Category: Nature

Cooking, Creativity, gardening, Gratitude, Herbs, Homesteading, Nature

Violet Syrup Revisited

Lisa Burbank

I should’ve blogged about this sooner as it has been over a week since I posted about harvesting the violet blooms from my yard…especially since the recipe I posted with it called for 8 cups of water, 8 cups of sugar per 1 cup of violet blossoms. Unless you have an extremely sweet tooth, you might want to cut back a little on the sugar. I followed the recipe to the letter and found it to be so sweet, it was actually painful (if that’s even possible). There was also no need for me to gather a second cup of blossoms as I now have five quarts of violet syrup…Mom and I may be eating a lot of pancakes for a while. (chuckle)

Actually, it’s funny because I’m finding that I’m not caring as much for the end product–though that’s always a plus–but it’s the whole process of watching, waiting, harvesting, preserving that keeps me homesteading. It’s the journey. The skills learned along the way. And the satisfaction I find every time I try something new.

Violet syrup? Who knew?

And with it, comes a bit of nostalgia. As a little girl, I was forever picking the violets and dandelions that graced the lawn of my paternal grandparents’ home. Though the blending of deep purple and bright yellow might be considered gaudy by many if, for example, you were to paint your house in this combination (this from the lady who painted hers black with orange doors, but that’s another story for another time…), to my 4, 5, 6 year-old self, they were a striking contrast that looked oh-so-delicate in a little Dixie cup on my grandmother’s windowsill. Sure, I felt a little sorrow the next morning when those bright blossoms shriveled and curled and turned various shades of brown in their cup and yet, the next day, I couldn’t resist picking a few more.

Today, the herbalist in me recommends dandelion greens for everything from a healthy fodder for your rabbits, goats, poultry, etc. to a valuable folk remedy for kidney and urinary infections. And I’m making violet syrup to pour over pancakes. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll pick a few extra blossoms for my own windowsill now…and come full circle.

May God bless you & keep you!

Animals, Homesteading, Nature

The Year of the Fly

Lisa Burbank

No, this is definitely not a post about Chinese zodiac. (chuckle) Nor is it a belated commentary about the 1980’s remake of the movie “The Fly” starring Jeff Goldblum. That would produce way too much drool. Though there is plenty of gore in that film, there is also a brief scene of Mr. Goldblum in the buff and that’s worthy of quite a bit of salivation. However, that’s neither here nor there.

We are inundated with flies this year!!??!

Anyone who tells me that Mother Earth is not getting increasingly warmer needs to have their head examined to find out what planet they’re living on. The usual deep freeze that I’ve come to know in New England really hasn’t happened this year. Yes, we did see a few single digit nights. We even got hit with a blizzard a few weeks’ ago. But that deep freeze that lasts for weeks, even months? Nope. That freeze, despite the extra layers of clothing and that extra log on the fire, has always been a bit of a godsend. Fleas, ticks, flies, worms–all of the myriad creepy crawlies that can make life annoying, at best, and downright miserable at the worst on a homestead, have been snug as–dare I say it?–bugs in a rug all winter long. We haven’t seen any fleas (knock on wood) but I’m pretty careful about keeping everyone groomed. And mites have been at a minimum because, unlike most winters, my chickens have been able to take their dust baths all winter long. Usually the ground is too frozen for them to “bathe” in the dusty earth under my bathroom window. But the flies have been ungodly.

Take a walk into my kitchen right now and I guarantee you will be hit in the face with at least a couple of flies. There are fly strips hanging in nearly every corner–and, wow, are they a bit of a nasty hazard for those of us with long hair…ewww!–and they fill up within a day of hanging them. Mom and I have been swatting, and killing, them by the dozens on a daily basis. Our fly swatter now wobbles uncontrollably on its handle from so much use. It has become a nightly ritual to target as many as I possibly can before I go to bed–and I can usually count the number I swat in the double digits. And yet, we’re still inundated.

I am loathe to use any sort of spray due to the possible threat this might pose to Smoky the Cockatiel and the many rabbits and cats who share this home with us. I avoid chemicals as much as I possibly can, not wanting to add to the carbon footprint they create. However, I am getting desperate.

