You may be concerned about the state of the world these days. It’s understandable. Things are changing with every rotation around the sun. We can’t go back. There’s nothing to go back too. Time marches forward and no one gets to change what happened yesterday. You can try to recreate what was, but it can never be exactly the same. Nostalgia is an unreliable narrative.
The time for individual convalescence and introspection is over.
In my time I’ve survived two recessions, a volcanic eruption, lived in poverty, ate fish from rivers contaminated by silver mines and aluminum plants. I’ve been physically and sexually assaulted, fought with neo-Nazis, and kicked out of my nice Christian church at the age of 16 when I confronted the Sheriff, a fellow parishioner, about his words aired on live tv the night before where he stated that women being raped should “lay back and enjoy it and not fight back.”
I’ve survived an earthquake, a “once-in-a-century” firestorm, a “once-in-a-century” icestorm and a “once-in-a-century” windstorm. Guess what? They lied; these storms are no longer rare. They seem to come once a decade at least, if not more.
My family, friends, and I have been poisoned by the U.S. government in the name of national security. We’re not the only ones. We’re called “Downwinders”, those who were affected by releases of radioactive material in the air and in the failing storage tanks that still leak into the groundwater and rivers. They made “Fat Man” and “Little Boy” here and dropped one of them on the hometown of one whom would eventually become one of my dearest friends, Hiroshima.
We suffer cancers, hypothyroidism and various hormone disruptions at high rates, but maybe it wasn’t the radioactivity; maybe it was the leeching of arsenic and mercury from the slag pits at the silver mines, or the “acceptable levels” of chemical wash from the aluminum plant. Maybe it was the glyphosate in Roundup or other pesticide ingredients in the farmers’ fields. Can you prove it? Can you show which atrocity caused your cancer in the name of civilized progress?
What of generational pain? The depression-era and WWII surviving grandparents, great aunts, and great uncles that talk to you as if it all just ended some months ago. Who teaches you to wash the aluminum foil and fold it neatly for reuse, who still weep for the ones that didn’t come home, and the one who lost his whole platoon and three fingers in the Pacific theatre. The bitterness of the Korean war and the spite of the Vietnam war bleeds down from parents to children and grandchildren. So many causes for alcoholism and violence in a blue-collar town.
I survived all this, but the list of grievances isn’t nearly complete. However, this is not an AA meeting where we feel obligated to compete for who’s had the worst life thus far. Your grievances are valid. You and I have endured because of who we are and sometimes in spite of who we are.
I want you to take stock of the many things that you have survived in your life and then reflect on all the things you still managed to accomplish.
For me, meaningful relationships have been fractured at times. Some people are hard to love. Some people express their love in weird and unfamiliar ways. Sometimes we struggle to accept it for fear of betrayal or abandonment…again. I made it out of my hometown that I hated more than I loved. I love where I live now, and the flaws are more like beauty marks in my eyes. Cities live and die by the people who inhabit them. We are the breath and cells when a city is viewed as a living organism.
I still believe in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech, though it might take longer and likely not be in any way we might have envisioned it for the future.
I grieve for the losses other people seem to forget or don’t talk about anymore; missing people who were never found, natural beauty destroyed, buildings and places of refuge that no longer exist like a favorite store or coffee shop.
Often times we, humans, are framed as separate from nature, but we are a part of it! We are fragile creatures with the ability to shape the land, the seas, and the communities around us be they made of humans, plants, animals or invertebrates. We shape the world through both our peace and violence, creation and destruction. You have so much more power than you realize! Start small in the goals you want to achieve. Get involved with groups and organizations with shared goals and provide what assistance you can within your means. Don’t overdo it in your desire to help. Be strategic.
Last year was a tough, but I’m back now with a renewed effort to focus on my writing and professional endeavors. This page will never be powered by a chatbot! I remain committed to my goal of making this page a community space for those of us who love nature and care about the well-being of ourselves and others.
I’m always open to ideas and suggestions so tell me, what would you like to see more of here? Do you like book reviews? Do you want tips and tricks about nature and saving money? Do you want focused posts about interesting places, people, animals, etc.? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!
I love scouring the internet for useful and interesting information!
For example: The Avian Flu has currently spiked egg prices in the U.S. (again), if you’re looking for less expensive alternative egg substitutes the University of Maine Cooperative Extension program has you covered!
| Product | Equivalent Amount | Price per Serving | Pros | Cons |
| Eggs | 1 egg = 1/4 cup | $0.44 | Most reliable for color, flavor, and appearance | Highest cost |
| Flax Seed | 1 Tbsp flax and 3 Tbsp water = 1 egg | $0.06 | Doesn’t affect flavor Good source of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids Shelf-stable prior to mixing up | Flax seeds visible in batter |
| Applesauce | 1/4 cup = 1 egg | $0.25 | Doesn’t provide as much leavening as other options | Affects flavor and texture of baked good—best used in quickbreads |
| Seltzer water | 1/4 cup = 1 egg | $0.05 | Inexpensive Best texture and flavor of all the substitutes we tried Shelf-stable | Pale color |
Table Excerpt from: Using Egg Substitutes in Baking and Cooking – Cooperative Extension: Food & Health – University of Maine Cooperative Extension By Kate McCarty, Food Systems Professional, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Feb 16, 2023
The Nature-led Life 
You are amazing, resilient, smart, and inspiring. Can I really use seltzer water in place of eggs? I’ll have to try it. What do I want more of? Your challenges to SEE nature and photograph it. That was fun—I never saw all the moss around me until you opened my eyes.
