VII - Putuo Fo Cha, "Buddha's Tea", Chinese Green.

Description: One of the five most celebrated teas of China, Putuo Fo Cha is a light, flowery green tea. A quiet strength arises out of these tiny, lustrous leaves, calling to mind the focused aromas of the meditation hall. The 2500 year old tradition of cultivating gourmet tea on the Putuo Island guarantees that this particular tea, grown in the gardens of the Buddhist monastery and processed only by hand, will always be of superior quality. On the island’s shore, a magnificent statue of the Bodhisattva Guan Yin stares out to sea, while the foamy air and the colors of the sky swirl around her. This tea is perfect for observing the world with a steady, loving compassion. - Taken from the menu at Dobra tea house ( www.dobrateapgh.com )

Original Thoughts: It's a rare tea that is only available a few times a year. After about 4 infusions it loses its strength but can still be enjoyed for a while. The tea leaves are tender like many Chinese green teas, and if one is feeling bored or antsy, it can be fun to chew on a few, especially when trying to make a woman laugh at you on a date.

Original Poetry: Therein lies my spirit, emanating from the grass capped mountains. Another one walks or floats above me, yet I can only see colors yonder down below.

Sipped by Jonathan Wayne on February 5, 2016.

VII - Gyokuro Kyoto, Champagne of Green Teas, Japanese Green.

Description: An excellent, very distinguished Japanese green tea, its delicious taste and fresh grassy scent of spring offer a touch of heaven in your cup. This tea is one of the most valued products of the Nippon islands. It is picked by hand in specially shaded fields and guarantees a rare experience, enhanced by an original method of preparation. Dark green, flat, subtle leaves of uniform size give a fresh aroma and a characteristically bold taste. Gyokuro tea is much prized as the “champagne of green teas,” denoting its high value, delicacy, and renown. It is usual to make several infusions from the same leaves, allowing the superior quality of this tea to be fully enjoyed. - Taken from the menu at Dobra tea house ( www.dobrateapgh.com )

Original Thoughts: This is one of the finest Japanese green teas I've had the pleasure of sipping. I usually go for the "organic" variety of Gyokuro Kyoto, but I wanted to try the regular version this evening. This is pretty powerful and often gives me a euphoric effect that lasts long into the night. It stays strong through 5 infusions, which lends to its intoxicating reputation as being the "Champagne of Green Teas"!

Original Poetry: Swirling, curling, drooling, fooling, I am yours, and you are mine. I stand up fast, hours later, fainting, waiting, for the Orthostatic Hypotension to subside. Take me finally, I'm high.

Sipped by Jonathan Wayne on February 3, 2016.

VI - Feng Huang Dan Cong, Phoenix Bird, Chinese Oolong.

Description: This dark oolong, grown amongst fruit trees, has a mysteriously sweet, fruity flavor comparable to grapefruit or apricot, though it is not a flavored tea. It was a top find on a more recent trip to China and is grown only in the Northeast Guangdong Province, in the valleys below the Phoenix Bird Mountain, Mount Feng Huang. From the variety of Dan Cong teas, we chose this “Mi” (honey) “Lan” (orchid) variety. - Taken from the menu at Dobra tea house ( www.dobrateapgh.com )

Original Thoughts: Citrusy, floral and might I even say tropical! This is an interesting Oolong tea to say the least. It's refreshing and different and worth checking out if you're looking for something unusual. I might revisit this tea again someday soon.

Original Poetry: Succulent and ripe, pick me from the lush brush of your branch. Breach my skin, peel me apart, toss me in a mound of richness and fitness. I never felt so juicy or jewcy.

Sipped by Jonathan Wayne on January 27, 2016.

V - Da Hong Pao, Big Red Robe, Chinese Oolong.

Description: A roasted, honeyed oolong from the steep Wuyi Mountains in northern Fujian Province with a flavor that lingers on the pallet long after finishing the last drop. This tea captivated our imagination and our intrigue immediately by way of its flavor, production, aging, and taste. The Wuyi Mountains, renowned for their snakes and diverse geology, are also famous for their dark oolongs. In the legend of Da Hong Pao, hundreds of years ago, a very ill nobleman was lost and wandering through the Wuyi Mountains when he came upon a village. The gracious villagers fed him a brew made from the leaves of a special tree. He quickly regained his health and strength and was so impressed by the healing properties of the tree that he took off his brilliant red robe and hung it on the tree to indicate its power. They say that same tree still stands and all Da Hong Pao tea bushes can be traced back to the original. - Taken from the menu at Dobra tea house ( www.dobrateapgh.com )

Original Thoughts: Now this tea is peculiar! The guys at the cafe, specifically Nate, told me this tea does something intriguing to one's brain after the 3rd infusion. I HAD to see what this was all about. He said "you're going to feel really out there". Well, unless it was Psychosomatic, I did feel something wild around the 3rd or 4th infusion (though I recall the first time I had this, it was only after the 3rd or 4th sip!). They don't call this a "big red robe" for nothing. Get that body sheath on and prepare for the journey!