Where are they coming from? That has been the big question. Yes, I have a farm with live animals. Yet places like the barn, where most of those animals stay, are fly-free. It is only the house. Mom and I have been pulling spaces apart to try and find the source but we have yet to succeed. They still keep coming. For every one we swat, it seems there are 20 more to take its place. I’m wondering if Bellatrix Lestrange has somehow placed a curse on them similar to the goblet she bewitched in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” to multiply every time somebody touched it. It is that bad.

However, to keep this post from being one big rant, I remembered seeing an episode of a show called “Yankee Jungle” where the owners of this exotic animal refuge have something called a fly jar. I found their website and asked what is in the jar as the ingredients were non-toxic and eco-friendly, but did the trick to keep their animals from such a nuisance. I may be making a few of these jars on my own…

May God bless you & keep you!

Environment, Homesteading, Nature

As Stella Rages Through…

Lisa Burbank

My maternal grandmother’s name was Stella. Is it mere coincidence that this blizzard should rage through New England exactly one week after what would have been her 96th birthday? And on the birthday of her eldest daughter, my Auntie Carol? Well, maybe I’m attaching too much importance to what might be considered by some an omen, but it is rather nice to think of her spirit perhaps visiting on the winds that are howling outside my windows as we speak.

I feel like a little kid today. Governor Dannel Malloy issued a travel ban yesterday for all but emergency personnel and a $75 fine for any but said personnel venturing out on the roads. That didn’t stop the dealership I work at from opening their doors and expecting employees to risk death, never mind the fine. So I’m playing it safe and staying home. Let the winds howl and the snow pile up. We are snug here in the house with enough eco-logs to burn should the power fail and a blessed cup of hot tea to warm the innards.

And, yes, we are back in business at home again. I bit the bullet yesterday and had Wi-Fi installed again. We trimmed away all but the essentials as Charter’s rates continue to rise and their competitors keep pace. Though I enjoyed the focus I found in a public “office”, relying on only the battery for this laptop meant I had to focus primarily on homework only and have not been able to blog as often as I would have liked. I also use this for business so it’s a necessary expense.

But I digress…

Blizzard Stella is promising to be a humdinger of a storm, dumping 2-4 inches of snow on us per hour. That was the forecast from WFSB Channel 3’s website. Stella seems to be living up to these predictions. I have taken to shoveling snow away from the doors every couple of hours and, the last visit out, I struggled to push the door open from the amount of snow built up in front of it. I barely managed to get the shovel I brought in and set by the back door through the crack I pushed open. And then it was awkward, indeed, to try and “shovel” through such a narrow opening. But I managed it. And I guess I haven’t gained that much weight because it didn’t take long to create an opening wide enough to squeeze through so I could finish the job…only to have to do it again in the immediate future.

As long as power stays on, my animals should be okay in the barn. I worry incessantly about the heat lamps I use as they have a reputation for starting fires. But that’s usually where they are kept lower to where flammable hay is scattered, or are not anchored properly and so, animals nudge them in their play and knock them into the hay…or the water bucket, if nearby. I have mine anchored pretty securely and check the cords routinely to make sure they are not getting warm. They are also anchored high enough away from the hay on the floor. They do the job. And I am always looking for alternatives that might be safer. (hint, hint to any readers who have found such a solution…)

This morning the snow was only a couple of inches’ deep and that owing, in part, to the inch or so that fell a few days’ ago. Still, the trek out to the barn was not without some hazard. The winds weren’t quite as fierce but the snow was falling in a fine haze of white-out. My coat is still soaked around the collar where it fell. When I got to the goat barn, the front board pulled off a little. I had to traipse back inside for a hammer to fix it, at least for now until I can do a better job. But the goats, and their one broody hen friend, were cozy enough. I fed and watered them, then headed around to the chicken coop. They, too, were cozy. And sensible enough to get that we were in for some rocky weather for the day; they didn’t even try to flutter outside. However, a couple of chickadees tried to flutter inside the henhouse. I opened it wide enough to permit them entry but they flew away from me instead. It wouldn’t be the first time wild birds have roosted inside to escape a storm. Instead, we’ve kept the feeders full so they have nourishment enough to keep warm. A few of them have even sought shelter inside one of the feeders (an open-faced one).

