Nostalgic Line

For the past week it has rained and rained with an accompaniment of fog. It is an interesting thing when no matter where you go, for an extended time, you can never see more that a few hundred feet, if that. It makes you focus more on what is right in front of you, the present; not what is beyond, the future. On Sunday morning the rain broke for a bit so i went down to the beach where there is no horizon. I feel like the birds were even slightly nostalgic for that magic line.

Once Occupied

I find myself in lots of once occupied buildings; now ummmm, not vacant but, just not used by humans anymore (though there are a few squatters). I go to these places for my job. They all fell victim to Hurricane Katrina followed by a lack of money to bring them back to serve as they once did. There is a court house, a school, a grocery store and a gymnasium.

Pecans.Hops.Barley.Beer.

Last night Seth (the brew master), Sam and I started brewing the pecan beer. The first rule we have for brewing beer is to drink beer. We were out of home brew so we had Miller High Life in a camouflage can. Not only were we brewing the pecan beer but we also had to bottle an extra bitter that we brewed about three weeks ago. A few other friends came over to join us. It's good to have help in these processes that turn into a dance of sort. I wish there is some way to post the smells that come with the process. They are amazing.

Before I got there last night Seth and Sam had already decided the pecan ale will be called The Pounder... named after my dog... who loves pecans.

Pecans.Pecans.Pecans.

There are three pecan trees in my yard. They make lots of nuts. They drop lots of nuts. I've picked up lots of nuts. Now it is time to make lots of things with them. Tomorrow night starts the brewing of a pecan brown ale. There will be many more pecan treats to follow. Stay tuned!

Some Musical Choices...

that I'm enjoying this fall:
DM Stith
Glass Ghost
Django Reinhardt
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
The Love Language
Gringo Star

Accompanied by these listens are:
AutoCAD
Hot Toddies
Chili
Vegetable Soups
Pumpkin & Chocolate Bread Pudding
Cracking Pecans
Coffee
Conversation
Day Dreaming
Writing Landscape Maintenance Plans
Being Curious
...

Road Trip

Last week Sarah and I took a road trip to her hometown of Minneapolis, MN. On our way there and back we saw things and landscapes. Here are a few of my favorites:

THINGS:
Mechanical Horse - Hannibal, MO
Putt-Putt - Fort Madison, IA
Sensory Exhibit @ Walker Arts Center - Minneapolis, MN
Thorncrown Chapel - Carroll, AR
Joy Motel - Eureka Springs, AR
St. Louis Arch - St. Louis, MO

LANDSCAPES:
Corn Field - Burlington, IA
Roaring River N.F. - Seligman, MO
Minnehaha Falls - Minneapolis, MN
Cotton Field - Tallulah, LA
Buffalo River - Gilbert, AR
Lake Providence - Lake Providence, LA

In the somewhere around 3,000 miles traveled we saw and did countless other things that made for an amazing trip. We're hoping our next road trip will be to the southwest.

Sunday Horse Ride

Sunday was a lazy day for us all. Slowly, we gathered over at Sarah's house to start the last event of the birthday celebrations. We loaded up in our cars and drove out to a horse farm for an afternoon of horseback riding. The farm was beautiful... grassy pastures, live oak trees, ponds, forest and creeks. Mary, who owns the farm gave us a crash course in horseback riding (most of had ridin before). The first group of us (Sarah, myself, Sam and Molly) hopped on our horses and headed down the trail with Mary leading us. The horses were great, all having a mind of their own at times, but they were good listeners. When we came back we switched up. Nadene, Ivan, Stephen and Sara got on the horses and rode around for a bit while we picniced, played bocce and layed beneath the oak trees. As the sun began to set we headed home but not before stopping for ice cream. I have a feeling we'll be returning. It won't suprise me if Sarah and Nadene have purchased their own horses in the near future.

Saturday Evening Shuffle

Sarah's Birthday was on Tuesday which isn't the best night for a party but we still managed to have some cake, ice cream, scotch and a game of bocce ball with a small group of friends. On Saturday however, it turned into quite an event. Ivan, who DJed for us came over early Saturday morning while Sarah and Nadene went to yoga class. Ivan and I had to go find a big set of speakers... the Salvation Army Thrift Store came through for us. Fast forward --- people started trickling into my house around 8:30; everybody was wearing their dancing shoes. By 10:00 old standards by The Supremes, Buddy Holly, The Isley Brothers and their comprables had the house shaken'. Around 2:00 people were pretty tired and started to head home. Somehow shoes were lost so I had to let people borrow shoes so they could walk/bike home. It was a swell time.

A Quick Sunday Hike

This past weekend it rained all but for a few hours on Sunday morning. That's when we took the opportunity to go explore part of DeSoto National Forest just a few miles north of Biloxi. A friend had shown me, on an aerial, the place to pull of Hwy 15 where a trail head is. The first quarter mile of the walk is through a pine savanna that was burned last year. From the forest floor were a number of wildflowers, grasses and shrubs trying to reclaim themselves. The elevation started to drop. The forest quickly changed from airy pine trees to a dense canopy of magnolias, american holly and swamp titi; in the distance you could hear rushing water. Soon, the trail made an abrupt turn to the right (north) just atop a fifteen foot tall sandy bluff held together by a massive network of tree roots and moss. The trail took us another half mile north, winding through and around a number of small streams and forest ponds until we found a great little sandy beach. The sands are bright and the water is like iced tea. The tea color comes from tannin, a natural dye produced by the large number of oak trees. I fly fished a little but the storms started rolling in so we headed out. I'm looking forward to going back.

