My neighbor grew up in the neighborhood and considers himself a sensei of Nordeast feng shui. His yard is wonderful: a calming collection of building materials, some for projects that have been in the queue for years. There's ornamental sculptures and wire furniture tucked into tiny meditation groves built of semi-native plants run amok. That's it from the outside, there to the left.
He's taken me on several tours of the area, and likes to point out subtleties of the practice. This place, with the blue paint, he likes for some reasons, but not for others. The barbecue pit is perfect, he says. Minimal, functional, and convenient. But the lawn is too short. Lawns need to breath, he says. Nature is paramount in NordEast, and the eco-systems that live in uncut grass are sacred. The retaining wall around the tree is nice, but a bit too formal. Better to use large river-stones, tossed casually, and to let some of the dirt fall through.
