The Fibershed project in Northern California has been extremely motivational for me, especially since it has inspired my Master’s thesis. I have explored fiber farm and mill resources in New York, and received consumer feedback about NY “fibershed” knitwear. (An official “fibershed” has not been established in NY, but it definitely has the resources.) It is amazing to see…
Tag: outside
Excerpt from Sheep Farm Literature
I began to read the book “The Improbable Shepherd: More Stories from Sylvia’s Farm” by Sylvia Jorrin, 2013. She has a sheep and goat farm in the foothills of the Catskill mountains in NY. This is a passage I especially enjoyed: “…Other islands of dark green emerged and disappeared. Parts of the hills that surround this…
Like a Dream: Urban Lighting
Clothing is one way we distinguish ourselves from others, especially in dense settings like Los Angeles where it is easy to blend in. Chris Burden’s “Urban Lights” exhibit at LACMA stands out with a dense array of 1920s LA lamp posts. The proximity of the lamp posts alludes to the density of LA. As I…
From Watershed to Fibershed
“Fibershed” is a term coined by Rebecca Burgess, it represents regional fiber resources from plants and animals such as sheep, goat, or alpaca, manufacturing mills that process raw fibers into clothing, and a local market. To understand this term, it is helpful to consider better known watersheds, bodies of water that link up to larger bodies…
Nature in LA!
These are some photos of nature in Los Angeles: And our wonderful dog Tummy! ❤
Revisiting Ithaca’s True Spring!
Now that Spring is in full bloom, I thought I’d post photos of Ithaca’s spring! I expected flowers to grow on thin, expanding branches of trees, but I was surprised to see flowers growing directly on the tree. It was so charming to see this because it looks like the tree is offering a small…
Ag Day! Celebration of Agriculture
Yesterday there was a wonderful event that celebrated the diversity of life in Ithaca. Animals and plants were brought to the Ag Quad on the Cornell campus and many students got the opportunity to interact with adorable animals. Lisa, a fiber farmer I visited in January was at the event and she brought three of…
Ithaca’s spring!
I walked by the downtown Commons earlier today and it is a mess. They are deconstructing the center area of the Commons to make it easier for people to navigate through the space during seasonal festivals. I’m glad they are reconsidering the layout because it felt like I was in a can of sardines when…
Reflective Construction @ Cornell
Every Tuesday and Thursday I walk by the construction zone of the soon to be Bill and Melinda Gates Hall that will house Computing and Information Science in January 2014. Every time I walk by, I notice the reflection it gives of its surroundings. In the photo, it is reflecting the image of clouds, but…
Preservation of Voices, Culture, and Land
With population growth, there is greater need for basic resources. Energy is a basic resource that is a part of our everyday lives. In Los Angeles, I experienced a few black outs, but electricity returned within 3 hours. In Davis California, I experienced one and remember using a flashlight so that I could do my…
Water Pollution in the name of Progress
As our demand for resources escalate, more community members are realizing the trade offs that come with living in the modern industrialized world. A small suburb town Mayflower, Arkansas is witnessing the consequences of “progress.” The Pegasus pipeline, which is associated with the proposed XL Pipeline in Canada has covered residential land, forest area, and…
Grazing Across Lands and Among Species!
I am in great anticipation for the Ithaca Spring and Summer. The Fall was so beautiful and my first Winter in the east coast was not as bad as I expected. I was very excited to see a pair of Canadian geese grazing this afternoon. I was so excited, it reminded me of a visit…
“Natural” and “Artificial” Boundaries
Lately boundaries have been more noticeable. Everyday I walk down a hill towards the Ithaca commons and see signage “Downtown Ithaca.” This makes the division between the residential area I live in and the downtown area obvious. While walking down the hill everyday, I also always see the Six Mile Creek below. This Creek leads…
Education Reform and John Legend
Yesterday, John Legend came to Cornell and discussed how education inequality is the civil rights issue of the 21st century. The inequality stems from early education programs, including pre-school and elementary. At a young age students are divided into class structures based on preconceived intelligence that is oftentimes determined by the community the child is…
Parallels in Ecosystems
In a recent visit to California, I was very excited to see the Spring. In a previous post about Beebe lake in Ithaca, I noted that there is a harmony in nature, specifically through the photograph of the 2 geese in the center of the photograph. Observing the geese travel in pairs was heart warming…
HELEN TREJO 