Wet Pine Savanna

I've generally been drawn to landscapes of hilly terrain, like in north Alabama where I grew up, or vast open spaces of the desert where my fondest memories are from family camping trips there when I was a kid.

I've recently become more and more drawn to the depths of the flat south Mississippi wet pine savannas, marshes and bayous. These landscapes, generally seen in passing while speeding down the straight and narrow roads, appear so flat; they seem to lack depth. It's once you pull off the side of the road and walk through the initial growth along the roadside that these landscapes open up.

A few weeks ago some friends and I went exploring through a wet pine savanna that a local ecologist had told us about. Three different types of pitcher plants grow there. That was one of our main reasons for going. The wet pine savannas of this area are generally knee height grasses dotted with pitcher plants, a native sunflower and a few other smaller, unassuming wildflowers. Then above it all are the dark green patches of wax myrtles, swamp bay magnolias and longleaf pine. Each having a distinct smell, wax myrtles smell like lemons, swamp bays smell spicy and sweet and pines don't smell like Pine Sol. Mingled amongst it all are saw palmetto who's colors within the plant change throughout the year.

The day we went through the above savanna a huge storm rolled through that forced us back to truck.

NoLa29

This weekend to celebrate my 29th we went to New Orleans. Well, on Friday night we stayed in Biloxi and had swanky evening at the Project Lounge. On Saturday we went to New Orleans, taking Hwy 90 instead of the interstate. It was much more scenic. We saw things such as a giant rocking chair (actually on a different road), turkey vultures in a tree, Fort Pike, some amazing clouds, and then we got to New Orleans, had dinner and met up with some friends for a night of dancing. The music was a close comparison to Philly's renowned Crmp Yr Hr DJs (thank you for the mix CDs Rick). On Sunday there was time for brunch, a little bit of shopping, a stop by some friends house and taking pictures in some old industrial areas of NO. We got back to Biloxi and was welcomed with a birthday dinner at some friends house and some time for sittin' on the porch.

Exploritoring to Exstormitoring

Yesterday was going to be a day of exploritoring. I was on the search for a giant rocking chair, one that is about 40' tall. I know it is out there, I've seen pictures of it. It resides somewhere around these parts. I didn't find it this weekend but perhaps the next.

On my way back into Biloxi it started exstormitoring from the north across the Back Bay of Biloxi. I parked the truck and took a few pictures while a couple guys continued to fish. I was a bit concerned for them, but they didn't seem too phased. After sitting there for a few minutes I headed home and not more than a few minutes after I got there the tornado sirens sounded. Lighting flashed and my lights flickered. They storm diminished after about 30 minutes and I finished cooking dinner.

New Sidewalk

This past weekend I finally got to pour my new sidewalk. Over a month ago Sarah and I made the forms for each paver and we finally got to put them to use. It took about 4 hours to mix the concrete, pour and screed. Not so bad. After letting the concrete set for 24 hours I was able to take the forms off, put in the edging and fill in with gravel.

I was really hoping to used crushed oyster shells because that is the only truly native aggregate on the Mississippi gulf coast, but crushed oyster shell is hard to come by these days. This is due to the fact that the oyster shells have to go back into the waters for other oysters to attach themselves to grow on. Its kind of an artificial reef/oyster bed situation. They have to do this because all the silts from poor development practices up river(s) are washing into the gulf waters and covering the naturally occuring oyster beds.

Anyway, I went with a mixed aggregate - its called "Alabama Jubilee". How could I not use it with a name like that?

There is still some clean up to be done. I'm looking forward to this fall when I can pull out the over grown shrubs and replant with some of my favorite native species.

To Make Things Flat

A co-worker and myself have found a quick and interesting way to make small metal objects flat. I won't tell what the process is but you can hear it and feel it. It is a lot of fun. We do this when we need a break from writing, researching or drawing. It all started with a Show Biz Pizza token but now is mostly focused on the nails, screws, bolts and wire that I find on my morning and evening walks around East Biloxi. I'm amazed there aren't more flat tires in this city! Upon suggestion from some friends, jewelry might be the next thing for these objects. Who knows?

Prague

After spending a few days in Prague I'm now back home in Biloxi. Biloxi is 97 degrees and Prague was 67 degrees. I think I know which one I like better.

Aside from the beautiful weather in Prague, Prague is a beautiful place to begin with. Everything is done/made with thought and purpose and is cared for with thought and purpose. Aside from everything being so beautiful, everyone was so nice. It was easily the most laid back city I've ever been to. I, along with everyone else, found that the best place to take a nap isn't inside but on one of the many grassy parks throughout the city. My favorite that I napped in a few time was Riegrovy Park that was up on a hill and overlooks the city, a great place to watch the sunsets.

I stayed at the Clown & Bard hostel. It was a fantastic place, very clean and less that $15 a night. I met lots of great people there who were from all over going to all over. I have a feeling some of us will meet up again some day.

