of their own, my sculpture pieces are moving along, and my urban sketching is still great fun. I'm living in a wonderful place close to nature, next to a vineyard. Birds, animals, wildflowers, and trees surround me. It's a time of creative energies, comfort, and joy.
A big revelation that I am on this summer is that all these "venues" that I create can express these things. I can share the good things with others. Somehow, everything that I do is flowing together and all I have to do is flow with it in joy, contentment, and happiness. It's a journey and more and more I want to share it with others and bring you along with me. Sometimes, especially on my websites, I follow traditional advice and try to sound "professional," which means writing in a manner of professional detachment, avoiding overly emotive sentiments. That is wrong. The internet is a new concept in the world, and I want to approach it in new ways. This is a heads-up to you my readers to tell you that I will be modifying some of my writings and approaches to websites and blog. That's all I have to say. Except this—Follow Your Joy. 

Domesticated Insects

   A book I have been reading was discussing the beginnings of agriculture in early civilizations. It talked about plants, of course, in the beginnings of farming. And it talked about the first animals that were domesticated as well. So—there were domesticated plants, domesticated animals, AND the author also said, “Domesticated Insects.”

   That phrase threw me, at first. Exactly what are domesticated insects? Insects that are useful to humans? beneficial insects, such as pollinators in gardens? There are many plants and animals that are useful to humans but are not considered “domesticated.”

What are domesticated insects?

   The first and best example provided in the book is the silkworm. The silk moth was discovered first in China. It has been domesticated for more than 2,000 years. For the silkmoth, this means it can no longer survive on its own in the wild. It is cared for by humans, who also control its reproduction. The silk moth is no longer able to reproduce on its own.

  The second example in the book is the honeybee. Although it is possible for there to be honeybees that survive in the wild, most stay near human-controlled environments—farm and field. Humans build their homes, provide suitable floral foods, then reap the benefits of the hive—honey and beeswax.

   I thought to myself, in all of 2,000 years, why only 2 species of insects are domesticated? There must be more? This is the list I came up with.

Domesticated Insects: 

Silkworm—Fully domesticated, can no longer live in the wild on its own.

Honey bee—We build them hives, they give us honey, beeswax.

Semi-Domesticated: Bred by people for products associated with them.

India Lac insects—Shellac

Cochineal beetles—Red dyes, placed into plant heads, harvested.

Commercially Useful Insects

Leeches—Grown in captivity or collected for limited medical use

Flesh-eating Beetles—Grown in the lab for forensic work, stripping flesh from bones

Maggots—Grown in the lab for medical use

Nightcrawlers, fishing worms, earthworms in soil

Ladybugs for gardens, eat aphids and other insects

Nematodes—one beneficial kind for improving soil, but others damage plants

Flatworms or cockroaches for H.S. science dissection

Spider silk? Is this even viable?

Pet Insects

Tarantula

Crickets

Up for consideration: Ants?; Butterflies for aesthetics and collection; Tequila worm?

   The list shows that there are really just a handful of insects whose products humans harvest and use. A few kinds of insects are eaten on a small scale by some cultures. Chocolate-covered ants aside, most are not eaten by humans. Insects do not train well, or at all, despite the imagination of a “flea” circus. And most are difficult or impossible for humans to control their reproduction. Hence, most insects are not domesticable.

   There are millions of insect species in the world—a true diversity of forms. Yet still only the two are domesticated. Silk and honey, are wonderful, and I am thankful to those insects for lovely fabrics and delicious, nutritious, food, including the use of Honey as Medicine. Insects, of course, are an extremely important part of our biosphere. They have essential roles in all of nature. And, for humans, insects are fun to watch and really quite fascinating. Perhaps we should try to value them more for their entertainment value.

The Signature of All Things

     For those of you readers who enjoy novels about science and/or art, here is an excellent book. "The Signature of All Things," is a well-researched book about botany and early botanical art. The author is Elizabeth Gilbert, who wrote the book "Eat, Pray, Love," that so many of us read or watched on film. The Signature of All Things taps into the questing nature of nineteenth century naturalists. This is a time when naturalists have moved beyond the medieval mind and have started to observe and explore the world as the newly coined word, "science."
     The book explores the early sixteenth century writings of Jacob Boehme and the medieval connection between religion and all of nature. Writers and philosophers looked at items of the natural world as though the hand of God touched them all. They strove to discover this connected "signature" in all things. Seventeenth century naturalists, like Newton, began to focus more on observation of facts. Philosophers, naturalists were still often theologians by scholarship and nature. But by the early to mid 1800s, the world of information exploded to the point where one person, through study, could no longer learn it all. Individuals began to specialize in areas such as botany, geology, etc. Writers such as Goethe began to be interested in this new area of science. And forward thinkers, such as Darwin began to make connections and observations ushering in the brave new world of science.
     In her book, Gilbert follows the life and career of a Alma Whittaker, a woman caught up in the center of the botany world, and her relationship to an eccentric Ambrose Pike, extraordinary botanical artist of orchids. Taking place in settings around the world, this book is substantial and thought provoking. It is a sweet read.
Ah, Nature and art...could there be a sweeter combination?

