Thank you so much for this Janisse. I just reread it in hopes of feeling a bit better, and it really helped. Can't seem to escape this overwhelming sadness for our world, our country, our people, all people and all animals. Need to STOP starting my day with reading the news. Even the alternative news is full of sad things. But your substack is not. And bless you for that. <3
This is a shameless plug for my day job, acting as marketing director for a pair of veterinary clinics in north Georgia — but the livestock vets go on farm calls statewide. Dr. Quinn is our sole equine vet at the moment, but if the scours continue (or if you've got any other livestock herd health questions), the clinic is Custom Livestock Solutions!
Thank you for the reminder to read "The Seed Underground", which has been toward the top of my TBR pile for more than a year at this point. I look forward to finally cracking that spine when I get home this afternoon.
Thank you for this, Dallas Anne. Getting a big-animal vet is not that easy, so many thanks. This would be a long way to travel, unfortunately. This week she's doing better. I've doubled her feed--plus they have access to hay full time. And thankfully the grass is greening.
But there's some underlying condition, I believe, that needs addressing. xo
I'm glad to hear she's doing better! (Clearly, today is a catch-up-on-reading-Substacks day!) And though it's out of our emergency range, the vets do go to south Georgia pretty frequently for herd health and routine stuff. I hope either way you're able to find a diagnosis so that there's less worry in the future about her!
Years ago an old cowboy told me to feed bread to an old horse to help with weight gain. I always give all my old bread to my chickens, ducks and horse. I have a wonderful bread machine and make all organic bread every week or so. I hope Apache likes it and is better soon.
Again, Janisse, your generosity of spirit is so admirable. Thank you for all of this, and the tragedy of someone leaving this world on purpose to escape this cruelty is heartwrenching. Little Fawn is a bright spot, isn't she! I've immersed myself in escapism, recently taking on more than I could handle in writing assignments and missed Journaling the Garden yesterday because of it. I'm taking a big heaving sigh and slowing down as soon as I get out from under. Birds singing this morning, trillium bursting a blanket in my yard, may apples I transplanted to "turtle rock" on the back of the property are thriving, and oh, the red buckeye is making me dizzy with love. But where are my hummingbirds? I await. Thank you for your endless encouragement.
Lovely words. I walk and I also read to relieve stress. Needless to say, I've read 46 novels this year and walked many, many miles. I also turned my sister, Joy Howard on to your substack. She sent me a message that she was enjoying it in Paris. Thank you for being a friend. Give that precious baby a kiss from me. Hope Raven is feeling better.
She is beautiful and so are you. I am nursing a concussion received at a sanctuary when a blind horse was startled by another blind horse and I bore the brunt of their encounter. I read your words and I am healed a little more, especially in spirit. I loved taking a class with you and will do so again soon.
Oh, I'm so sorry, Cathy. I'm particularly sorry to hear about humans being hurt by horses. I cannot even imagine what life would be like for a blinded horse. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here.
Janisse, you are a beam of light in a dark world. Thank you for reminding us to pay attention to where we put our attention. I've definitely been absorbed in reading all the devastating news online when I and the world may be better served by making something of beauty or walking with a friend or reading a book or preparing the garden. There is still kindness in the world and honesty and laughter.
Great stuff in this week's post Janisse. We can all benefit from some guidance to help navigate our emotions and budget our energies as we confront the trauma being inflicted upon our country. As a forester, I find rejuvenation in the woods, and when I take cork in hand and head for the water as a fly fisherman. I hope you find that piece of cutover land to plant to longleaf. Protecting our peace is a full time job these days.
Craig, learning to fly-fish is on my to-do list this year. But a question--do you have a cork in hand? Pardon my ignorance. Is there really a cork involved? (And I'm going to hire a teacher soon.)
The only things working for me are lots of music (faves on repeat) and I've been pulling weeds in the garden this week. Seeing the piles of work (that will head to the compost) makes it feel like I did something, even if I know I'll be pulling different species of weeds in three months.
Write---what's that? Read? Hah. I did get John Green's Everything is Tuberculosis and I am determined to spend an hour tomorrow morning with coffee and read it.
I can somehow manage to hike and take photos but can't figure out how to put the sights and scenes into words when I know what is threatened.
Thank you for these inspiring words. My heart aches right now. I am a retired Georgia public school teacher and when I heard the Department of Education was beginning to be dismantled, I finally just cried it out. Most of us are feeling battered and overwhelmed by what is happening. We are trying. We call our representatives. We write postcards. We donate. We volunteer. We don’t think we are doing enough. We don’t have a leader to guide us. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for letting us know you are feeling the same fear, sadness and pain. May we all find hope from the strong and loving people in our lives.
Greetings from north Georgia. Thank you for your deeply thought out and deeply felt offerings.
I just got my Malabar spinach seeds from Baker Seeds today. I hope you got the Seminole pumpkin seeds I sent you. We just got in from planting herbs and flowers tonight. Above us, our resident thrashers spilled out the latest gossip about all the birds. New beds for planting a variety of salad greens dry in the sun awaiting planting on another rainless March day tomorrow (a gift). Our muscadines vary from small tight buds to soft mouse foot buds, depending on the variety. The pears are setting and the blueberry blooms survived low temps this week. Radishes are up and the green onions are several inches high- not near pullable as yours are. I too did not start seeds this year because I was up north as you were, when they should have been started. A country friend or two will help fill the gap for bedding plants of tomato and pepper. The red buckeyes have had bright red buds for a while now. Still not open. Young redbuds in partial shade have not bloomed either. Chickens are definitely cranking up, but one with gleet gets Epsom salt baths, etc. My aquatic turtles have had a rich diet of June bug grubs and earthworms as a side shoot of planting beets, potatoes and cabbages.
Oh yes. Stress relief? Much of what I mentioned above. Secondly, I refuse to allow political inanity and insanity to disrupt my equilibrium. Instead, I double down on doing what I can to make an objective and tangible difference, to preserve and restore the little pockets of the landscape that I can, even as the majority of the wetlands we have left are now 'invisible' by proclamation by the USEPA on 3/12. As a habitat restorationist, I choose to continue to give life-giving ecosystems visibility in every way I can by writing to representatives, educating the public at every opportunity of the essential services of natural systems (including the ocean), and protecting and enhancing streams, wetlands, savannas, and forests everywhere I can.
Thanks for this, Janisse. I did cry about the woman who committed suicide, it just broke my heart. I remember during the first term of this horrible man, I didn't want to die while he was in office. I wanted to survive him, I believed it was possible, as long as I stayed healthy. I had this goal because I'm, you know, older than most people I know. In my twilight years. So my goal back then is a real fear now. I want to outlive him again! Also, is some ways, I have a realization that no matter how much longer I live, I might not see the worst of what is to come, and it might be many years before our country recovers, before our young people have a bright future again. Imagine being young during Covid, and then having to experience this administration's daily outrages. I think of my grandson, college age now. Only last fall, I thought he had a wonderful future ahead, a life of promise and adventure and purpose. I hope he still does.
I've only gotten back to my creative work this week. I'm still trying to write hopeful poems, with joy and love.
Again, thanks. I wrote all the suggestions for coping with stress in my notebook. I'm going outside to look for some flowers that I can bring into the house. I'm going to watch the chickadees. I'm going to walk on the squishy moss that has taken over the lawn. If there is any sun today, I'm going to say hello.
Sure, Janisse. I'll be 74 in May, I'm still healthy, thankfully. And I really want to outlast this administration once again, but it sure is a terrible thing for us all to experience. Thanks for your essays, I like reading them.
Thank you for laughter and a ray of hope.... don't tell DOGE and soft baby hands... your writing is a gift that arrives at exactly the moment it's most needed. And as long as we remember we are all in this together, we will survive. Bless you!
Thank you so much for this Janisse. I just reread it in hopes of feeling a bit better, and it really helped. Can't seem to escape this overwhelming sadness for our world, our country, our people, all people and all animals. Need to STOP starting my day with reading the news. Even the alternative news is full of sad things. But your substack is not. And bless you for that. <3
I'm so sorry you're feeling the weight. Take good care.
Happy Spring!
This is a shameless plug for my day job, acting as marketing director for a pair of veterinary clinics in north Georgia — but the livestock vets go on farm calls statewide. Dr. Quinn is our sole equine vet at the moment, but if the scours continue (or if you've got any other livestock herd health questions), the clinic is Custom Livestock Solutions!
Thank you for the reminder to read "The Seed Underground", which has been toward the top of my TBR pile for more than a year at this point. I look forward to finally cracking that spine when I get home this afternoon.
Thank you for this, Dallas Anne. Getting a big-animal vet is not that easy, so many thanks. This would be a long way to travel, unfortunately. This week she's doing better. I've doubled her feed--plus they have access to hay full time. And thankfully the grass is greening.
But there's some underlying condition, I believe, that needs addressing. xo
I'm glad to hear she's doing better! (Clearly, today is a catch-up-on-reading-Substacks day!) And though it's out of our emergency range, the vets do go to south Georgia pretty frequently for herd health and routine stuff. I hope either way you're able to find a diagnosis so that there's less worry in the future about her!
Years ago an old cowboy told me to feed bread to an old horse to help with weight gain. I always give all my old bread to my chickens, ducks and horse. I have a wonderful bread machine and make all organic bread every week or so. I hope Apache likes it and is better soon.
Kindest regards, Paka
Again, Janisse, your generosity of spirit is so admirable. Thank you for all of this, and the tragedy of someone leaving this world on purpose to escape this cruelty is heartwrenching. Little Fawn is a bright spot, isn't she! I've immersed myself in escapism, recently taking on more than I could handle in writing assignments and missed Journaling the Garden yesterday because of it. I'm taking a big heaving sigh and slowing down as soon as I get out from under. Birds singing this morning, trillium bursting a blanket in my yard, may apples I transplanted to "turtle rock" on the back of the property are thriving, and oh, the red buckeye is making me dizzy with love. But where are my hummingbirds? I await. Thank you for your endless encouragement.
Lovely words. I walk and I also read to relieve stress. Needless to say, I've read 46 novels this year and walked many, many miles. I also turned my sister, Joy Howard on to your substack. She sent me a message that she was enjoying it in Paris. Thank you for being a friend. Give that precious baby a kiss from me. Hope Raven is feeling better.
46 novels. Bam! The silver lining to stress.
She is beautiful and so are you. I am nursing a concussion received at a sanctuary when a blind horse was startled by another blind horse and I bore the brunt of their encounter. I read your words and I am healed a little more, especially in spirit. I loved taking a class with you and will do so again soon.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Oh MY! I hope you're healing.
Thank you. I am.
Oh, I'm so sorry, Cathy. I'm particularly sorry to hear about humans being hurt by horses. I cannot even imagine what life would be like for a blinded horse. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here.
I went back to the rescue again today. It’s been four weeks today. I was quite anxious but I did it ❤️
Thinking of you, summoning strength & courage.
Janisse, you are a beam of light in a dark world. Thank you for reminding us to pay attention to where we put our attention. I've definitely been absorbed in reading all the devastating news online when I and the world may be better served by making something of beauty or walking with a friend or reading a book or preparing the garden. There is still kindness in the world and honesty and laughter.
I just want you to keep making your beautiful music. xoxo
Great stuff in this week's post Janisse. We can all benefit from some guidance to help navigate our emotions and budget our energies as we confront the trauma being inflicted upon our country. As a forester, I find rejuvenation in the woods, and when I take cork in hand and head for the water as a fly fisherman. I hope you find that piece of cutover land to plant to longleaf. Protecting our peace is a full time job these days.
Craig, learning to fly-fish is on my to-do list this year. But a question--do you have a cork in hand? Pardon my ignorance. Is there really a cork involved? (And I'm going to hire a teacher soon.)
Thank you for this (again), Janisse.
The only things working for me are lots of music (faves on repeat) and I've been pulling weeds in the garden this week. Seeing the piles of work (that will head to the compost) makes it feel like I did something, even if I know I'll be pulling different species of weeds in three months.
Write---what's that? Read? Hah. I did get John Green's Everything is Tuberculosis and I am determined to spend an hour tomorrow morning with coffee and read it.
I can somehow manage to hike and take photos but can't figure out how to put the sights and scenes into words when I know what is threatened.
Your posts have been devastating. I'm glad to think of you listening to music and pulling weeds.
Thank you for these inspiring words. My heart aches right now. I am a retired Georgia public school teacher and when I heard the Department of Education was beginning to be dismantled, I finally just cried it out. Most of us are feeling battered and overwhelmed by what is happening. We are trying. We call our representatives. We write postcards. We donate. We volunteer. We don’t think we are doing enough. We don’t have a leader to guide us. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for letting us know you are feeling the same fear, sadness and pain. May we all find hope from the strong and loving people in our lives.
Beautifully said, Wanda. Thank you for ALL you're doing.
I needed some love. Thank you!
Greetings from north Georgia. Thank you for your deeply thought out and deeply felt offerings.
I just got my Malabar spinach seeds from Baker Seeds today. I hope you got the Seminole pumpkin seeds I sent you. We just got in from planting herbs and flowers tonight. Above us, our resident thrashers spilled out the latest gossip about all the birds. New beds for planting a variety of salad greens dry in the sun awaiting planting on another rainless March day tomorrow (a gift). Our muscadines vary from small tight buds to soft mouse foot buds, depending on the variety. The pears are setting and the blueberry blooms survived low temps this week. Radishes are up and the green onions are several inches high- not near pullable as yours are. I too did not start seeds this year because I was up north as you were, when they should have been started. A country friend or two will help fill the gap for bedding plants of tomato and pepper. The red buckeyes have had bright red buds for a while now. Still not open. Young redbuds in partial shade have not bloomed either. Chickens are definitely cranking up, but one with gleet gets Epsom salt baths, etc. My aquatic turtles have had a rich diet of June bug grubs and earthworms as a side shoot of planting beets, potatoes and cabbages.
Oh yes. Stress relief? Much of what I mentioned above. Secondly, I refuse to allow political inanity and insanity to disrupt my equilibrium. Instead, I double down on doing what I can to make an objective and tangible difference, to preserve and restore the little pockets of the landscape that I can, even as the majority of the wetlands we have left are now 'invisible' by proclamation by the USEPA on 3/12. As a habitat restorationist, I choose to continue to give life-giving ecosystems visibility in every way I can by writing to representatives, educating the public at every opportunity of the essential services of natural systems (including the ocean), and protecting and enhancing streams, wetlands, savannas, and forests everywhere I can.
More coming, Mark, but the Seminole pumpkin seeds arrived. Thank you so much. You have saved me.
Thanks for this, Janisse. I did cry about the woman who committed suicide, it just broke my heart. I remember during the first term of this horrible man, I didn't want to die while he was in office. I wanted to survive him, I believed it was possible, as long as I stayed healthy. I had this goal because I'm, you know, older than most people I know. In my twilight years. So my goal back then is a real fear now. I want to outlive him again! Also, is some ways, I have a realization that no matter how much longer I live, I might not see the worst of what is to come, and it might be many years before our country recovers, before our young people have a bright future again. Imagine being young during Covid, and then having to experience this administration's daily outrages. I think of my grandson, college age now. Only last fall, I thought he had a wonderful future ahead, a life of promise and adventure and purpose. I hope he still does.
I've only gotten back to my creative work this week. I'm still trying to write hopeful poems, with joy and love.
Again, thanks. I wrote all the suggestions for coping with stress in my notebook. I'm going outside to look for some flowers that I can bring into the house. I'm going to watch the chickadees. I'm going to walk on the squishy moss that has taken over the lawn. If there is any sun today, I'm going to say hello.
The squishy moss. :)
May I ask your age? Thank you for staying alive & vibrant & determined.
Sure, Janisse. I'll be 74 in May, I'm still healthy, thankfully. And I really want to outlast this administration once again, but it sure is a terrible thing for us all to experience. Thanks for your essays, I like reading them.
Thanks for reminding us about the importance of place.
Thank you for laughter and a ray of hope.... don't tell DOGE and soft baby hands... your writing is a gift that arrives at exactly the moment it's most needed. And as long as we remember we are all in this together, we will survive. Bless you!