Ahoj From the Czech Republic

As many of you know my brother-in-law, David, is from the Czech Republic. After a few years of him asking me to come visit I finally got to. Last week David, my sister, their two kids and myself flew out of Atlanta to Prague, where we then boarded a train that took us to Opava, CZ where David's dad then picked us up to drive to his home in Uhlirov, a village of about 350 people that sits on the far east side of CZ, not too far from Poland. The country side here is beautiful; fields of barley, wheat and poppies. I got to meet many of David's friends and family for the first time. They are a warm group of people. Even though I don't speak Czech and they don't speak English it was okay. David was a great translator. After spending five days in Uhlirov, riding with David on the 1962 Jawa motorcycle around fields, through forest and to other villages, fishing (which caused the bloody and now partially black eye) and drinking lots because that is apparently what Czech people do, I am now in Prague for a few days before I head home. So far the trip has been blessed with beautiful weather and great times.

Hooray Garden

I was skeptical of the soil in my yard when I planting my garden. I thought "How could anything grow in this, it seems to just be sand." I went ahead and planted it anyway, just as an experiment if anything. Fortunately, stuff does grow. The eggplants have certainly taken the lead and I think the squash will be coming in second. The above photo is of squash blooms, eggplant and collard greens. I think I'll end up with so much produce that I'll need to can or freeze stuff for winter. Which sounds good actually.

In Production, Construction and Destruction

On Saturday morning I woke up energized and ready to start some new projects and maintain some existing ones. I have a picket fence that divides my yard from the sidewalk and on that picket fence grows climbing roses that have climbed their way into peoples arms and legs. They were reaching a bit too far into the sidewalk. I suppose it is a good way to keep people from walking on my side of the street but I don't want that. I enjoy seeing the, now to me, regular passer-byes. So... I trimmed roses while Pounder looked on and ate pecans.

I then went on to weeding my garden. It is a descent size garden approximately 30'x 16'. I have many types of tomatoes, eggplant, four types of peppers, squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, two types of watermelon, okra and purple hull peas. I still have room for some more stuff so I think I'll plant some crops that will do well on into fall and winter; I'm thinking brussels sprouts.

After breaking for lunch and taking a short nap my friend Sarah came over to help build forms for the concrete pavers I'll be using as the new walkway that connects the driveway to the front steps. I'm making the forms so they can be used again. I want to use them for when I build my patio and fire pit out back. I'm still working on the design for that and I hope to build it this fall. Building the forms took most of the afternoon and ended in going to eat some delicious bbq pork sandwiches.

That evening a group of us were hanging out on Nadene's front porch when Christine showed up with a most refreshing drink. It was vodka mixed with a simple syrup made of fresh squeezed lemons, sugar and rosemary. She is a crafty one I tell you. All in all it was a fantastic day, plus the weather was beautiful.

Quite Possibly the Best Snack Ever

This is possibly the best snack ever. Nilla Wafers, peanut butter and raisins dipped halfway in milk; then you drink the milk that is left over. Also, they pair well with a Calvin and Hobbs book.

Attack Bird

This blurry picture is of the bird that tries to attack my dog every time we walk down the street. It really makes me laugh, though I wish it's babies would hurry up and leave home so it doesn't have to be so protective.

tvontheradiothisisyourdowntownshipisland

On Friday night some friends and I went to see TV on the Radio at the House of Blues in New Orleans. We were standing in line at will call, when we heard the woman at the ticket counter say "I'm a big fan of yours Mr. Arnett! Enjoy the show!" There he was standing in front of us, full beard and baseball cap pulled tight... Gob Bluth. We all just kind of stared trying to confirm that it was actually him. We then broke out in various chicken dances. He sat behind the velvet ropes at the front of the balcony. The show was pretty fantastic, lots of energy from the band and the crowd. After the show we weren't quite ready to leave New Orleans, so we walked down to a really sweet little place called The Cave and had a Pimm's Cup.

Saturday I had to work at the THIS IS YOUR DOWNTOWN exhibit GCCDS is hosting in Moss Point, MS. It was nice, there was a soap box derby down Main St. in front of our studio and a number of people came in a looked at the exhibit and gave their feedback on what they'd like to see in THEIR DOWNTOWN. It is nice to have the community so involved in the design process!

Sunday I went to Ship Island to hang out on the beach but the rain only held off for 30 min, so I spent the majority of my time exploring Fort Massachusetts on the west end of the island. It was a beautiful place to be as the rain came down.

The Light at Night

The city of Biloxi is at least consistent with the type of light bulbs they use throughout the city. Everything has a warm vibrant glow at night. The uplights on the casinos make the clouds glow slightly pink as they quickly move from the ocean to the land.

The Point Where They Come Together and There is Nothing or Perhaps Everything.

Everyday when my dog and I go on our walks we go see the horizon; ocean and sky. Last night we went on a late walk and sat there on the beach for a while. It was a full moon so the water between myself and the moon was full of reflective life. When I looked directly south and scanned to the west, the reflections would disapate into the solid blue of the water. The sky's light also, moving away from the moon, would disapate, but at a different rate than that of the ocean. What happens then, is that there is one point on the horizon where you can't see where the ocean stops and the sky starts. That is the point in which everything or perhaps nothing happens. The point where there is space for you to fill in however you want, there is nothing else describing it.

