#My Ten Cents: Amazon’s Shipping Advantage
Our county’s shipping services should be in the hands of our federal government, not Amazon.
#VoiceInMyHead on April 13, 2023:
Those who are not willing to listen are not willing to learn. Walk away. There are plenty of people in this world who you can work with and love. Problem solved. *** Now think about the factions that violently divide this country….
Paperhand Puppet Intervention's 2022 Summer Show, The Meanwhile Clock and Other Impossible Dances, Is Like a Pilgrimage to a Corroboree
Going to a Paperhand Puppet Intervention performance is like pilgrimaging to a Australian aboriginal corroboree, where magical ceremonies teach ancestral truths, pulling everyone present into the community. And it's all the more impactful when it occurs in a ruins-like amphitheater in a forest in the heat of a late-summer sunset…
Hurricanes, (Re)Construction, Rip Tides, and Drowning- When Will We Learn?
In the wake of Hurricane Florence, one question plagues me (again): Are we going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in FEMA and other public emergency funds to rebuild homes along the hurricane-battered coast, only so we can do it all over again when the next hurricane/tornado hits? Or will we…
Florida Oceanographic Society’s Coastal Center: MUCH More than an Aquarium
As promised via post-it note on the Florida Oceanographic Society's "Pledge" board, I am sharing my article about their Coastal Center in Stuart, Florida, where my family (12-50 years) spent an entire day and still didn't venture along the ~50-acres of Nature Trails in this barrier island ecosystem. If you’re visiting the east coast of Florida, you must put this stop on your list. And those who work for nonprofit organizations could learn a lot from the level of very visible volunteerism created by the leaders of the Florida Oceanographic Society. Building community for a common cause is the epitome of public outreach.
Appreciating Earth Day the Easy Way
This Earth Day, I am celebrating the house-finch nest that is outside my side door. I’ve been checking on the eggs for days now; and when I peeked in today, a chick was just breaking out of its shell! #Nature #GreatestShowOnEarth
Grant Opportunities for Educators (April deadlines)
To make grant opportunities I know about available to more than just who I know, this article summarizes the educator grant opportunities I have successfully applied for. The word "grant" is intimidating, but often these grants are quite easy to apply for. Don't let the fear of bureaucracy stop you from at least skimming over what's required.
Petition Against the State's Override of Durham's Nomination for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor
Phoebe Gooding is an incredibly qualified BIPOC woman who the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District unanimously nominated for a recently vacated position on the board. In an unprecedented move, the state Soil and Water Conservation Commission chose not to appoint her and instead appointed another old white man with farming roots. This article is an appeal to readers to sign the petition in opposition of the state’s override.
Give your kids the gift of practical STEM education while supporting a Community Public School
To help educate the students and school community about the “stormwater control measure” installed on the big playground at E.K. Powe Elementary School (in Durham, NC), I've created a picture book containing before, during, and after photographs with text explaining the reasons and mechanisms behind the changes. Best for grades 4-7, it educates readers of all ages about the importance of sustainable landscaping, collaboration, and grants.
Regarding Durham's Capital Improvement Plans (2021)
We must make more existing outdoor spaces and playgrounds -particularly those at public schools - environmentally sustainable in terms of stormwater management. Too many of them, particularly in underserved schools/communities are being flooded or washed away in ever increasing rain events, polluting our streams, rivers, and lakes, which effects low-income citizens far more than those who can afford to drink bottled water.
Grounds Maintenance at Durham Schools? Call BETC!
This article addresses Durham Public Schools’ Bionomic Educational Training Centers or BETC program, which *pays* occupational course of study (OCS) students and teachers to install and maintain raingardens and other sustainable landscaping on school campuses and private properties: https://www.dcomanagingforresults.org/environmental-stewardship/bionomic-educational-training-center].
Covid Camping and Bear Hounding
During our 14-day quarantine after contracting Covid, my 5th-grade son, husband and I went camping in West Virginia and got educated in ways no classroom can provide. Despite our generally positive assessments of the Mountain Mama, our introduction to “bear hounding” was the lesson that stuck most…
Thanks, Durham, I needed that! (EK Powe Elementary School Playground Dedication)
This morning was the dedication of a 3-years-long stormwater-control and playground redesign project at EK Powe Elementary School, on the edge of the Watts Hospital Hillandale Neighborhood in Durham, NC. It is the result of collaboration between the EK Powe PTA and Principal, Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, Durham Matching Grants Program, Durham Public Schools…
Why Mystery Snails Make Great Pets
If you have children, then your children probably want a pet. If you don’t want the added responsibility of a dog, cat, or other fuzzy animal but your kid(s) won’t let it go, I urge you to get them a mystery snail. All you need is ~$3 and the info in this article.
Protect Durham's Crown from Development
The Eno River needs protection from impervious development *again* 🥺. If you live in Durham or North Carolina, please write your elected representatives in support of saving the land surrounding the Eno River and the few remaining pristine places we have left.
Public School Use of Covid Funds for Outdoor Learning Should Incorporate Curricula and Sustainability
It is my understanding that Durham Public Schools (DPS) is going to focus a significant proportion of its COVID funding on outdoor learning, and I am thrilled to hear it! However, my 15-years experience with DPS administration is that ‘outdoor learning’ is too often interpreted as benches, gazebos and sidewalks (and maybe a few potted plants), which may provide outdoor seating areas but do not exactly encourage engagement and learning.
Asking for Forgiveness Later
American society has put layers of rules in place over its existence. Privileged people, who are generally white, have been permitted to bend those rules; while non-privileged people, who are generally people of color, have had to follow them to a T …
City Budget for Green Programs/Jobs More than Just Lacking
This is the email I sent to Durham’s mayor and city council members today regarding the city budget: I am deeply concerned by this year's city budget's lack of new investment in green jobs, particularly for the Bionomic Educational Training Center (BETC) program and the Impaired Stream Improvement Program (ISIP). In fact, I think it is negligent of the city not to provide substantial funding for these two programs, given that…
Alison Krauss and Dead Raptor Fledglings
On May 20, my neighbor down the street sent a group text that said, “Our back alley pine tree hawk nest has two fledglings. Very fluffy. So cool!” She welcomed everyone to come see. Two weeks later, she sent another group text: “Sad news. We have not seen hawk parents since the big storm Friday. One of the fledglings is now at the foot of the pine tree - fell? I am burying him this AM. Another remains in the tree and is sad…
The Kinks, Predatory Marketing, Durham's Elf, and Feline Broccoli
Fat cats eating broccoli and other musings on another capitalistic American day.