Design from Patterns to Details: Tokyo's Rail System & Slime Molds

On the Green Inside and Out radio show this evening I discussed one of my favorite examples of one of the permaculture principles, "design from patterns to details."

Engineers in Tokyo revamped the rail lines from Tokyo to its surrounding cities to make it more efficient. Some researchers wanted to test the efficiency of those routes and did so by transposing a scaled down version of the map onto a growth medium. A slime mold (type of fungus) was placed in the center of the medium, corresponding to where Tokyo would be. Oat flakes, a nutrient source for slime molds, were placed on the medium, scaled to correspond to the cities that surround Tokyo. The slime mold grew towards the oat flakes in order to feed off of them and over time funneled into the most direct and efficient paths towards their nutrient source. When compared to the most efficient routes that they engineers came up with they were found to be comparable.

This is one example of the ways in which biomimicry, and the concept of designing from patterns to details, can be used in smart growth design. As global population increases our cities will become more crowded and with that growth will come challenges in design. The slime mold experiment is a low-tech and time efficient tool to map out potential navigation routes.

The larger point here, though, is that we have so much to gain from tapping into the wisdom of the natural world. The more we can identify patterns in nature the better we will be able to design. The more place-based we can make those patterns, the more we will be able to customize design for specific geographic areas.



For a more in-depth read on the Tokyo slime mold experiment, see this 2010 Wired article.

As a follow-up read, this Guardian article from 2014 further explores the ways in which studying slime molds in mapping can provide us with efficient design ideas for different sectors of society. It discusses some of the gaps in our understanding of slime molds' behaviors, especially around the concepts of anticipatory behaviors and intelligence.

Fresh From the Garden Spring Salad

Baby kale, arugula, chive flower blossoms. All organically grown in my garden. Nom nom nom.

Dandelion Petal Bread (No Knead)

Dandelions, despite public perception, are a wonderful plant to have in your yard. From an ecological perspective they are important as an early source of nutrients for honey bees for starters, among other things. The leaves are quite good when harvested early in the spring, before the flowers bloom. They can be sauteed with garlic in some olive oil and served with eggs for a delicious breakfast. Dandelions offer vitamins C, K and A, and are a great source of calcium, potassium and fiber.

I really love the concept of embracing the gifts that nature offers at different times of the year. Early in the spring the first glimpses of life emerging from the ground are always a welcome sight. I think that using some of the dandelions in your yard to feed your family is a great way to ackowledge and show appreciation for the nutrients that the earth offers up early in the season. I don't really understand the vendetta against dandelions that so many people seem to have.

This was my first shot at making this bread recipe that I came up with but it turned out great and was a hit with my family so I figured I would share the recipe. It's a great breakfast bread because it's filling. You can fry up an egg and plop it down on a piece of this toast without seasoning it because the bread has such great flavor. You can obviously adjust the spice blend to your liking. I'm sure adding some paprika, chopped garlic, etc could work really well. I think the most important aspect of baking or cooking is to enjoy what you are doing. It's interesting to consider the idea that you are energizing this food as you create it, and it makes you more mindful of your attitude and thoughts while cooking for loved ones.

No Knead Dandelion Petal Bread Recipe

2 1/2 C all purpose flour

1/2 C oat bran

1/2 tsp yeast

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp dill

2 tsp herbs de provence

1/2 C dandelion petals

1 1/2 C water

Combine dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add the water, being careful to not overwork the dough. Cover it overnight.

The next day pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the dough on a floured surface and mold it into a disc shape. Thoroughly cover the dough with flour and place it in an oven proof dish. Cover the bread for the first 30 min with a lid and then uncover it for the last 15 min of baking.

The outside should be perfectly browned, while the inside remains moist and chewy. I recommend having a slice before the bread cools because that is when it is best! Baking times may vary based on altitude and oven type.

This recipe was inspired by this no knead bread recipe: http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html
The addition of oat bran significantly changes the texture, making it less airy and more dense, but still quite satisfying!