Original Poetry: Down the rapid stream I flow, entering an abyss of ancient energies from deep down. Absorbing, purging through my skin, the labyrinth of imagination takes hold of me. It takes control of me.

Sipped by Jonathan Wayne on January 21, 2016.

IV - Xiang Wei Tuo Cha, "Blood of the Ancients", Shou Nest, Chinese Pu-er.

Description: This large nest variety shares the shape of pu-erla, but it is much larger. It is one of our darker, ruddier pu-ers. The strong, earthy, slightly astringent flavor is reminiscent of underground caverns where treasures are kept secret. - Taken from the menu at Dobra tea house ( www.dobrateapgh.com )

Original Thoughts: Chris over at Dobra told me this is his favorite tea. He said it goes on and on and on and on and on. Sounds like heaven to me. On this second occasion of drinking "Blood of the Ancients", I only had time for a few infusions, because I had to meet a friend for dinner, but I recall the first time I experienced this, I got a ton of infusions out of this. Fast forward into the future to February 25, 2016, I ended up having about 35 infusions of this stuff! I had about 96 ounces of tea on this evening and even around the 28th or 29th infusion, it was still going strong. This Pu-erh tea is no joke, its got the stamina of a 16 year old. There is also a very cerebral, logical process of pouring this tea, as its served on a bamboo tea tray reservoir box. First you take pitcher of hot water and pour it into the gaiwan of loose tea. Then you take the filter off the spring and place it over the small tea pot and carefully pour into that vessel. Finally, you take the filter off, place it back on the spring and pour the tea into the cup. If you are looking to impress a friend or show off your tea skills, this is the tea to get!

Original Poetry: Everlasting, you come to me from the cosmos, neverending, neverbending. Elderly and wise, you teach me from the depths of your nebulous book. I am eternal in your vortex of darkness.

Sipped by Jonathan Wayne on January 8, 2016.

III - Tummy Tamer, Tisanes and Herbals, Create Your Own Blend.

Description: A soothing herbal blend of chamomile, caraway, ginger, lemon balm, licorice and peppermint. - Taken from the menu at Dobra tea house ( www.dobrateapgh.com )

Original Thoughts: I wasn't feeling so good on this cold Winter night, so I wanted to self-medicate with some herbal tea. This is a great blend that goes beyond one's stomach and it particularly works well if you're a "Vata" dosha according to Ayurveda. The ginger is really effective on upset stomachs, and the chamomile and peppermint really soothes you well.

Original Poetry: Relax my nerves, calm my clamorous claws, still my discombobulated second brain. You are perennials, you grow worldwide, you make me whole again.

Sipped by Jonathan Wayne on January 6, 2016.

II - Moli Hua Cha, Jasmine, Little Bird Tongue, Chinese Scented Green.

Description: A superior jasmine tea from Fujian, produced through seven successive cycles of blending in and removing jasmine flowers, it is especially suitable for drinking with close companions. The small, mossy-green leaves, flecked with white petals, hold a pervasive jasmine aroma, a distinctive lingering taste, and a mildly euphoric effect. - Taken from the menu at Dobra tea house ( www.dobrateapgh.com )

Original Thoughts: I love Jasmine tea in general. It's become one of my go-to teas whenever I need the vital Catechins that come from green tea. It's a natural anti-aging tea, and Jasmine is one of the most nutritious varieties on the planet. As it says in Matthew 7:16, "ye shall know them (a tree) by their fruits". If you drink from a tree that blossoms Jasmine flowers, you shall blossom yourself! Enjoy daily.

Original Poetry: Bloom you will. Stave my stamen. Summon my surreality. Clear your clouds to reveal indigo blue. Thicken and quicken my nature. Naturalize me to your horizon. Orbit me.

Sipped by Jonathan Wayne on December 18, 2015.

I - Jasmine Pearls, Jazz Pearls, Chinese Scent Green.

Description: Hand rolled pearls of select green tea tips and jasmine flowers yield a bright cup of pleasure for jasmine lovers. The flavor and aroma are classic yet more pronounced, producing a heady bouquet that keeps its liveliness infusion after infusion. - Taken from the menu at Dobra tea house ( www.dobrateapgh.com )

Original Thoughts: I drink Jasmine tea nearly on a daily basis at home (I usually go for organic Rishi Jasmine Green tea). I wanted to try Dobra's finest Jasmine tea (the "Pearls"), so I bought this one evening. In the background of the photograph you can see Chris sitting talking to a coworker.