I've noticed this point along the horizon a few times before but, it generally exist only at dusk or dawn, which is interesting, because that is also that magically blurry area between night and day.

Pig Roast '09

It was that time of year again; the annual Pig Roast at the Rural Studio in Newbern, AL. Some friends and I left Biloxi on Friday evening and got to Greensboro, AL where we camped for the weekend under a beautiful pavilion. We woke early on Saturday morning and headed to Newbern where we started the tour of all the new architecture projects. I won't elaborate on them but, I do have to say, they were all fantastic in very different ways.

After the tour ended around 4:30 in the afternoon we went back to the pavilion and napped while a guy visiting from new york cut himself a mo-hawk. It was nice. After a power nap we headed back to Newbern where we had some delicious southern eats: baked beans, fried catfish, slaw, hush puppies, some roasted goat (not pig) and beer, all while watching the Studio Awards Ceremony. Oh yeah, the plane flew over dropping whiffle dust (confetti). After the ceremony there was a run of three bands that played. They were fantastic, really fun dancy goodness. We danced and hula-hooped until 1am.

Sunday morning we woke to the bird songs and breezes; we washed up and walked over to Pam's house where she had started making fresh mozzarella at 6am. We were an hour and a half late but got to help in the end. We had coffee and then decided we should have some breakfast. I made biscuits, Jessie made cheese grits, Pam and New York Sarah made eggs, and Scott and Biloxi Sarah assisted on all fronts. The Project M people came over and joined us. In total I think about 15 of ate a glorious breakfast together. So fantastic.

We loaded up our cars and headed to Perry Lakes to check out a few more projects and go swimming at the river beach before heading back. One of those projects was the 100' tall bird tower that takes you above the tree canopy, something that everyone should go up at some point. After descending and getting back on ground we walked the mile through the woods down to the sandy beach of the river. We looked up and saw the storm clouds were moving in fast and then quickly realized they had an odd rotation to them; lighting and thunder quickly accompanied. We took off running back through the woods to take cover under one of the structures. We were too lake... the wind was blowing really strong and trees started to fall all around us. We jumped into a ditch and realized Vince wasn't with us. We started yelling for him; no answer. Within a few minutes the storm let up and Scott ran back to find Vince. Vince had taken cover somewhere behind us - a small tree fell on him but he was fine. After reaching our cars we changed into dry clothes and headed back home. It was kind of frighting. There were trees down along every road we went down. I later found out there was a tornado warning in the area. So, I guess we ran from a tornado and survived. At the time we were all really frighted and then were very amused and were laughing about it all. Now, thinking back on it. It really was a close call.

Blackberry Pickin'

As the days continue to get longer... the blackberries get riper. They are on their way from bitter to sweet. Last night after work, three friends and I went to an abandoned golf course where natural succession is in full force. The lakes and ponds are now surrounded by blackberries, an assortment of scrubby trees and grasses; all things that before would have been held back through a rigorous mowing regime. Frogs, red-winged black birds, a blue heron, some blue jays and large number of doves were right there with us, enjoying the beautiful evening's slight breeze that was veiled by the soft coastal light of April. As darkness came we headed back to the truck with heaping containers of blackberries. In total, we picked almost two gallons. I have a feeling we'll be going back soon.

Poor Lamar

One of the big projects going on in the office right now is a master plan for downtown Moss Point, MS. In some of the research that has been going on we came across this old post card. It doesn't say too much, but just enough. Some girl, "Brown Eyes", who was obviously older than Lamar, broke his heart. The interesting thing is that he asks if she is coming South this winter, which would be before she is to get married next fall. I can't help but wonder what he had planned? Maybe a fake mustache and beard to fool her into thinking he was older; or perhaps his own set of hunting dogs and plug of chew, both of which he stole from someone in neighboring Pascagoula. I think both could have worked.

Sandhill Crane NWR

Early Saturday morning some friends and I headed east out of Biloxi and into the humid-rich pine savanna's of the Sandhill Crane Wildlife Refuge. It was busting at the seams. The pitcher plants were popping up all over the place as well as an orchid that is native to this area, a delicate, light pink with one dark pink stripe... no one successfully took a photo of them. Maybe that is part of their mystery.

The guided walking tour was only about 3/4 a mile long and had an elevation change of about 14 feet. Here, 14 feet means a lot; you can depend on the ecology to change about ever 2 feet. There are a couple of different species of flowers there that exist throughout but change color depending on their elevation. They were orange at the highest elevations, yellow in the middle and a lime green in the bottoms, down near the bayous.

This area is also home to a huge number of birds. The woods were full of so many songs, few of which could be located.

Freshly Bitter-Sweet

Each day my colleagues and I walk to lunch; this week the walk has been different. As you walk down Division Street's broken sidewalks that are flanked by short, crumbling retaining walls crowned by rusted and bent chain link fencing, you look beyond at the vacant houses and lots and sometimes think about their past lives. Like this one house that has the most beautiful live oak trees and I can image looking at them from the houses windows after waking from a nap. People who lived there used to do that. The boards are still on the windows... It's eyes are still shut. Maybe the house is just napping and will wake and look up at the live oaks. For now it will remain sleeping along with the other houses; meanwhile, their yards are more alive than ever. No one is there to hold them back from growing into what they want to be. There are no weeds there because no one is there to call something a weed and pluck it from the earth. With this, we've noticed as of this week, the sidewalks of Division Street are graced by the presence of blackberries, freshly bitter-sweet blackberries.

