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April 22, 2020 Leave a Comment

Love Songs for the Earth

Earth Day playlist, Tree Prints for Arbor Day + Planting Trees with Avant Garden Studio!

Happy Earth Day – 50 Years of Environmental Activism

This week marks the high holidays for earth lovers everywhere! Wednesday, April 22 is Earth Day. This year is a milestone: the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, marking the birth of the modern environmental movement. Happy Earth Day to you! Hope you can get outside.

Now, more than ever, we need global activism and unified efforts to work together for the health of our planet. Since its inception in 1970, Earth Day has mobilized 1 billion people worldwide. Today, the Earth Day Network is working “to build a historic moment when citizens of the world will rise up in a united call for the creativity, innovation, ambition, and bravery that we need to meet our climate crisis.” We can do so much when we work together. (Find links to more resources at the end of this post.)

A Day for Planting Trees: Celebrating Arbor Day

But wait, that’s not all! Friday, April 24th is Arbor Day! Treehuggers, this day is for you (and me)! Arbor Day started in 1872 in Nebraska as a day devoted to planting trees. Since then, all 50 states have come to observe Arbor Day and planted more than 350 million trees so far!

This week, I became a member of the Arbor Day Foundation. Guess what you get with your membership? You got it: TREES! Select trees to plant in your yard or opt to donate your 10 trees to be planted in a National Forest or Rain Forest. Learn more and consider joining – it’s cheap! (Link below.)

Buy Tree Art, Plant More Trees: Tree Prints Now Online

In honor of Arbor Day this week, I’ve set up a special online gallery of my favorite tree photographs available for purchase in a variety of sizes.

Did you know that just looking at a picture of a forest can improve your health and well-being? It’s a proven Nature Rx. Instant calm.

Every purchase on my website supports reforestation efforts around the globe! Keep reading to learn more…

SHOP TREE PRINTS

Avant Garden Studio: Eco-Friendly Paper Goods

Earlier this year I launched a brand-new line of eco-friendly paper goods through my business Avant Garden Studio. Greeting cards feature 100% PCW recycled brown kraft paper produced in the USA with green, hydroelectric power. Products are sustainably printed in Minnesota.

The greeting cards combine my vibrantly-colored, contemplative nature images with carefully-curated inspired quotations. Blank inside with matching envelopes. 30 designs for all occasions. Visit the card shop.

SHOP CARDS

Blank journals come in two sizes: pocket (3.5×5.5) and standard (5×8). Made in the USA from 100% recycled materials with 48 dot grid pages.

SHOP JOURNALS

All Avant Garden Studio sales support our mission to help the planet!

Helping the Planet, One Tree at a Time

As of January 1, 2020, my business is donating 1% of sales to reforestation efforts through One Tree Planted. Every dollar donated plants one tree. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Last week, I made my first donation and planted trees in India! How cool is that?

$1 = 1 TREE

One Tree Planted works with partners around the world to help the planet by planting trees. They have a great website (link below) with information about why trees are so important. Here’s the lowdown:

AIR: trees improve air quality. They absorb pollutants, produce clean oxygen, soak up carbon dioxide and reduce effects of climate change.
WATER: trees help to capture rainwater and help to prevent risks of flooding and landslides. They also filter and clean groundwater.
BIODIVERSITY: Trees provide homes to hundreds of species including birds, insects, and mammals, as well as plants, fungi and moss.
SOCIAL IMPACT: From jobs to food, trees provide important resources that support human life through sustainable tree farming.
HEALTH: Trees reduce stress and help people connect with nature as well as shading us from harmful UV rays! Told you! Nature Rx.
CLIMATE: Trees soak up greenhouse gases and can reduce pollution and temperatures in urban areas.

I’m so excited to be part of this effort and watch the Avant Garden Studio forest expand as my small business grows! Every purchase plants trees.

SHOP AVANT GARDEN STUDIO / PLANT TREES

Before I go (remember those links at the bottom of the post), I have a fresh new collection of songs that celebrate love and care for our planet. I hope you get a chance to walk among the trees this week. And maybe grab a hug.

Earth Day, Every Day Playlist

earth love: (9: April 2020)

listen on Spotify here.

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) | Marvin Gaye

Big Yellow Taxi | Joni Mitchell

Two Little Feet | Greg Brown

Into the Wild | LP

Natural Beauty | Neil Young

Mother Nature’s Son | The Beatles

Monument In Green | Big Head Todd & the Monsters

Old Pine | Ben Howard

Nature Boy | Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

(Nothing But) Flowers | Talking Heads

Let It Grow | Eric Clapton

Children Play With Earth | Arrested Development

Songs for a Second Winter

Late-afternoon sunlight at the lagoon. Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis

Hey world. Are you hanging in there?

Last month I was thinking about themes for upcoming playlists and I thought, “Oh, in March I’ll have a spring theme! Yay!”. But, as we’re all too aware, things have changed monumentally since then.

