Here is the photo album—https://picasaweb.google.com/geminirise/GlobalEarthExchangeLewishamLondon?locked=true# 

A small group of us went to the Ravensbourne river—part of the Quaggy clean-up action in South London—the Ravensbourne meets the Quaggy where the picture of the bird is in the album (the real one). These rivers were once a part of a thriving town called Lewisham and then were ‘canalized’ or channelized or cannibalized (!)—basically huge cement borders were built to prevent flooding but actually did not accomplish what they were set-up to do and instead strangled the waterways until they were a token of their splendour—particularly the Quaggy. Efforts to clean up the debris and trash that have collected in them were highlighted by the mayor here—when he was almost submerged (!)—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H3ytL0lh0U&playnext=1&list=PL4402E297A29B2289

We sat and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company and the presence of the surrounding—following the instructions per your website—talking about our emotions in this place of unexpected beauty—we talked about our own rivers and reservoirs of strength in our own lives—sometimes hidden and the beauty in unexpected places in ourselves and to appreciate that more in our own lives as well as in the city.

We noticed the trash around and then worked to use the natural elements we discovered to make the bird—immediately when we were done the river rose up (there had just been a heavy rain) and claimed the bird which as Jake said ‘it’s just as you wanted- it flew!’—i had stated that wouldn’t it be a miracle if it just rose up and flew and as we were taking a picture we noticed suddenly our feet in the water (!) the river rose up incredibly, incredibly fast just as we were done making the bird and it was like the bird flew as we watched the leaves and twigs rise with the water however leaving the white stony wings in place in the water for a solid image. We also reflected on the ducks and wildlife thriving in this urban oasis and vowed to spend more time here by this river and in the back rivers of London—cleaning them, enjoying them and noticing beauty always. Jake and Joe sang to the river and then we went home. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQR2C5IT_jw Thank you for a splendid beautiful day.

Song For you:

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
— Buckminster Fuller

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