Dreaming on the Edge of a Vertical Garden with a flower in my Pocket (gazing at my window farm)

The experiment: Write in Blog as much as possible. This being defined as almost everyday, every other day, or at least once a week. Also to just write it as quickly as possible, and move on. Writing commences...NOW...go....

Today is one of the first days, and I am already off to a good start. Rather than posting interesting things I intake in life on the internet or in real life outside of these strange contraptions of information (computers) on Facebook, I decided some people I know don't belong to facebook (my brother!) and never will, so here I am, back at my blog.

My new* apartment has no garden, but it does have two fire escapes and great light, and roof access. I have decided since I can't bring the backyard to me, I should bring me to the backyard, or rather the backyard to my apartment, oh now I am all confused. Let's start this sentence over, I don't have a backyard, BUT I can bring the backyard to me! There we go (bells and whistles go off) that is what I meant to say.

I have found a few things in my research for a garden, and I stumbled upon this today when I was doing research for a documentary (not my own), Window Farms, (http://windowfarms.org/ ) and on their website they list this as their goal:

"to start a Windowfarming craze in New York City and other dense urban areas, helping people grow some of their food year-round in their apartment windows."

Really? Perfect! That is what I want. So my adventure has begun. Even better they are located in Brooklyn.

Previously, I have been daydreaming about WOOLLY POCKETS, ever since I saw an add in Dwell Magazine (Below is from www.woollypocket.com ):

What is a Woolly Pocket?
Woolly Pockets are flexible, breathable, and modular gardening containers. They`come in two styles: those designed to be placed on horizontal surfaces, and those designed to be hung on walls for vertical gardening. You can use Woolly Pockets both indoors and out; they have built-in moisture barriers to help protect furniture, and they're equally at home outside in the elements. They're perfect for creating urban gardens where you have space to garden but no land to garden in. Woolly Pockets are lightweight and can be folded flat, which makes them very easy to use, move, and store just about anywhere.

What is a vertical garden?

A vertical garden, sometimes called a living wall, is an organized system of plants that grow vertically up a wall, fence, or other vertical surface. Vertical gardens are a beautiful way to show off plants, cover an unsightly wall, or create privacy in a courtyard. Because they are hung vertically, vertical gardens hardly take up any space. The Woolly Pocket Vertical Gardening System is unique because it's easy to install, completely modular, and very easy to maintain. We invented our vertical system because there was no other solution on the market that suited our needs.

So, of course I want those now too.

It looks like Tacoma's Goodwill is

also partaking in the vertical garden.

Photo from

Cliff Despeaux

of the Seattle Times,

http://tinyurl.com/y8f3l89

And Marianne Green from the Home and Garden section of the Seattle Times, says this (as if directly to your truly):

"If you are one of those people who desires to be on the cutting edge, you'll need to identify where you're going to install your wall garden in the next few months. It can be indoors or outside. It can be tiny succulents or feathery ferns and flamboyant bromeliads or vining tomatoes and pole beans. But the botanical specimens need to be vertical for your installation to qualify as avant-garde."

Marianne, you are so right! I do want to be on the cutting edge. But it all started because I wanted a backyard, and I live in Brooklyn on the 3rd floor. So vertical garden, woolly pocket garden or window farm! Here I come.

*Still in first 3 months so still new!

Floating over my body

My heart wasn't racing, my knees weren't locked, but I felt something welling up inside. I attempted to separate my mind from my body as I focused on my breathing. I felt the snot begin to drip from my nose. I had no way to wipe it. It slipped down the inside to the tip, tickling and cold on my skin. I lay there breathing. For a brief moment I wanted to stand up, tear out the needles on my skin and run out of the office. However that seemed a little dramatic, so instead I continued to focus on my breath. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in breathe out. For a moment I opened my eyes to take in my surroundings from my limited viewpoint, laying, stomach side down, with my face in the massage head piece. Closing them I imagined my self above my body, I envisioned the other rooms and the people inside, I floated through the walls, the pipes, the wires, and looked down at myself, removing myself from that moment of claustrophobia. It didn't hurt but it was , "weird." Sometimes things are hard to describe with how it feels and how it makes you feel.

I went to acupuncture for the first time. I have gone twice so far. I went for a muscles strain in my back. And I told him about my allergies as well. I think to honor pain and healing is an important step in the getting better process, so I was doing that, I was doing something. I know there are a lot of somethings to do to get better in the world and this just happened to be one I was trying right now for this pain. Well, I know I would try this something again, and there will be other somethings for me to try too. Although hopefully, not that many!

Mermaids, Mermen, and Seafaring?

Photo From My Flickr Site.

It's not yet time for the mermaid parade, but it times to start planning.

The Mermaid parade is one of the few places I can celebrate the child within in sheer uninhibited little girlish delight! I can revel in shades of emerald, evergreen, and the ocean. All that sparkles, glitters, bubbles, and dazzles is celebrated as troops of fans, patrons, stars, and circus freaks romp in the spirit of the Annual Mermaid Parade of Coney Island.

A friend of mine is taking her class of seventh graders on the parade, dare I sign up for the parade, do I cross the line from audience member to PARADE marcher? The 2008 Parade will be on Saturday June 21st in Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York. Dare I organize a troop?

From the COney ISLAnd Website:

People and/or Animals on Foot Only (marcher fee only - see below)
An Antique Car (see insurance note below in Responsibilities section) ($25 entry)
An Antique Car Accompanied by People on Foot (see insurance note below in Responsibilities section) ($25 plus marcher fee - see below)
A Motorized Float (see insurance note below in Responsibilities section) ($25)
A Motorized Float Accompanied by People on Foot (see insurance note below in Responsibilities section) ($25 plus marcher fee - see below)
A Flatbed Truck (see insurance note below in Responsibilities section) ($100)
A Flatbed Truck Accompanied by People on Foot (see insurance note below in Responsibilities section) ($75 plus marcher fee - see below)
A Non-Motorized Float (Human Powered) ($10 plus marcher fee - see below)

Number of adult marchers in your group:
$10 per adult for 1st - 10th marchers
$9 per adult for 11th - 20th marchers
$8 per adult for 21st - 30th marchers
$7 per adult for 30th or higher marchers

Number of child marchers in your group:
$5 per child for 1st - 10th marchers
$4 per child for 11th - 20th marchers
$3 per child for 21st - 30th marchers
$2 per child for 30th or higher marchers