Original Poetry: Open me up in the petals that you savor. Let me bathe in your floral essence as raindrops drip on my palette. Don't let me leave, like you left me in the rain before.

Sipped by Jonathan Wayne on November 21, 2015.

I've been taking this class in Portrait Photography at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers for the past few months and my teacher, Richard Kelly, is just all around engaging, inspirational and enthusiastic. His dynamic personality goes hand in hand with his professionalism and creativity.

Richard Kelly is an Associate Professor of Photography at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers and the President of Indigo Factory Inc., a multimedia production company. He was the recipient of the 2011 United Nations' International Photographic Council's Leadership Award and a 2009 Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Richard's lectured on business issues regarding topics on Copyright, Fair Use, Rights of Privacy, and Sustainable Business Models. He has made appearances at Harvard Law School, Society of Photographic Education, NAB, Fotofest, National Geographic, Photo-LA, WPPI and Photo-Plus Expo. He also moderated a panel at the World Creator Summit and CEPIC Barcelona. Richard was the Director of Photography for WQED Multimedia, and was the past president of the American Society of Media Photographers. His clients have included the following companies: People, Fortune, Glamour, GQ, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, Heinz Endowments, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, PPG, TEAM Detroit, Tri-State Capital Bank, The Bradford School, Point Park University and Rue 21. Mr. Kelly's work is on private and public collections around the world and has been exhibited at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Silver Eye Center for Photography, The China Photographers Museum, The Nikon House and the United Nations.

I've included some photographs below featuring Richard Kelly from my photography class, depicting him in work-mode as well as portrait-mode. In some photographs, he was posing with some models in a candid way and I happened to take his picture (in both the foreground and background).

All photographs are Copyright © 2015 Jonathan Wayne.

De-stressing...isn't this a right for all men and boys? Relaxing and resting with homemade beer on a summer afternoon, brainstorming and creatively thinking on a family man's porch. Isn't this a wonderful and healing way to spend time, and doing some quality male-bonding? Isn't this camaraderie of the highest order?

Sometimes all of us guys need time off like this, when we can sit together in a friendly and reasonable manner and talk about whatever we want to talk about. We are American citizens and we deserve our personal freedom, from work, the kids and family.

Thus, I am creating a spotlight on Yehuda's magical front porch, a place where many different comfortable chairs reside, and many future great ideas are spawned. It's a place of healing as well as concealing. There is a certain energy that draws us here (though its only happened on one memorable occasion that was fleeting).

Fellow men, we all need a place like this sometimes, just like you ladies out there need a place for yourselves too. ;-)

Just look at this man's smile below and be convinced of the magic! "Are we not men?" - Devo.

There's this guy with a beard I've seen behind the mixing booth at various shows in the Pittsburgh's Southside for the longest time. He's usually seen at Club Cafe and the Rex Theater and I always thought he was an interesting figure. Well, just a week ago, while on location for my new Portrait Photography class at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers, I happened to come across this man and I found out his name was Denny Strauser and he was that one and only sound engineer. He let me take some photographs of him while he was on a smoking break prior to a show that was about to start that evening. As the light of the day faded away, I was lucky to capture some cool shots of Denny, and even had a brief chat with him. He mentioned there's this well known photographer who has taken his picture many times and his project is called "Faceburgh". Later that evening, I met the creator of "Faceburgh" and his name was Matte Braidić ( here's his Instagram page by the way). He sat down with some of the students, the teacher and myself outside Delanie's Coffee on East Carson st. He had his little pet dog named Maya (which I found out was one of the keys to his success of taking photos of random strangers on the street - as that made him more approachable/trusted). Anyway, back to Denny. He's a pretty good soundman and one of the iconic figures you'll see in Pittsburgh. If you run into him, tell him some random photographer named Jonathan said hi.

I've posted a few shots of Mr. Strauser here, and if you still want to learn more about him, check out this article written in 2003 from the Pgh City Paper.

All photographs are Copyright © 2015 Jonathan Wayne.

Back in 2007, fellow friend Michael Milch and I, Jonathan Wayne, embarked on a few short film projects in the hopes of winning film competitions on Filmaka.com . We submitted 2 films and received many positive remarks. For the 3rd project, I helped Michael with directing and editing his film for his class at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers. Presented here are all 3 films in the "trilogy". Keep in mind that each subsequent film shows less and less of Mr. Milch.

