Blog

A few weeks ago, my sketches about building spillways for small ponds in small watersheds focused on using our most locally common construction material, which here in Johnson County is silty dirt (commonly called “clay” when wet and sticky). 

This unassuming little plant taught me two three! things today! Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is a non-native from Europe that can be seen popping up along the edges of streets and sidewalks in grassy areas that haven’t been mowed in a while. 

When you are trying to rescue species from the very edge of extinction, you have to play hardball. This is the story of the attempts by some unique people to rescue rare creatures living on islands, by offing the predators who have invaded their habitat, like weasels, pigs, and rats – especially rats. 

Scarcity and abundance define so much in our lives. Modern capitalism and modern society are based on scarcity—the idea that the best, most important, and most desirable resources and consumer products are scarce, difficult to obtain, and thus expensive.