Today, the school year kicks off in our local communities here in the Coulee Region of Wisconsin. Most, not all, are entering this year on a virtual platform as opposed to in-person, classroom learning. While the majority of students were exposed to an online learning environment last spring, it was brief if you consider how…
What are you doing, personally, to make living during the COVID pandemic better for others? Anything? Or, are you just complaining? Be honest here. Are you actively trying to make life livable during this crisis? One of the debatable tenants of Environmental Education has become a guide for my life. It is that there MUST…
This afternoon, I can hear the air conditioner running, the shower sprinkling water, and the washer spinning as it finishes cleaning a load of clothes. Today, my husband and I are getting a taste of the “empty nest.” Actually, it won’t start fully until tomorrow and will be short-lived, but still, there is a different…
We find ourselves living in odd times. But, some rights of passage continue as though these cycles have a life of their own. First-time college students are gearing up to move into their university communities and start a new life. Yes, much of it will be different but some of it will be very much…
A year ago this week we went to Banff National Park in Albert Canada. It was a beautiful place, one that we all agreed we would like to return to again. On one hike, to Boom Lake, we only encountered a few people on the trail. No, it was not social distancing but the remote…
Ever since I started making fabric masks for PPE, I am obsessed with fabric! I cannot seem to stay away from the fabric store! And, even if I go there to get something other than fabric – like thread, elastic, interfacing, or another craft item, I come out with fabric! Today was a case in…
What appeared you might ask? Anger. I answer. What are you angry about? You inquire further. I answer that I suppose I am angry about many things right now. But, last night I was sent over the edge. We discovered that some of our window sills are rotten at our house. They are a high-end…
Lately, I’ve been wondering about the effects the pandemic has had on our environment. I’ve wondered seriously enough to search for professional journal articles specifically on this subject. What I found was mostly narrative, which disappointed me, as I had hoped to sustain my impressions with some facts. We’ve all seen the stories about nature…
Popcorn! Pop……Pop…Pop, Pop…. Pop, Pop, Pop! Popcorn! Come & get it! Who doesn’t like a bowl of fresh-popped corn? It’s become a tradition, while at our cabin, to make popcorn. This started several years ago when I bought a countertop popcorn machine. My boys think we’ve had the machine for six or seven…
As we head into this holiday weekend, here in the United States, I hope that celebrations are safe and calm. July Fourth is our Independence Day! I cannot help but wonder what our Founding Fathers would think of the state in which we currently find ourselves. Turmoil. Injustice. Inequality. Inequity. Violence. The list goes on….