Water bearer ring

Sun set 

we journey 

with last quarter

dark of Spring Equinox

 tomorrow

 light increasing

 inspiring

 ring

growth

ringWater

ring...

 egg carton foundation for the art (40 weeks in the compost) mid day

1:02 PM (Gregorian time) Vernal Equinox time as half way between Sunrise and Sunset

enJoy the Spring Equinox 2013 with creative Body, Mind and Spirit as One

young Fig leaves rising with the Vernal Equinox

Updated "Arts with the Environment" links (scroll down right page column to link)

Green Blessings

Arts with the Environment

• Art Not Oil
• ART:21 / Ecology
• Artists Project Earth
• Arts & Healing Network
• Arts:Earth Partnership
• Ashden Directory for a great list of links in all the arts for environmentalism
• Biomimicry Institute
• Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts
• Clearwater Organization founded by Pete Seeger
• Climate Greenwash Awards
• Community Arts Network
• eco/art/scot/land
• ECOART
• Ecoartspace
• Electric Lodge
• Garrison Institute
• Green Arts Organization
• Green Arts Web
• Green Museum
• Healthcare For Artists (in Massachussetts)
• Island Institute for sustainable living, art & natural design
• laboratory of insurrectionary imagination & friends links
• Liberate Tate Blog
• Little Artshram
• Morning Earth
• Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
• Shambhala Art
• Stockmar
• The Yes Men
• WEAD Women Environmental Artists Directory

Updated Herbs and Health links (scroll down right page column to link)
Green Blessings

HERBS & HEALTH

• American Association of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine
• American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
• American Botanical Council
• American Herbal Pharmacopoeia
• American Herbal Products Association
• American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
• Ayurvedic Institute
• Bastyr University (Natural Health Education)
• Bitterroot Restoration Plant Food & Medicine Infomation
• Centre for Natural Healing / Donnie Yance
• East West School of Planetary Herbology w/Michael Tierra
• Foundations in Herbal Medicine Tieraona Low Dog , MD
• Henriette's Herbal Homepage
• Herb Research Foundation
• Herbal Educational Services
• Herbal Therapeutics with David Winston
• Herbalist & Homeopathist Matthew Wood
• Herbalist & Raw Food Chef Brigitte Mars
• Herbalist Christopher Hobbs
• Herbalist Corinna Wood
• Herbalist Howie Brounstein
• International College of Herbal Medicine
• Jim Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
• Jonathan Treasure, Botanical Medicine & Cancer, Herb - Drug Interactions
• Joyful Belly Ayurveda / John Immel
• links Organic
• Macrobiotics / Kushi Institute
• Maderi Centre for Natural Healing w/Donald Yance
• Medical Advisors Journals
• Mycology w/Paul Stamets
• National Ayurvedic Medical Association
• National Center for Homeopathy
• Natural Health is Our DNA
• North American Institute of Medical Herbalism
• North American Institute of Medical Herbalism w/Paul Bergner
• Northeast School of Botanical Medicine with 7 Song
• Plant Spirit Healing with Pam Montgomery
• Plant Spirit Medicine with Eliot Cowen
• Plants For A Future
• PubMed; U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Remineralize the Earth
• Rosemary Gladstar, Sage Mountain Herbs & Earth Awareness
• Ryan Drum and Sea Vegetables
• Soil and Health Library
• Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
• The American Herbalists Guild (AHG)
• Tillotson Institute of Natural health
• U.S. National Library of Medicine
• United Plant Savers
• Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association
• Weston A. Price Foundation Wise Traditions in Food, Farming & healing Arts
• Wise Woman Healing Ways w/Robin Rose Bennett
• Wise Woman Mentor Susun Weed

Healing Counsel with Greg Patch

Owner of the former Berkshire Mountains Herb Company in western Massachusetts and for the past 15 years Green Art Studio, now located in Wilmington, NC.