Pirates, a Dance Party and Easter

On Friday morning I got up early and worked in the yard; planted some herbs, perennials and a fig tree, pruned some existing trees & shrubs and filled a few holes. This was stuff that needed to be done for a while now and finally did, just in time, before my friends, Bryant and Patrick, arrived from out of town and for part 2 of a 4 part party. It was Leg Beard's birthday - a roaming pirate of a party that went from house to house pillaging for rum drinks, some random assortments of food and cake and good times. We started on the front porch of Leg Beard's Binachi St. house and then walked the four blocks to my Gill Ave. house. This is where a dance party broke out. I won't elaborate, it was what it was. We then went on to the Seal Ave. house where the major event ended up being a hula hoop contest, I won't elaborate on this either. We then went to another Binachi St. house where they have an old hot dog cart that is really cool. From there the crowd of about forty people that accumulated throughout the night began to disperse.

Saturday was much more low key. I made a breakfast of rosemary potatoes, scrambled eggs, bacon, home-made biscuits and coffee. We then went on a short tour of Biloxi, Ocean Springs and Gautier, all Mississippi Gulf Coast towns. We then found ourselves sitting on the beach with an occasional large cloud floating above. The day just got lazier from there.

Sunday morning we got up and went to Bay St. Louis to have brunch at The Buttercup, where we met up with some of my Biloxi and Bay St. Louis friends. From there Bryant and Patrick headed back west. I went to James and Sam's house where we listened to some Blue Scholars, made food for an Easter dinner and played backgammon. There was a nice breeze blowing through the house - front and back door open.

A group of about 15 got together for a pot-luck Easter dinner and egg hunt. The eggs were a surprise; they had jello shots in them. The food was amazing, everyone came with beautiful culinary creations and everyone left with a lethargic, food-coma smile on their face.

Alabama Home

This weekend I came home to Jasper, AL where I grew up and my parents still live. My siblings and their families came home too. Every time I come back to this part of Alabama it makes me realize what a beautiful and special place it is. On Saturday morning we were all awake soon after the sun was rising. It was a slightly foggy morning but the sun was shining bright through the freshly budding trees. Soon after a breakfast of scrambled eggs, whole wheat pancakes, turkey-based meats and a cup of coffee my brother and I were off to the woods and streams of Bankhead National Forest.

Upon our parking at the little dirt-patch of a pull off on Co. Hwy. 2 to start our hike through the woods, some other people pulled in behind us. They were new to this part of Bankhead which is known as Caney Creek. We talked to them a for a few minutes, they asked some questions about the area, and it was then that we realized we'd been coming to this area for the past 18 years. This time my brother and I were going down to the lower falls which we hadn't been to in what we figured out was 15 years ago. I can't believe how times flies, it really just seems like it was a few years ago.

There really isn't much of a trail to the lower falls so you just use the knowledge you have of the area and the lay of the land to navigate to them. After walking along an oak covered ridge line we headed down a steep ravine toward a small creek that is just a few feet wide. As you descend the forest changes from the bright airiness of the hardwood forest to the dense, dark green shades of hemlocks, moss covered rocks and an assortment of native trilliums and violets. The temperature drops and the humidity increases and before you know it you are walking in the stream because the cliff's and hills are to steep for a trail to exist.

After about 45 minutes of walking I began to hear a hollow rumbling sound, I knew we were close. Before I knew it we were standing in the stream atop the lower falls of Caney Creek. A beautiful spot where we climbed around on the rocks and to do what we ultimately came for, fly fishing. The water was so crisp and clear... the fish were too smart. I only pulled out a 5" long small mouth bass but that was okay because it was just about being there. For me, this is one of my favorite spots on earth.

Now, I must pack up and head back home to Biloxi.

Dark & Stormy

Usually on Tuesday nights we go to the Government Street Grocery in Ocean Springs and play trivia. Last night we decided it would be better to sit on the front porch of 212 Binachi and drink a Dark & Stormy or two while the dark and stormy night rolled in. It was a good plan.

Petrichor, I Love You.

At 5am yesterday morning I was awoken by the early spring rains. It had been a few weeks since the last rain graced us with its presence; the ground had dried out, a lot of the bulbs had quit blooming; in general spring seemed to have come to a stand still. As light came no later than 6:30, I was up and out of the house. The rain had diminished to a slight sprinkle and the air was filled with the smell of fresh rain. That smell is something we all seem to enjoy. It is something that everyone simply refers to as the "smell of fresh rain," but surely there is a word for it? The first few of us that arrived at work were talking about how good it smelled outside and how much it woke us up on such a dreary-looking day. After a little investigation, it turns out there is a word for the smell of fresh rain, it is 'petrichor.' Not only did the petrichor wake me up, it woke up the trees. Everything was so green, just in time for my evening run and just in time before day got dark again.

petrichor (PET-ri-kuhr) noun

The pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.

[From petro- (rock), from Greek petros (stone) + ichor (the fluid that is supposed to flow in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology). Coined by researchers I.J. Bear and R.G. Thomas.]