All three films are generally considered to be black comedies, in the style of deadpan humor. The first film "The Barbershop Cigars" is the most rushed and edited of the 3 films but unanimously also considered the best of the bunch due to the genuine character of Gino the Barber , who had misplaced a box of cigars. This zany story follows Gino and "Milch" around the barbershop and features political and Talmudic undertones. For our second film "The Wrong Clinic", a young American woman named Dara agreed to play the role of a Russian immigrant and did a fine job impersonating a Russian woman lost in America. It was the biggest production of the three films, and featured various characters, a jazz soundtrack (with a track played in reverse over the same exact linear track), as well as themes of immigration, deception, misogyny, identity crises, culture differences and the establishment. Our third film "Pushka", was a strange, experimental short film that combined a unique blend of horror and deadpan comedy using politics (and even religion) as its themes in a nutty ghost story set in an old synagogue in Pittsburgh. We had absolutely no story prepared, I had one battery that died within a few hours and only had a single tape and ran out of film (not being able to get better takes from the children).

I shot, directed and edited all three of these films and also was responsible for the stories in The Barbershop Cigars and The Wrong Clinic. For Pushka, Michael Milch (aka "The Dude") was assistant writer.

Though I love all three films, for some reason I laugh myself silly watching Pushka. There is absolutely no story or logic to this film, yet with the bizarre sound effects, unusual and unjustified shots that don't have a right to be there, and deadpan, serious acting from Eric (who played "The Rabbi"), I laugh intensely from watching this piece. I hope you do too.

Jonathan Wayne, filmmaker

 
 

On Sunday, July 12, 2015, Blupela / One World Blue LLC, in conjunction with the Olmo Ling Bon Center, sponsored an event called "Glimpses of Humla" , in support of Nepal and the Humla Nursing Education Project. The event took place at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh in Shadyside. "Glimpses of Humla" featured photography, music, food, crafts, a short film and stories from visitors to Nepal. Raffle items, photos and crafts were also available for purchase. The event drew around 45-50 people and everyone was in good spirits. There was live music from Gedaliah and Tim Krupar in addition to speeches by Blupela founder Joel Pirchesky, Tempa Lama and Mary Carroll. A short film, by Esther Wayne, on a Nepalese woman named Laxmi (and women's education in Nepal) was also screened.

Blupela lead graphic designer and videographer/photographer Jonathan Wayne captured many photographs and video clips from the day. He has presented them here.

All photographs are Copyright © 2015 Jonathan Wayne.

"Laxmi" - by Esther Wayne

Gino's Hair Styling Salon is the site of a special old man named Gino Scarmadi. His barber shop, located at 1931 Murray Ave in Pittsburgh, PA, has been a place that I personally used to go to have my hair cut. This fantastic Italian man is a top notch professional who knows how to give a conservative and clean cut to any gentleman of any age. He also cuts women's hair as well.

When I started going to Gino's in the early 1990s, I was only 12 or 13 years old at the time. Yet the stories Gino shared with me and his great ability to listen to what I had to say while he was doing his work was just remarkable. Though Gino isn't my barber anymore, I still think fondly of him and sometimes when I walk by his shop, I always have this momentary impulse to go back in there for a haircut. Yet, reality sets in and I quickly realize that I only average 2 or 3 haircuts a year and am not the type to have a clean look on a regular basis! Thus, I've become too much of a free spirit to continue going to Gino's for a haircut these days. But boy oh boy, when a man wants to be treated like a man, I can't but help recommend Gino's Hair Styling Salon.

Back in 2007, I featured Gino Scamardi in a short film I was making for a film contest. The contest's theme was entitled: "Lost and Found". The name of the movie: The Barbershop Cigars. It was a comedy inspired by both an old barber and a box of cigars. Taken from the website: "Improvised on site. No script. No treatment. No actors. 30 minute deadline for shooting on the barber`s lunch break. Edited in 2 days." Enjoy.

On May 16, 2015, there was a benefit concert called "Freedom from Fracking" held at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale, PA. Local bands from Pittsburgh and the nearby region performed for over 6 hours on three different stages in helping to raise awareness regarding the gas industry's unethical "fracking" methods that have negatively affected people and wildlife. Headliners Rusted Root and Kellee Maize (and friends) performed amongst many bands.

Blupela lead graphic designer and videographer/photographer Jonathan Wayne captured many photographs from the night. Using a Canon Rebel XTi (digital SLR camera without a telephoto lens - he didn't own one), Jonathan miraculously managed to collect a few good photos out of over 150 he shot. He has presented them here.

All photographs are Copyright © 2015 Jonathan Wayne.

The Blupela table just outside the main auditorium. Pictured from left to right are Blupela Founder and CEO Joel Pirchesky, his wife Baila Pirchesky, Director of Planet Sanctuary Gary Lindner and volunteer John Cuda:

Smokestack Lightning:

Mike Stout & The Human Union:

Liz Berlin's solo set:

Kellee Maize (and friends), including The Hills and the Rivers:

Rusted Root:

All photographs are Copyright © 2015 Jonathan Wayne.