 Greg has been a practicing Western Traditional Herbalist and Fine Artist for over 30 years. His studies also include Ayurvedic & TCM practices. During that time he has worked with families, home birthing, children, adults, elderly and with the dying in home care.

In confidential counsel we will look at your intentions for your wholistic health by assessing your background, where you are now, and what you would realistically like to achieve. The process I recommend in counsel follows ideals of embracing 
your personal Body, Mind and Spirit Self. 

Other tools we will use together are Whole Diet recommendations, how you can incorporate a personal Mental/Physical/Spiritual Lifestyle &

Western Humanistic Astrology based on over 25 years of study.

Private sessions are available at Network Community Wellness 

and downtown at Green Art Studio by appointment.

Group or family sessions may be arranged.

Please call 910-616-9930 with your inquiry.

The Normal Bacterial Flora of Humans

This is page 1 of a 5 page report from http://textbookofbacteriology.net/normalflora.html 
Am hoping this helps to illuminate and awaken us to these germs that are normal for our body's well being. 
The standard of our modern pharmaceutical warfare on GERMS! in our homes and environment using potent 
synthetic chemical anti-biotics that eliminate many we rely on for our human, our domesticated and 
environmental plant & animal life, our air, our water and our land/Earth's natural balance & survival...

(This chapter has 5 pages) 

© Kenneth Todar, PhD 

The Normal Flora 

In a healthy animal, the internal tissues, e.g. blood, brain, muscle, etc., are normally free of microorganisms. However, the surface tissues, i.e., skin and mucous membranes, are constantly in contact with environmental organisms and become readily colonized by various microbial species. The mixture of organisms regularly found at any anatomical site is referred to as the normal flora, except by researchers in the field who prefer the term "indigenous microbiota". The normal flora of humans consists of a few eucaryotic fungi and protists, but bacteria are the most numerous and obvious microbial components of the normal flora.

Figure 1. Gram stain of a species of Micrococcus, commonly isolated from the skin and nasal membranes of humans. 

The predominant bacterial flora of humans are shown in Table 1. This table lists only a fraction of the total bacterial species that occur as normal flora of humans. A recent experiment that used 16S RNA probes to survey the diversity of bacteria in dental plaque revealed that only one percent of the total species found have ever been cultivated. Similar  observations have been made with the intestinal flora.  Also, this table does not indicate the relative number or concentration of bacteria at a particular site. If you are reading online, you can skip this table and use it as an ongoing reference. To continue this article, scroll to the bottom of the Table notes to Associations Between Humans and the Normal Flora

---

Table 1. Bacteria commonly found on the surfaces of the human body.

BACTERIUM	Skin	Con- junc- tiva	Nose	Pharynx	Mouth	Lower GI	Ant. ure- thra	Vagina
Staphylococcus epidermidis (1)	++	+	++	++	++	+	++	++
Staphylococcus aureus*  (2)	+	+/-	+	+	+	++	+/-	+
Streptococcus mitis				+	++	+/-	+	+
Streptococcus  salivarius				++	++
Streptococcus mutans* (3)				+	++
Enterococcus faecalis* (4)				+/-	+	++	+	+
Streptococcus pneumoniae* (5)		+/-	+/-	+	+			+/-
Streptococcus pyogenes* (6)	+/-	+/-		+	+	+/-		+/-
Neisseria sp. (7)		+	+	++	+		+	+
Neisseria meningitidis* (8)			+	++	+			+
Enterobacteriaceae*(Escherichia coli) (9)		+/-	+/-	+/-	+	++	+	+
Proteus sp.		+/-	+	+	+	+	+	+
Pseudomonas aeruginosa* (10)				+/-	+/-	+	+/-
Haemophilus influenzae* (11)		+/-	+	+	+
Bacteroides sp.*						++	+	+/-
Bifidobacterium bifidum (12)						++
Lactobacillus sp. (13)				+	++	++		++
Clostridium sp.* (14)					+/-	++
Clostridium tetani (15)						+/-
Corynebacteria (16)	++	+	++	+	+	+	+	+
Mycobacteria	+		+/-	+/-		+	+
Actinomycetes				+	+
Spirochetes				+	++	++
Mycoplasmas				+	+	+	+/-	+

