Harambe was a 17-year-old 450-pound male gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo. On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy climbed under a fence and fell into the gorilla enclosure’s moat. Overwhelmed and distressed by the uproar from panicking humans, Harambe tried to move the boy to a more protected part of the enclosure. Because of Harambe’s size and strength and the potential for accidental harm, he was shot and killed by zoo officials. The incident was caught on camera and became a major viral meme and cultural phenomenon. It also sparked intense international debate over zookeeping, animal rights, and parental responsibility in public spaces.
Posts filed under Nature
Wildflowers: Childhood Spaces
As my great Aunt Wanda braided wildflower stems together, her hazel eyes sparkled and a mysterious, yet playful, grin danced across her lips. She told me stories of wood fairies, who were shy and hidden just out of our sight, yet deeply inquisitive and always listening. She described them as gentle yet volatile, delicate yet strong. They were connected to the woods and nurtured plants and forest creatures. Their protective nature also came with quick tempers; they would play tricks on those who were greedy or destructive.
Parable of the Sweet Pea
Then came the day when I got home from work and found just a few shreds of mangled stems and leaves. One of the groundskeepers had managed to find the only healthy green plant in sight on that early spring day, and he decided it must be a weed. (Even though it was inside my patio fence at the base of a trellis for the vines to climb on!)
Renewal
As I turned back to my book, I heard a tap on the window. I stiffened, imagining an ominous creature lurking outside, knocking on the pane. Just as I relaxed, assuring myself the wind was blowing rain against the glass, there was another tap. With caution, I approached the window and peered out into the storm. Lightning flashed, illuminating the face of my friend. Smiling, I opened it to let him in. Instead, he encouraged me to follow him out, into the storm.
Grace
While delicate and beautiful, ice is powerful and merciless. Trees bent under the increasing weight, resembling our own huddled bodies as we snuggled under quilts. We gasped at the sound of wood groaning and splitting, and we watched a large branch fall to the frozen ground below. Tiny twigs snapped and tumbled toward the arms of their mother branch, scattering ice across the yard. Raising our gaze to the top of a giant cherry, we studied the space where the large branch let go, looking for other branches that might follow.
Saint Patrick and the Fae Folk of Ireland
This popular missionary saint is best known for introducing Christianity to pagan Ireland during the 5th century AD. I thought it would be interesting ask the Irish Fae (aes sidhe) for their viewpoint on the massive cultural changes resulting from Patrick’s work, which disrupted ancient relationships between humans and the many species of fae folk.
A Spiritual Channeling of The “North Star”
A conversation with Polaris, the “North” star
The Fae of Oakwood Park: Living with the Faeries
Once I was settled, I “announced” that my new home was open to all. Now that I live next to the Huron River, fae who travel this natural highway have a safe place to rest for the night. I’ve been told that a sort of “welcome sign” which is visible only to non-humans is in front of my place.
A Conversation about Sasquatch-type Beings
Today, I am joined by three representatives of these secretive hidden peoples. Will you introduce yourselves, please?
Green Guardians: The plants of the Women’s Health Center
Earlier this year I made my annual mammography visit to Trinity Health’s Women’s Health Center in Ypsilanti. On that particular morning, the sun beaming in the windows really lit up the healthy, beautiful plants at the entry. Inside the mammography suite, there are several beds of green Pothos plants with golden highlights, and every plant looks so vibrant and perfect that at first glance, you might think they are artificial. While I was waiting for my appointment, I realized that these lovely green beings were offering messages.
Weaving Earth's Energies: A conversation with Madam Squirrel
I see (in my mind) a very large Fox Squirrel sitting on a branch of a maple tree framed by a clear blue sky, its red-gold fur glistening in the sunshine. And I feel a deep wave of love-energy move through my body.
When Spirit Sings: A Conversation With The Cicada Queen
A few years ago, during a major cicada emergence, I was visiting a friend who lived out of town. As I said my goodbyes and walked to my car, I thought I could hear singing off in the distance. There were no buildings within a mile, no vehicles blasting music, and it wasn’t coming from my phone, so I pulled my car over to the side of the road and turned off the engine to listen.
"Precious" Lessons
When I split from my ex in the late 1980's, I didn't take the toaster or the television with me. Instead, I got custody of the tarantula.
A Conversation With Uluru and Kata Tjuta
A conversation with Uluru and Kata Tjuta, two of Australia’s amazing natural sites.
A Conversation with the Guardian of Niagara Falls
A conversation with the Guardian of Niagara Falls
A Conversation With The Deva Of Sweetgrass
I’ve been going to Pow Wows [Native American tribal festivals] since the 1970’s, and that is where I first met Sweetgrass.The sweet, vanilla-ish aroma of this native grass is instantly soothing. It’s most commonly used as a “smudge” or incense but has many other applications as well. I have Sweetgrass at home, and it inspired this interview.
A Lesson From an Unfortunate Groundhog
Whenever I see one of my friends, he always mentions Michigan’s roads. His impression of Michigan is that it is a land of bad roads with many dead animals on the side. I also had a bad first impression of Michigan roads. The sight of dead animals on the roadside was very pitiful after I started to drive not long ago.
THE ELEPHANTS OF RETETI
"Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy in Samburu County of northern Kenya is home to the first community owned elephant orphanage in Africa. The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary was officially opened by the Samburu County Governor, H.E Moses Lenolkulal, on the 20th August 2016…”
Have You Ever Heard The Groundhogs Sing?
I spent some time with a family of Groundhogs this morning, as they went about getting some breakfast in the cool of the day. These animals are common in my apartment complex; most residents enjoy seeing them (especially the adorable kits), while Management puts out live traps every year because of the structural damage Groundhogs cause by digging burrows under our buildings. As I was talking quietly to Mama and her six kits, I realized that although these animal neighbors SEEM so familiar and ordinary to us humans, they must surely have hidden depths...
THE CATBOYS TALK ABOUT COVID-19
The Catboys are (in alphabetical order at their request) Alvin, Atticus, Jasper, and Tobie. Jasper transitioned two years ago, and is just as insightful and sassy on the other side as he was while here. This article is an excerpt from a recent conversation, or as we like to call it, a Talking.
