Blog
MATTIA BONETTI: DESIGNS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE ORIGINAL
In late 2004, I was working with Mattia Bonetti on designing some furniture for my house. He is as warm and friendly as they get, especially for a superstar designer. When I first met him I expected an air of importance, or stiff European formality. But that’s not...
NON-NATIVE VS. INVASIVE: GOOD, BAD OR OTHERWISE?
I am currently fascinated by the concept of non-native and invasive species. When are non-natives bad? Always or sometimes? Invasive species are always bad. But sometimes non-natives can be good for you. Take the plant, Mullein, for example. It doesn’t belong in East...
Abyss Table
In my house, there are stories we tell around the dinner table and then there are enchanting stories about the dinner table itself. Thanks Architectural Digest for sharing a bit about what makes “Abyss” so magical. Designer Mattia Bonetti says that he conceived of...
A VISIT TO THE NORTH BRANCH RESTORATION PROJECT’S SOMME PRAIRIE GROVE
Somme Prairie Grove Photo Credit: Peter Gorman Creative Commons I recently decided to spend a few summer days in Chicago. The Windy City is a great place to take a summer vacation. The weather is usually excellent on Lake Michigan, and Chicago has an amazing array of...
Wild American Ginseng and the Chinese Doctor
Dr. Iris Gao has moved from mainland China to Middle State Tennessee University in order to study Wild American ginseng. It just so happens that we have a lot of the root at Coal Creek farm in Eastern Tennessee. Dr. Gao visited recently with her colleague Dr. Elliot...
Grateful for Little Things
Last week I had the privilege of seeing AND filming a Northern Bobwhite (aka quail) at Coal Creek Farm in Eastern Tennessee. Sightings of these once ubiquitous little birds are rare. Having one slow down enough to film it is even rarer. The Northern Bobwhite (quail)...
Miami Mountain Rocks
Left: Ugo Rondinone, Miami Mountain, 2016. Stone, paint, steel. Collection of The Bass, purchased with the John and Johanna Bass Acquisition Fund. Photo © Zachary Balber. Courtesy of The Bass, Miami Beach. Right: Bouquet of Tulips by Jeff Koons is to stand in front of...
Catching a Wild Elephant: Tennessee’s Piney River
There are several “Piney” River/Creeks on the Cumberland Plateau. The Piney River near Spring City, Tenn., is on the Walden’s Ridge portion of the Plateau. Its headwaters join with Moccasin Creek, Bumbee and Duskin creeks, before finding the confluence with Soak Creek and flowing through Spring City into the Tennessee River. In 1970 the Bowater Southern Paper Corporation donated the land to the State of Tennessee.
With 50th anniversary of Scenic Rivers Act, let’s double number of protected waterways
Fifty years ago this year, our political leaders codified the idea that our wild and scenic rivers should be conserved for themselves and for the future. Their efforts were modest; Congress asked each state to nominate two rivers. To accomplish this, these leaders had to be forward-thinking.
The Environment and Technology
New software, specifically crowdsourcing software, will undoubtedly lead to major breakthroughs in scientific research and the way we look at and conserve our planet.