Jessica Crabtree

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Thanks,
Jessica

“Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.” (Michelangelo)

First released by the BBC as “A Farm for the Future” in 2009, this film produced by gifted wildlife filmmaker Rebecca Hosking takes a frank and forthright look at nature preservation, the energy crisis, and modern consumption.

Raised on her family’s wildlife-conscious farm in Devon, England, she explores the stark realities of our dependence on oil and its consequences for the near future. The film embarks on a journey to find whether alternative farming methods can combine efficient food production with nature conservation.

This is definitely one of the best documentaries I’ve seen. It is excellently researched and well-presented, and stands apart from others by going beyond mere alarm-raising and presenting practical, ingenious solutions from forward-thinking problem solvers. As a bonus, the cinematography of Britain’s rural wildlife and the stunning landscape of Wales’s Snowdonia region is breathtaking.

I strongly urge you to see this film – you will never think of the food you eat, our environment, or our modern lifestyle in the same way again.

The whole program runs around 50 minutes, which you can watch right here (thanks YouTube!)

Part 1

See the other four chapters: (continue reading…)

Green is predominantly a color of nature. It’s is considered fresh and invigorating because it is the color of growing things; lush and fertile, it’s often used to represent renewal and hope. But it’s also remarkably versatile in its diverse tones – from olive to hunter to sea foam green, and has many symbolic associations.

While green in the form of chlorophyll is most abundant in nature, green pigments for use in art are derived primarily from compounds of oxidized metals (such as copper) and even semi-precious minerals. In pastels, it’s one of the more difficult colors to produce, especially in its darker tones. (I have found Art Spectrum’s greens to be among the best – they are hand-made from Australian mineral soils and are extremely rich and blendable.)

Green is a cool color and very restful to the eye, but not as cool as blue or violet. Combine with blues for a smooth, chilled-out look, or with warm reds or browns for balance and contrast.

National Geographic Photo Gallery: Life in Color – GREEN

You can see National Geographic’s photo gallery feature here.

“Guilty!”
This is what a squirrel looks like when he’s caught on a bird feeder…

(By the way, the photo’s mine, and I’m releasing it to the public domain – which means if you like it, you can do what you want with it – modify it, use it as a reference photo, post it elsewhere – no strings attached. Just be sure to pass the favor on.)

This is a fun little gadget that turns random scribbles into a computer-generated sketch. Make your own drawing on the canvas, then adjust the settings to create your digital “masterpiece.”

Try out “Scribbler” here