All of this rambling is just that, musing over Mother Nature, and the irony of taking a class in Global Climate Change as Blizzard Stella roars around the rooftops. Mom suggests that maybe Grandma is scolding us for too few periods of peace amongst her children. Maybe. Either way, this storm certainly has gumption; my grandmother did, too. Stay safe, my New England readers!

May God bless you & keep you!

Animals, ecosystems, Environment, Faith, Nature

Enjoying the Snow

Lisa Burbank

It is a bit of an abrupt change as temperatures yesterday reached the 60’s here in Connecticut; tonight the overnight lows are expected to be in the single digits. Global warming at its finest.

Yup. Mom’s not the only one who will experience the incessant commentary on our planet’s health and well-being. Sorry…

NOT!

Okay. So I’m going to try to explain this rationale between the snow falling outside my window and this concept of global warming. As I am still a student of environmental science, this may be more of that murky water stuff but I’m going to give it a go.

Yes, these late-season snowfalls are a direct result of global warming. As our polar icecaps heat up from an over-abundance of carbon in our oceans, the result is more precipitation in the atmosphere. For those of us living in more northern climes, we have all seen the fog that results when snow starts to melt as the earth heats up in spring. The same thing is happening at the poles but trade winds and ocean currents move that fog, that precipitation and push it south (or north if you’re closer to Antartica), where it dumps on us as snow. The air is still relatively cool but the oceans are too warm. Mother Earth can no longer handle the amount of excess carbon we are dumping in her oceans. And the result is this melting of the polar icecaps.

Do I think we will see a major catastrophe like so many depicted in apocalyptical movies?

I sincerely hope not. I am a minister. There is a very large part of me that relies heavily on the biblical promise from God to Noah that He will never again destroy the world:

“And Jehovah was pleased with the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never do it again–I will never again curse the Earth, destroying all living things, even though man’s bent is always toward evil from his earliest youth, and even though he does wicked things.” (Genesis 8:21)

However, and this is not a doubt of God’s promise but an acknowledgement of the signs I see in His natural world that things are out of whack. Maybe not a total destruction of Mother Earth but certainly more of the catastrophic storms that have been plaguing our great planet for the last couple of decades as Mother Earth continues to warn us of overload. And we have been heating up over the last few decades…and not through any natural cycling of the earth, though that is also a factor…a very small factor.

I have attached a link to Michael Mann’s often controversial “hockey stick graph” that showcases the extreme warming trend that has been occurring over the last 30 years or so. This is a Wikipedia listing and Wikipedia is not necessarily a reliable source of information. However, they are often a good starting point for learning more. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hockey_stick_controversy

According to what I have been learning in class, the real warming trend has been occurring since 1975. I’m thinking back to my childhood, growing up in the late-60’s, early-70’s. Things were a lot different than they are now. My family was not unique in that we only owned one car. Mom drove it to work in Conimicut (Rhode Island); my step-father walked to his job a few blocks’ away. There was still a lingering respect for the antiquated adage of “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” In other words, we weren’t quite the disposable society we are today. Technology has grown tremendously since 1975. Families now own at least two vehicles. Many live in McMansions that require an enormous output of carbon energy to heat/cool depending on climate or season. And, as our beloved laptops, Kindles, cellphones and various other electronic gadgets slow down due to faster technologies–and we all want the fastest model so we can sit before the boob-tube eating our packaged, processed diet–we dispose of them in the nearest landfill. Where they off-gas into the atmosphere, contaminating the air we breathe, the water we drink and even the soil from which we grow our food.

Our McMansions also come with large expanses of lawn–useless and vain, an attempt to emulate the English monarchs from a few centuries ago where a large lawn was a mark of esteem–that must be mowed and maintained to stay useless and vain. In England, where the lawn fetish seems to have started, upkeep is less expensive and harmful as the English climate is more conducive to lush, green grass. Here in the US, we use chemicals and further contaminate the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil that feeds us. We also use machinery that further pollutes our air…even more than the automobiles we take two blocks’ down to the local convenience store.