Read more about the health benefits of dandelions here: http://foodfacts.mercola.com/dandelion-greens.html

Planting Fields Arboretum

Sunday was such a beautiful day I'm glad I was able to get outside and enjoy the day. Planting Fields Arboretum is starting to wake up from the long winter. Their greenhouses appear to have been awake for some time though. I don't know of a therapy better than walking through a warm greenhouse awash with floral fragrances. The warm and humid air revitalizes your skin and the air seems so clean that with every inhalation I feel it nourish my insides and every exhalation seems to expel stale and stagnant energy from my cells. 

I adore orchids. I love knowing that for every orchid there is a specific species of bee that has co-evolved with it. I love how intricate nature is. 

I am so grateful for all of this beauty and life. Spring brings such a strong feeling of hope and renewal. I am always glad for its arrival, especially after a long and cold winter like the one we just had on the east coast. 

Happy Summer Solstice!

It's officially summer! My garden is gaining momentum and I have enjoyed watching it slowly become more and more jungle-like. Some of the first plants to mature (aside from my beloved radishes, that is!) were the nasturtiums. I love them because they are incredibly intricately beautiful and they are edible! Nasturtiums contain vitamin C, iron, and anthocyanins (flavonoids with strong antioxidant properties). If you are serving a salad it looks very fancy to put a few of these beauties on top. The leaves of nasturtiums are also edible, but are significantly more peppery than their flower counter-parts.

I made a potato salad for the potluck with organic potatoes because according to the studies that produced the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen List, even after being washed potatoes contain more pesticides than any other vegetable by weight. I know buying everything organic can sometimes be a challenge so I think the guide that EWG provides does a great job in helping consumers to prioritize what fruits/veggies are most important.

I love having an herb garden because it has so many benefits: it attracts bees and butterflies, smells great, helps to keep away predatory insects, they taste great, and they have lots of phytonutrients and antioxidants that keep me healthy.  I added some minced mint, as well as chives and dill to the potato salad. I love working on a recipe, and realizing I need a bit more of a certain ingredient, and being able to get what I need from my backyard garden. It is such a great feeling!

Potato salad recipe:
9 red-skinned organic potatoes, diced (on the EWG Dirty Dozen List so buy organic!)
4 stalks organic celery, finely chopped (on the EWG Dirty Dozen List so buy organic!)
1/3 C red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp mayo
6 oz plain yogurt (I used whole-milk goat yogurt but you can use whatever you want)
1 Tbsp olive oil
a handful of fresh dill, chopped
3 sprigs of mint, chopped
a handful of chives (about 10-15), chopped
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the potatoes, celery and red onion. Add the mayo and yogurt. Mix in the spices and herbs and you're good to go!

Today when I was serving leftovers for lunch I mixed a couple of hard-boiled eggs into the potato salad, which complemented it nicely. I served that over a bed of buttercrunch lettuce (picked from my garden) mixed with clover and chickweed that I foraged from outside, as well as a dash of Greek feta vinaigrette. Mmmm mmmm good.

More Radish Love. And Flowers.

Radish love.

I know I mentioned my radishes in the last post but I had to put up another photo of a bunch that I picked this evening after work because they are just so beautiful and vibrant! Who could possibly look at these and not smile?! 

I really think that radishes get a bad rap. They are often overlooked, or tossed casually into a salad that will be drowned in dressing. This evening my dad made an omelet for dinner with sauteed onions and radishes, herbs, and cheddar cheese and it was delicious! When radishes are cooked, even lightly, they really mellow out in the flavor department. People who don't enjoy the peppery bite of raw radishes might like them better if they try cooking them. 

The classic French style of eating radishes is on baguette with butter and salt. You can find a good recipe, in that vein, from Ina Garten. 

If you think radishes have had it bad, think of poor radish greens, so often altogether discarded when they too can (and should!) be enjoyed. There is a good collection of recipes using radish greens here. Personally, when I am cooking any other type of greens (kale, chard, dandelion greens, etc) I just mix the radish greens into the pot, add some olive oil and garlic, and call it good!

Aside from the aesthetic and culinary benefits of growing radishes I recently learned that radishes are high in Vitamin C. They also contain folate, riboflavin, copper, potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, manganese, calcium, and fiber. 

I think it is important to have color diversity in the vegetables that you consume. Broadening your color horizons will not only have a positive impact on your health (from the wide array of phytonutrients) but it will also make cooking more fun, experimental, and interactive! And if you can grow it yourself, that will just add to your appreciation for what you eat. My spring planting of radishes is almost ready to be fully harvested, which will make room for the crops of summer to mature. I plan on planting more radishes in late summer to harvest in the fall as bigger tubers that can be stored over winter.

