nature

An Incredibly Relaxing Walk through the Cherry Blossoms at The Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Garden Bathing)

Watching this perfectly shot video felt so much like we actually were ambling slowly through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden that we felt palpably relaxed and dreamy. It is a balm for anyone craving nature.

Robert Macfarlane on Trees and Long Love

Over our transom came this moving piece from Underland: a Deep Time Journey by British naturalist Robert Macfarlane. We’ve written before about his remarkable ability to connect us to nature, landscape, heart…

How to be Clear: Walk the Wind with Natalie Diaz, Ada Limón, Theo Jansen

Uitwaaien is an untranslatable Dutch word for a simple, transformative practice you can do almost any time. I came to understand it more deeply through art and poetry that expands the meaning of “air”.

Gordon Hempton: Silence is the Presence of Everything

This lovely immersive video follows acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton to one of the quietest places on earth. It draws our awareness to just what it is we’re hearing, or not, and the unique, extraordinarily complex sounds of silence.

Powerful Questions About Personal Expression Sparked by W.S. Merwin’s Garden Time (Consider Journal)

At #Consider Journal, a remarkable post ranges from W.S. Merwin’s last book to the “cyclical effect of nature and art” to the bigger question of how our expression might come to resonate in bigger ways.

Rejuvenating Staycation: Go Forest Bathing…

When I need an essential retreat to refresh and restore balance but I don’t want to travel, I go…forest bathing. Not sure it’s for you? Here’s a virtual forest bath you can take right now.

Manifestations of Gold: Forest Sculpture, Poem, Graffiti, a Dusting Found on Leaves

After I started working with gold, melting, rolling, forging the 22-karat coins I bought years ago, I started to see other forms of treasure, including Karin van der Molen’s beautiful sculpture…

Sylvia Plimack Mangold’s Trees with W.S. Merwin Haiku, Time Disappears

Sylvia Plimack Mangold’s trees are amazingly wonderful depictions of the treeness. As we looked, we thought of this haiku by W.S. Merwin…

Lessons in Stillness and Quiet, with Mitch Epstein’s Astonishing Trees

At first, we only visited the New York Times “Lessons in Stillness from One of the Quiestest Places on Earth” because we wanted to see Mitch Epstein’s remarkable photographs of trees. But then, the story called us…

Tiny Blossoms Knocked Off a Flower Make Unexpected Arrangements

Blossoms that might in one way seem broken or damaged can transform into something of startling beauty…

Reading W.S. Merwin’s ‘Rain Light’ in Dappled Sunlight, We Were Amazed to Learn What ‘Dappled’ Is

When we stumbled on this lovely way to read Rain Light by W.S. Merwin, it took our breath away for a moment as we rode on the New York City subway…Then we read Edward Tufte’s explanation of what “dappled” is…

Call of the Forest “a Way of Thinking About Trees and the Planet You Have Never Thought Before”

In “Call of the Forest, the Forgotten Wisdom of Trees”, botanist Diana Beresford-Kroeger guides us into “the essentials of what a tree is all about”, something she says most people have missed, and that will change our view of the planet we inhabit.

Oliver Sack’s On Meeting an Orangutan at the Toronto Zoo

One of the most remarkable stories in the late Oliver Sacks’ posthumously published book is about Sacks’ unexpected meeting with an orangutan while visiting the zoo. It describes Sacks “”a brilliant singularity”: his ability for showing us the big fat gifts to be found in the everyday. Perfection in 274 words.

Alex Soth and Richard Long on What Can Be Made From the Process of Moving Through the World

At his instagram, photographer Alex Soth posted a beautiful little video of a rock rolling down a path, an homage to artist Richard Long’s work, who mightily inspired an interesting view…

The Secret Language of Trees via Animated Drawings And Richard Power’s Wondrous Novel

Through charming animated drawings, forestry experts Camille Defrenne and Suzanne Simard explain how trees communicate with one another. Novelist Richard Powers tells it another way in The Overstory.

Jean Shin Transforms Dying Trees into a Place of Rememberance and Gathering

Artist Jean Shin transformed Storm King Art Center’s dying Maple trees into a sculpture that embodies the trees inner life and energy…

Oliver Sacks: Nature is a Therapy More Powerful Than Medication

An essay in a posthumously published book by the very wise Oliver Sacks gives a scientist’s view of the healing power of Nature and gardens.

Dept of Astonishment: Listen to The Sound of a ‘Waterfall’ Made By Millions of Butterflies

For the first 3 minutes of this video of a visit to a butterfly reserve in Mexico, naturalist Phill Torres treks and talks while he makes his way to the winter encampment of millions of overwintering monarch butterflies. Then at 3:39, a miracle happens:

Tacita Dean’s Trees: Ideas Fueled by Openness to Chance, Accident, Poetic Associations

This astonishing tree is one of a group of photographs of ancient trees in the South East of England made by artist Tacita Dean. It is the product of Dean’s unique approach, which is as wonderful as the work itself.

Annals of Anonymous Art: Heart Writ in Cherry Blossoms (with Haiku)

Over the days that the bright pink cherry blossoms fell like snow around Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, two hearts formed out negative space appeared. We found the perfect Basho haiku to accompaniment them:

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