Tai Chi Travel Adventures

Tai Chi, on a Beach

When I took my first tai chi classes, almost 25 years ago, I immediately discovered the joy in practicing out of doors, in nature. At first, I just went to my local woodsy hiking place, Middlesex Fells in Massachusetts. I would walk the trail into the woods and then cut in off the trail, some place where no one would see. I'd find a flat clearing or sometimes a large flat boulder. Only need about 4 square feet to do the short form.  Face the north and begin.
I loved doing it outdoors! I have done tai chi on the beach at Wingaersheek (sp?) much like what you see in this photo by By Mike H from Seattle, USA (Tai chi) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. And so whenever I traveled to a new and interesting place, I started doing a bit of tai chi at exotic spots. On Cape Cod, I went out to the end of a rock jetty on Nantucket sound and did it on a flat rock while the waves crashed in. I practiced it somewhere near San Diego on a wooden pier out over the Pacific, again with the lovely sound of waves. I did it in Japan, though inside, in my Riokan traditional Japanese inn room, bare with only tatami mats and a lovely nook with scroll and blossoms. I tried to do it in India, on the balcony overlooking the Dalai Lama's residence and monastery in Dharmsala, but I found it hard to concentrate (!!) and then the monkeys came. I practiced it early one morning in Burma in a lovely garden outside our room. And I did a few movements on a balcony over the MeKong River looking into Laos on the other side, with a full shiny moon above. I am NOT an expert in Tai Chi and I can't even say that I study it. I just do it. With joy.

Nature into Balance

Nice View of the Rockies

It’s easier to get a sense of the balance in your life when you pay attention to the balance of the natural world around you. Nature is balanced, almost by definition. Spending time out in nature is a good way to feel that sense both in you and around you. When I get out into nature, such as a hike in the Rocky Mountains I feel a sense of wonder and connectedness. Nature is both beautiful and magnificent. My cares and concerns seem so small and insignificant when I look out over a tremendous valley and know the mountain range continues on, and on. I feel creative, I feel inspired, and I also feel a sense of fulfillment from being in nature that I cannot or do not get from anywhere else. I like to make that feeling part of my balanced life.

O, Sweet Nature in Balance

The topic of this blog has always been about nature. I feel strong connections to nature and seek out ways to bring it into my life. I do botanical illustration, as well as other art. For the last couple of years, the art has been the biggest focus, if not sole focus of my life. Well, that kind of singular focus leads to an unbalanced way of living. So now I am trying to get back to a balanced life. One which involves many different kinds of activities and people. Work, travel, the arts (music, poetry, art, dance), relationships, exercise, eating well, and nature. Those are all the things that will help to create a sense of balance and fullness of life. Joy, friendship, love, play, accomplishments of many kinds are all a part of it. To all my faithful followers who have been reading O, Sweet Nature for the art tips, this blog will expand out to other topics that I hope you will enjoy as well. I like things small, compact, organized (and natural) and so I will be writing about how to live simply. A simple, balanced, life. That's the goal.

Save Your Local Turtle

Save Your Local Turtle

Found a box turtle strolling along the street while I was out walking the dog. At first, I didn't want to move it, just to look at it and enjoy it. But despite the intelligence of turtles, I don't think it would understand how to avoid the wheels of cars. It was just outside the solid wood fence around the pond, so I'm sure it came from there. With all the rain we've been having I bet it came out to try to find a dry spot to sun itself. Unfortunately, there weren't any gaps in the fence that it could have crawled back easily. I hope it didn't have a place it meant to go to, because I picked up and carried it back inside. The only gate was not too far away, and I walked it a ways off the common trail so that it could rest undisturbed. Are you happy now, Mr. Turtle?

Renewal of Artistic License

I'mmmm Back! Always remember that there is no stoplight at the intersection of art and nature.