Better choices might change that hockey stick to something that more closely resemble a rainbow…if only we care enough about the other species that share this great planet, and future generations, to make those choices.

May God bless you & keep you!

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide/buying-guides/lawnmower/environmental-impact/

Animals, Faith, Gratitude, Homesteading, Nature, Spirituality

10 Years Sheared

Lisa Burbank

Off of my life, that is.

This morning it was business as usual at The Herbal Hare Homestead. I trudged outside to the chicken coop, filled a small pool with water for the ducks and scattered the contents of the chicken bucket on the ground. I then opened up the door to henhouse and, while they dined on breakfast, I cleaned their perch and the floor of their house.

Suddenly, Sargent Feathers let out some ungodly screeching. I ran out of the henhouse as my flock of chickens and ducks came racing back to the coop. I looked up to see a large hawk flying away, evidently frightened by the sudden appearance of a human holding a long, shiny, dark object (an old hoe that I use to scrape droppings off the perch). I did a head count: 16 chickens, 3 ducks. And there were 2 chickens bunking in with the goats…

No, only 1…I carried Flame into the henhouse when I got out of work last night. She was now with the other hens, huddled at the back of the henhouse.

Who’s missing?

After a more thorough head count, I realized Taffy, my little Silkie, was missing. I confess to immediately resorting to copious blubbering. All I kept thinking was, “No, Lord, please, not my Taffy!”

I try not to have favorites but, sometimes there’s just that one who is such a little character. That would be Taffy. And yet, I wouldn’t trade one of the others in her place. I love them, too.

Devastation doesn’t begin to cut it…Especially after a search of the yard revealed a pile of her silky feathers near the fence the hawk just flew over. It seemed the worst had happened, with me only a short distance away. I tried not to imagine her little body being ripped apart piece by piece, prayed she died quickly so she would not feel the pain of it. And then shook my fist after the long gone hawk, threatening to shoot it if he/she returned. As I don’t own either firearms, crossbow or bow and arrow, I’m not sure how I might’ve carried out this threat…Even if my overly sensitive heart could readily have raised such a weapon.

Yes, I know predation is part of raising livestock, especially chickens, who are pretty high up there on the food chain. But I wasn’t prepared to be rational about this. Again, devastation doesn’t begin to cover it. I gathered up the feathers…I’m not sure why.

Mom was up when I went inside the house. Did I check under the deck? Yes, I had. How about under that corner of the barn where she hid before? I doubted there had been time for her to duck under there. I showed her the pile of feathers. I was already in mourning.

“Who is that saint you call upon when something is lost?” Mom asked.

St. Anthony. But I had already gone straight to the top, to God. And, yup, over a chicken.

I didn’t hold out much hope as I traipsed out to the barn. On the way there, though a voice inside told me I had already looked under the deck, I got down on my hands and knees and looked underneath again.

Lo and behold, a fuzzy gray and black head poked up from behind one of the footings. How she managed to crawl in there, I have no idea but I wept copiously again, with relief and joy this time, praising Him greatly for sparing her. Yes, He does answer prayers with a “Yes” sometimes.

May God bless you & keep you!

Biodynamic, ecosystems, Environment, Healing, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Minimalism, Nature, Organic, permaculture, Politics, Zero Waste

Poor Mom WILL be Groaning by End of this Term

Lisa Burbank

I’ve been taking a sort-of “in house” vacation these past few days. My Intro to Drawing class ended last Tuesday and my new class, Global Climate Change, does not begin until today. As frigid, subzero temps have made going out of doors for any but the most essential activities unbearable, I opted to stay in and just veg out.

Well, within reason…

The spring cleaning prompted by December’s minimalist challenge is still ongoing. I didn’t complete as much as I had hoped but I did enough to keep me fueled and to keep me from becoming a slug for 5 days.

