Dear Friend,

Well, Fall has come and gone.  This year was perhaps one of the longest falls that I have seen here.  The leaves lasted forever which was beautiful, but also made it a challenge to clean up.

Now we have had our third significant snowfall which always happens right around Halloween.

This Halloween was a bit chillier than others, however it did not stop the trick-or-treaters.  Everyone was out in full force gathering candy and showing off their costumes.  I had the honor of escorting Sleeping Beauty and Thor, with Mr. Monopoly.  Later on, it was also fun to see all the ghouls and spirits about in town.   Winter has arrived, though thanksgiving is still around the corner.

Enjoy the snow!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Dolecki-Smith, ASLA, RLA

Wetlands are a wondrous and undervalued natural resource. They are the nurseries of nature, the “kidneys” of landscapes, the essence of all ecosystem services.

Some of the services wetlands have to offer include:

• water filtration for improved water quality locally and downstream;
• floodwater mitigation;
• recharging of groundwater supplies; and
• providing critical habitats for a variety of plant and wildlife species, offering a valuable source for food, shelter, and breeding.

As a designer and a person deeply concerned about our environment, I have developed a strong connection to the beauty and awe-inspiring capabilities of wetlands.

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While studying wetlands at Cornell University, they became my muse of sorts for many intaglio (etching) art pieces.

My artwork today is still inspired by the marvelous wonders that wetlands hold and contribute.

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The gardens of this period developed from the Momoyama Period tea gardens.

These gardens expanded on the scale of the traditional tea gardens and are referred to as “strolling style”, because they invited visitors to stroll on set paths, employing stepping stones and pavement, and were designed in such a way as to expose a changing scenic view as the stroller meandered through the grounds.

The development of the Tsubo Garden also happened during this period.

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