Publisher ’ s Message
According to wordfinders . com there are 243 words that start with the prefix bio , meaning of life or living things . In this spring / summer issue you ’ ll read about the uncountable billions upon billions of living things in a handful of healthy soil that Pete Walton explores , and the fact that there are an astounding 450 varieties of lavender that Suzanne Hale shares with us .
“ Wow , I didn ’ t know that !,” has always been one of the hoped for responses when readers of WANDER devour a new issue . So if you ’ re still hungry , maybe spend some time exploring this word : biomimicry ( biomimicry . org ). It is nature-inspired innovation . Discovering solutions to everyday human challenges by paying attention to and observing what nature has already brilliantly and elegantly solved for us . The shift from learning about to learning from the natural world changes everything .
For the screen weary amongst us peering through the lens of biomimicry offers opportunities to reconnect us to the genius of the natural world . In order for all this to happen , we hope to foster a genuine appreciation of Loudoun ’ s precious farmland , its soils , open space , natural habitats and what and whom has come before on the pages of WANDER . And we welcome , as always , your collaboration !
All best wishes , Wib Middleton & Jane Perini