leaf in the snow

leaf in the snow, originally uploaded by donnallong.

This photo is part of my ongoing series of seeing beauty of at my feet.

It is the juxtaposition of textures pleases me.

The icy crunchiness of the snow, the dry crack-liness of the leaf and the soft mushiness of the dark shriveled leaf is fascinating in its quiet presence.

Avatar and the Golden Rule

I saw the film Avatar for the second time. This time in 3-D. It is an excellent, excellent movie.

I don't want to spoil the movie for those who have not seen it, but the environmental message is clear.

Live so your land is abundant and you won't need to go and take someone's stuff. Do unto others what you want done to you. You can go to bed with a clear conscious. And we won't have to pay for mistakes or the sins of our ancestors. Our children can live in abundance, harmony and peace.

It is time for some folks to simply grow up. We have to change the way we live. And I don't mean all this "green shopping" nonsense either. Pleasure shopping and over consuming is just plain greed. How much stuff do we really need?

Some of my favorite quotes from Avatar:

"You will live with us and learn our ways. We will see if your insanity can be cured." - The clan leader Mo'at to Jake Sully

"Go back to your dying world." - Jake Sully to the Sky People in his rally of the Navi

If we meet people like the Navi, Earth's corporations and money-chasers would be plotting and scheming to take over their world, just as they plotted and schemed here on Earth.

Let's take away their power and diminish their influence and size. Practice frugality.

A new year, a new decade

This past decade went by so fast.

I wonder what the new decade will bring?

Will climate change be even more prevalent? Will our way of life change from the overindulgent, ridiculousness we have been living for many years now?

I have resigned myself to the fact that we missed the window of opportunity to stop climate change.  I am in adaptation mode now.

How do I help my family to adapt to the changes that are here and are coming?

I suspect that many of us are beginning to ask ourselves just that question.


Happy New Year and Peace to All on Earth.