Nature Boy

When I was a kid and I went to the supermarket with my mom, I remember always seeing the “Andy Boy Broccoli” in the produce aisle. 

Of course, I was always curious why Broccoli was called Andy Boy–what boy or any kid for that matter likes to eat broccoli???

And like most things in life, there really wasn’t a good answer except that this company, “Andy Boy” grows and distributes it. 

Anyway, I was always a nature boy feeling most at home and at peace in the countryside. 

I love being in nature, surrounded by G-d’s amazing beauty, and at one with the universe and with G-d.  

In building all our great cities, buildings, and structures, aside from the crowding, pollution, crime and traffic that we have consequently, we have also lost something elementary to our lives with the absence of real nature. 

A park is not a forest.  A pond is not a river.  A plant is a not a lush valley.  A garden is not a farm.  A hill is not a mountain range.  A pet is not a teeming ecosystem of diverse life.  

The city is man made and fake, but nature is from G-d and real. 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

D.C. Living

I can’t believe this home is in Washington, D.C.

More like Florida.

All we need is a palm tree or two.

Plus a little pool in the back. 

And we’re good! 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Around The Corner

Thought this was a better design for a corner on a building. 

While I still don’t really like the plain cinderblock underneath…harsh, boring. 

The colorful, Jenga-type pieces stacked interestingly on each side makes a nice inviting presentation. 

So I guess you would say this is an acceptable way to cut corners. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

@Rockville Hometown Holidays Festival

Israel – Day 2 – Tel Aviv Downtown

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

Nimbyism By All

So I learned a new word this week:

Nimby, which stands for:

Not 

In 

My 

Back

Yard

It refers to people who object to and don’t want something unpleasant or dangerous in their neighborhood. 

Prisons

Homeless Shelters

Garbage Dumps

Radioactive Waste Sites

Oil and Gas Pipelines

Noisy Railroads

Polluting Factories

Adult Entertainment

etc. 

Yes, society as a whole apparently wants or needs these things, but the individuals just want to see it someplace (anyplace) else. 

People want the benefits, but don’t want the costs and risks associated with these things near them. 

The problem is when everyone feels this way then you are left either choosing somewhere despite the nimbyism protests or you have to locate them in remote places that are not always functional, fair or efficient for society. 

Perhaps this is where incentives or compensation comes in for people to get in order to “put up” with the placement of things in their backyard that they rather not have there. 

Is that what it means that nimbyism aside, “everyone has their price”?

(Source Photo: here with attribution to creative2/usa)

Beautiful Israel Architecture

Just wanted to share some of the beautiful architecture from Israel. 

Side by side…

The old and the new.

The proud and the natural.

The strong and the spiritual. 

Obviously, I’ve only had a chance to see a very little bit.

But everywhere just seems marvelous.

So much achieved, and still such great potential. 

A people who survived the genocidal Holocaust and faced down the devil himself, with G-d’s help have rebuilt their ancient homeland.

Miracles everywhere, I can attest to it with my own eyes and soul. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

A Beauty In The Downtown

I took this photo in downtown Washington, D.C.

Right between the limbs of this tree trunk was this amazing yellow flower almost popping up out of nowhere. 

It was like “Here I am, enjoy me!”

The more nature we put back into our cities the nicer and friendlier they are. 

Nature sooths man’s inner beast–and we definitely need more of that. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Tree Transplant

Getting a little tree transplant in cold, grey Washington, D.C. today. 

Sadly, the new trees, without any leaves, look more dead than alive. 

Sort of funny (-sad) how we pour infinite amounts of concrete and build up our cities, until there is little to no natural green spaces anymore (unless you go get yourself to the neighborhood park or run on weekends to burbs). 

We call in the tree transplant folks to line that narrow strip around our sidewalks with a few trees and we call it a day.

Urban sprawl is leaving us with stoic concrete and steel, but very little natural warmth and beauty. 

A few sad looking sapplings can’t make up for the lush forests and living landscape that we’re destroying. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

New York?

This is not the New York I remember (dirty, crowded, dangerous–ugh!).

My daughter went on a Shabbaton to the Big Apple.

They put her up in an amazing multi-million apartment overlooking Central Park.

The contrast between the city and the nature-y park is stark and stunning.

I guess the have and have nots are alive and well in NY.

But wow, this would be nice to wake up to in the morning. 😉

(Source Photo: Michelle Blumenthal)