What a project!

Sitting here on this Saturday afternoon, I have a lot of time to think.  My plans to see my friends and eat warm chili at the chili cook off have been cancelled due to the blizzard right outside my window.  But that's okay...because my project is getting a lot of attention as a result.

What I like about WISE, and what I have said to numerous people is that: the best thing about WISE is that you can take your project in any direction you want.  There is no right or wrong final product.  If something changes, no problem! If I spend all of my time reading and not doing, so be it! This project is whatever I make of it.

But I guess I never really pondered that thought enough...
As soon as my long and tiring process of choosing a project was over, I became focused on getting in contact with Cayuga Landscaping, and any other companies like that.  But what about my previous project ideas?  What about my learning photography? Or doing community work?  I left those ideas all in the dust as I ventured out to work in the garden.  But that's not what WISE is about.  Not for me.  I can incorporate everything and anything that I want in this project.  So I came up with some new ideas. 

First of all, the Cornell Cooperative Extension is my new best friend.  Not only I am doing my Master Composter class there, but I am planning to attend so many other classes there (I will mention them later on....)  Also through my work with the co-op, I have made some phenomenal contacts.  Not only for my WISE project, but for other things like my work with the Green Team.  So, go Cornell Co-op!

Secondly, you know my plan to do a landscaping project at the end of the year using all of the knowledge that I have learned through out the semester?  but I still had to come up with where to do it, who to do it for and where to get the money and or materials?  Well problem partially solved.  Cornell Co-op is always sponsoring events to enrich the community and the environment.  And through my project I plan to give them just this. 
Instead of making this final project all about my work, I want to involve the community.  I hope that the Co-op will be able to give me some help in finding an area, person and/or business that needs a landscaping project done.  Then I will do the designing for the area.  Next I will publicize like crazy and get all the enthusiasts that volunteer at the Co-op and the children's garden and the Tompkins County Beautification Brigade, and the Green Team and staff/students from IHS to help create my design.  I will organize groups that will plant, mulch, weed, build, etc. 
Basically what I am envisioning is a huge crazy gardening landscaping day where tons of people from the community come out and participate in making beauty in nature.  I know I can do this with the help of some others.  This is what I really want.  I want to combine everything that I am interested in.  And I know that I can! As for the photography part, I know a lot of photographers that could come out and take pictures of the event.  It will be extraordinary.  If I need to raise money for the event, I have an idea for that too! My family is very close to the owner for the Ithaca Dance Oasis (formerly known as Common Ground).  I bet that I could do a benefit dance or two and raise lots of money. 

Everything seems to be falling into place, but there is so much to do!!! And did I forget to mention that I have lots to do outside of my project, like everything else in my life? ahh!!! So much stuff, but so much excitement. I love it.

Anyway, referring back to the other classes at co-op that I plan to attend:
-Getting Started with Vegetable Gardening on Wed. the 23rd.
-2011 Home and Garden Show on Fri. March 4th
-CSA fair Saturday March 5th
-Garden Travel Slide Show on Sat. March 12th
-Guided Tree Walk on Sat. March 19th or April 9th
-Wildflower and Fern Walk on May 21st
-Open Days Garden Tours on June 11th

Ok cool, So for now: keep these ideas coming and start talking about them with Liz and Adam from the Co-op, Mr.Creagan, and Dan from the beautification brigade.  Get in touch with David Fernandez and keep working on those outdoor hanging shelves that I'm trying to build...