Flowers in my garden.

People tend to either really like or dislike marigolds. I fall into the group that really likes them. I enjoy the different color combinations that they come in and I appreciate the fact that they deter nematodes that would otherwise attack my tomato plants!

Working at the plant nursery, Pink Grizzly, in Missoula, I soon came to favor verbena plants with their clusters of beautiful, delicate flowers. I made sure to plant some in my garden this year and they are looking nice and healthy. They are a cheerful sight in the morning.

Radish Gypsy

I LOVE this warm weather and I can't over-emphasize how appreciative I am of how few mosquitoes I have come into contact with as of yet (knock on wood!). My garden is coming along. I started out seeding a variety of crops with a dream of a garden coming to fruition. Sure enough, the seeds sprouted (after lots of TLC), and now the tiny seedlings have morphed into actual, discernible plants. I am very happy to report that my first round of radishes have been harvested. This year I planted Radish Saxa II seeds, which I bought along with all of my other seeds, from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. I probably would have found that company on my own, based on my interest in heirloom seeds, but I actually first discovered it when I sat next to the mother of the owner on an airplane ride to Montana. Kismet!

Radish Saxa II

I saw a beautiful moth on the outside of my house so I took a couple photos of it so I could later identify it. Unless I am mistaken, it turns out this beautiful moth is a lady of death: an invasive Gypsy moth, the dreaded destroyer of beautiful tree foliage and enemy to hardwood tree species of the Eastern US.

When I first saw the moth I was in awe of its beauty and careful to not disturb it as I photographed it. I find it ironic that if I saw one again I would probably end up killing it to protect the trees that its offspring would destroy. It amazes me how much perception of something can be changed by what you believe about it to be true. The moth doesn't know that it is being destructive. It is simply doing what it needs to do in order to survive, as any other species in its position would do. This is a prime example of how dangerous non-native invasive species can be. It isn't the sexiest of issues but it is one that has far-reaching implications across the big picture of the web of life.

Thanksgiving Baking

I Love baking; the smells, tastes of the remaining batter after the bowl has been emptied, and the magical dusting of flour that coats the kitchen and my very being come the end of the endeavor. Since we would be hosting on Thanksgiving Day, I decided to do the baking the night before so as not to compete with the turkey for oven space. I also know that there is a lot of cleaning after I bake so this way I didn't have to worry about creating a miniature disaster zone immediately before company was expected to arrive.

This Thanksgiving I made the tried and true Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie because it is always such a hit. One of the aspects of this pie that makes it so over-the-top amazing is that after you finish baking the graham cracker crust, you immediately put chopped dark chocolate (80% dark in the case... woah) on the bottom.

The chocolate crust then gets put back into the oven for 1 min and ends up hardening after it comes out so that when you eat the pie later there is a distinctive chocolate graham cracker crunch with every bite. Oh my!

I like to make pecan pie, and it's the only recipe I have bought corn syrup for in the past, but I thought I would see if this year I could find a delicious recipe that was corn syrup-free. I struck gold when I came across Trisha Yearwood's Pecan Pie recipe. While this recipe lacks corn syrup it was not found lacking in the taste or texture departments.

Here is the pie before it went into the oven:

I prefer making pie crust from scratch to avoid processed ingredients that are unnecessary and unhealthy. I really like Martha Stewart's recipe because it almost tastes a bit like shortbread, it's so delicious.

Perfecting pie crust is an art form and like breads, biscuits, etc. the key is in the short duration of actually handling the dough. I like using a food processor to incorporate the butter and water so as to not overwork the dough and make it tough. I used 2 Tbsp of water at the end to make the dough come together and then formed it into a disk and refrigerated it for an hour. I poured the pecan pie filling into the unbaked crust and put the whole thing in the oven for the directed time. One trick I use in baking to ensure I don't over-bake anything is to set my timer for 5-10 minutes before the product is expected to be finished since each oven is slightly different.