Blue skies and open water near the shore. Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis.

Technically, it is spring here in the northern hemisphere. The snow is gone, the ice is opening up on the lakes, the first green things are peeking out.

But, psychologically, it feels like a second winter. Another period of hardship to weather and survive.

While we hunker down through this second bleak season, the natural world will awaken, the sun will warm the soil, things will grow and bloom.

Eventually, we, too, will emerge from this darkness. We’ll walk out into the fresh air, stretching and blinking in the sun and see that we have survived.

Until then, emotions are volatile. There are moments when I feel like kicking and screaming. Others when I don’t want to get out of bed.

But then I go for a walk and feel all the delight of the first heron back on the just-open water at the lake’s edge. Or, I nestle in to a cozy evening at home, hibernating with my favorite people.

Great blue herons have returned to Minnesota.

Sometimes, many times, music helps keep me going. So, I’ve put together a mix of songs to help us keep trucking through troubled times. Songs to encourage us. Songs of strength and survival. Songs of hope.

We’re all in this together. And, ultimately, love will save the day. Sending love to you & yours, Terra

The other day our daughter, Zola, and her best friend wrote encouraging messages in sidewalk chalk in front of each neighbor’s house. #chalkthewalk

keep the light (8: March 2020)

Listen on Spotify here.

Ooh Child | Beth Orton

Back in the High Life Again | Steve Winwood

I’m Still Standing | Elton John

Killing the Blues | Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

19th Nervous Breakdown | The Rollings Stones

My Silver Lining | First Aid Kit

Hours Are the New Days |Mary Glenn

Lean on Me | Bill Withers

You Gotta Be | Des’ree

Trouble | Cat Stevens

Don’t Panic | Coldplay

Love is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive | Rickie Lee Jones

I’ll Take You There | The Staple Singers

There’s So Much Energy in Us | Cloud Cult

February 12, 2020 1 Comment

love, sweet love

(what the world needs now + new music)

Greetings from the second half of winter here in Minneapolis!

While I’ll admit to having a little cabin fever the past couple weeks, all it takes is something like yesterday’s rime frost to rekindle the winter love. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen – like walking through a magical fairyland. Every branch and cattail covered in white, even frozen mist hanging in the air until the the sunshine burst through.

You can see how dramatically the light and colored changed as golden sunlight burned through the frozen fog and brought colors back to life!

Love comes in all shapes and sizes for family, friends, strangers and self. For animals and plants and art and music, favorite foods, favorite places and all manner of other things that tug at our hearts and bring us joy.

I choose to make Valentine’s Day about the power of Love. It’s what the world needs. Now, and always.

i want to sing you a love song

Music is among the great loves of my life.

My gift to you: an eclectic collection of love songs or, more accurately, songs about love. Not just for Valentine’s Day – more like a soundtrack for a love revolution, an ode to the sweet moments of our lives, an anthem to the power of love over fear.

For friends, lovers, family, plants, animals & people we haven’t met because the whole wide world needs more love. And, of course, for you! xo, Terra

love (07: february 2020)

Something’s Got A Hold On Me | Etta James

Let Your Love Flow | The Bellamy Brothers

Love and Happiness | Al Green

(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding | Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Songbird | Fleetwood Mac

Let Love Rule | Lenny Kravitz

Make You Feel My Love | Bob Dylan

Shower the People | James Taylor

Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) | George Harrison

O, I Love You | Essie Jain

Weight of Love | The Black Keys

What the World Needs Now | Cat Power

Listen here on Spotify.

January 22, 2020 Leave a Comment

let’s take it from the top

new year’s plans and good intentions

I’ve found in the past few years that, while I’m fired up to begin the new year, actually getting things rolling takes me a couple weeks.

I am a person who thoroughly enjoys the promise of a fresh start and, yes, I do set goals at the start of every new year. Around our house, though, we sit around the fire on New Year’s Day, recall our favorite moments of the past year, burn any regrets or things we just want to let go, and then we declare our resolutions – except we call them Hopes & Dreams.

worth 365,000 words…

One thing I have got off the ground already for 2020 is a renewed commitment to daily creativity: the 365 Project.

If you’ve read the Welcome to Wildflower post, you know that my first 365 project (and blog avantgarden365) changed my life and shaped my artistic process of seeking out beauty in everyday subject matter.

2/365: hope springs eternal (azalea buds in january…in minnesota)

The photos you see in this post are the first nine days of 2020. If you’d like to follow along daily, please follow me on Instagram @terrarathai.

There, you’ll also find more commentary on the images.

3/365: trillium by alexis rockman @ Weisman Art Museum

The practice of taking photos everyday is like a sketchbook for me. It’s a place to explore, push myself to see with fresh eyes, experiment, fail, play and commit to the rigors and revelations of any daily practice.