Looking forward to seeing you later this month!
Lisa
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Thank you, Lisa! Yes, I actually remember my Grandma using seltzer water for biscuits during the late 1970s-early 1980s recession. I plan to try it myself this week with a box mix of Almond Poppy muffins that needs one egg. If I do the photo challenge again, I’ll have to do better prompts for some months, like December. Maybe people were just really busy with the holiday season.
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Always good to see you, Melanie!
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Thank you, Schingle! I’ll try to make the rounds today or tomorrow to visit what’s happening at other blogs!
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I agree about the photo challenge, and also just good to hear your voice. I’m going to pass the seltzer idea on to my daughters who like to bake and see if they have any luck with it. I scramble my eggs with veggies, so I don’t think seltzer water would work! But I don’t eat that many. (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe! We won’t stop buying eggs, just buy them less often. I’m going to try the seltzer water with a box of muffin mix tomorrow. What’s frustrating is that the avian flu didn’t have to be this bad. It’s not in Canada, where they have small and medium farms that are more spread out. Here in the U.S. we’ve allowed factory farms to monopolize for profit knowing full well that diseases spread best when species are packed close together. The avian flu has also jumped to some dairy cows, though I haven’t heard of it affecting the milk supply. The cows probably don’t feel good having a flu though. My teenage drinks a lot of milk.
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It’s bad, everything in the US is bad, and getting worse by the hour.
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There you are, Melanie! Great to hear from you again!
I will shortly enter my 75th year but the scrapes I’ve been in are nothing compared to some on your list. Even so, each new day challenges me as never before, as the rate of change accelerates! I’m only sorry that I didn’t learn meditation at an early age, perhaps I’d cope better with not only my ageing body but with the chaotic state of the world.
I recall first meeting you here with one of your challenges! You gave us some words and we completed them in verse. Do you remember mine?
The earth,
From her heart grows a tree;
The tree of life.
🙏🙏🙏
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Ashley, I’m so glad we’ve become friends through blogging! Like I said, I don’t want to make comparisons; every person’s experiences are valid. One thing I learned over the years is that some experiences I thought were weird or funny were actually not, I just responded that way because I didn’t know how else to respond. It will only be when I’m retelling the event to someone and their shocked or horrified expression tells me, “Hmmm, maybe that wasn’t normal.” Or the person will say, “You know that’s abuse right?” And I’d shrug my shoulders because what else could I say? Either I didn’t know it was abuse or more than likely, I didn’t want to accept it for what it was because I always focus on moving forward. No one wants to get trapped in the bog of depression! Now, sometimes I’m the person that gently tells a person, “You know that was abuse, right?” I weigh the cost of saying it though. Breaking that wall between what it was and how a person protected themself from it doesn’t feel like a kindness. I would like to learn meditation too! It feels like everything I read lately champions meditation and yoga as a near cure-all for a lot of things! “From her heart grows a tree”, that was a good theme, maybe I should think of more. You handled it so beautifully too! Thank you for the reminder!
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🤗💐🙋♂️
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Love it!!!
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I’ve not survived anything like you describe, Melanie. My parents managed to live through WWII, in London, so I’m grateful I’m here at all. The 1970s were harsh, which has set me up well for having a ‘make do and mend’ attitude, and for reusing food bags – my mum used to peg them on the washing line!
Maybe we could have a repair month, where we show off our repairs?
Sx
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You still got a heaping dose of generational trauma though, didn’t you! Can any of us imagine a world without war? I’ve got a pretty good imagination, but that seems like a stretch even for me! We all know that life isn’t easy. Some people would argue what’s the point of even mentioning it, but I think we do need to acknowledge to ourselves and others from time to time that although life is sometimes tough, we’ve gotten through it and we’re not alone. That last point; We’re not alone. I think it’s important. It helps clear the pus from old wounds and allow for better healing.
I love the idea of a repair month or repairs-of-the-month sharing posts! Brilliant idea, Ms Scarlet! It’d be okay if there were months with no shared repairs or only one or two. It’s not like I’d take it personally that no one got anything repaired that month. LOL!
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Your words resonate deeply with me🌫. You have a way of capturing the raw essence of being human: our fragility, our power, and our connection to the natural world. It’s so easy for us to feel disconnected from nature, yet you beautifully remind us that we are, in fact, inseparable from it. We shape the world with every action, every thought, and every intention, whether it’s peaceful or violent, creative or destructive. You’ve inspired me to reflect on how our choices, no matter how small, ripple outward and affect the world.
I truly admire your honesty and your commitment to making this space authentic, personal, and grounded in your love for nature and humanity. Your pen is a source of warmth, truth, and love. Please, share more often. Your voice is powerful, and your words matter. We need more of this authenticity, this clarity, and this compassion in the world.
I’m excited to see what you share next. And as for suggestions, perhaps more stories about small, meaningful actions we can take to preserve the world, alongside insights into how nature teaches us resilience, balance, and growth. Keep writing, keep sharing, and keep inspiring. Your voice is truly a gift. 💚
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Geez Patricia, are you trying to make me cry, my friend? That was a very thoughtful and humbling response. Thank you!
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