great ideas

Nature’s Crayons

Posted by on Jul 20, 2015 in great ideas, plant parts, summer, Unmowed Blog | 3 comments

Nature’s Crayons

There’s a chemical which is found in every green plant–every tree, grass blade, bush, cactus, moss, rosebush, lettuce, whatever. It’s called chlorophyll, and it’s a pigment, actually, a green pigment which absorbs just the right wavelength of sunlight to jumpstart the complex chemical process whereby plants make food. Chlorophyll is the key to photosynthesis, enabling plants to magically transform air, sunlight, and water into sugars that nourish the plant and anything that eats it. Chlorophyll is, really, the basis of life on this planet. Chlorophyll is also the stuff that puts grass...

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Rainbow of Flowers: Same-Sex Marriage

Posted by on Jun 26, 2015 in great ideas, holiday, Unmowed Blog | 2 comments

Rainbow of Flowers: Same-Sex Marriage

It’s a great day for human rights. Same-sex marriage legal in the USA.

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Happy National Pollinator Week!

Posted by on Jun 19, 2014 in flowers, great ideas, insects, spring, Unmowed Blog, wildlife | 0 comments

Happy National Pollinator Week!

Seriously. It’s National Pollinator Week, June 16 – 22, 2014. It’s a national…well, not exactly a holiday–a national time to stop and think about it. Of course they have National Everything Week–not a day goes by but it’s National Something Day or Week or Month. National Women’s History Month (we only have enough history to fill up one month). National Jazz Appreciation Month. There’s National Pig Day (March 1, put it on your calendar for next year). National Ice Cream Month, a worthy cause indeed, officially designated in 1984 by Ronald...

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Great Idea: Law on Horseback

Posted by on Feb 11, 2014 in great ideas, Unmowed Blog, winter | 0 comments

Great Idea: Law on Horseback

Every now and then, I see something that strikes me as a great idea. A Great Idea. Something that works. Something well designed, well-planned, creative, original. Something that has a positive impact on the environment, or wildlife, or people. (See my post on the High Line in New York City.) Here’s an urban Great Idea. Police on horseback. I know it’s not exactly new and original. Law enforcement on horseback dates back to the Lone Ranger, or possibly the Mongols, or Roman centurions, but it just seems like such a positive and effective idea. Police metamorphose from something scary and...

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Good Mowing, Part 2

Posted by on Aug 25, 2013 in environment, flowers, great ideas, insects, nature centers, summer, Unmowed Blog, wildlife | 0 comments

Good Mowing, Part 2

Last November I wrote a blog post about a meadow at the George Landis Arboretum in Esperance, NY. The meadow had just been mowed, and while you might assume from the title of my blog that I would be violently opposed to all mowing, that’s actually not the case. I can be a good sport about mowing. In fact, mowing in the right places, at the right time of year, can be an enormous help for wildlife, and for wildflowers. A mowed meadow looks sad and stubbly, but as with all good things, patience is required. Here’s what the meadow looks like today. A kaleidoscope of purple, gold and white:...

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Bucket List

Posted by on Jul 16, 2013 in great ideas, summer, Unmowed Blog, wildlife | 1 comment

Bucket List

I think it’s a great idea to have a bucket list. You know, a list of things to do before you, well, you know…kick the bucket. It’s kind of a trendy idea these days, but the concept is not a new one for me, I’ve had one since I was twelve years old. I’ve succeeded in doing a few things on the list, but I have plenty more to go. One of my long-held goals was to hike the Appalachian Trail. And I’ve done it! Cross off another item off the list. Yes, indeed. Now I didn’t say I hiked all of the Appalachian Trail, mind you—I just hiked on it. An entire mile or more. It’s a lovely trail, the...

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