the most amazing tour in nyc

I've been spending a little more time than most people looking at or into unused tunnels of Brooklyn and I've discovered that most of these tunnels lie dormant, ignored and probably forgotten and information and access is often difficult to obtain. Fortunately for all of us, there is one very loved tunnel, originally built by the LIRR that lives under Atlantic avenue in downtown Brooklyn. Claimed to be the oldest train/subway tunnel in the world, built in 1844(!!) and (re)discovered by Bob Diamond in the 1980's, Bob gives tours inside the tunnel twice a month. Bob tells his amazing story (several acts long) inside the humid and atmospheric tunnel. Anyone and everyone who gives a slight hoot about history or construction should go on this tour. Well worth the $15. (Bob runs the the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association - where you can find info on the tour.)

More stories of vertical gardens

Portland Oregon will be getting a new Federal building complete with exterior 250ft shade 'fins.' These fins are trellis's that will have some sort of plant material growing on them - planted at various heights - not just ground level. Although the rendering looks quite nice I am very curious to see how this will all pan out. This is a really great idea but planting in containers at various heights, facing west will be sure to create water and growth issues. I wonder what sort of plant material they are thinking...vines? evergreen? deciduous? Ground planting is the best solution for longevity - unless you are an epiphyte and that wouldn't work here. Seems everyone has a living wall or a vertical wall proposal but I'd be interested to see these ideas upon completion and then 6 months after when everything is dead.

excellent other world experience

I can't describe how awesome it sounds underneath a polar ice shelf so I highly recommend you spend some time listening to the live streaming mp3 so you can understand. The Alfred Wegener Institute has permanent microphones recording life and shifting sounds under an ice shelf in Antarctica. If you browse their website you can also find some interesting photo's of new life forms (like the spider-thing below guarding its eggs) and video. This might be the coolest thing on the internet.

more church pics

here is another finely crafted thing of great beauty, the organ. this one is in brooklyn and it is quite big:

rainbows of masonry

while tunnel hunting::

while tunnel hunting...

i came across this beautiful space and chandelier. Downtown brooklyn, church extension, c1913

Leslie Land's seed recommend

I never did the research on other seed companies because I've had some psychological/ brand recognition attachment to Burpee Seeds. But with any product I think it's good to shop the market and Leslie Land (with the help of the Council for Responsible Genetics seeds list) put together a nice mix of companies and what they offer. Take a look, it's seed time.

a beautiful day at the beach

long island sound, 19 F, insanely windy and snowing.... but still beautiful eh?

a maitake mushroom kit

this is what a maitake mushroom growing kit looks like: a wet bag of slimy white oak substrate. Over one month till crop:

moss bed

I just put moss down on the Hibiscus for the winter and Cedric immediately claimed it as his bed. He seems happy with his new territory: