July 20 is National Moon Day. The tides, the night shows, the day shows, the mystery, the lure: these are reasons to celebrate the moon!

Stop and think about how much we know about the moon. How did we gain the knowledge ? One of the pivotal agencies in moon exploration: NASA.

NASA is a big tent. Lots of people associate the agency with only its most spectacular achievements: the moon landing, space shuttles, the International Space Station, plans to someday put a person on Mars. It's easy to think of NASA as space exploration and nothing more. Within the very name—National Aeronautics and Space Administration—you'll find an oft-forgotten part of the NASA mission. NASA's X-plane research had led the way to amazing aircraft innovations without ever leaving the atmosphere.

Earth science is another severely under-appreciated chunk of what NASA does. It might seem weird that America's space exploration agency devotes so much energy to our home world, but no other government agency is equipped to study our planet from afar and tell us what's happening in the big picture. Unless you want to let the military take over.

Besides, when it comes to studying the Earth, you have to do a bunch of work from space. NASA's GOES satellites (the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system) provide a constant stream of Earth observation useful both for short-term weather forecasting and long-term climate forecasting. The DSCOVR mission (Deep Space Climate Observatory) watches for the powerful solar storms that could wreak havoc on our planet and all its advanced technology. NASA satellites track wildfires and sea ice. They follow hurricanes and monitor sea surface temperatures. They are the only eyes and ears that can see our home from another frame of reference, and with terrifying objectivity.

Parts of NASA’s programming are under constant fire; divided politically along party lines. NASA’s Earth-science budget is $102 million, or 5 percent of the program’s annual budget, and it almost exclusively targets missions aimed at understanding climate change — the ocean monitoring program PACE; the Orbiting Carbon ­Observatory-3; the Deep Space Climate Observatory; and the CLARREO Pathfinder, which measures heat in Earth’s atmosphere.

The NASA Education office, which runs camps and enrichment programs, provides internships and scholarships for young scientists, and oversees efforts to support women and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, fields.

Here's a notion that ought not be partisan: This is our planet. We want the best for it, now and in the future. And it's good to know what's happening to the place we live. That goes for the Earth's climate just as much as it does for stopping a solar storm from crippling our communications technology or spotting a doom asteroid headed this way so we can figure out what to do about it.
​
Who runs the satellites and telescopes we use to watch our world, and how we pay for them, is a worthy topic for a grown-up discussion. So appreciate our technological advances in understanding the moon today and mobilize to advocate for the agencies that help us advance our knowledge!

Today is Cheer up the Lonely, St. Benedict, and World Population Day.

World Population Day, which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues. Family planning is not only a matter of human rights; it is also central to women’s empowerment, reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development. In a world where basic human rights are threatened every day (and in our own country!!), it’s important to acknowledge how rights affect a person’s ability to thrive.

It’s an uphill battle to thrive without rights and resources. If you know someone who is lonely or going through a difficult time due to health issues, financial reasons, grief due to loss or personal reasons, today is a good day to reach out to them and try to cheer them up.  Your small act of kindness can make a big difference to them.

Contemplating the ability to thrive can take a toll on our own souls. I cannot watch the news without crying, but I often feel helpless. Today, Christian believers will celebrate the feast day of Saint Benedict of Norcia. The early sixth century saint still shines as one of Western culture’s brightest lights. And yet, of all the things that can rightly be said about him, sometimes the most obvious is missed. When the young saint found himself desolate and confused, what did he do?

In the popular cave of Subiaco, which is still visited to this day by countless pilgrims, the answer is literally written on the floor of the entrance. In simple mosaic, the answer is given: “Pax.”

Benedict was looking for peace. He wanted peace in his own soul, peace with creation, peace with his fellow human beings, and peace with God. He did not flee from an “evil world,” but stepped aside from it so that he might be an instrument of goodness. There was no wrath or bitterness, only a gentle soul pursuing righteousness and tranquility.
 
Benedict was from a wealthy and established family. He grew up shortly after the implosion of the great Roman Empire, and his life was surrounded by the chaos that follows such a monumental cultural shock and re-structuring. In spite of the social instability, the status and wealth of Benedict’s family provided him with a relatively normal childhood and experience of life. And so, when the young Benedict went to Rome for his education, he was appalled by the disorder and turmoil in society and the licentiousness and corruption of its leaders. He found himself existentially dissatisfied and completely unhappy.
 
So he left.
 
And went to live in a cave.
 
But Benedict did not abandon the world. He took the world into his heart and sought to make his life an oblation of peace and holiness. Benedict did not forsake the human family. He simply followed a different path and offered that path to others (and still offers it to others in a spiritual way to this day).
 
Benedict had the holiness and the ability to take this step. His beliefs and instructions on religious life were collected in what is now known as the Rule of Saint Benedict -- still directing religious life after 15 centuries. In this tiny but powerful Rule, Benedict put what he had learned about the power of speaking and oratorical rhythms at the service of the Gospel. Despite his experience at school, he understood rhetoric was as much a tool as a hammer was. A hammer could be used to build a house or hit someone over the head. Rhetoric could be used to promote vice ... or promote God. Benedict did not shun rhetoric because it had been used to seduce people to vice; he reformed it.

In our own times, when so many people are emotionally or physically suffering due to the evils of our world, Benedict models a search for interior harmony. When life can appear to be a series of disappointments and uncertainties, Benedict’s path to tranquility is offered to us again. 

Pope Francis believes the devil “poisons us with the venom of hatred, desolation, envy and vice. When we let down our guard, he takes advantage of it to destroy our lives, our families and our communities.”

In this spiritual combat, Christians have weapons given by the Lord, writes Francis: “faith-filled prayer, meditation on the word of God, the celebration of Mass, Eucharistic adoration, sacramental Reconciliation, works of charity, community life, missionary outreach.”

In short, he argues, “the cultivation of all that is good, progress in the spiritual life and growth in love are the best counterbalance to evil.”

So on this Feast of St. Benedict, remember those who are unable to thrive because their rights are threatened. Remember, too, that you have the ability to help by stepping away and actively invoking inner peace. Helping others require you to be diligent and peaceful. Stop by and see someone who has fallen off the radar. Write a letter to someone who is going through it. Pray for those who spew hateful rhetoric. Create peace in your community so that those without rights can thrive.  

We can also pray to St. Benedict—protector against evil spirits—for his intercession and protection from the snares of the devil. We should all be wearing his medal when we watch, listen to, or read the news!

National Eat Your Beans Day is a “live healthy” holiday observed every year on July 3.  This day celebrates the bean vegetable in all sizes, shapes and colors.  Beans (legumes) are one of the longest-cultivated plants dating back to the early seventh millennium BCE.

National Eat Your Beans Day is a “live healthy” holiday observed every year on July 3.  This day celebrates the bean vegetable in all sizes, shapes and colors.  Beans (legumes) are one of the longest-cultivated plants dating back to the early seventh millennium BCE.

Were you aware that beans are virtually free of fat, high in protein, and contain more fiber than whole grain foods? According to the American Heart Association eating beans as part of a heart healthy diet and lifestyle may help improve your blood cholesterol, a leading cause of heart disease. Adding beans to your diet may also help keep you feeling full longer which can help you with weight management.  It is recommended by the USDA that adults eat at least three cups of beans every week to obtain their maximum health benefits. That is three times more than Americans current average consumption.

In honor of the extremely healthy and beneficial bean vegetables on their special day, have a look at these fascinating bean facts.

• Beans are a major source of protein.  A very healthy choice for any meal or snack, they are also an excellent source of fiber, low in fat and high in calcium, iron, folic acid and potassium.
• There are approximately 40,000 bean varieties in the world.
• Only a fraction of these varieties are mass-produced for regular consumption.
• Ancient Egyptians grew beans. According to “Food in the Ancient World” by Joan Pilsbury Alcock, fava beans, chickpeas, and lentils were found in Egyptian tombs dating back at least 4,000 years.
• Bean genetics have remained stable over the years. Beans from thousands of years ago are genetically very close to the beans we eat today.
• Some of the more popular beans are lima, kidney, pinto, garbanzo (chickpeas), black, lentil, and great-northern.
• The beans (legumes) that cause the least amount of flatulence are adzuki beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, mung beans, and split peas.
• Dry beans are better for you than canned because they contain less sodium. If you eat canned, rinse them well to drop the sodium levels.
• You can freeze cooked beans for up to six months. Before reheating thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.
• Nearly six to 11 percent of a cooked beans weight is protein.

Need some inspiration? 
Chicken and white bean soup
Good Foods Coop newsletter (it has recipes!)
Splendid Table

Happy Eat Beans Day!

National Meteor Day is June 30th.  On a cloudless night, people turn their eyes to the heavens in hopes of spotting the glow of a falling star. There are millions of meteors that occur daily in the Earth’s atmosphere.

When space debris, such as pieces of rock, enter the earth’s atmosphere the friction causes the surrounding air to become scorching hot. This “shooting star” streaking through the sky surrounded by flaming hot air is a meteor.

The majority of the meteoroids that cause meteors are only the size of a pebble.

Meteors sometimes occur in showers. National Meteor Day is an excellent time to plan for a meteor watching party. Whether you are catching a few stray falling stars or watching an entire meteor shower, head outside with family, friends or solo to map the constellations. You might even get to make a wish or two.  

In the Northern Hemisphere, one of the most active meteor showers is the Perseids. Named after the constellation Perseus where the majority of the activity takes place, the meteors are caused by particles released by the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Active from mid-July to late August, the Perseids are known to put on a dazzling display at its peak, especially when the skies are clear and the moon is new. 

Meteors are usually observed at night and are visible when they are about 34 to 70 miles above the Earth, and they often disintegrated at about 31 to 51 miles above.  Their glow time is usually about a second.

A small percent of meteoroids hit the Earth’s atmosphere and then skip back into space. 
The chemical composition and the speed of the meteoroid will cause different hues to the light.  Possible colors and elements producing them include:

• Orange/yellow (sodium)
• Yellow (iron)
• Blue/green (copper)
• Purple (potassium)
• Red (silicate)

A list of meteor shower dates as well as a guide to successful watching can be found on the EarthSky website.

So, plan a "night out."  Gather some friends together, get a blanket and find a place far from the city lights on a cloudless night.  

Carefully notched together and sealed in-between with a caulking agent like mud or clay, Log Cabins were sturdy and reliable, and could stand the test of time. Admittedly, you’d have to change the roof out every so often, but ultimately there was nothing like them. They were especially popular in the frontier days of the American migration west, and seven of the American Presidents were born in them. Log Cabin Day celebrates the history of the Log Cabin and commemorates this most humble of homes.

Traditional log cabins bring to mind the typical stacked log construction. Log construction was the most common building technique in large regions of Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Baltic states and Russia, where straight and tall coniferous trees, such as pine and spruce, are readily available. It was also widely used for vernacular buildings in Eastern Central Europe, the Alps, the Balkans and parts of Asia, where similar climatic conditions prevail. In warmer and more westerly regions of Europe, where deciduous trees predominate, timber framing was favored instead.

Builders use sawn logs, logs sawn to a standard width, but with their original heights, or milled (also called machine-profiled), made with a log house molder: constructed of logs that have run through a manufacturing process which convert them into timbers which are consistent in size and appearance.

Handcrafted log houses have been built for centuries in Scandinavia, Russia and Eastern Europe, and were typically built using only an axe and knife. The Scandinavian settlers of New Sweden brought the craft to North America in the early 17th century, where it was quickly adopted by other colonists and Native Americans. Possibly the oldest surviving log house in the United States is the C. A. Nothnagle Log House (circa 1640) in New Jersey.
 Log Cabins inevitably remind me of the Rockcastle River Demonstration Site and our need to utilize the resources we have. My dream is to have several tiny log cabin homes on the property for volunteers to use. There are a ton of examples of budget saving sustainable building tiny homes:

$300 tiny home
Portable cabin with rainwater collection system
Solar Off Grid Cabin
Off Grid Retreat
​
We built a prototype in our backyard, so I know it’s possible. What do you think? Have you built a log cabin off grid? 

The Solstice! I always get a little sad on the summer solstice because it means the days will start to grow shorter. But focusing on the positive, June 21 is also Humanist, Yoga, and First Nations Day.

“Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance that affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. Humanism stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethics based on human and other natural values in a spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. Humanism is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.”
-The IHEU Minimum Statement on Humanism
 
While I personally take issue with the last line, the general theory is important. In this reality of unending assaults on basic morality, we all need to consider our fellow humans. There is so much hate! But, how do we communicate with or block out the people who cannot see long-term consequences of this administration? Maybe meditation will help? Yoga?

June 21 is also International Day of Yoga, or commonly and unofficially referred to as Yoga Day, is celebrated annually on 21 June since its inception in 2015 (it was declared so by the UN!) Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice. As someone who regularly tried to manage anger (mostly because having kids demands you address issues of control), I have been convinced by the concentration yoga demands. Letting go and concentrating on inner strength are not important endeavors in our society. Simple Living is contrary to our societal ideals.  
Take some time today to slow down, concentrate, and think about our fellow humans.

June 21 is First Nations Day, too. First Nation came into common usage in the 1980s to replace the term Indian band in referring to groups of Indians with common government and language mainly in Canada. Within Canada, First Nations has come into general use for the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Individuals using the term outside Canada include U.S. tribes within the Pacific Northwest. Thinking about First Nations brings to mind indigenous people of all of the Americas; they have truly been the most oppressed ethnicity since colonization. 
  
The most gut wrenching attention seeking policy of the current administration has been the immigration policies. It’s a deplorable side show to the dismantling of our democracy. But keep in mind, the southern border is mostly approached by people of indigenous decent.

Mestizos are the result of the admixture between Spaniards and Amerindians: Native Americans (or Amerindians). Mestizos are majority in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, occupying the majority of the Central American population. All the 7 countries have significant Mestizo populations.

June 18 is International Picnic Day. The word picnic first appeared in English in a letter of the Gallicized Lord Chesterfield in 1748, who associates it with card-playing, drinking and conversation, and may have entered the English language from this French word: pique-nique.  The term was used to describe a group of people dining in a restaurant who brought their own wine. The actual usage began as "pique un niche" meaning to "pick a place," an isolated spot where family or friends could enjoy a meal together away from the distractions, demands, and public nature of a communal life. The concept of a picnic long retained the connotation of a meal to which everyone contributed something.

​For some menu ideas, try Splendid Table or Kentucky Proud Recipes.

​
If you don't want to cook, consider stopping into a market or restaurant to get fresh local foods to go.

You can find some good leads here: Visit Appalachia
                                                            Appalachian Grown
                                                            Local Harvest

Today is also Go Fishing Day. Go Fishing Day is dedicated to sport fishing, as well as those who fish as part of survival (known as subsistence fishing). Fishing is a great way to help add food to your table while having the satisfaction of knowing that you caught it yourself, as well as a wonderful bonding opportunity for friends and family. Find a good fishing hole in Kentucky: Fishing in Neighborhoods
​
If you’re still looking for a reason to get outside with family and friends, the National Park Service had (before the administration was focusing on pillaging) a Park Rx program that emphasized reasons why being outside is a prescription for good health:

• Being in nature can improve your mood, increase physical activity, and combat obesity.
• Being outside and the health benefits can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of who you are and where you come from.
• Parks foster social connections, which are vital to community cohesion and contribute to social well-being.
• For little kids, nature fosters active play, which is associated with physical, cognitive, and social benefits.
• For bigger kids (and all of us, really), nature improves mental and social health during what is often a challenging time of life.

So get outside, picnic, and fish. Sure, you might panic when your child actually catches a fish and you realize you have to be the one that gets it off the line and throw it back without displaying your panic so they don’t have the same anxieties that you have, but it’s worth it!!

June 9th is Knit in Public Day. World Wide Knit in Public Day was started in 2005 by Danielle Landes. It began as a way for knitters to come together and enjoy each other’s company: 

"Knitting is such a solitary act that it’s easy to knit alone somewhere and sink into your work without thinking about all the other knitters out there. Neighbors could spend all their lives never knowing that the other knits.  This a specific day to get out of your house and go to a local event (with your knitting in tow) just for you and people like you.  Who knows you might even bump into your neighbor! Consider this a spark, to ignite a fire; getting all of the closeted knitters out into fresh air. "

Using knitting as a knowledge sharing community event is intriguing to me; not just because I am an avid knitter who loves to knit in public to encourage conversations about knitting, but also because I love knowledge sharing community events. Growing up in rural northeastern Ohio, my parents would take us to festivals and events of all sizes as a free activity to get out of the house. I remember running around playing tag, begging for the sugary treats from vendor booths and the heaven of finding free samples, and (most importantly as a parent) having a hard time keeping my eyes open on the way home. But I also remember walking through craft booths and farm stands, marveling at the demonstrations, studying the artisan works, and seeing new ways to DIY.

I often say that my learned sustainable living behavior was really frugality; my parents chose to raise four kids on one salary. We shopped at thrift stores, recycled and reused, and consumed the basics because we didn't have much money. But I was never really aware that we didn't have money. I was instead taught that money can't buy what matters: people, family, and being intelligent. In that way, knowledge sharing community events are intriguing. 

So, for Knit in Public Day, think about the importance of these types of events. If you look at any literature for improving the economic, environmental or social components of any community, advocates emphasize starting with education: outreach and awareness. Meetings. Knowledge fairs. 

