"Being in Nature reminds us of our symbiotic relationship with it, our need to dominate it must be exchanged with our desire to work with it and understand the delicate balance of actions we take"
I love this quote, along with your deep and sensitive connection with nature and its guidance. There so much to learn from the journey and you write beautifully!
If we could all learn to walk in symbiotic harmony, the world would be glorious for all creatures, great and small. The history of conservation/environmentalism unfortunately is full of people who may have had an appreciation for nature not for their fellow kindred human beings, and although I know most of my friends and fellow sub stackers who quote some of them are well intentioned, it hurts me in a deep way I cannot fully explain. I feel it so much as an empath I sometimes react harshly to it. So I will try to be as gentle as I can.
The history of the conquering of what is now understood to be The United States is filled with people who did horrible things in the name of beautiful things. I learned this year about The Doctrine of Christian Discovery - these legitimized the taking of the persons, places and things of Indigenous Peoples of what we now call the Americans and what is known to many Indigenous Peoples as Turtle Island. John Muir and many other environmentalists/conservationists had a deep appreciation of nature - while denigrating the original peoples who knew far better than colonizers how to care for her in the beautiful ways you describe us as being symbiotic. Here is an article I think is very generous to John Muir: https://www.sfpublicpress.org/john-muir-racial-politics-and-the-restoration-of-indigenous-lands-in-yosemite/
I know your motives are pure and I didn't know about any of this til recently either. I see a continuing genocide happening of the Indigenous Peoples the world over and it breaks my heart. It's not a past tense thing. So I am really sensitive about this issue because I feel like when people quote John Muir, it kind of sends an unconscious message that he stands for goodness, when really he stands for, in my opinion, a privileged white man who was on a journey like we all are, who fucked it up a lot, learned a lot and yet never took the steps to put the land back where it should belong: In indigenous hands. I have "vibe based" pet peeves against numerous others who are popularly quotes whom I have sleuthed out and one I cannot peg down but I know in my deepest gut he is bad news yet some of the finest people adore him. It's hard to know what you know and have others not see it. It can feel lonely. There are lots of things I don't know that others do that I am learning from others, too. I love your appreciation for beauty and for wanting us all to live in a state of joy and appreciation and wonder. My criticism of the quote and John Muir has absolutely nothing to do with you or your beautiful writing. I feel that when those quotes are used they are an endorsement of that person as an icon/inspirational figure that unconsciously gives our consent to the more subtle forms of genocide of indigenous peoples that continue.
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread,” wrote John Muir to begin the passage at the end of your brilliant essay today, Karafree! Judy Collins sang “Bread and Roses” on her album of the same name. An often overlooked part of her musical Vita. Oddly, James Oppenheim wrote the poem used for Judy’s song in 1912 for women and children in Amherst, Massachusetts, striking for better wages and working conditions. Muir and Oppenheim speaking the same truth in the same year. Friends? Thanks for kickstarting my brain with your essay.
Thanks for introducing me to Bread and Roses, and James Oppenheim. Judy Collins was one of my favorites growing up.. Both Sides Now!
I will be interested to see what you write in relation to all these connections...Having done some research on the Early Feminist movement.
Bread and Roses
by James Oppenheim
As we come marching, marching in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray,
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing: “Bread and roses! Bread and roses!”
As we come marching, marching, we battle too for men,
For they are women’s children, and we mother them again.
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes;
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses!
As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient call for bread.
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew.
Yes, it is bread we fight for — but we fight for roses, too!
As we come marching, marching, we bring the greater days.
The rising of the women means the rising of the race.
No more the drudge and idler — ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life’s glories: Bread and roses! Bread and roses!
-1911
This poem, written by James Oppenheim to celebrate the movement for women’s rights and published in American Magazine in 1911, is closely associated with the Lawrence textile mill strike of 1912. During the strike, which was in protest of a reduction in pay, the women mill workers carried signs that quoted the poem, reading “We want bread, and roses, too”. The photo above was taken during the strike.
Bread and Roses was set to music by Mimi Fariña in the 1970s, and has become an anthem for labor rights, and especially the rights of working women, in the United States and elsewhere.
I first saw it last night and my first (quick and probably intuition) was that it was not accurate in detail and probably misrepresented you. But I looked closer this morning and thought not bad. Colors, shading, textures but still wondered if it nailed you and if so how? Perhaps we recognize the errors of human perception and translation in real (human painting)?
I trying to hone my perception in this AI world. Tune my bullshit detector so to say.
I only used the words, "sitting by window with blanket, autumn, mountain scene with pines and aspen". The yellow trees would represent the aspens but do not really look like aspens at all. So surprisingly accurate, I had never used this before and wasn't even sure how to describe what I wanted, it didn't take many words to get an image that for the most part matched my own vision. (scary?) What can we believe about what we are shown these days. The Whole Kate Middleton "conspiracy" and then what looks to me as a DEEP FAKE video of here saying she has cancer.
It is scary. I keep looking for signs AI may be drawing from more than its compartmentalized learning. That it is accessing our own personal data well. We just have to be aware.
My wife spends way too much time on that Royal stuff. I keep asking why. It’s all theater and she should get out in the sun more. She laughs and says yes but it’s like watching a slow motion train wreck. I guess that’s the point. Keep you focused on royalty who are just like us (sarc) and suck up emotional energy and time.
I don't spend a minute on that royalty crap. Partly because the whole concept of Royal individuals is disgusting to me. BUT I admit, this disappearance thing caught my attention.
Yes, it's like it KNEW the vision in my mind! It even had the lighting right. the soft light of the sun lit window. I didn't tell it I had long hair either or that I was female.
I am back in CO now, an about to go to Castlewood Canyon state park for a hike in the canyon along the river... A walk in the woods sounds perfect! enjoy
So funny you asked this, I woke up thinking about this today. I like to tell my stories with my OWN art and photos, so I was hesitant at first to consider it. I did not describe myself only that I was sitting cozy at a window overlooking an Autumn mt scene. Everything was accurate, including that I have long light hair and was wearing a bulky sweater (even tho I didn't include that in my description). The AI was very accurate. BUT, it is nothing compared to my own photographs which are crisp and clear, and detailed. The AI photo looks like airbrushed painting, fuzzy.
What I thought about this morning is that I hope AI does not replace REAL TALENT and art coming from the dedication of those who wish to create it.
I'm glad that you shared all of the pretty mountain stuff because I'm a flat lander so I don't even like walking up stairs. I get to view the beauty vicariously without needing an oxygen tank. I was short of breath at Yellowstone and that's just 3,000 ft.
I can relate to the relaxation out in the Wild, and then the shoulders tensing when coming back to a campground full of Winnebagos. Funny that is an alternate name for a Native American tribe turned into a suburb on wheels.
good to hear you liked the photos, glad I can share these things. In doing some research about how Nature helps people with "STRESS"" lol, they have found that even looking at photos can lower blood pressure and help with depression. I was going to leave links but then didn't want to be too technical in the post.
I try only to camp remote, or in tent only places.. I know what you mean.
And probably the Native Americans felt just like you. I am convinced that perhaps some people have more affinity with nature than others.
Maybe man kind was “inserted" in nature (I think this sometimes). We have adapted nature to us and not adapted to nature and this is why we have so many detachment issues as well with mother nature. So a part of us must not be exactly from here perhaps. I keep thinking we were hybridized with hominids species already here and our other dna is from somewhere else.
BTW each of the beautiful photos deserves a paragraph commentary. What a majestic nature shots!!!!
“The snow is pink because of an algae growth, an obvious sign that the water nearby is not safe to drink without a filter”
I did not know this. I do not know a lot of things about the mountains.
Native Americans did their share of destructive things, while at the same time, seemed much more knowledgeable of the connectedness between all life.
I wonder a lot these days if we are Avatars, 'inserted' as you say into this reality. Since we can't be sure anymore of our true history even as early humans, its not clear if there really was a time when we fit in much better with the Nature of this world.
Thank you about the photos. yes I could have concentrated on each photo and a short commentary... good idea, I have many more photos.
This type of algae is called Chlamydomonas nivalas, they call it watermelon snow.
ohhh, I did not know about the Native Americans contribution to destructing nature? Wow I was always under the impression they were the most attuned people with nature. Yes they did have that “primitive” connection with understanding life, animals and nature linked together. I come from a homeland that has been raped over the millennia from everything and in the most recent 300 years, was subjected to massive deforestation….not to build anything but to use trees for firewood. They were shipped then in the main land.
I always take historical accounts written by someone other than the actual subject with skepticism. Like the Jesuits writing about the bloody rituals of the Maya, Inca, and Aztecs. Were they really maniacal cults or was that all fabrication by the Jesuits? I can't read those ancient languages and after decades on this sick rock I don't trust a single thing that a Jesuit has produced.
