random cool things II

FARM CENTERED COMMUNITY
Have you heard of these?!
My friends Marc and Claire are the organic farmers at Ohio's only agri-community, Aberlin Springs!  Nestled among over 140 acres of preserved forests and meadows, the community will be centered around the farm.   Being developed with a "Farm-to-Table" philosophy, residents will be active participants in their farm's CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  The idea is to share community in a variety of ways while reconnecting with the natural world.  House building will begin this fall.

© Aberlin Springs

LINKS:
Aberlin Springs  
Finn Meadows Farm Marc and Claire Luff's farm
other agri-communities 
article about Serenbe (Georgia)


DIRT MAKES YOU HAPPY!
Mycobacterium vaccae, a bacteria present in soil, appears to be a natural antidepressant.  These microbes seem to cause cytokine levels to rise, which results in the production of higher levels of serotonin.  How do these microbes get inside you and how long do the "happy" effects last?  The microbes can be inhaled as well as enter through breaks in the skin.  Studies say the effects may last up to 3 weeks.
So go out and play in the dirt!

These photos are from a year ago.  There was a group of about 15 of us who helped revamp this community garden.  In 4 hours we took this garden from mostly decrepit to beautiful.  It was so much fun working together!   
LINK:
Here's the article


AMAZING IMAGES CAPTURED ON GOOGLE

© 2012 google

Artist Jon Rafman has zeroed in and screenshot many of google's street views.  Some amazing images have appeared!
LINKS:
Google street views on Tech Insider
Jon Rafman's site (even more photos)
aerial earth views (I'm adding this just because there are some very interesting ones.)


LA CITÉ DU VIN (The City of Wine)

©XTU-Casson Mann-ANAKA-La Cité du Vin

This wine theme park and museum in Bordeaux, France will offer a comprehensive, immersive wine experience. Yes, please!  Learn about the history of wine, get educated in wine tasting, make wine, visit vineyards, dine at restaurants, enjoy a bazillion (slight exaggeration!) different wines.  To learn more, click the link below.
LINK:
Forbes article

What cool things have you seen lately?

all images © by the individual attributed websites   all rights reserved

Mansion

a few vignettes from Winter Wine Weekend 2013...

 arriving!

side and front

the theme

 

deviled egg with garnish (paired with wine, of course!)

 

back close up

mmmm....
(Annie, not me!)

back

The Plan:  a wonderful weekend of wine tasting with 12 couples
Subplots:  lots of food
                games
                relaxing by the fireside 
                more wine!

The Venue:  Richwood Plantation Inn, a beautiful historic bed and breakfast on 117 acres in Milton Kentucky, across the street from the Ohio River.  It's on the Indiana border near Madison, not too far from Clifty Falls State Park.

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is "M."  Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun!
 


photos by me © 2013

wine

What, you may wonder, do some of these photos have to do with wine?  Follow along and I will tell you.

looking away--the view from the back of the building

We were "treated" (Is that the right word?) to an experiment of flavoring wine, a mixture of cabernet franc and merlot to be exact.  We sampled wine which had been processed with pine chips (yuck!), spruce chips (super yuck!), beech chips (OK), and apple chips (not bad).

along the back fence

The back of the building.  This is Richwood Plantation Historic Bed and Breakfast in Milton, Kentucky.  A gorgeous property, it consists of a main house, a carriage house, 2 cottages, and extensive grounds.  

Again you wonder, what does all this have to do with wine?

Last January, my husband and I were invited to participate in a Winter Wine Weekend, a weekend filled with....yep, lots of wine drinking.  There were 26 of us.  There were informal times and formal presentations like the one mentioned above.

The very talented Rose made labels for wine bottles in which roses were placed.  We each got to take one home.

Oh yes!  There was a murder mystery (written by the aforementioned very talented Rose).  This played throughout the weekend--from Friday evening when the characters were introduced to Saturday night when we cast our votes for who we thought the murderer was.  I played Leegal Eagal, a very bright lawyer.  I was suspicious, but not too much, and in fact I didn't do it!!  It was very hilarious and much fun!

This has nothing to do with the weekend, but I had to throw it in.  My daughter and her boyfriend made this cork board.  (Actually, I helped, too.)  My daughter is a wine rep for a distributor and gets a plethora of corks.  I like the way they are displayed here as you can see a variety of textures, colors, and text.

LINK:
Richwood Plantation

I'm linking up with my favorite teacher, Ms Jenny Matlock!  See others' completed homework assignments HERE. Come join in!  This week our letter is the wonderful, yet sometimes wacky "W."

 
photos by me © 2009-2012    all rights reserved