Some days, the last things I want to do is pick up my camera and try to discover something worth seeing in the same, ordinary, everyday surroundings of our home and neighborhood.

But, I do it anyway.

Seeing with an awakened eye, being open to beauty and discovery in the most familiar places, has become both an artistic and a spiritual way of being. It’s my brand of mindfulness – being present in the moment.

6/365: self portrait (with rocco): first run of 2020

The daily photos also become a journal, a visual record of the places we’ve been, the way we’ve grown and changed, and the things that matter to us.

And, then, sometimes, it’s purely for fun!

8/365: breakfast (green protein superfood smoothie)

There is nothing more earnest in a post about good (new year’s) intentions, than a green smoothie, is there? It’s the breakfast I turn to when I’m getting S E R I O U S about my health and fitness.

The fact that I drink it from a 20oz. beer glass tells you a little something about how I see the concept of “balance” in that part of my life…

On any given day, there are subjects I’ll turn to. Subjects that manage to be ever-changing and always new no matter how many times I’ve seen them. The sky is almost always a sure thing. The endless variety of cloud forms, light and color, mood and movement are always the stuff of wonder. And, although we see it every day, it is certainly worth looking at.

To follow along with the daily photos throughout the year, follow my person Instagram @terrarathai. And for even more everyday wonder, follow the blog @wildflowertheblog. Until next time, keep on turning.

Just in time for the Lunar New Year on Saturday (wink, wink), I’ve put together a playlist full of energy, hope, determination, dreams and rock ‘n’ roll. OK, 2020, let’s go!

begin (06: january 2020)

Start Me Up | The Rolling Stones

Setting Forth | Eddie Vedder

Changes | Langhorne Slim & The Law

Running Down A Dream | Tom Petty

What’s the World Got in Store | Wilco

Fire Starter | Honeysuckle

You’ll Be Bright – Innovacation Part 1 | Cloud Cult (*MN Band)

Awake | Freedom Fry

Don’t Stop | Fleetwood Mac

Brand New Day | Van Morrison

My Silver Lining | First Aid Kit

Let The Good Times Roll | JD McPherson

Listen on Spotify.

December 17, 2019 1 Comment

winter wonderland

(with a soundtrack for your Solstice)

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” according to the familiar song. While I would argue that every season is full of its own wonders, I do find this time of year pretty magical. There are so many memories and cherished traditions, delicious treats, the joy of giving and, for those of us in the north country, the beauty of winter.

As a snow lover, a White Christmas is always on my wish list. This year, several early season snowstorms have guaranteed that we’ll have one!

insta-the-way-the-willows-glow-in-winter

The approach of the Winter Solstice has me happily nestled in. Cozy socks, white lights on the mantle, a warm, fuzzy blanket, and my favorite candle (scented with essential oils of Frankincense, Myrhh & Palo Santo; it’s called Peace). I start each day in the dark of early morning, soaking up the quiet and candlelight over a fresh, hot cup of coffee.

I’ve embraced the Danish concept of hygge to fully cultivate these simple pleasures in my life and find ways to create ease and joy in what can be a harsh and, sometimes, challenging season. (*Note: the spirit of hygge, defined as: a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being, can be enjoyed year-round, although it’s particularly well-suited to a cold, dark winter).

When nights are long and dark and days are short and cold, what better way to thrive and enjoy daily life than to cultivate connection, simplicity and warmth – not only in one’s home, but also in our hearts? I don’t need to be “doing” anything to fully enjoy being with the people I love. Ideally? With all four of us (plus Rocco) snuggled up in front of the fire like a pile of puppies in a nest of fleece and wool.

Despite this ode to all things cozy, you’ll notice that the photographs in this post have nothing to do with hibernating indoors. That’s because my other favorite thing about the season is a good winter walk with my camera in tow! A fresh blanket of white snow creates the perfect blank canvas, casting each leaf and stem into a starring role in its own work of art. And the subtle color palette – an infinite spectrum of gray, brown and white – is richly soothing in the thin winter light. Truly a winter wonderland.

I hope that you find wonder in this and every season. My gift to you: a playlist that celebrates the many moods of winter. From my north-country home in Minneapolis to yours, wherever you may be.

CHILL (05: December 2019)

A Hazy Shade of Winter| Simon & Garfunkel

Northern Lights | Communist Daughter (*Mpls Band)

Winter | Tori Amos

White Winter Hymnal | Fleet Foxes

River | Joni Mitchell

December Song | Birdtalker/Joy Williams

The Fox in the Snow | Belle & Sebastian

Wintertime Love | The Doors

Flowers In December | Mazzy Star

Shelter from the Storm | Bob Dylan

Like the Weather | 10,000 Maniacs

Cold Weather Blues | Muddy Waters

Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow | Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Snow (Hey Oh) | Red Hot Chili Peppers

Play on SPOTIFY here.