The grass may be greener…but does that make it better?

On 10/18/2021 By brainsbriIn Environment, Nature, Random ThoughtsLeave a comment

The answer to this question depends on your perspective.

Driving through a neighborhood today, I came across two adjacent lawns. The first was a pristine, verdant lawn that was worthy of a magazine cover. The second lawn was left to grow naturally.

The former may be appealing to the human senses (not mine), but the latter had the birds. So many birds, in fact, that the lawn appeared black at first glance. What was even more intriguing was the dividing line between the two lawns, drawn not by a fence, but by the abrupt end to the birds at the edge of the natural lawn.

They wouldn’t venture into the green grass. There is nothing for them there.

Don’t bite the hand that feeds

On 01/06/202101/03/2021 By brainsbriIn Environment, Health, Systems ThinkingLeave a comment

What asks for nothing in return after providing you with the food you can’t go ~30 days without, the water you can’t go ~3 days without, and the air you can’t go ~5 minutes without?

Figure out what it is, and start taking care of it.

The red onion resurrection

On 01/04/2021 By brainsbriIn Environment, Food, Personal Development, Random ThoughtsLeave a comment

Ever buy something at the grocery store only to find you already had it in the pantry? I did that with a bag of red onions recently.

I ate them as quickly as I could – onion breath for days – but still, a few started to sprout.

One of the more mature sprouts had started to die, but I decided to plant it as an experiment anyway. To my surprise, the plant actually revived itself. The brown sections that I planned to trim are now lush and green.

Incredible resilience. I was fascinated to watch the resurrection.

Don’t be too quick to write things off.

And for those of you paying attention to the timestamp, it is in fact winter,
which means that yes, there is a huge pot in my kitchen with an onion growing in it…

Plant a seed. Watch it grow.

On 01/02/202101/01/2021 By brainsbriIn Environment, Food, Health, Random ThoughtsLeave a comment

A few years I started a vegetable garden. I started with a single small pot first – a trial run since I wasn’t quite convinced I could keep plants alive. I passed that test, and this past growing season was quite rewarding. You should try it sometime. Here’s why:

It’s therapeutic.
The growing process is astonishing. Put a few seeds into fertile soil. Water. Harvest. Voila. Nutritious food arises from the ground, growing from seeds the size of a nail head. Great things sprouting from what seems like nothing.
Nothing compares to fresh vegetables. Not store bought fresh – right off the plant fresh.

Plant a seed and watch it grow. You’ll grow as well.