---

++ = nearly 100 percent      + = common (about 25 percent)      +/- = rare  (less than 5%)       * = potential pathogen 

---

Table 1 Notes

(1) The staphylococci and corynebacteria occur at every site listed.Staphylococcus epidermidis is highly adapted to the diverse environments of its human host. S. aureus is a potential pathogen. It is a leading cause of bacterial disease in humans. It can be transmitted from the nasal membranes of an asymptomatic carrier to a susceptible host.

S. epidermidis. Scanning EM. CDC.(2)  Many of the normal flora are either pathogens or opportunistic pathogens, The asterisks indicate members of the normal flora a that may be considered major pathogens of humans.

S. aureus. Gram stain.
(3) Streptococcus mutans is the primary bacterium involved in plaque formation and initiation of dental caries.  Viewed as an opportunistic infection, dental disease is one of the most prevalent and costly infectious diseases in the United States.

Streptococcus mutans. Gram stain. CDC
(4) Enterococcus faecalis was formerly classified as Streptococcus faecalis.The bacterium is such a regular a component of the intestinal flora, that many European countries use it as the standard indicator of fecal pollution, in the same way we use E. coli in the U.S.  In recent years, Enterococcus faecalis has emerged as a significant, antibiotic-resistant, nosocomial pathogen.

Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus faecalis. Scanning E.M. CDC
(5) Streptococcus pneumoniae is present in the upper respiratory tract of about half the population. If it invades the lower respiratory tract it can cause pneumonia.  Streptococcus pneumoniae causes 95 percent of all bacterial pneumonia.

Streptococcus pneumoniae. Direct fluorescent antibody stain. CDC.
(6) Streptococcus pyogenes refers to the Group A, Beta-hemolytic streptococci. Streptococci cause tonsillitis (strep throat), pneumonia, endocarditis. Some streptococcal diseases can lead to rheumatic fever or nephritis which can damage the heart and kidney.

Streptococcus pyogenes. Gram stain.
(7) Neisseria and other Gram-negative cocci are frequent inhabitants of the upper respiratory tract, mainly the pharynx. Neisseria meningitidis, an important cause of bacterial meningitis, can colonize as well, until the host can develop active immunity against the pathogen.

Neisseria meningitidis. Gram stain.
(8) While E. coli is a consistent resident of the small intestine, many other enteric bacteria may reside here as well, including Klebsiella, Enterobacterand Citrobacter. Some strains of E. coli are pathogens that cause intestinal infections, urinary tract infections and neonatal meningitis.

E. coli. Scanning E.M. Shirley Owens. Center for Electron Optics. Michigan State University.
(9) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the quintessential opportunistic pathogen of humans that can invade virtually any tissue.  It is a leading cause of hospital-acquired (nosocomial) Gram-negative infections, but its source is often exogenous (from outside the host).

Colonies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa growing on an agar plate. The most virulent Pseudomonas species produce mucoid colonies and green pigments such as this isolate.
(10) Haemophilus influenzae is a frequent secondary invader to viral influenza, and was named accordingly.  The bacterium was the leading cause of meningitis in infants and children until the recent development of the Hflu type B vaccine.

Haemophilus influenzae. Gram stain.
(11) The greatest number of bacteria are found in the lower intestinal tract, specifically the colon and the most prevalent bacteria are the Bacteroides, a group of Gram-negative, anaerobic, non-sporeforming bacteria.  They have been implicated in the initiation colitis and colon cancer.

Bacteroides fragilis. Gram stain.
(12) Bifidobacteria are Gram-positive, non-sporeforming, lactic acid bacteria. They have been described as "friendly" bacteria in the intestine of humans.Bifidobacterium bifidum is the predominant bacterial species in the intestine of breast-fed infants, where it presumably prevents colonization by potential pathogens. These bacteria are sometimes used in the manufacture of yogurts and are frequently incorporated into probiotics.