Avraham Herzlich, also known as “The Jewish Shepherd” made Aliyah from New York in 1966. He decided to abandon the fast paced life he saw in America and return to the simple lifestyle of the Patriarchs as a shepherd in Israel. Today he tends his herd in Kfar Tapuch in the Shomron. The many hours of solitude with his herd allow him to reflect on life and the lessons of the Torah giving him a deep insight into what it means to be a Jew in the Land of Israel. Recently his daughter and son in law Mollie and David HaIvri decided that their fathers wisdom should be shared with others. They built a tent to host guests and created a wonderful hands on program for visitors of all ages.

Arutz Sheva (aka Israel National News) wrote up a brief news article on Avraham in 2012. Here is a portion from the article:

"Herzlich, who lived a comfortable life in the United States, chose to leave it all and move to Israel to become a shepherd. He is the father of Talya Kahane of blessed memory, who was murdered in a terror attack in December of 2000 along with her husband, Rabbi Binyamin Ze’ev Kahane.

The Kahanes were killed when Arab terrorists fired at their vehicle south of the Shomron community of Ofra, as they were driving from Jerusalem to their home in Kfar Tapuach.

“I felt the emptiness of America,” Herzlich said, explaining why he came to Israel. “Everyone is running around doing things and no one is doing anything of any significance. What do you achieve by playing on a computer?”

Herzlich left America at the age of 23. “I didn’t know anything about Judaism. I knew almost no Hebrew except for Shalom. On the boat I met some students who were going to study at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem for a year.

“When you go by boat, when you go slowly,” he said, “you have a feeling that you’re getting close to something very important. When going by plane, you’re jumping from place to place. Easy come easy go. You go and you come back very easily. When I got to Israel by boat, I stayed.”

Upon his arrival in Israel, Herzlich joined a group of Jews from Yemen and through them was able to connect to the Torah.

“They’re very humble and simple people, and I like simplicity,” he said.

Explaining his decision to become a shepherd, Herzlich said, “Our forefathers, our ancestors – this was part of their life: a tent which was made from the hair of goats. As a matter of fact, the Tabernacle in the desert was made from hair of goats.”

He explained why he remains in Shomron and why he continues to be a shepherd despite his personal loss as a bereaved father.

“We’re at war now,” he said. “We are commanded to be ready. Every second they might come and put a knife in my back. When I’m in the field alone, I have a knife with me. I have an attack dog with me.

“There are hundreds of goats here. When they spread out in the field, they take a big piece of land. The Arabs on the road see this, and they respect me.”
( http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/158733 )

John Muir (/mjʊər/; April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914[1]) was a Scottish-American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is a prominent American conservation organization. The 211-mile (340 km) John Muir Trail, a hiking trail in the Sierra Nevada, was named in his honor. Other such places include Muir Woods National Monument, Muir Beach, John Muir College, Mount Muir, Camp Muir and Muir Glacier.

In his later life, Muir devoted most of his time to the preservation of the Western forests. He petitioned the U.S. Congress for the National Park bill that was passed in 1890, establishing Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. The spiritual quality and enthusiasm toward nature expressed in his writings inspired readers, including presidents and congressmen, to take action to help preserve large nature areas. He is today referred to as the "Father of the National Parks" and the National Park Service has produced a short documentary about his life.

Muir's biographer, Steven J. Holmes, believes that Muir has become "one of the patron saints of twentieth-century American environmental activity," both political and recreational. As a result, his writings are commonly discussed in books and journals, and he is often quoted by nature photographers such as Ansel Adams. "Muir has profoundly shaped the very categories through which Americans understand and envision their relationships with the natural world," writes Holmes. Muir was noted for being an ecological thinker, political spokesman, and religious prophet, whose writings became a personal guide into nature for countless individuals, making his name "almost ubiquitous" in the modern environmental consciousness. According to author William Anderson, Muir exemplified "the archetype of our oneness with the earth", while biographer Donald Worster says he believed his mission was "...saving the American soul from total surrender to materialism."

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir

Dan Wilcox is a simple, well-intentioned farmer and musician who has helped facilitate Native American healing ceremonies and other spiritual gatherings on his wildlife refuge for over 30 years. Dan is an ex-hippie who grew up in the heyday of the counter culture movement back in the 1960s and now lives on 70 acres of land he inherited from his family when he was much younger. His wildlife refuge is a thing of beauty. He built a "sunken home" on the side of a mountain in the early 1980s, complete with renewable materials, green technology (before anyone knew about it) and a self-sustainable ecosystem via a natural mineral spring he has connected to his home. He is a shiitake mushroom nursery grower and sells his high quality mushrooms to fine dining restaurants in Pittsburgh. Dan is a musician and plays the harp and piano and writes his own songs and music.