So, why is my Mom going to groan before end of this term? The title of the class should clue most in: Global Climate Change. This is a major passion of mine. Last summer’s Environmental Science class had me so fueled, all I did was chatter about both the atrocities affected by global warming, as well as the triumphs of environmentalists to mitigate those effects…ad nauseum. This particular class is more advanced, more in-depth, in regard to the science behind the environmental movement. And I am so looking forward to it.

One of the areas the class syllabus says it is focused on is how global warming affects economics. I remember last summer quoting my Environmental Science book in a Facebook post after an aunt called me out about an article I had shared in regard to the Paris Climate Change Summit (I think that’s what it was called…). It was just after the Paris bombing and terrorism struck at the hearts of many. The article talked about how the people who organized the summit planned to go ahead with it, despite the bombing, as a show of courage and solidarity in the face of that attack–in short, they weren’t going to let it stop them. I admired their brevity, the whole spirit of the thing. There was also something in the article about how economics play a hand in some of the tensions between the US and the Middle East–not so much in regard to terrorist attacks but simple politics. I do not have either the article or the textbook–which was written in recent years (2015)–in front of me, so will refrain going into the murky waters of memory–but suffice it to say, some of what I read, in both the article and my text, resonated. Yes, we know there is more to the tensions than just this but, my textbook in particular, outlined how the Middle East is very arid and many crops do not grow. They do not have even fresh water supplies to adequately hydrate their citizens or what crops they are able to grow. They have to rely on their one major cash crop–oil–in order to buy/trade what they need. When that market is threatened, tensions increase. Again, there is more to it than that–I know that–but this is often a contributing factor. I am looking forward to learning more about this, about how global temperatures and climate change affect the different economies worldwide.

(And, obviously, being challenged about this, even by someone close to me, hasn’t altered my interest in this subject, or the desire to understand…and, yes, I know it is a hot seat; with the way the planet is heating up, I may as well get used to it–literally and figuratively)

So, yes, Mom will be groaning. Suddenly, I will be spouting phrases like permaculture and the greenhouse effect; quoting statistics about lines and bubbles in the icecaps and icebergs that show changes in ocean temps…and zeroing in on less waste of resources and living a more organic, biodynamic lifestyle. I do this anyway but, knowing Mom is of a different mindset in regard to this whole homesteading, holistic health and environmental awareness thing, I tend to go a little easier in-between these passion-fueling classes. The passion is still there, but it’s tempered a bit once I come up for air from the lessons. And, with the climate-denying administration currently entrenched in our nation’s capital, understanding where we are, where we are headed, and what we can do, even in the face of such political ignorance, in my not-so-humble opinion, is worth learning.

Yup. Poor Mom…I’ll try not to spout too many stats. Really, I will.

May God bless you & keep you!

Animals, compost, Environment, Frugality, gardening, Herbs, Homesteading, Lasagna Gardening, Minimalism, Nature, No-dig Gardening, Organic, permaculture, Zero Waste

Spring Fever

Lisa Burbank

It’s a little early. It’s only February. But this week the temps have been in the mid-50’s up to lower-60’s and it feels great after the snowstorm a couple of weeks ago that dumped 18 inches on us. Just walking out to the barn has been a challenge and, as soon as the rest of it melts, I’ll have a few minor repairs to attend to as the bottom board of the chicken coop came off. Actually, there may be a bigger repair in the form of cutting out the rotting wooden floor (ducks play in the water no matter the temps outdoors, leaving the floor around the waterer perpetually wet…) and pouring cement instead. This is murky territory for me; I haven’t done this sort of thing before but, homesteading equals a lot of DIY (do-it-yourself), especially on a very limited budget.

But before I go into “overwhelm”, this caress of warmth on my skin has me planning out this year’s garden and getting itchy fingers to finish landscaping the front and side yards for more raised beds. I do everything “no-dig”, which puts more traditional gardeners off, but this year I “discovered” a man named Charles Dowding in the UK who has landscaped 4 acres using this method. He gets a significant yield; fewer weeds; good, rich soil, and he has a plethora of videos on his YouTube channel. I’ve been obsessed with watching them.

What is “no-dig” gardening?