Bifidobacterium bifidum. Gram stain
(13) Lactobacilli in the oral cavity probably contribute to acid formation that leads to dental caries.  Lactobacillus acidophilus colonizes the vaginal epithelium during child-bearing years and establishes the low pH that inhibits the growth of pathogens.

Lactobacillus species and a vaginal squaemous epithelial cell. CDC
(14) There are numerous species of Clostridium that colonize the bowel.Clostridium perfringens is commonly isolated from feces. Clostridium difficilemay colonize the bowel and cause "antibiotic-induced diarrhea" or pseudomembranous colitis.

Clostridium perfringens. Gram stain.
(15) Clostridium tetani is included in the table as an example of a bacterium that is "transiently associated" with humans as a component of the normal flora. The bacterium can be isolated from feces in 0 - 25 percent of the population.  The endospores are probably ingested with food and water, and the bacterium does not colonize the intestine.

Clostridium tetani. Gram stain.
(16) The corynebacteria, and certain related propionic acid bacteria, are consistent skin flora.  Some have been implicated as a cause of acne.Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the agent of diphtheria, was considered a member of the normal flora before the widespread use of the diphtheria toxoid, which is used to immunize against the disease.

Corynebacterium diphtheriae. No longer a part of the normal flora.

Green Swamp Preserve | The Nature Conservancy

the Green Swamp is on the NC coastal plain. 

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/northcarolina/placesweprotect/green-swamp-preserve.xml

http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/se20coastal20brochure2.pdf (map feature)

working with the plants, other healing energetics and the geometries/features of the land I drove south  yesterday on 17 and cut northwest following the Great Serpent Mound Lei toward Pilot Mt in NC, the biome center of this region. [Peter Champoux "Gaia Matrix"]. this lei line continues on to the Great Serpent Mounds site in Ohio and onward... 

in terms of Earth Anatomy swamp is a cleansing filtration system. parallel to our own anatomical digestive spleen, kidney, lung, lymph, balancing digestion & venous circulatory, etc. with the amount of oxygenation that occurs in swamp it is related to our lung/liver/spleen meridian. many plants from swamp are specific to these organs in medicinal and energetic medicine treatments for the land and their reflective partners the animals, other plants, Sun, Moon, Vesta, the all of inner/outer of our universe. I intended to be aligned with the New Moon Leo and Venus/thyroid, kidneys venous circulation, the acid-alkaline balance in the body/ and digestion. Venus in Cancer/water is a time to gently rinse/flush the digestive tract.

just a few miles from the Conservancy sign I stopped to visit roadside plant colonies. I kept to the roadside, it is part of the sacredness of wildcrafting/foraging to not trespass properties. here I met with a plant similar in appearance to Sweetfern Comptonia peregrina. it lacks the aroma and pungency of Sweetfern and has a slightly bitter sweet taste (astringent). the plant's presence here assures me of its usefulness in place, it's application at this point is enfolding with my understanding of it. 

I reunioned with Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum and Queen of the Prairie Filipendula rubra.  Boneset is strongly emetic, promotes sweating/reduces heat/decongests stagnation, promotes and strengthens digestion and apetite. Queen of the Prairie is astringent, cooling, analgesic, vulnerary and is high in salicylic acid (aspirin), tannins and silica.

Green Swamp is also home several carnivorous fauna not found anywhere else; Venus Fly Dionaea muscipula and Pitcher's Plant Nepenthes sp. among them. 

there were also seeds that attached to me. I retraced my step and couldn't find their source. Seed is a great symbolism for starting new projects and keeping with mind/heart all the caregiving involved with our seeds! I was also foraging for reeds and grasses to use in making my artwork and marked those accessible resources.  

at Council I drove ENE to Atkinson where we celebrated Solstice '11; 

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7129950254661110611#editor/target=post;postID=5744179338876079026 
and the germination of the collaborative "progr(c)essing transformation". These blog entries can be found by searching progr(c)essing transformation on this blog.

then SSE home to Wilmington disecting the triangle mapped below. 

photo/mapping ©Peter Champoux

peace, love and co-creativity is the mantra for today's work...Green Blessings to all...

very dry Loquat leaves

last summers dryness was especially hard on this young Loquat sp. It's red leaves hanging in a cluster
of stillness as this sunny cold 24˚ Feb morning adds more light to the deterioration and re-placement of the tree's elements.