What makes Dan so special is his extraordinary connection to the land and nature he lives on. With his outstanding spirituality and big heart, he has extended his land to those young and old that who search for meaning in their lives. His land is for healing, and the Lakota Native Americans blessed his land and helped teach him to construct sweat lodges and medicine lodges when he was much younger. Every year, Dan holds sweat lodge ceremonies and has changed people's lives with Shamans who come in to hold ceremonies on his land.

As one who has experienced all of the beneficial healing as well as arduous pain from the land of Dan Wilcox, I personally believe this man deserves a spotlight as one who is a light onto the world. Not many souls know of Dan, but those who do, regard him as one of the most special people on the planet. He continues to inspire today.

There is a special place I discovered a few years ago in Northern Israel called The Iyon Stream and the Tanur Waterfall. I first went on a hike here on March 21, 2013 and then returned again the following year, on June 7, 2014. I was with different people both times. In 2013, I hiked the entire trail, which took a few hours, with my business partner Dennis Bair (of The BairFind Foundation ) and then in 2014 I invited my sister Esther and a good friend named Matt to come explore this beautiful nature reserve. I wanted to capture that sense of magic I had in 2013, but I realized it wasn't the same sort of discovery I had the first time, despite being with good company. Nevertheless, the second time around the weather was hotter and perfect for cooling off under a waterfall, something I didn't experience with Dennis in 2013.

This amazing park has many, many different waterfalls in fact, not just that one called the "Tanur", which happens to be the highest one at 30 meters (100 feet high). My favorite waterfall is the Tahanah (Flourmill) Waterfall, which is 21 meters high (nearly 70 ft.). It is named this because of an old flour mill located near the foot of the waterfall. The views are simply spectacular, with vistas and vast expanses opening up in the upper part of the trail. The Iyon Stream has its sources 7 km north of Metulla in the country of Lebanon and was also mentioned in the Talmud as the “path of Iyon.”

All photographs are Copyright © 2013-2014 Jonathan Wayne.

March 21, 2013

June 7, 2014

In March of 2008, I had the privilege to join my father and sister on a trip to Hawaii's northernmost island of Kauai. We spent 5 days exploring the lush countryside and experiencing a completely exotic land. Along our travels, we encountered so many chickens roaming around everywhere, that I wondered how and why this came about. In one instance I was relaxing on a beautiful sandy beach near the Kauai Marriot Resort, and a rooster, hen and their two or three chicks (a whole family) came pecking towards me threatening to tickle my toes. Some people there told me that hurricanes in the past let chicken coops loose, and others said that since there are no natural predators there, chickens had no enemies (other than humans) who would eat them. It all made sense, but I wanted to know more about the wild chicken invasion of Kaui (and the rest of Hawaii) that have made this in itself a tourist attraction.

Here's an interesting article from the New York Times, written on April 6, 2015, that sheds some light on the wild chickens of Kauai:

In Hawaii, Chickens Gone Wild

The pictures you see here I shot myself (or my sister did) on this trip. I'm also in a few of the photos as you can see. Guess if you're ever homeless and hungry, this is the island to be on! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

"Silly" the Cat, circa 2011

(he still looks nearly exactly the same today!)

The story of this backyard cat is a long one but also quite trivial.

To sum up this feline, he (or is it she?), has been coming to my family's backyard for years now, starting in early as 2010. It is the summer of 2015 now and Silly still wants to be fed. So now my family buys cans of cat food on a regular basis. Wouldn't you think that 6 ounces of food would be enough for this cat? Wrong! He wants more...and more... and more. When the cat isn't busy eating ground chicken, beef and salmon, he's busy sleeping underneath the patio's raised garden bed, or even hunting for small birds. One time Silly took a dump on a hot summer day (and this was in 2015) and left it to melt on the cement part of the patio. I had to take the garden hose and set the 7 setting nozzle to "full stream" to wash that nasty little turd away. Was Silly upset we weren't feeding him on a daily basis? Was he feeling ill or has he gotten senile and old? We don't exactly know the exact age of this cat so perhaps its got some loose screws up there in its little noggin. Well, a year or so ago I planted some catnip for Silly and its taken full advantage of that stuff. I used to see him sitting in the small grove of catnip, blissed out and probably hallucinating. I tried to feed that cat some fruits and vegetables but all it wants is meat. One hell of a carnivore I have to say. That cat once used my raised beds as litter boxes so I had to put up a bit of fencing around it to keep the critter from relieving itself in my vegetable beds. That fence doubled as protection against rabbits and groundhogs too, I later realized. There's a duality in everything, isn't there? Well, anyway, I could keep going into more stories with this Silly cat but I don't want to waste your day. When I get a chance to add more recent photos of this cat, I will. For now, say hello to my little friend. :-)

Forest gardening

Forest gardening is a low-maintenance sustainable plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly useful to humans. Making use of companion planting, these can be intermixed to grow in a succession of layers, to build a woodland habitat. Forest gardening is a prehistoric method of securing food in tropical areas. In the 1980s, Robert Hart coined the term "forest gardening" after adapting the principles and applying them to temperate climates.

