Nature CAN Nurture

I recently had the chance to speak with Hudson Valley photographer Portia Munson for an article I wrote for Medium.com. As the uncertainty of a world in turmoil continues, we can take solace in nature’s cycle of renewal. And even when we can’t be in nature, whether we are dashing through the airport or spending a day on the computer, Portia Munson’s images transport us to that restorative moment where we feel the chaos of our lives stop and let the natural order begin.

Backyard Sanctuary

As a healthy ecosystem seems perilously close to being a thing of the past, please consider acting locally. The National Wildlife Federation is holding a challenge of turning our backyards into safe havens all across the country. I was surprised to find that our suburban backyard was able to gain certification of a wildlife habitat by the NWF with one or two tweaks. The checklist is incredibly straightforward-- seeds or berries, trees and shrubs, nesting location, water source, organic fertilizer-- it is quite easy to meet the standard, leaving me to wonder why shouldn't we all get on board. The Audubon Society also has information on their site on how to make your backyard bird-friendly. With the marsh areas of the Gulf chewed up with oil, perhaps we can do our part for bird populations in our own region.

On the Wild Side

Back in my youth, the term wildlife held quite a different meaning but as an eco-friendly architecture firm, it seems really important to protect the environment around the cottage as we move forward on the addition. We've got a nest of Eastern Phoebes in the rafters, a bat in the front light fixture, chipmunks in the crawl space, and more golden finches at the feeders than we ever anticipated. Adding a butterfly bush should also help encourage more wildlife to the property. We also plan to check out the website of the National Wildlife Federation, which provides information on how to turn one's backyard into a wildlife sanctuary. Who wouldn't want more frogs, toads, and salamanders wandering around?
Unfortunately along with those lovely creatures, we are also sharing space with mosquitoes, mice, and ants. Our solution is to add a bat house for our resident bat, who has been already named "fuzzy lumpkins", and an owl house to encourage barn owls to the property. Both should offer some form of pest control.
The plans are nearly ready-- just need elevations at this point-- while Keith and his crew have been preparing the cottage by sanding the decks and screening the porch. And looks like I struck a deal on the claw foot tub. I anticipate moving up there for a solid week to try to further the project, which we hope to complete by this autumn.