Exactly as it suggests: no digging, no rototilling. Instead of digging up, or rototilling, the sod–something that seriously disturbs weed seeds in the earth and causes more of them to grow in your garden (i.e. more work to do), you lay a piece of cardboard down (or several sheets of newspaper if no cardboard is available) and start layering compost (or you can layer kitchen scraps, leaves, etc.; things that would normally go in your compost bin), vermiculite, potting soil, etc. on top of it. Another name for this type of gardening technique is lasagna gardening. The cardboard acts as a weed barrier but, as it is biodegradable, it also feeds the soil. You simply plant your seeds, or a plug if you’ve started seeds indoors, directly into the layers of compost and soil. Charles Dowding uses straight compost; I don’t have quite as much of that as I will need to finish this landscaping project. However, each spring, these beds will need a new dressing. And, with several rabbits, some goats and a flock of chickens and ducks, that situation is rapidly being remedied.

I scored yesterday. When I went in to work, there was an enormous box being readied for the trash compactor out back of the automotive department. I claimed it immediately and am grateful, indeed, for the help of a fellow co-worker for taking it home for me. This box housed the liner for the bed of a pick-up and was too big for transporting in the backseat. I am envisioning the healthy vegetables and herbs I can grow atop of this box.

And that only gets the fingers itching even more. I am ready for spring. How ’bout you?

May God bless you & keep you!

Alcoholism, Animal Rights, Animals, Environment, Faith, Forgiveness, Homesteading, Nature, Politics, Religion

Taking A Step Back

Lisa Burbank

I try not to get political with my blog. Try! Big word, even if it is only three letters. I mean, this blog is supposed to be about homesteading, herbs, animals rights and, most importantly, faith in God. In recent months, I’ve found myself also sojourning into some recovery posts, recovery from growing up with active alcoholism and childhood molestation. The healing from that childhood, along with the development of my homestead and my faith in God are all intertwined in one long journey. By keeping this blog, I hope to help others to heal from similar pasts, and/or to inspire them to take those steps towards a more sustainable future.

Again, I try not to be political. However, what happens in the political arena affects us all. And, sadly, I find I am not immune to all the hoopla going around social media these days…and a quite heated hoopla it is. I’m actually ready to eat some humble pie.

No, President Trump didn’t suddenly become all things wonderful for me; quite the opposite. Too many rash acts that hurt too many people, the animals that share our world, and Mother Earth, herself. Too many rash acts that have the potential to bring us closer to the brink of another world war, and even, if the angry comments flying around social media are any indication, possibly, another civil war. This country has been divided nearly in two. And it breaks my heart to see it.

What hurts more is that I recently lashed out with one of those “open mouth, insert foot” retorts to a friend’s equally ignorant remarks. And I’m not proud of it. In my defense it was the blanket statement that all Democrats are evil that caused the backlash. Not all Democrats, not all Republicans. What makes a body evil is how they act, how they treat their fellow human beings, the other creatures that share this world with us, and even, how they treat the planet. Respect for all life…or a lack thereof. What choices are you making? Are you treating others as you would want them to treat you? Are you intentionally cruel, or worse, indifferent to the so-called “lesser” life forms? I have friends who are Republicans who want President Trump out of the oval office yesterday. And Democrat friends who actually like him. It isn’t our political affiliations that make us good or bad. Again, it is the choices we make. Do we love our neighbors as ourselves? Or do we lash out in anger?

I lashed out in anger. And for that I am truly sorry. So I’ve taken a step back from all of the heated debates, slowed down the number of articles (and, in some cases, potentially propaganda) that I’m sharing on social media, and am simply taking a deep breath. I am also turning to that Source of peace that has been the cornerstone of my life. For me, He is Jesus Christ.

May God bless you & keep you!