After putting the last of the two pies in the oven, I noticed how enticing the house smelled and realized it would be a shame to not have anything delicious that night for dessert after all the hard work, so I made my tried and true Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. To put a festive spin on the traditional loaf I used a decorative baking mold and sifted confectioner's sugar over the top of it to give it a wintry appearance.

Here is the end result of my three desserts sitting so decadently on the counter, waiting to be consumed:

Yum yum. A happy Thanksgiving indeed. When I bake I try to put positive energy into everything and imagine people enjoying what they taste. That is my favorite part of baking, even more so than eating the results. I love to make people's taste buds happy, knowing everything is made with wholesome ingredients and lots of Love!

It Flows Like a River

It Flows Like a River 

by Marisol Maddox

The River Speaks.

The River speaks if you have ears enough to listen,

Some intrinsic understanding of

The cochlear resonance of an aquatic snail.

The River flows.

It spins tales,

Tells histories and legends.

Take a gander.

Peer into the riverbed.

See how the rocks reveal the faces

Of those who have come and gone,

Of those whose blood has spilled, and

Mixing with the alluvium

Has manifested new life.

Broken stone; Bone

fragments.

The reflection of light.

Rivers converge.

A momentarily perfect fractal.

I see the ancient fish of time

Their echoes still resonate off the banks,

Their faint whispers are like secrets.

The cold, clear water is

Beautiful without trying.

Perfect without trying.

The sagacious River flows on,

A casual lesson in persistence.

The Tao of the Kitty

Lulu's Laissez-faire Library

Lulu remarks at the brilliance and beauty of a New Day:
"for the sun always in the morning shall rise." Wise equatorial kitty.

Tin Tin says, "Don't wake me from my slumber!"

Plant Intelligence & Neurobotany

I just read the article, "If Peas Can Talk, Should We Eat Them?" by Michael Marder and had to say a few words. Here's the link to the article so you can read it for yourself: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/28/if-peas-can-talk-should-we-eat-them/?hp#.

I find the research in this realm of study to be absolutely fascinating. I have read similar studies before concerning trees that communicate similar information through their root systems.

Since people obviously can't just stop eating for fear of killing something, I think what is to be gained from this new knowledge is instead a firmer respect for all living things- people, plants, and animals- and to be grateful for all that dies so that we might live. This just makes me appreciate, even more, all of the food that I eat and re-enforces my desire to not be wasteful. Additionally, I think it is interesting (and important) to view ourselves as a part of life's energy flow, instead of existing outside of it. We are not the end-point for energy; when we die our nutrients are recycled into new life, and so on and so forth. Essentially it's a way of regarding the law of the conservation of energy- energy being neither created nor destroyed but rather changing form. I think that is a beautiful thing.

I've been intrigued for some time by the ideas presented in The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird but I have yet to read the whole book. I'll add it to my ever-growing list of books to read!

If any of you have read it and have any ideas that you would like to share I'm interested to hear what you think!

Banana Breakfast Bread

I'm always searching for the right ways to tweak recipes to make them "perfect" in my eyes. I came up with this recipe recently and having just made it yesterday I can attest to how delicious it is!

Since this is a breakfast bread it's not super sweet but all of the ingredients give it a subtly complex taste. I think eating this in the morning is a great way to start the day. If you're a big breakfast person you can have something additionally on the side, like yogurt with fruit, or an egg scrambled with spinach.

Banana breakfast bread has lots of fiber making it both satisfying and healthy!  I hope you enjoy it.... And remember to bake with love! :)

My breakfast: piece of Banana Breakfast Bread and a fried egg with tomato, mushrooms, and garlic. Delish!

Banana Breakfast Bread Recipe


Ingredients:
1/2 C all purpose, unbleached flour
1 C toasted oat bran
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C applesauce, unsweetened
2 eggs
2 large bananas, mashed
2 Tbsp unsweetened peanut butter
1/4 C chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts (unsalted)

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9" springform cake pan (or whatever you have that is closest to that).
In a bowl combine, flour, oat bran, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In a separate, large bowl combine brown sugar and applesauce; blend well.
Add eggs, blending well in between each addition.
Add mashed bananas, peanut butter, and nuts, mixing thoroughly.
Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into cake pan and bake on middle rack for 23-25min.
Test with a toothpick in center or cake to make sure it is thoroughly cooked before turning off the oven.
Enjoy with loved ones! :)

