The Cherry Tree Dilemma: Mindfulness, Complexity and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)

  In attachment blossoms fall, in aversion weeds spread. Dogen, Genjo Koan (1233 CE) Smack in the middle of the back yard is a non-native, very short tree that, when I moved in, looked like a dwarf, would-be weeping willow. Scraggly, neglected, it stood just over five feet high, and its branches hung down to the ground all around. It took up a fair amount of space; of course nothing grew in its shade. I did recognize it: a weeping cherry—not a naturally grown specimen of one of the beautiful Japanese varieties, but a “frankentree,” which, as Brian Funk of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has written, “are the flowering cherries on sale at home improvement stores” that “look like mops, or umbrellas, or octopus trees.” They are created when “weeping cherry branches… are grafted onto a straight trunk that was cut off at five feet tall.”  Well yes, exactly. Not only was it ungainly, but: what was the point of its existence, and what good would it do?  I mentally tagged it for rem...

New Blog Design

Introducing my updated blog design, which I hope readers will find more user friendly. To enhance the reading and browsing experience, I used cleaner colors (which coordinate with my personal business card), and put the text in Verdana instead of Arial. Verdana is designed for more comfortable online reading. I also added share features, and jump breaks ("read more") on longer posts so more content can appear on the front page. I'll continue tinkering with details as I get to it. Look for more informational pages tabbed across the top in coming months. What kinds of information would you like to see?

Comments

Heather Holm said…
I like the new design - it feels refreshing.
Diana Studer said…
I like what VP has done - for new readers, start here. Popular posts, or these are my favourites ... somewhere to start, until we are hooked ;>) You have put up some powerful essays recently.
Thanks, Heather.

EE, thanks for stopping by. Some good suggestions, which I hadn't thought of. Glad you appreciate my writing efforts--I'm much more comfortable with words than images!
Benjamin Vogt said…
It works. I've thought about havinga phot page, or at least some sort fo photo archive widget, but it sounds time consuming. Especially with my comparatively crappy blog template. I like your template. Blogs are so... involving. Self absorbed. Time sinks.
Thanks Dave.

Benjamin, Thanks and I agree about time sinking. They are especially so when avoiding chores. :-)
Anonymous said…
I like your new blog look. It's easy to get around (although it wasn't really difficult before) and I love the humming birds in the borders.
MRG