That being said I read that the native americans would start a prairie fire just for the helluvit. Boredom? Entertainment? Free BBQ?
It would stampede animals. It would help restart prairie grass. It would help some pines germinate when the cones/seeds would only work after a fire.
There's two sides of the same action all rolled into:
I'll take destruction/construction for $500, Alex.
They warred with each other. They were Jen Oh Sided by Whitey.
There has been a snake in Paradise for a long time.
I've read all the same things. stampede buffalo right off the cliffs. fires to keep certain trees from growing. the links I give talk about these things.
Yes there has been an evil entity all along
Whatever came in and decided we had to eat each other to stay alive, is the start of it.
"Being in Nature reminds us of our symbiotic relationship with it, our need to dominate it must be exchanged with our desire to work with it and understand the delicate balance of actions we take"
I love this quote, along with your deep and sensitive connection with nature and its guidance. There so much to learn from the journey and you write beautifully!
If we could all learn to walk in symbiotic harmony, the world would be glorious for all creatures, great and small. The history of conservation/environmentalism unfortunately is full of people who may have had an appreciation for nature not for their fellow kindred human beings, and although I know most of my friends and fellow sub stackers who quote some of them are well intentioned, it hurts me in a deep way I cannot fully explain. I feel it so much as an empath I sometimes react harshly to it. So I will try to be as gentle as I can.
The history of the conquering of what is now understood to be The United States is filled with people who did horrible things in the name of beautiful things. I learned this year about The Doctrine of Christian Discovery - these legitimized the taking of the persons, places and things of Indigenous Peoples of what we now call the Americans and what is known to many Indigenous Peoples as Turtle Island. John Muir and many other environmentalists/conservationists had a deep appreciation of nature - while denigrating the original peoples who knew far better than colonizers how to care for her in the beautiful ways you describe us as being symbiotic. Here is an article I think is very generous to John Muir: https://www.sfpublicpress.org/john-muir-racial-politics-and-the-restoration-of-indigenous-lands-in-yosemite/
I know your motives are pure and I didn't know about any of this til recently either. I see a continuing genocide happening of the Indigenous Peoples the world over and it breaks my heart. It's not a past tense thing. So I am really sensitive about this issue because I feel like when people quote John Muir, it kind of sends an unconscious message that he stands for goodness, when really he stands for, in my opinion, a privileged white man who was on a journey like we all are, who fucked it up a lot, learned a lot and yet never took the steps to put the land back where it should belong: In indigenous hands. I have "vibe based" pet peeves against numerous others who are popularly quotes whom I have sleuthed out and one I cannot peg down but I know in my deepest gut he is bad news yet some of the finest people adore him. It's hard to know what you know and have others not see it. It can feel lonely. There are lots of things I don't know that others do that I am learning from others, too. I love your appreciation for beauty and for wanting us all to live in a state of joy and appreciation and wonder. My criticism of the quote and John Muir has absolutely nothing to do with you or your beautiful writing. I feel that when those quotes are used they are an endorsement of that person as an icon/inspirational figure that unconsciously gives our consent to the more subtle forms of genocide of indigenous peoples that continue.
Alicia, please 🙏 forgive me for saying something thoughtless.
My utmost apology.
Your text above resonates my heart ♥️!!
I apologize to Alicia Kwon for making a comment that offended her.
So sorry 😞 to have hurt you, Alicia.
I wanted to share Alicia’s concern for nature and indigenous peoples but found out I am blocked 🥺.
My love and zeal for nature is the only topic I came to substack to discuss.
Alicia made a vulnerable post and my reply that I intended to be helpful was thoughtless.
I assumed that many people do not know how related we are to nature.
And if told they would feel content.
I post the same thing over and over, but will be more caring of people’s feelings in the future.
WE ALL BELONG !
All the things in nature are together in one place.
Each thing is moved by Nature’s pattern or Way.
Signals give direction.
The whole divides in to parts. 🧬
The parts move around and in and out of each other.
Like water flowing in rivers 💦 and oceans 🌊 and changing into vapor 💨 and snow ⛄️❄️and ice 🧊.
The water flows in and out of creatures 🐿️ and plants 🌱.
Every part is circulating, round and round. 💫☄️🪐⛈️🦠🧬🌪️
Things unFold 🌱 then enFold 🍂 .