David Abram

http://www.wildethics.org/
cultural ecologist, philosopher and performance artist

David Abram at Sensory Worlds, Edinburgh

http://ecoartscotland.net/2011/12/28/david-abram-at-sensory-worlds/

"a progressing transformation"         approximately 43" x 73"

Porters Neck Yoga & Spa is now hosting "a progressing transformation". With your intent of Love, Peace and Co-Creativity please visit and participate with the art work.

“a progressing transformation” is a sustainable co-created art work. With intention the artist in us has contributed to the piece. Please leave your mark of intention for Love, Peace and Co-Creativity for all Earth beings by placing your mark of intent with the beeswax and natural pigment colors, add to it by applying your natural materials signature with a metal pin, stitching, or simply instill your prayerful intention to it.

Have fun and Be Creative!

Please leave your name with these Co-Creators:

Camber Caldwell

Peter Champoux

Joan Dorazio

Paul Dorazio

GIna Gambony

Barbara Hein

Daniella Metz

Robbyn Muse

Ryan Olsen

Greg Patch

Evan Root

Lilly Rousey

Molly Rousey

Tilden Rousey

Damon Savas

Georgia Routsis Savas

Matt Woisen

Materials:

Jute twine grid sandwiched by two thin sheets Lotka papers made in Nepal

Stockmar beeswax & natural pigment waxes (nci)

Ethiopian Coffea arabica; brain stimulant and increases CNS function, moves chi and blood

Blueberry Vaccinium spp. & Blueberry Vaccinium spp.; supports healthy vision

*Yellow Dock Rumex crispus dyes and mature aerial parts; healing energetics of clearing toxins in liver, gall bladder & kidneys, emetic

* two shades of yellow ochre clay; draws out toxins

* healing energetics of Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura (literal translation is purifier or pacifier of the aura) left/feminine wing feather

* Charcoal, ash & wood

5 wooden sticks to help light the fire

* grasses & dirt

* healing energetics of twig/branch Elder lf & br Sambuca nigra; antiviral and nourishing flavanoid

* Fire

* rain Water

* healing energetics of and leafed acorned twig/branch of Live Oak Quercus spp. This Oak is certified oldest in NC, @500 yrs; rejuvenates life force, strength & longevity

* healing energetics of and leafed fruited twig/branch of Cedar Pinaceae family. Estimated to be up to 1,000 yrs old; resilience & longevity

* healing energetics of and leafs of Long Needle Pine Pinus palustri;  inner peace and resilience

* from grounds/Earth of Copper Guinea Farm & Kitchen Atkinson, NC

natural Damar resin "Obtained from a renewable resource, its production helps support indigenous people and protect the rainforest by replacing other non-renewable industries such as logging." Earthpigments.com (nci)

consider also the healing energetics of the elements; Fire, Water, Air & Earth and grasses, charcoal, clay, the Earth's ley grid lines and the healing intentions of all the participants.

You can search "a progressing transformation" on this blog for more on this sustainable art piece.