History

Forest gardens are probably the world's oldest form of land use and most resilient agroecosystem. They originated in prehistoric times along jungle-clad river banks and in the wet foothills of monsoon regions. In the gradual process of families improving their immediate environment, useful tree and vine species were identified, protected and improved whilst undesirable species were eliminated. Eventually superior foreign species were selected and incorporated into the gardens. Forest gardens are still common in the tropics and known by various names such as: home gardens in Kerala in South India, Nepal, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania; Kandyan forest gardens in Sri Lanka; huertos familiares, the "family orchards" of Mexico; and pekarangan, the gardens of "complete design", in Java. These are also called agroforests and, where the wood components are short-statured, the term shrub garden is employed. Forest gardens have been shown to be a significant source of income and food security for local populations. Robert Hart adapted forest gardening for the United Kingdom's temperate climate during the 1980s. His theories were later developed by Martin Crawford from the Agroforestry Research Trust and various permaculturalists such as Graham Bell, Patrick Whitefield, Dave Jacke and Geoff Lawton.

Seven-layer system

Robert Hart pioneered a system based on the observation that the natural forest can be divided into distinct levels. He used intercropping to develop an existing small orchard of apples and pears into an edible polyculture landscape consisting of the following layers:

A key component of the seven-layer system was the plants he selected. Most of the traditional vegetable crops grown today, such as carrots, are sun loving plants not well selected for the more shady forest garden system. Hart favoured shade tolerant perennial vegetables.

Further development

The Agroforestry Research Trust (ART), managed by Martin Crawford, runs experimental forest gardening projects on a number of plots in Devon, United Kingdom. Crawford describes a forest garden as a low-maintenance way of sustainably producing food and other household products.

Ken Fern had the idea that for a successful temperate forest garden a wider range of edible shade tolerant plants would need to be used. To this end, Fern created the organisation Plants for a Future (PFAF) which compiled a plant database suitable for such a system. Fern used the term woodland gardening, rather than forest gardening, in his book Plants for a Future.

The Movement for Compassionate Living (MCL) promote forest gardening and other types of vegan organic gardening to meet society's needs for food and natural resources. Kathleen Jannaway, the founder of MCL, wrote a book outlining a sustainable vegan future called Abundant Living in the Coming Age of the Tree in 1991. In 2009, the MCL provided a grant of £1,000 to the Bangor Forest Garden project in Gwynedd, North West Wales.

In 2005, Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier's two-volume book Edible Forest Gardens provided a deeply researched reference focused on North American forest gardening climates, habitats, and species. The book attempts to ground forest gardening deeply in ecological science. The Apios Institute wiki grew out of their work, and seeks to document and share the experience of people around the world working with the species in polycultures.

Robert Hart, Horticulturist:

Permaculture

Bill Mollison, who coined the term permaculture, visited Robert Hart at his forest garden in Wenlock Edge in October 1990. Hart's seven-layer system has since been adopted as a common permaculture design element.

Numerous permaculturalists are proponents of forest gardens, or food forests, such as Graham Bell, Patrick Whitefield, Dave Jacke, Eric Toensmeier and Geoff Lawton. Bell started building his forest garden in 1991 and wrote the book The Permaculture Garden in 1995, Whitefield wrote the book How to Make a Forest Garden in 2002, Jacke and Toensmeier co-authored the two volume book set Edible Forest Gardening in 2005, and Lawton presented the film Establishing a Food Forest in 2008.

Austrian Sepp Holzer practices "Holzer Permaculture" on his Krameterhof farm, at varying altitudes ranging from 1,100 to 1,500 metres above sea level. His designs create micro-climates with rocks, ponds and living wind barriers, enabling the cultivation of a variety of fruit trees, vegetables and flowers in a region that averages 4°C, and with temperatures as low as -20°C in the winter.

Projects

El Pilar on the Belize-Guatemala border features a forest garden to demonstrate traditional Maya agricultural practices. A further 1-acre model forest garden, called Känan K’aax (meaning well-tended garden in Mayan), is being funded by the National Geographic Society and developed at Santa Familia Primary School in Cayo.

