How would you design the city of the future? My city of the future would be designed to facilitate ongoing and sensible growth within the planet’s ecological boundaries. It would use recycled water and make use of solar and wind energy instead of fossil fuels. People’s innovation using AI and biotechnology would mean we manufactureContinue reading “The city of the future”
Category Archives: The Natural World
Travel: Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens
In the Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens is an Edo era (Tokyo) garden of hushed quiet contemplation amidst the bombastic, rushing and striving modern world
Beach walking and native birds
What do you love about where you live? I love living right next to the beach and being able to walk there each day. There are egrets, rosellas, cocakatoos, gallahs, Australian crows, rainbow lorikeets, tawny frogmouths, dusky moorhens, superb fairy wrens. All flitter and flirt through the brush and low lying bushes near the beach withContinue reading “Beach walking and native birds”
Tree spirits, ghost gums and animal familiars
What’s the one luxury you can’t live without? If you ever find yourself in a time of great stress and upsetting circumstances, the natural world wants to calm and sooth you, if you get outside and start to observe things yourself, you will see. In parks, large trunked trees swing and sway in the wind.Continue reading “Tree spirits, ghost gums and animal familiars”
Travel: The Enchanting Ogród Botaniczny of Kraków
The Ogród Botaniczny of Kraków has a long scientific heritage that dates back to 1783. They are the oldest scientific gardens in Poland and were established by Professor Józef Bogumił Rogaliński.
Throughout this time many inquisitive and curious minds have peered into the depths of floral wonders and the garden was pivotal during the Enlightenment period in Poland, as a centre for botanical research and the dissemination of botanical knowledge across Europe.
The quirky origins of Australia’s native animal names
In Australia there are more than 250 Indigenous languages including around 800 dialects. Languages are living things that connect people to Country, culture and ancestors. Many words for Australian native animals come from these languages. ‘Keriba gesep agiakar dikwarda keriba mir. Ableglam keriba Mir pako Tonar nole atakemurkak.’ — The land actually gave birth toContinue reading “The quirky origins of Australia’s native animal names”
Book Review: ‘Industrial Scars’ The Beautiful Toxic Scars of the Earth
What happens when humans burn too much waste and destroy the planet? Modern Art. Photographs of the aftermath of environmental devastation aren’t normally considered art. However photographer J Henry Fair has reimagined the decaying and suffering environmental landscape in the aftermath of human abuse in his mesmerising book entitled Industrial Scars. Fair wanted to poignantlyContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Industrial Scars’ The Beautiful Toxic Scars of the Earth”
Exploring the Spiritual Wisdom of Japanese Wildlife: A Journey Through Shinto and Zen Buddhism
The fauna of Japan, rich in diversity, is intricately woven into the tapestry of Shinto and Zen Buddhist traditions. Each animal is not just a part of the ecosystem but a bearer of profound spiritual messages and teachings. This article delves deeply into the shamanic symbolism of eight Japanese animals, revealing their roles in folklore,Continue reading “Exploring the Spiritual Wisdom of Japanese Wildlife: A Journey Through Shinto and Zen Buddhism”
What is your favourite animal? Crows and ravens
What is your favorite animal? Their iridescent black and purple feathers are like midnight sky cloaks given by impatient gods. Their glances from electrifying ice blue eyes that cut like a knife through my soul. I pay tribute in the form of grapes and old bread and they grace me with their presence and it’sContinue reading “What is your favourite animal? Crows and ravens”
Ancient Word of the Day: Adsum
From Latin: “Adsum” – be here now
The life, in a form, that we all live. Adsum abandons hopelessness and blind hope and even rational hope.
Hope is that virtue by which we take responsibility for the future and a quality that gives our actions special urgency.
Content Catnip 