Animals, Healing, Nature

Feeling the Blahs

Lisa Burbank

I think it’s the weather: high winds, a lot of rain, some sleet last evening. Last night I slept, serenaded by the whistle of those winds gusting around the house. A good setting for a horror film but this is reality. A little worry for power outages, tree limbs coming down–or worse, as the National Weather Service warned that even whole trees could possibly come down. With a barnyard full of critters, the worry is, of course, for their safety. Though they balked, especially Chester, my big handsome Nigerian Dwarf (which sounds like an oxymoron but Chester was wethered (castrated) by his previous owner because he is large for the breed–too large to safely breed to little Felicity, or any other typically-sized Nigerian), who wanted to stay out, despite the rain and the wind, but inside they went. Momma rested a little easier then.

Still battling a case of chronic fatigue syndrome and only a few minutes left before I have to head off to work. Just wanted to make a quick post to let everyone reading this blog know I’m still with the land of the living and will be back with longer, more interesting posts soon.

May God bless you & keep you!

Animal Rights, Animals, ecosystems, Environment, Faith, Nature, Politics, Prayer

Trusting in Jesus

Lisa Burbank

I confess. I have been caught up in the post-inauguration hype on Facebook. Nothing really wrong with that but it has been a distraction, keeping me from the more important things that matter, and using energy that would be better used in other areas in my life.

Granted, if I hadn’t worked yesterday at the dealership, I would’ve walked in one of the local marches. I was there in spirit. I admire the unity and strength that has sprung up between such a diverse group of people against–dare I say it?–a common enemy. Maybe too strong a word for Donald Trump. He’s not necessarily “the enemy” but I’m in the anti-Trump camp. I don’t believe he has our best interests at heart. I believe he thinks he does but his agenda, so far, suggests otherwise. He’s crude, vulgar and crass; not exactly the personality one would want to represent this great nation. But, who knows? I may be wrong and, underneath that crudity and vulgarity, may be a heart of gold. I can’t judge by the outer package; only God knows his heart…even if it is topped with a bad comb-over. (Sorry…couldn’t resist) Chauvinism, misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia and his head in the sand about the environment–this last, as I posted about in November when he became the president-elect, was my reason for not voting for him. And, for that reason, as well as his derisive and demeaning talk about women, would’ve been behind my marching. Again, I was there in spirit.

As for the environment, and the next four years that leave me quaking in anticipation for his lack of appreciation for our natural world, and Mother Earth’s very violent warnings that we truly are in trouble, I can only pray. And put some of the energy I’ve been wasting debating this whole inauguration/march on Washington thing into leading by example. Every small effort counts. And more, I have to trust in God’s promise to Noah, a promise not to destroy the Earth.

It’s not easy though. I know what tar sands/oil shale drilling/mining looks like, what it can do to the earth. We would be better served with an investment in greener energies (which would also equal greener jobs…), and an infrastructure in our cities and towns similar to Amsterdam, where the whole city is designed around bicyclists and foot traffic rather than bumper-to-bumper auto traffic. I recently posted on my Facebook page an article from Treehugger, with a video of downtown Amsterdam, where even 4 year-old children get around on bicycle, already accomplished cyclists, due to this being part of their culture–and they didn’t wear helmets. What few motorists shared their streets and byways were respectful and mindful of the many cyclists–rather than aiming to take them out. (How dare they share the road with our gas-guzzling, carbon emitting selves???) In Scandinavia (sorry…can’t remember which country; I think it was Sweden), they’ve figured out how to recycle factory emissions to heat their cities. Implementing such methods, I believe, would be a win-win situation for all of us.

These are some of the things I’d like to see. But maybe that’s not His plan. While everything looks hopeless from an environmentalist’s perspective, maybe Trump being elected, and compromising our fair planet even more with his big oil plans, is part of a bigger plan He has. And who am I to question His wisdom?

Again, it is not easy. If our polar ice caps melt completely, and our oceans rise the 40 feet scientists predict they will (and this based upon well-documented evidence), it will be too late to say we should’ve focused on the real enemy–climate change–and taken a stand. But, while my heart aches for the many species of life on this planet who are struggling to stay alive in a rapidly-heating world, and I intend to do everything in my power to bring awareness and promote their protection, I’m giving over the reins to Jesus. I, and you, and everyone else on this planet, can do all things through Christ.

And that’s a promise I’m willing to put my trust into.

May God bless you & keep you!