Infinity 4 & 5 [small works]

Infinity 4 [small works]             5" x 7"              beeswax & natural pigments on Khadi paper

Infinity 5 [small works]             5" x 7"              beeswax & natural pigments on Khadi paper

She's Alive... eco film short by Vivek Chauhan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeXdv-uPaw&feature=player_embedded

non commercial eco film short by Vivek Chauhan

Blue Gold of Lammas

Blue Gold of Lammas                     2011                    ©Greg Patch

Lammas, the 5th Season deleted by the Gregorian Calendar. That's the little button on the high right.
Lammas adorns Blue Gold, the grains, nuts, the squashes and many fruit.
Consider the season as normalizing for us, healing, nourishing. Blue and Gold in many color therapy systems represent Throat Chakra/5th  and  Solar Plexus/3rd Chakra. The 3rd Chakra in Sanskrit is Manipura, or lustrous gem. When blockages occur in expressing our personal power we become anxious. Shine on with your self harvest! and speak your truth from your throat chakra. Express in action and voice.

http://www.colourtherapyhealing.com/
"Colour light energy affects all living cells. Used in the right way, colour can have a profound and healing effect on all creation, human or otherwise. It is a well known scientific fact that everything has a vibration, that is to say that all things have their own vibration/frequency, and that includes US !"


Organ systems associated with blue are endocrine and thyroid glands, digestive and respiratory. By balancing with the seasons and absorbing the natural energies of it we become balanced within. Taking conscious notice of this strengthens our awareness and acuity. It is calming and restorative.
Organ systems of the gold (yellow) range are basically digestion; liver, spleen, stomach and small intestines. Eating an abundance of the foods harvested and fresh now are in alignment with natural balance. Healing.

Anne Brodie

http://annebrodie.co.uk/

1st Sept 2011 – 1st Nov 2011

Bishops square, Spitalfields, Brushfields st, London, E16AA

The first public art exhibition held simultaneously across eight countries in Europe focuses in relations between art, science, society. As the UK representative, Anne Brodie will present her new artwork, Bee Box for the first time, before showing in Helsinki, Finland during Nov, Dec 20011.

Curators – Howard Bowland & Laura Cinti of C.LAB

Press -  Contact C.LAB at info@C-lab.co.uk

European Public Art Centre (EPAC)

http://epac.c-lab.co.uk

new work

beginning of new work on 22" x 30" Khadi paper 210 weight. "Randomly" torn and "randomly" selected pieces of Khadi paper are laid on the base sheet and wheat pasted to the foundation layer of paper. "Randomly" torn and selected? "I" directed this process in terms of tearing the approximate shape and size but the tear has more to due with gravity and the material of the Khadi paper's physics. Who made that paper? What had they experienced up until that point of pouring the liquified recycled cotton rags to form the sheets. Does random as we understand it truly even exist? I also orchestrated laying the pieces in grid like fashion. My projection was to create an unmathemetical grid. A random? grid. Can mathematics define "random"? Mathematics is in itself finite. Is that for now a philosophic and theological regard? These disciplines can overlap, but is there a point where they can be whole?
The torn pieces first layer of color is green, then blue, then will come violet. My direction according to the spectrum order. Rainbow observations or human creation? We have eyes to see. Base layer red, orange then "I" will yellow. Using white to edge base with torn pieces. Overall violet red layer will be drawn over the whole. Where did it come from? Where will it go? How will it be perceived? The source is. The pro(g)(c)ess is. The result is. I/We/You are.
The process is my meditative action until you pick up a marker and create. This "finished" piece an observatory and meditative experience with I/We/You.

 
...four hours later...

Growing Green with Pyramid

Growing Green with Pyramid

there were enough 2 x 4s in my scrap pile to construct this 10 level pyramid on 7/25/11. a few days later, 7/28/11, I received these mappings done by Peter Champoux "Gaia Matrix" of Teotihuacan "star" formation.

and

 that shows the Serpent Ley through Atkinson, NC where we did the art activation on 6/18/11 to the southeast, connecting to Peter's Bermuda Triangle Ley running southwest thru El Castillo to Teotihuacan.

today, 7/29/11 I researched and found the below shot of the ten level El Castillo, Chichen Itza.

 

El Castillo, Chichen Itza.
(Photo © 2006 by World-Mysteries.com )

....May it be that following synchronicities like these that are at a core of inspiration and intention with us....