"A knowledge share fair is a buzzing, interactive and collaborative workspace, with lively discussions and practical demonstrations. There are facilitated sessions to learn how others have improved the effectiveness and quality of their work, and opportunities for networking, allowing people to connect and link ideas as well as exchanging opinions in a natural way and relaxed setting. A share fair is not a goal in itself, but the beginning of a process. It will create new partnerships; new exchanges between people that would like to work together, in a different way." - FAO UN

If you want to affect change, and advocate sustainable and simple living, I encourage you to knit in public or start with sharing information in an interactive, kid exhausting, treat tasting, informative way!

Wednesday, June 4, is Clean Air Day, a timely reminder that the quality of the air we breathe affects our lungs, especially during the heat and humidity of summer when air pollution can reach unsafe levels.

Use your feet and leave the car at home
Walk, cycle, bus, train ... However you like to travel, leave your car at home and take to the streets. Amazingly, car drivers can be exposed to twice as much air pollution as pedestrians and nine times more than a cyclist. So as well as cutting down the amount of pollution you make, you're reducing you exposure to air pollution and getting some exercise too. 

Discover the side streets
Using quieter streets when you’re on a bike or on foot can lower your exposure to air pollution by 20%.

Avoid strenuous activity when pollution is high
There are about 10 to 20 high pollution days a year when it’s better to avoid working out too hard if you have a heart or lung condition. But on balance, for most people, most of the time, it is healthier to exercise than sit it out.

Turn your engine off when stationary
I feel you. It’s too hot or too cold to turn off the car. But, by turning off your car engine whenever you’re not moving – and it’s safe to do so – you’ll help to make the air cleaner for you, other drivers and pedestrians. 

Consume less energy = produce less pollution
Gas and electricity are big contributors to air pollution. Gas creates fumes when we burn it to heat our homes, and electricity produced by power stations burning fossil fuels has the same result. There are lots of things you can do to conserve energy (and lower your bills), such as switching off the lights, filling the kettle with just what you need, and only running the washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load.

Keep your car tires inflated
Yep, having properly-inflated tires really means your car will be more efficient and use less fuel. Great for the environment and great for your pocket too.

Think about how you do your cleaning!
Keep dust levels low, use fragrance-free or naturally-scented products, switch to mild cleaning products and avoid aerosols.

Burn smokeless fuels or dry, well-seasoned wood on your barbecue or stove
This is particularly important as pollution from burning fuels damages the air for those who live nearby as well as within your own home.

Switch energy suppliers
Choose renewable energy tariffs for your home supply to reduce the pollution produced by power stations.

Recycle your compostables
Rather than burning your garden waste, compost it and turn it into food for your vegetable patch.

Save the wood-burning stove for the bleak winter
​Wood-burning stoves look great and they’re so cozy. But burning wood produces a lot of air pollutants. To minimize your contribution to air pollution, only light it when you really have to. 

May 31 is Walt Whitman’s Birthday. You may remember him, as I do, from high school and college courses; his writings and poems dissected to discover meaning, metaphors, diction, syntax, form, rhyme scheme, and other literary techniques. But have you recalled his works when you’re alone in nature? Maybe, say, 25 years after college?

“The asphalt wraps itself round the mountain,
a black river ascending into the mist.
​
Wet, moss-covered stone, flushed orange and yellow oaks,
shivering, stoic firs, and smoldering red maples cling
to the bosom of the Blue ridge as fall fades to winter.”

It’s time to recall voices from the past. Walt Whitman shares the Romantic poet's relationship with nature. To him, as to Emerson, nature is divine and an emblem of God. The universe is not dead matter, but full of life and meaning. He loves the earth, the flora and fauna of the earth, the moon and stars, the sea, and all other elements of nature. He believes that man is nature's child and that man and nature must never be separated.

“As a light rain glazes the skin of my outstretched arm
I can feel the chill of the Appalachian air electrifying
the hair on my neck, chilling my bones.

Soaring into another cloud, my beloved asleep on my shoulder,
I breathe in the cold air deeper, and then deeper still.

Ascending higher and delving deeper into the mountains I’m reminded
what it is that propels me ever onward, ever upward –
the Appalachian air instills something in me…something light.”

This summer, walk with confidence and knowledge in the natural world. Have you ever picked up a stunning rock and wonder what made it sparkle? Ever hear a beautiful bird call and wonder what little creature had just serenaded you? Take time to ask many questions and to discover the answers. Along the way, seek guidance from poets and storytellers. Recognize the vital connection between stories and places. Words and nature.  Learn the names and uses of local trees, plants, and animals. Learn skills of observation so you can continue to cultivate your wilderness knowledge. Take time to just be.