Community Garden in East Las Vegas
When I first heard of the term BioBlitz, I was at a board meeting listening to a presentation from an ecological group called Urban Ecology Network from the Red Rock Audubon Society and I was very intrigued by the word that I felt that I heard of it recently. One of my newest friends had messaged me inviting me to her first BioBlitz in her garden so I can introduce a solitary bee box to guests on this day. I felt a sense of gratitude where the universe gave me a little nudge to say, ‘hey you are in the right place.’ This assurance made me feel comforted.
Involved in this field, you would think I would know what that is! Well, as a forever student, the teacher shows up when the student has arrived. At this time, as we are encountering the fall season tastes in the morning, I was attending the Wild Wonder Conference for Nature Journaling enthusiasts that had been occurring for the past week. Making the last day, Sunday, the last Wild Wonder Challenge, on the day of the BioBlitz at The Solidarity Fridge.
I am sharing this story as my first blog post on my website, because I want to begin with something from my past, where it all started for me as a student from UNLV. I have been hearing a lot lately about starting new chapters in life and an advise my Father gave me some time ago about the past, ‘never open closed doors.’ I immediately felt nostalgic, making me believe that our book of life holds tabs on certain chapters in life that we end to start a new one. So I want to believe that tabs are okay to reference back to. Community Gardens holds a tab in my University experience chapters.
When I was in college at CSN, my first garden design was of a butterfly garden. It changed my life forever from that moment on. As a class, we were transforming an empty planter in the parking lot into whatever we wished to see. I remember listening to a biologist about what type of plants attract butterflies and it was the most interesting topic for me. New words I’ve never heard of, like ‘host’, larvae, pupil stage, and lifespan. It reminded me of the Monarch butterflies that I dearly loved for how beautiful they looked. Learning more about their needs in the garden transformed me.
Fast forward to UNLV, I took this knowledge of pollination with everything I did in school, I was obsessed. I was interested in the ecological design field and I made sure that with every community garden, enhancements of landscapes in our valley, there contained a safe haven for pollinators and how to raise the importance of biodiversity in our outdoor sacred spaces.
This journal entry that I created at The Solidarity Fridge, is a way for me to tune out from the world around me to explore wildlife in the gardens that inspire me. Grateful for a practice that helps me transform ideas to research and design to installation for more serenity in our lives and for the wild ones.
Visit the east side of Las Vegas and take a tour with Victoria at The Solidarity Fridge. It is a growing gathering space where you can witness not only a thriving edible garden, a sacred haven for people and wildlife. Explore her website for more details: thesolidarityfridge.org
Curious about what Wild Wonder Foundation is? Wonder no more, take a peak at their website: wildwonder.org to learn more about the practice of nature journaling that inspires our connection to the wild nature.
