Nature
Little T
Unlike Big T far away in the forest, Little T lived in a dish with some ground to hold her straight, atop a table where strange monsters took care of her, yet ate so many of her kin. She leaned to one side as her tiny trunk was still growing, and her branches were learning to find their balancing act. Her leaves were often crying for no reason, but reasons were too numerous to enumerate. She spent her days looking at the small jungle across, not knowing that beyond those few trees lay a huge shopping mall, with trees in every corner and store, all of them long dead, transformed into objects, some even admired by the same monsters who took care of her, as if she mattered at all.
By Patrick M. Ohana5 years ago in Earth
woven
Textiles are foundational to the human experience. Cultures all over the world have their own unique practice of dyeing fiber and weaving. Woven textiles sometimes take the form of clothing, sometimes rugs or blankets, baskets or nets. I like to think that we are all descendants of weavers. There is something very human and very grounding about using our hands to craft something in the same way that humans have been crafting things for thousands of years.
By Kayla Powers5 years ago in Earth
Big T
At the top of the trees’ ever-changing world, Big T was a giant. He was never in competition with his friends for the crown, he never even sought it. It was bestowed to his tallness when all his friends looked at each other, rustled their leaves in agreement, and declared him to be Big T, the biggest tree in their forest. Most of them had passed the four-hundred-year mark which they measured underground, with all big roots recounting their stories passed on every century like a heirloom, except that this one was invisible to any eyes, being chemical in nature and felt at a special middle point where the trunk meets the ground before descending towards Earth’s core.
By Patrick M. Ohana5 years ago in Earth
Medium T
Medium T was a happy tree because he happened to look like a male human, with two legs in the ground and thus three trunks, two arms raised towards the sky and thus two branches, several fingers at the end of each arm and thus several twigs, and even a face with a crown on top and thus additional sprigs. His resemblance to a human turned him into a celebrity, providing him with considerably more than the usual fifteen minutes of fame many humans aspired to have sometimes at the expense of everything else. Medium T was neither big or small. Medium T was medium-built but he lacked a prick. Moreover, he was not alone since another tree, somewhat similar to him lived close to him but looked more like a female human.
By Patrick M. Ohana5 years ago in Earth
You know what I love about plants?
You know what I love about plants? They don’t hold on to time. They don’t hold onto stories and identities, even if we name them and give them one. They don’t try to give me a story or tell me who I should be; the plants just do their thing. I can't tell them what to do, well I can but they don’t listen. They are connected to their own wisdom. It’s not my command that will make a plant grow, I don’t control them. Sure I experiment with their environment, but it's within them to push on.
By Kyrra Catherine5 years ago in Earth
The Small Organic Herban Garden
Living in the middle of a city can sometimes makes it difficult to spend sufficient time among nature. Having recently moved to a new place, I was overjoyed to a have an outside area that I could turn into a plant sanctuary. Though small, I have maximized space by choosing the majority of my plants specifically for their unique abilities, whether as an amazing addition in culinary applications, for their remarkable health benefits, or to keep pests away. Gardening in general is excellent for one’s physical and emotional health, while creating a unique space filled with the plants and décor of ones choosing provides a serene space to enjoy.
By M.R. Cameo5 years ago in Earth
Follow your Bliss
When I was younger I believed that my fate had limits. I believed that after discovering I was undocumented, and because of that my brain, mind and spirit were in trouble... my dreams of going to a great prestigious art college rapidly went out the window. In reality my circumstances were giving me other options that would brighten the way that I was living. There is no doubt within myself that where I am today is where I feel the most alive. "Follow your bliss" my friend Andy said. It is likely that "the bliss" gets blurry sometimes and it is hard to feel it. But I work at a farm now. And it is 7 years this August that I have been doing this work; being a part of farming and landscaping businesses. Wild South Florida farm life! How to describe this feeling? The one that connects me to nature and food? ... Dynamic. Vibrant. Arduous. That is my life in happiness, extremely rare to write on paper for me, but today I will let you inside. You can decide, if it is up to us and our own individual journeys to experience a joyous life.
By Alicia del Aguila5 years ago in Earth
My Happiness
After a good friend of mine passed away, I found painting couldn't help me heal from the sadness as it usually did. It was my main way of escape and healing through life's hurdles. I would often turn to paint on the canvas to express my emotions and work through hurt and sadness.
By Natalie Seawolf5 years ago in Earth
Diving into the Wilderness
During the summer vacation last year, I had the opportunity to visit Eco Park, Sri Lanka with my family. That was an epic memory in which I gathered beautiful life memories by spending time with nature. Each of these infallible moments carry vivid stories behind the shot. Not being an official photographer, I would love to collect memories from real life as I can recall the memories by seeing these pictures. Hence, the pictures were captured using my smartphone. Today I’m thinking wow for being able to capture them.
By Lankani Croos5 years ago in Earth
Adventures Of A Young Red-tail Hawk
A Red-tailed Hawk enjoying a serene moment; or so it would seem. Actually, this Hawk had just had “one of those days.” A Hawk has to eat. It’s an efficient hunter and it has its role in keeping rodent populations in check. But it’s funny and satisfying sometimes when the prey, in this case a cheeky grey squirrel, runs circles around its pursuer.
By Andrew Turnbull5 years ago in Earth
A Beaver Tale
I was taking some photos of a Great Egret in the shallows of a pond one evening when I heard rustling in the thicket behind me. I turned to see a big beaver dragging a tree out of the forest; a small conifer that might have been the perfect Christmas tree for a downtown condo.
By Andrew Turnbull5 years ago in Earth