Beach Details

The other day I had a couple hours before I had to be at work so I decided to go for a walk and explore a bit. I love walking around in places that I frequent and turn on the macro setting on my camera. Sometimes you can overlook how beautiful everyday things are. These are some of the photos that I liked.

windy vine

A feather rustling in the breeze

Love the differences in color and texture on this 6in plot of beach

Gulls in flight

Horseshoe crab's shell

West Neck Beach

One thing that stood out to me was how much trash there was. You do not necessarily see it in the photos because a lot of it is small (although there was certainly a good amount of larger items like plastic bags, cigarette packs, etc) but it is there and with every high tide that garbage gets carried out to sea. I had a plastic bag in my car that I retrieved and used to pick up whatever I could. Garbage, especially plastic, is a huge problem for the inhabitants of the sea and the birds and other animals that rely upon them for sustenance. If everyone could just pick up a couple items of trash every time they go to the beach it would make a big difference. I hope this comes into your mind the next time you are in the position to make a difference! :)

The Shadow Chaser

Yesterday late afternoon, just before evening set in, I was in my room trying to read but being distracted by my cat, Lulu, who was basking in the last bits of sunlight on my bed. She is so photogenic that I had to get my camera and take some pictures of her.

Lulu captured in the late afternoon sun

Lulu says, "Enough with the computer! Pay attention to me!"

As the minutes progressed, and the sun lowered in the sky, the shadows began to stretch out onto the wall at the foot of my bed, highlighted by the sunlight. The shadows were cast long, stretching the leaves and branches of the trees outside into gigantic grey proportion against the yellow backdrop.

There is a fair amount of bird activity in my back yard and Lulu was staring at the wall, mesmerized by the slightly shifting shadows and the occasional rapid movements of birds as they darted around, taking care of everything that needed to get done before the night set in. The funny thing was that every once in a while she would be overcome with an urge to hunt and she would stretch her body up the wall, batting at the shadows with her paws. I found it both interesting and amusing that she did not turn around and look out the window at the actual birds and squirrels but found it more intriguing or stimulating to face a wall and focus on their exaggerated shadows.

The shadow chaser in action

Little Beast

I love shadows. I love taking photos of shadows from different angles to see how different the same image can look depending upon how it is framed. I love long, grey shadows that distort and stretch images- dark, short shadows that hold stark contrast to their surroundings- and everything in between those two.

Lulu turned into a shadow, herself!

Happy February!

Usually, this time of the year is so bleak, grey, and cold and all I want is for spring to arrive. This year, however, we have certainly not had much of a winter, unlike Europe with its record snow falls! Although I do enjoy snow I am not complaining and am just going to enjoy whatever we get.

This past Wednesday, luckily my day off from work, the temperature was actually in the low 60s! I took advantage of the spring-like weather and went for a hike in the woods at Centerport Beach with my friend Jane and her two lovely Australian Shepherd dogs, Della and Fenway. She has a great camera and always takes really nice photos. I love when pictures capture a bit of the dog's personality or quirkiness. Here is one that Jane took of Della jumping over a log that really captures her vibrant energy and highlights her gorgeous eyes:

photo by Jane Scott Cumming

Me with Della and Fenway (photo by Jane Scott Cumming)

We walked along the coast of the Long Island Sound at West Neck Beach at sunset, taking in the last few beautiful minutes of the day.

Cowboy Poetry

I had to share this incredibly beautiful poem, Ruby Mountains, by Jack Walther, a rancher from Nevada. Cowboy poetry is a relatively new discovery for me but it is the genre that contains some of my all-time favorites. This is a great example. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. The photos are all my own.

Calves at Cowhorse Ranch in Ramona, CA

Ruby Mountains by Jack Walther

I am part of this range of waving grass,

Part of the evening breeze, the gentle rains that pass.

I am the horse or range cow that moves out there so free.

Deep down within, they seem a part of me.

I am the snows on the mountain that cause the streams to flow,

Spreading out on the valley, the leaves and branches of a tree,

They are more than a thing of beauty. They are a part of me.

I am the buttercups blooming in the springtime,

The call of the blue grouse on the hill,

The peace and quiet of a summer night

When all the world is still.