Structures for Inclusion

Last Thursday afternoon everyone from the studio loaded up and headed west. We were on our way to the Structures for Inclusion Conference in Dallas, Texas. This conference is focused on the social responsibilities of design. On Thursday night we stayed at the Blue Moon, a hostel in Lafayette, LA. It is a fantastic place, an old house with a bar and gardens outside, accompanied by good live music. This is their website www.bluemoonhostel.com . The next morning we had sweet potato pancakes for breakfast that I'm still craving. We continued on, got to Dallas about 5 pm, checked into the hotel and walked over to hear the key note speaker, Peter Fattinger. It was a great start to the conference. By the end of the weekend our heads were buzzing with excitement, dreams, ideas and a passion for everyone's livelihood. It was great to regain some focus on things I felt I'd lost. A new zeal for design! I suggest we all go to next year's SFI.
http://www.designcorps.org/SFI_Conference/Speakers.htm

Simple Food, Simple Goodness... and a Couch Monster

Last night as I was looking through my cabinets and refrigerator for something to prepare for dinner I became less and less inspired. While there were a number of things that seemed like they'd be good, I really didn't have the energy to prepare them. It had been a long but good weekend. I just needed something simple. Simple I kept it. First I had edamame sprinkled with sea salt, whole wheat pita with roasted red pepper hummus (store bought) with a glass of sweet tea, no ice, just chilled. Oh so good. I was left feeling like I needed something else to top it off before settling into the night. A few slices of brie and some apple with honey accompanied by a glass of single malt scotch, neat. It couldn't have left me more content. Just as I was getting comfortable to continue reading Listening Point, a monster arose from the couch. He looked at me, I petted his head, he went back to sleep. I read for a little while then turned in for the night. It was a perfect way to end a weekend.

Plastic Utensils Have Troubled Times

Of the approximately 40 billion plastic utensils made in the USA last year, most made it safely into garbage cans and on to land fills just after being used to shovel in some potato salad and banana pudding. Above are six utensils that didn't quite make it. God bless them.

The Fog is a Calming Stranger

I've recently discovered a more profound attachment to fog and emotion. I remember when I was a child, waking, looking outside and everything being compromised by the fog. While it was beautiful, it always seemed to be a nuisense; for one, it made it more dangerous for those driving their car, or at least that is what I heard people say. I wasn't driving a car.

Now that I take walks each morning and evening here on the Gulf Coast, I encounter fog on a fairly regular basis. It is a stranger that comes in from the ocean just for a little while, but has a presence that, for me, is calming; calm is an unforced happiness. It seems to make things stand a little more still than usual. It holds everything in place, blurring their edges, making them commit to a single form and making them commit to an honesty without revealing everything. It's as if everything gains a better understanding of itself and it's surroundings... Everything is calm. Then the fog leaves.

The above picture was taken at the end of my street this morning. There used to be houses under and between all the trees but Katrina cleaned them out. I think I like it best just as ocean side trees and meadow.

From Friday to New Orleans and Back

Last week was a long one so I had to make Friday night a good one. I left work, got home to eat a simple dinner of 16 bean soup and cheese toast, changed clothes, poured myself a walkin' cup of Pig's Nose Scotch and walked out the door. Within a few minutes I was sitting on Nadene and Stephen's front porch... they weren't home yet. When they arrived I welcomed them home with a tip of my cup and a hug, as if they were coming home for the first time in years or maybe just because we are all good friends who like to hug upon greeting. I like that. Soon Sarah arrived and we loaded up in Nadene's car. We were headed to New Orleans to see Nadene's boyfriend, Redmouth, play at a bar called Outer Banks. The car begin to role and next thing I knew a was waking up in Bay St. Louis. We were at a gas station. I knew for me to make it through the night I had to do something. I walked in and walked out... in hand was:
-1 Sparks in brown bag
-1 pack of Pop Rocks
-1 role of Rolo's
-1 bag of Zapp's Cajun Potato Chips
-1 pack Doublemint gum

In Fifteen minutes I was back in top form. We picked up Jody and Ben along the way. We found the bar; it was in a completely boarded up section of mid-city. It felt like we were the only ones alive. There was incredible density of beautiful old homes, carriage houses and shops all abandoned... quite was the night. Our feet shuffled toward the door. Inside, there was maybe 12-15 people, who I guess were alive just as we were. They were listening to a punk band that was finishing their set. Soon Redmouth played; solo. He sat atop a small wooden platform with a carefully positioned microphone beneath it. This is so he can tap his heels and toes while he played guitar and sings the blues. It was all very honest.

After his set we loaded up in hopes of finding food. Nothing was open but a convenience store. Convenient it was; they had corn dogs and 32oz High Life in a can. I soon fell back asleep and woke up again in Bay St. Louis in front of Ben's house. It was 4:00am. At that point everyone was thinking we'd just stay the night in The Bay. Then we all realized that we'd rather wake up in our own beds. Due to my power nap, I was able to drive us the rest of the way home. I pulled into my drive, the birds were rustling in the bushes and I was rustling into my house.

Music I'm Currently Enjoying

I have a lot I could talk about as far as what is going on here but it's just a bunch of work stuff that I find interesting but not to write about on this blog so for today I'm providing a list of some of my favorite music.

