I just started a new blog... it is call "The True Library Project"... check it out.

The website is:
http://thetruelibraryproject.blogspot.com/

It is one of my social experiment. It is also a part of the artwork for ArtPrize.
Here is the description of the blog and the project:

"This is a blog that work along side my other blog:

www.athankfulone.blogspot.com

It is a recording of another social experiment I am doing. 

This experiment is call "The True Library Project"

I want to challenge the way we learn and teach today. 

I want to challenge the way our education system is today. 

I want to experiment a new way of learning and teaching, a new way of exchanging knowledges and insights. 

I hope this experiment will give me new directions and insights into this issue. 

The project will requires me to go around and ask anyone, strangers or friends alike, to ask them for a piece of knowledge and I will write them down in my note book. As I go to people and ask for their knowledge, they will be encouraged to read what already be written in the book, knowledges that other had written. This project will provides a platform and a place in which people can learn from each other and at the same time able to contribute to others' knowledge. People can continue to come back to me to farther contribute or to read what is new in the book. It is an ongoing process of knowledge exchange and sharing. 

I wonder what it will be like if we all carry a book like this and we pass it around all the time. Will we learn more??? I don't know yet or I might never know, but hopefully this project will give me new thoughts about this subject matter. 

On this blog, I will post all the knowledges that I gain from the day and I hope you all will enjoy it and if you like, please comment on it. The tile of each entry is the name of the knowledge giver and where is he or she staying. 

Hope you will find it interesting and inspiriting!"

Find a new spot today!!!

Here it is:

It situation in the middle of few abandoned houses. It should be quite safe to garden there. 

More pumpkins and more potato had came out!!!

Today, I went to all the gardens and watered them all. It is a beautiful day with fair, warm, dry weather. The plants definitely needed the freshness of the water as evidenced from the cracked crust of the dry ground. I recounted the number of pumpkins and potato and found that I now have 35 pumpkins plants and 9 potato. They are coming out strongly!!! Some of the pumpkins even now growing their third leaf from only two leafs at the very beginning.

The third leaf is coming out between the two original leaf. 

Some day time pictures of what we planted last night: 

 

From 3 rows to 6 rows of goodness!!!

The two beautiful pea plants!!!

Today when I check up on the carrot garden by the road side, I found even more footprints on it. I am wondering will those carrots survive and how human's existence will affect their life. 

Few artistic shot... hope you enjoy!

Empty house with boarded windows and boarded doors...

I explored the downtown area today in hope of better understanding it. The area that I was at is an area that fill with homeless shelters and ministries of some sorts. It is a pretty poor area of the city, situated just on the skirt of downtown. Where it is not right inside the city where rent is high and also not far enough away from downtown to be call suburb. It caught between the decision of living in downtown or far away from it by people with means and capitals. The people who got caught, as the word "caught" can defines their situation: they were forced to be where they are with their limited means and capitals.

I walked down this quiet street in the area even though it was such a sunny, beautiful day. Half the houses are empty with boarded windows and boarded doors. It was a street with a queer atmosphere to it. I continued to walk and explore the street and its queerness. A couple of the abandoned houses can be access from the outside with a broken door. It is broken, dark and smelly inside. I came across a man walking by and I asked him politely the reason for all these abandoned house. He told me that it is because the city government been buying out those houses so that they can build more fancy condos and apartments. In my head I wondered to myself,"If this in between place of the city and the suburb is going to be developed and become a part of the city, where the people who have no choices but to live there, where will they go? Where can they go if this in-between-place is gone?" I could not formulate an answer then and there. So i left with a heavy heart and a troubling minds.

I took one last look down this queer street and I cannot help but felt a bit lonely for myself as well for those houses and the lives that they contain. Suddenly, the sun shine of Africa once again seem so kind and inviting. I miss you, Africa.

Here is some pictures of those lonely building in its surrounding:

 

The part that we turn to let the water flows is taken away, to prevent farther usage?

Here is some pictures of an interior of an abandoned house. I was able to go in because the back door to the basement was broken. 

Some good time that I will never forget!!!

First and foremost, I want to thanks Jenny, Meg, Anna and Andrew for giving me this beautiful memories that I treasure so much!!! It was truly beautiful the time that we were able to share last night. What a night. Us five went out and garden last night at the same location that I went gardening alone that one time. The garden was truly a magnificent sight with its rows and circle of vegetated soils. I am so excited about this garden and all the relationships with others that I was able to foster through it.

The act of gardening had given so much thus far, so much that it is hard to say it all. I am just feeling bless to able to undertake such project and gain such support. I am grateful.

There are all of us except me: Anna, Jenny, Meg and Andrew. What a group of great people!!!

Last night, we planted 1 row of cucumber, 1 row of zucchini, 1 row of corn and 4 more circles, 8 seeds each of watermelons. Also, Anna been having growing two pea plants that been producing peas. With the school year coming to an end, she needed to find a new home for the plant so she brought the plants with her and we planted it into the garden.

 

Anna with her beloved pea plants. When we were leaving the garden last night, Anna made me sad by saying goodbye to those pea plants with such love and emotion. I was sad. Anna, I promise you I will take good care of your pea plants. 

Meg and Anna planting the first pea plant!

Jenny and Anna planting the second pea plant. 

Beautiful smile!!!

Here we are, the two pea plants. I hope they can adopt to this new soil easily1

We joked, laughed, teased, dig, watered, planted, jumped, danced, took pictures... we had such a good time.

Jenny losing up the soil!

Andrew losing up the soil as Meg and Jenny putting in the cucumber seeds!!!

Anna working hard at the dry ground, losing up the dirt. 

Meg planting watermelons seeds!

Jenny watering our watermelons... cam you tell that the black paint on the container is chipping away... I wonder how long would it be when I have to repaint the containers.  

Jenny pondering over the garden!!! The garden is getting bigger1!! 

Thanks for tuning in for another adventure that we have. 

I wish you enjoyed it!

keep in touch and have a nice day.