I am the sparkling stars on a winter night,

Or a crisp cold morning sun.

I am the gurgling protesting stream,

Beneath the winter ice shall run.

The coyote that howls in the evening or the hoot owl in the wood,

I sense them stir within my soul. Deep down it feels so good.

With this all a part of me, I can never be alone.

I am the richest man on earth, for all this I own.

When this body that you see is stilled,

Stand not by my grave and cry.

When a part of all these things,

I will be renewed and shall never die.

But come out in the fresh spring grass,

See the songbirds up in the tree,

Just relax, spend some time.

It is there I shall forever be.

Mother's Birthday Cake

For my Mother's birthday party she requested a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I took the recipe that she usually uses and changed a few ingredients and steps to make it my own.

Upside-down cakes cooked in cast iron skillets originated in the Middle Ages when different types of fruit were used and the whole cake was cooked over a fire. With the invention of canned pineapple in the early 1900's and the aid of an oven, Pineapple Upside Down Cake came into being!

Below is a photo of the finished product, along with my recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Topping:
1-14oz can of pineapple rings
3/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4C packed brown sugar

Heavy whipping cream

Ingredients for Batter:
1 1/2C all-purpose flour (try to use unbleached if possible)
2tsp ground cardamom
2tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4C granulated sugar
2 eggs
2tsp vanilla
1Tbsp coconut rum or dark rum
1/2C unsweetened pineapple juice

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Topping:
Melt butter for topping in a well-seasoned 10in cast iron skillet.
Stir in the brown sugar, over medium heat, for about 4min. Remove from heat.
Arrange pineapple slices on top of sugar mixture, slightly overlapping the pieces.

Batter:
Mix flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
In a large bowl (using either an electric or hand mixer) beat the butter until it is light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and rum. Add half of flour mixture and beat until just blended. Beat in pineapple juice and then add remaining flour mixture, beating just until blended.

Pour the batter evenly over the pineapple topping. Bake the cake in the skillet on the middle rack for about 40 min. After you remove the cake from the over, let it sit about 10 min and then invert a plate over the skillet and, holding the two together firmly, flip the skillet over so the cake is "right-side up."

Whip the heavy cream until firm peaks form and serve it with the cake. Cake is best served warm or at room temperature. Most importantly, eat with loved ones and with a smile on your face! :)

July in the Garden & Belgian Independence

Ahhh July, the hottest of months... let the dog days begin! My dad decided to start a vegetable garden this spring for the first time and I was thrilled to be around to help a bit. He built raised beds, brought in some top soil to suffice until our own table scraps had composted enough to use, and planted some seeds that we ordered from FEDCO. We now have a garden full of golden chard, dill, sugar snap peas, zucchini, beets, nasturtiums, basil, chives, cucumbers, and onions!

Looking down into our beautiful Golden Chard

In the evening the other day, the light was just right for taking photos of some of the flowers that are in bloom. It's been a while since I have spent a summer in the eastern US. It's different from the west but beautiful. I love the colors of the warm months, the wafts of sweet nectar from the lilies, the buzz of bees, the feel of the wind gently caressing your skin.

Some sunflowers that my mom bought at the farmers' market

Stargazer Lilies brightening up the lovely late afternoon

Hydrangeas beginning to bloom and turn pink

Oh and in case there are any Belgians reading this... Happy Independence Day! Today marks the 180th anniversary of Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. Although this was actually declared in October of the 1830, they celebrate July 21st 1831 because that is the day their first king, Leopold I, took his oath. Considering how unethical, greedy, and corrupt a lot of kings are, if you read about them, Leopold actually seems like he was a pretty cool individual. He even tried (albeit unsuccessfully) to regulate female and child labor, which I give him props for. That is pretty progressive considering this was the late 1800's!

I am always fascinated with people who have interesting lives and Leopold's childhood intrigues me because when he was only 5 years old he was appointed a Colonel in the Russian Guard! I just cannot imagine how something like that would actually manifest itself. I mean, how much can you expect from a 5 year old? I wish there could be 100 versions of myself that lived in different time periods, in different social circumstances, in different parts of the world, so I could truly have a better understanding of other people's lives and perspectives!

A portrait of Leopold I by George Dawe