Albums:
-Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele , The Good Feeling Music of...
-TV on the Radio, Dear Science
-Beirut, The Flying Club Cup
-Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion
-Nick Drake, Pink Moon
-Stevie Wonder, Fulfillingness' First Finale

Songs:
-The Black Heart Procession, It's a Crime I Never Told You About the Diamonds in Your Eyes
-Phosphorescent, Pick Up the Tempo
-Willie Nelson, Georgia on my Mind
-The Cure, 10:15 Saturday Night
-She & Him, Why do you Let me Stay Here?
-Serge Gainsbourg, Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais
-Smog, Rock Bottom Riser
-Stevie Wonder, Bird of Beauty
-Ween, It's Gonna be a Long Night

I went to work and no one was there.

On Tuesday, Mardi Gras, I woke up at my typical 6:30am and had a typical pleasant morning with typical coffee, typical dog walk, typical arrival at work... but no one was there. I knew a few people had planned on not being at work that day because of the parade and such but I thought some people would be there. Over the next thirty minutes, while I was plugging away at CAD, a few people showed up, including my boss with his dog. I knew this wasn't going to be a typical day. Come to find out, it is a non-spoken day off... no questions asked. By about 10am I shut down my computer, went to Matt and Faith's house where we had huevos rancheros and Southern Pecan Ale for breakfast on the front porch. We then made our way over to the Benachi St. houses, where I used to live, and continued our day with some Bloody Mary's, Scotch on the Rocks and some High Life. After tying a good one on, we walked a block south down to Howard, drinks in hand, where we whored ourselves out for beads at the Biloxi Mardi Gras Parade. Afterwards, we went back to the Benachi St. houses where we played bocce ball, cruzed around on bikes, built a fire for cooking dinner for everybody, had s'mores for dessert and then a standing long-jump competition... yeah bitches, I won. Come Wed. morning, well, work started a little late for everyone. It was a great time. I suggest some of you come down for it next year.

What happened? Oh yeah... Mardi Gras!

Yesterday, on a whim, I up and went to New Orleans with some friends for the Bacchus Parade and all the other festivities and shenanigans that ensue. Things certainly ensued. Though I don't remember them all here are a few tid-bits that took place in that oh so short 12 hours. 1. As I was peeing between some cars a woman across the street in her 3rd story apartment window yelled "Look out your window on Easter morning and you'll find me pissing on your lawn!" I just gave her a thumbs up. 2. seeing one of my co-workers and his friends dressed in purple tights with purple balloons attached (clusters of grapes) carrying boxes of Franzia. By the end of the night they were only wearing the tights. They gave all their balloons to the kids. 3. Whole Foods had a bottle opener at the customer service counter for their in and out patrons. 4. A, very clearly, Louisiana redneck told us that he was willing to go to jail for beads. We just walked away and let him continue to set a good example for his children. 5. That one girl who kept making out with everybody... Good for her.

Tchoutacabouffa River (chew-ta-ka-BUFF)

(photo courtesy of Jessie Zenor)

This is something I meant to write about a few weeks back. Some friends and I went exploring the coastal waterways of Southern Mississippi. This is one of the best ways to get a feel, an understanding, of this region. In most places one seeks higher ground to perch atop and overlook, taking in all that surrounds. Down here there really isn't any high ground so you have to get as low as possible and the best way to do that is by water; everything is attached to the water. We put Jeff's boat in at a marina in the Mississippi Sound and rode east, out to the point of Biloxi where we turned north and then back west into Back Bay Biloxi. The Back Bay for the most part is shallow but a few parts are dredged to make way for the shrimp boats and coal barges. After about 30 minutes of riding west, into the warm sun that knocked off the chill of the water, we turned back north into the Tchoutacabouffa River, a course of water that winds its way trough dense forest of palmetto, wax myrtle, magnolia and pine. In the bends of the river are beautiful little sand beaches; perfect for camping, that is the plan for later in the spring anyway.

228 Gill

Finally, after a month and half, I was able to close on my house and move in on Friday. My friends and I celebrated with a number of rounds of scotch and then went to The Project Lounge for burgers and more scotch. All I have at the moment as far as moving in goes - is me, my suitcase I've been living out of for the past two months, a sleeping bag and my dog Pounder. So, at this point I have an empty house but that is a good thing. This will be conducive for repainting inside the house later this week. I spent most of the weekend clearing out the over-grown back yard and cleaning the old wood garage and work rooms. One of the work rooms is going to become a dark room. One of my friends here has all the photo equipment for it, including an antique enlarger, but hasn't had a place to set up. We're even going to install a revolving door. Pounder thoroughly enjoys having a place to dig and jump at the birds that hang out amongst the tangled mess honeysuckle.

On Saturday night Jessie Zenor cooked a Valentines dinner for the entire studio; a more than impressive spread of food and alcohol. After dinner a number of people moved out onto the front porch to enjoy a pleasant 60 degree evening where a number of things were talked about. One of which was Jeff's story about the midget he keeps in the big green box that sits in the back of his truck. It was a good ol' time.

