Lava Leaves

Each year, Autumn leaves rain down from trees. . .

. . .lava-like upon the pavement. . .

. . .completing the life-cycle begun last Spring. . .

 

Nature's fiery "coins", laying there just for the taking! 

Get 'em while they're hot!

Shared aVenues

Restaurant Greens

Muscota Marsh: A "Meeting" Place

At the northern tip of Manhattan lies the Muscota Marsh.

It is a place of many "meetings". . .

where land MEETS water. . .
     . . .the Munsee tribe of the Lenape Indians fished, farmed and hunted there. "Muscota" is a Lenape word meaning "meadow by the water" or "where the reeds grow" (see Thomas Rainer's wonderful blog post, Muscota Marsh Park: A Lucid View of Troubled Waters for an in depth discussion of the marsh's cultural impact and history).

where fresh and salt waters MIX. . .

     . . . or estuaries-- a place where rivers, streams, creeks, etc., empty out into the sea or the ocean. They are some of the most rich, diverse and productive of natural habitats.

For the Lenape, the marsh was a place abundant in oysters, clams, crabs and fish. They fashioned the reeds growing there, into "weirs" to trap the fish.

where the northern tip of Manhattan KISSES the western edge of the Bronx. . .
     . . .in the time of the Lenape, at tide's ebb, they could walk across the mudflats between the two land masses.  Centuries later it would be dredged to create the Harlem River Shipping Canal, thus effectively and finally separating them.

where culture and history CLASH. . .
     . . .here the Lenape would encounter the Dutch. And, like the insistent pull of the tide, so too would begin the  inexorable shift from one way of life to another. . .the Dutch gave the waterways bounding Manhattan their own names. . .Spuyten Duvil Creek. . .the Harlem River, which flow into each other there.

and, most recently, where Columbia University 

ENCROACHES upon the surrounding community. . .

     . . .the restoration of this green space is an amenity received through a community benefits agreement, in return for allowing Columbia to build a stadium and athletic center, down the street.

In this place of many meetings, an attempt has been made 

to reconnect the community to the waterfront. . .

the re-intersection of the urban and natural worlds.

Will it be successful? Only time will tell.

Soft or Hard Landing?

In permaculture, “edge”— that is, the place where two landscapes meet— is a very interesting place.

For the little berries here, what happens to them next. . .

. . .depends into which landscape they've landed.

Smashed upon the pavement. . .

. . .or absorbed back into the earth to complete their cycle?

Gratitude

Trees provide so many "gifts". . .

 






. . .beauty

  delight

      shade. . .
cooling 

   . . .habitat
            shelter

      food. . .

. . .oxygen

Give thanks and hug a tree sometime!

Organic Currency

It's that time of year again. . .

. . . who says money doesn't grow on trees?

  

. . .Pssst! It does!

So do help yourself!

GuestPeek: Kady's Herb Garden

Even in a NYC apartment space can be found to grow food. . .

Pictured here--  basil, rosemary, mint, chives, thyme, tarragon, parsley, and chili peppers. . . 







. . .but with the change of  seasons there are plans to swap out the herbs for some winter veggies. . .potatoes, carrots and beets. . .

Mmmmm. . .yummy! 

Kady, thanks for sharing 
your gardening pix and plans with Permie Peeks!

Flowers in Fall

Outdoor Accommodations

In an urban setting like NYC, the built environment often encroaches on or can completely overtake the natural environment.
 



Recently the Bryant Park Grill erected a tent, enclosing one of their outdoor dining areas.









There were trees in the outdoor area, that were taller than the tent. . .

. . .however, I was delighted to see that the tent was customized to accommodate them!

Bon appetit!

Gone Fishin'

This weekend, I participated  in one of the Lower East Side Ecology Center's (LESEC) "catch & release" fishing clinics. The LESEC is a local non-profit, providing programming to teach the public about environmental issues facing New York City.


The clinic was held at Pier 42, a recently opened green space along the East River. They sponsor programs and activities to help the public reconnect with the waterfront and show that it can be a valuable amenity and educational resource.

I was able to successfully bait my hook without goring myself
and practiced casting my line, which is not as easy as you think!

A fish was caught. . . (to eventually be released). . . but unfortunately not by me!

My "catch" of the day consisted of a bit of discarded cable that ended up in the river (seen dangling from my fishing rod, in the picture immediately above).

However, various marine life had taken up residence on it and made it their home. . .
. . .sort of like an artificial cable reef!

That's good enough for me!

Life Source

If you want this. . . 

. . .you gotta start with this.

Take care of the earth and it will sustain you!

Times Square: Solar in the City

A waste management, reduction and recycling initiative. . .

. . .in one of the world's most heavily trafficked public spaces. . .

. . .supported by the sun.

Messy Retreat?

Is Spring on the way. . .

. . .or will Winter stay. . .

. . . a little longer. . .

. . . ?

House Bound

Leaf Drop

It's that time of year again. . .

free for the taking. . .

Get 'em while supplies last!