Wow. Can’t believe my last post was in May. And that this post is about a trip I did in December of 2018. Pretty damn far behind on this, but between my blog and community Climate Steps, sortof leading Green Neighbors DC, serving on the Board and design group for Earth Hero, and then, of course, my paid job (check out the symposium I just organized: https://www.aaas.org/events/chemistry-indoors-symposium) I have had no time to write. Luckily I still had some time for some adventures. Here’s one.

I was in S. Carolina for a work trip In December. To get there, I took a train to Raleigh, N. Carolina, to visit a friend (a train produces much less of a carbon impact than flying), then drove the rest of the way. I’ve also long had a desire to visit Pearl Fryer’s Topiary Garden, based on reading Atlas Obscura, an atlas of, well, obscure tourist sites, which I highly recommend if you are ever traveling — Oklahoma becomes a far more interesting place if you do.

So, anyway, for Pearl Fryer’s Topiary Garden – I anticipated a tourist trap. Instead, it is truly a guy’s yard (and side lot). No fence, just a nice rambler of a house, and lots of topiary bushes. I was the only one visiting that day, though there is a small, grass-covered parking lot across the street and some markers for where buses should park. And I didn’t anticipate meeting the man himself, who is now elderly, though still getting around. He said hello as he went by on his lawn tractor, and then later he came over while I was in the car looking for some cash to put in the donation box (Nothing! I feel so guilty! I had been expecting to buy a ticket with a credit card.) He is such a nice man, and I think just wanted to take a break and talk. We had a good conversation – about what, I don’t remember, though I did ask him if he still gets up on tall ladders to tackle some of the trees. Apparently he has a relative help him with that.

So here are the images, and then below, some other random art from Columbia, S. Carolina.

I. love. art.

The End.