In the United States the largest known food forest on public land is believed to be the 7-acre Beacon Food Forest in Seattle, WA. Other forest garden projects include those at the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute in Basalt, Colorado and Montview Neighborhood farm in Northampton, Massachusetts.

In Canada food forester Richard Walker has been developing and maintaining food forests in the province of British Columbia for over 30 years. He developed a 3-acre food forest that when at maturity provided raw materials for a nursery and herbalism business as well as food for his family. The Living Centre have developed various forest garden projects in Ontario.

In the United Kingdom, other than those run by the Agroforestry Research Trust (ART), there are numerous forest garden projects such as the Bangor Forest Garden in Gwynedd, North West Wales. Martin Crawford from ART administers the Forest Garden Network, an informal network of people and organisations around the world who are cultivating their own forest gardens.

Salem Cross Inn's Kitchen Gardens (in Massachusetts):

An Urban Food Forest in Sydney, Australia:

Manhattan's Lenape Edible Estate:

Hale Akua Permaculture Garden Farm in Maui, Hawaii:

A design outline for a food forest:

A potager garden in someone's front yard:

"Broccoli Forest" by artist Carl Warner:

Further reading

Why Food Forests?
The Garden of the Future?
Edible Forest Gardens: an invitation to adventure
8 Best Crops for a Potager
Maya Forest Gardening
Seattle's new 7 acre food forest, Beacon Food Forest
NPR: Seattle's First Urban Food Forest Will Be Open To Foragers
Teaching Sustainable Food Systems

Taken from the "When The Sun Hits Blog", July 22, 2010:

"Shoegaze? What exactly is that, anyway?" is a question heard too often. Worse still, it's a difficult question to answer! Genre definitions are never fun to do within the realm of art, but in the interest of posterity and to better understand everything about this genre (and culture), we think a brief and painless history lesson is in order.

Let's start with the basics. Shoegaze is a genre of rock music born in the late 1980's in the UK, and heavily features the use of guitar effects pedals, feedback, distortion, drone and atmospheric soundscapes. This "wall of sound" approach soon caught on with a handful of bands, and a scene of like-minded musicians was born. The word "Shoegaze" was coined when it was noticed that the musicians, when playing live, tended to keep their backs turned and their eyes firmly on the ground, both in keeping with the mood of the music and to concentrate on manipulating guitar pedals and gear on the floor. Listeners soon came to call the musicians "Shoegazers", and later the term came to mean anyone creating or listening to Shoegaze music. Or, as we lovingly like to call them, 'Gazers.

The Shoegaze movement was also briefly called "the scene that celebrates itself" because of the close-knit relationships between the Shoegaze bands of the time. Rather than be rivals, Shoegazers were often seen at one another's shows, played in one another's bands, and pub-crawled and hung out together.

Pinpointing the exact moment Shoegaze was born is difficult to do, but it's safe to say that once the Jesus and Mary Chain released their first single in November of 1984, a 7 inch on Creation Records called "Upside Down", the seeds of Shoegaze were firmly sown. The Jesus and Mary Chain defined the early sound of Shoegaze with their noisy, feedback-laden songs, and influenced countless bands then and today. Creation Records, in turn, would become a major player in the early days of Shoegaze, later releasing classic gazer records by bands such as Ride, Slowdive, and My Bloody Valentine, to name a few.

The apex of the first wave of Shoegaze is generally considered to have occurred in November of 1991, with the release of My Bloody Valentine's Loveless. Meticulously crafted (Kevin Shields used nineteen different recording studios and nearly bankrupted Creation Records) and unapologetically loud, My Bloody Valentine crafted what many consider to this day to be a record of genius proportions, and the absolute crowning jewel of the Shoegaze movement. Legendary stuff.

By 1994, however, the love for the Shoegaze sound had waned. Grunge music and Brit Pop had taken over the charts, and the scene that celebrated itself died quietly away. Or so it appeared. In reality, the roots of Shoegaze lived on, splintering into other subgenres, influencing the evolution of drone music, noise, and even electronic music. Today, Shoegaze lives on through hybrids of these genres, and a lot of contemporary Shoegaze is a glorious melting pot of all of these sounds.

In recent years, Shoegaze and Dream Pop music has been enjoying a renewed interest and gaining new fans all over the world. Current bands like the Depreciation Guild, Highspire, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, A Place to Bury Strangers, Ceremony, Mahogany, Astrobrite, and many (many) more are keeping Shoegaze alive, building on the classic sound and adding fresh perspectives and spins on it. Shoegaze and Dream Pop is now a vibrant scene, filled with talented musicians creating beautiful noise.

Original article: http://whenthesunhitsblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/shoegaze-scene-that-celebrates-itself.html