Early Morning Sizzle

Every morning by 7am Pounder and I go for our morning walks. We walk south, over the railroad tracks, through historic neighborhoods that open up to the beach. Each morning is different; the light, the humidity, the breeze, the smells, the tides... everything. One difference that I always find myself listening for is the sizzle. You can hear the moist air sizzling on the power lines. Occasionally you hear louder cracks and pops, those tend to occur on the really humid days. The picture above was taken at about 6am on a particularly distinct morning, humid and salty with winds blowing layers of clouds from the east. These railroad tracks run the length of the peninsula in which Biloxi resides. The tracks, while connecting the east and the west, divide the north and the south. Not socially in any way, but hydrologically. This is a topic I'll talk more about later.

Weird Noises of the Morning

About a week ago I heard some weird noises outside my current place of residence. I knew it was some critters of some sort but I didn't know what. A few days later I woke up early, about 6:30, to take my dog Pounder for a walk. We went outside, rounded the back corner of the house, so Pounder could relieve himself. That's when I heard that same weird noise I'd heard before. I looked up and about 20 to 25 feet up in a tree were two raccoons. Two raccoons doin' it. At first, I was like "hey that's kindof cool to actually get to see raccoons doin' right in your own backyard," but then I got creeped out because I realized they were staring at me, staring at them. It was an akward moment for us all. Even Pounder couldn't look me in eye when I took this photo.

Strange House and a New Hangout

Saturday night was a good time. First, some friends and I went to a going away party for a guy named Leo. I didn't know him but he seems like a great guy who will be missed. Anyway, the party was at a really strange new house that wasn't finished but people were living there... I think. I can't really explain how odd the house was, you just have to trust me. Anyway, it was a great party with a hundred pounds of crawfish; red, spicy, delicious crawfish.

After the party we decided to go to a new Biloxi establishment called The Fillin' Station. It is an old gas station in downtown Biloxi that has been turned into a restaurant and bar. It is awesome. The bars resides in what used to be the garage; the garage doors lift up to the ceiling and the bar is open to the outdoor patio that fronts the street and is where the gas pumps once were. Lacquered into the bar top are a bunch of the old checks that were written to and from the gas station. I normally don't like that type of thing but they are great little momentos of the past. Most importantly, they've got good beers on tap, including Lazy Magnolia (a local Mississippi brewing co.), good liquior, good food (I highly suggest the raw oysters: dozen for $6 and oh so good or a sandwich called The Recession - fried balogna, you know that's right) and bar tenders that call you "Honey" or "Sweety". You gotta love that.

Ms. Shirley's Flowers to Foster

This morning my friend Jessie called me. She said "They're clearing Shirley's lot today to build her new house and we need to go dig up her bulbs and flowers before they go to ruin." So that is what we did. Ms. Shirley met us at the site and helped up dig her bulbs that were to be saved. Jeff, a construction volunteer, was in the background with his chainsaw cutting up a tree that had to be removed from the lot. Ms. Shirley asked him to leave some of the wood on site because she is going to make bbq at least once a week for the crews that are building her house. She is so happy! We brought the flowers back to our places of residence where they are now planted. Once Shirley's new house is built, we'll dig up the plants that she wants back, and replant them at her new house.

Ice Cream & Sustainability

This week has been a bit busier than usual, but a good one. I've got some new projects on my plate at work; I think they'll be quite fun and rewarding. I'm getting my house painted so I can close ont Monday. I was supposed to close tomorrow but weather delayed the painting process. I've caught the cold that half of the design studio has been toting around the past week or so... hopefully it will be short lived. Soup from Kim Long, my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, has proven to be soothing.

Then there was tonight. Some colleagues and I went to an Institute for Sustainable Communities gathering tonight in which the keynote speaker was Jerry of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. He is apparently on the ISC board. To tell you the truth, he really didn't seem to enthused about being in southern Mississippi. After he spoke he served us all ice cream. I had a little bit of it all. I don't think that was such a good idea.

I hope you are all doing well. Talk to you later. -rB

Work has Started

I started my new job at GCCDS www.gccds.org just over a week. It's a great place to work with a whole new set of colleagues and challenges, all of which are great. I'm working on four projects at the moment:
1. A wetland landscape at a small non-profit medical center located in a public housing development. 2. A master plan that is re-establishing and integrating historic bayous and wetlands within East Biloxi, an area that lost 70% of it's housing during Hurricane Katrina. This is quite a challenge. Water runs in two directions here... everything is tidal. The bayous fill up during high tide and go back down at low tide each day. 3. A master plan for downtown Moss Point, MS. Most of this downtown was also flooded during Katrina. We are looking to move everything to higher ground and establish a public park system that connects downtown to the Escatawpa River.
4. Writing the Renaissance Development Guidelines, these are guidelines that fit within the framework of LEED but are more focused to the MS Gulf Coast. These will help regulate how housing developments are built.

Those things are keeping me quite busy but I do hope you can find time to come down and visit!

This is the house I'm in the process of buying. It is getting painted next week. It's got good bones; just needs some aesthetic updates.

Greetings from Biloxi

It is always warm even when it's cold. We have campfires, stews and tasty beer all chased with a round of laughter. Perfect nights as far as I'm concerned. The live oak trees have a pressence, one that seems to be greater than anything else at times, then the smell of salt cuts through the air. When you walk to the edge there are only variations of two colors in three elements: white and blue - sand, water and sky. Set within it all is a community that is quite a mixed-bag... it's fantastic, everything is unfamiliarly familiar. I've only scratched the surface and it's pretty thick so far.