Gifts of the Land

Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. She lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology, and the founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. 

For more information visit: https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/

Let it be an Oak  Tallamy recently spoke at Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens in Pennsylvania about his latest book The Nature of Oaks. The resilience of nature is palpable as he shares photos of his backyard, which he and his wife have transformed into an oasis for birds. His love of the beauty and ingenuity of caterpillars, nature, and scientific observation shine as he follows the seasons. Making Insects: A guide to restoring The Little Things that Run the World Last year Tallamy gave this great talk in Ontario about his previous book Nature’s Best Hope. With beautiful slides, he makes the case that we can repair the Earth if we build habitat for bees, moths, and butterflies. He urges us to plant keystone species, such as oaks, as well as native plants for insect specialists in food deserts, i.e. lawns, and remove invasive plants that do not support life in our region. He invites us to join him and make a pledge at the Homegrown National Park website.

Boozhoo everyone!

It's spring ...buds are popping.

I had a dream last night about Anishinabe author Winona LaDuke and her friend David. So happy to see each other, we were going on a hike and our path was blocked by three good-sized white rabbits. I gently sway my hand to move them - nope. Winona tried and waved her arm. The bunnies wouldn't move. We all laughed. A dream like that can be interpreted we had to go another way.

I have a thing about bunnies. I told my granddaughter Cami a story before bedtime about a bunny that lived in northern Wisconsin and ate all the new flowers we planted. I tried to woosh him (or her) away, but nothing worked. I realized I share the backyard with all the wildlife, even bunny. They live here and I need to respect that. 

We had a pair of ladderback woodpeckers this spring! I have other adorable woodpeckers like Downey and Pileated but this boy was a regular at the suet. But they moved on. I did take a good photo but this is an example (above) See more HERE

I hope I hear the frogs soon, they help me sleep. It's mud season. It's beautiful!

As my friend Mary Ellen writes: Be sure to plant Milkweed in the spring. Thank you.

Thank Great Spirit for the miracle of seasons and gifts of the land. I love you all.

 

Wild Seed Project: Returning native plants to the Maine landscape

Closer to home, Heather McCargo, plant ecologist and founder of Wild Seed Project, talks about the beauty of native plants, and how gardeners can use them to contribute to the effort to support our world. Also check out what the Wild Seed Project has to offer.

 

I found two photos of Winona at the Pequot Museum I wanted to share... She's brilliant and beautiful!

 I can't recall the year but I was still editor of the Pequot Times (1999-2004)