Living with Nature Center: "Come, visit us here and I'll tell you a story about an old home."

 Welcome to the Living with Nature Center

San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

Dr Abe V Rotor

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth."- Henry David Thoreau

"Come, visit us here and I'll tell you a story: 

 an old home became museum and library,

 garden, arboretum, wildlife sanctuary,

 children's workshop and art gallery.

 Yes, you can make your own, too, I say;

 a gift to your family and community." - avr 

                   See annex below: Features of the Living with Nature Center.   

 1 - Botanical Garden 

"Mural in the Garden, garden in the mural." - subject of children's art workshop, research, and educational tour

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."- Rachel Carson

Make-believe scenarios bring nature to home and playground.

“We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.” - Albert Einstein

2 - Home Museum

 

Religious icon for prayer; traditional kites for play and leisure.

Evolving art offers endless opportunities of expression to young and old alike. 

"Being able to smell the fresh air and disconnect from the news and your phone—there’s nothing like it."- Jason Ward

Driftwood art for aesthetics and urgent call for human intervention to save 

nature from destruction.   

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."- Aristotle

Living with tradition, childhood memories, wildlife at the brink of extinction 

"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Teachers, researchers, students find the Center a link with the academe, 

a concept of education-extension interrelationship

“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”- Zeno

 3 - Home Library 

• Where knowledge is at your fingertips.

  

"Books are the greatest treasure of mankind."

“The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration.”- Claude Monet

  

   

Return to books.  Build a home library for your family and community.

"Not just beautiful, though—the stars are like the trees in the forest, alive and breathing. And they’re watching me."- Haruki Murakami

4. Art Gallery

 

 

Where have all the wildlife gone? - on canvas, panel, and wall mural. 

"Nature to be commanded must be obeyed."- Francis Bacon

 

Art is the freest expression of thoughts and feelings.  

You can't be wrong with your own personal art expression. 

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them."

- Henri Matisse

“Storms make trees take deeper roots.”- Dolly Parton

 

Broken and unserviceable jars come out alive through art - 

from utilitarian to aesthetic function. 

"The earth laughs in flowers."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

5. Home Industry Revival

  

Old Basi Wine Cellar, and local fruit wine and vinegar (Sukang Iloko)

Raising native chicken, the indigenous way.

 “In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.”- Alice Walker

Garden pond - smallest ecosystem, local fish production and hobby.

"Leave the roads; take the trails."- Pythagoras

6. Outdoor Workshop

"Nature is the best school and teacher."

 

 

Field workshop for children, teachers, and students.

"Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."- Hans Christian Andersen

University professor turned tutor of children - best experience ever of a teacher .

"…and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?"- Vincent van Gogh

Annex

     Living with Nature Center

                                   Features in Outline (Briefing Guide)

1.   Renovated old home (survived typhoons, earthquakes, other calamities, WWII) for four generations. 

2. San Vicente Botanical Garden – living gene bank, shrine, outdoor classroom.

3. Living with Nature (Center), advocacy, hands-on, on-site learning

4. Community-based (visits, tours, workshops, research, practicum)

5. Refuge (respite, retirement, recuperation, balikbayan, childhood experience)

6. EcoSanctuary - Wildlife habitat, orchard, open field, local ecosystems

7. Natural for healthy and happy living (food, air, herbals, pets, sense of freedom)

8. Family museum (library, archive, souvenirs, achievements, paraphernalia)

9. “The Morning After Syndrome” - preparedness for the worst upheaval (eg, COVID)

10. Exodus from the City (reversal from traffic, congestion, high cost of living)

     

11. Right brain shift (creativity, hobbies, nature-friendly)

12. Integrated and holistic (The Humanities, back-to-basics, skills development)

13. You are not alone (“So far yet so near,” the world at the living room)

14. Ecological prayer (Love God through Nature, Nature is God’s greatest gift)

15. Don’t be a victim of Instant Syndrome (DiY, home garden, cookbook)

 

16. Save, save from impulse buying, planned obsolescence, ostentatious living.

17. Be simple and practical (countryside living, bayanihan, kamag-anak)

18. The golden years of life (It’s not too late, you are missing life itself) 

19. Yes, you can paint, cook, build your home, do the things you dreamed of.

20. Search for the meaning of life (Learn from Victor Frankl, Schweitzer, Rizal)

 

Globally linked on the Internet avrotor.blogspot.com and Naturalism - the Eighth Sense in 6000 articles to date. Search topic, download, print for your educational use in your school, community, and organization. Linked with 14 books written by AV Rotor, Bannawag magazine, (Okeyka Apong); 87.9 FM Radyo Katipunan Ateneo de Manila University, Usapang Bayan podcast, Radyo ng Bayan, other websites. Welcome to the Living with Nature Center, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur.  Contact – 09954672990 ~