Everything in the UNIverse fits 🧩
because each part belongs
to the ONE whole conscious cosmic song 🎻 and dance 💃🏻.
such a beautiful comment. Thank you! maybe you can share this with her in response to her comment here.
Thank you, Kara!
I did make a post.
Was only blocked from liking ❤️
Thanks. So true. Wild for-rest rivers of nature clean and boost your body, mente and spirit in no time.
Thank you so much for posting!!!!
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread,” wrote John Muir to begin the passage at the end of your brilliant essay today, Karafree! Judy Collins sang “Bread and Roses” on her album of the same name. An often overlooked part of her musical Vita. Oddly, James Oppenheim wrote the poem used for Judy’s song in 1912 for women and children in Amherst, Massachusetts, striking for better wages and working conditions. Muir and Oppenheim speaking the same truth in the same year. Friends? Thanks for kickstarting my brain with your essay.
Thanks for introducing me to Bread and Roses, and James Oppenheim. Judy Collins was one of my favorites growing up.. Both Sides Now!
I will be interested to see what you write in relation to all these connections...Having done some research on the Early Feminist movement.
Bread and Roses
by James Oppenheim
As we come marching, marching in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray,
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing: “Bread and roses! Bread and roses!”
As we come marching, marching, we battle too for men,
For they are women’s children, and we mother them again.
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes;
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses!
As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient call for bread.
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew.
Yes, it is bread we fight for — but we fight for roses, too!
As we come marching, marching, we bring the greater days.
The rising of the women means the rising of the race.
No more the drudge and idler — ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life’s glories: Bread and roses! Bread and roses!
-1911
This poem, written by James Oppenheim to celebrate the movement for women’s rights and published in American Magazine in 1911, is closely associated with the Lawrence textile mill strike of 1912. During the strike, which was in protest of a reduction in pay, the women mill workers carried signs that quoted the poem, reading “We want bread, and roses, too”. The photo above was taken during the strike.
Bread and Roses was set to music by Mimi Fariña in the 1970s, and has become an anthem for labor rights, and especially the rights of working women, in the United States and elsewhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKEr5U8ERgc
I first saw it last night and my first (quick and probably intuition) was that it was not accurate in detail and probably misrepresented you. But I looked closer this morning and thought not bad. Colors, shading, textures but still wondered if it nailed you and if so how? Perhaps we recognize the errors of human perception and translation in real (human painting)?
I trying to hone my perception in this AI world. Tune my bullshit detector so to say.
I only used the words, "sitting by window with blanket, autumn, mountain scene with pines and aspen". The yellow trees would represent the aspens but do not really look like aspens at all. So surprisingly accurate, I had never used this before and wasn't even sure how to describe what I wanted, it didn't take many words to get an image that for the most part matched my own vision. (scary?) What can we believe about what we are shown these days. The Whole Kate Middleton "conspiracy" and then what looks to me as a DEEP FAKE video of here saying she has cancer.
It is scary. I keep looking for signs AI may be drawing from more than its compartmentalized learning. That it is accessing our own personal data well. We just have to be aware.
My wife spends way too much time on that Royal stuff. I keep asking why. It’s all theater and she should get out in the sun more. She laughs and says yes but it’s like watching a slow motion train wreck. I guess that’s the point. Keep you focused on royalty who are just like us (sarc) and suck up emotional energy and time.
I don't spend a minute on that royalty crap. Partly because the whole concept of Royal individuals is disgusting to me. BUT I admit, this disappearance thing caught my attention.
Yes, it's like it KNEW the vision in my mind! It even had the lighting right. the soft light of the sun lit window. I didn't tell it I had long hair either or that I was female.
Your last sentence is truly scary. Thanks for your time this beautiful sunny day. Think I’ll take a walk into the forest now.
I am back in CO now, an about to go to Castlewood Canyon state park for a hike in the canyon along the river... A walk in the woods sounds perfect! enjoy
Incredible piece. The photos are great and so were your words!
Thank you!!! I hope they portrayed my love for the wild, and my concern for our Natural world!
Just curious. What did you think about the Bing portrait? Accurate? Details? Did it speak as a hand draw/painted one would?
So funny you asked this, I woke up thinking about this today. I like to tell my stories with my OWN art and photos, so I was hesitant at first to consider it. I did not describe myself only that I was sitting cozy at a window overlooking an Autumn mt scene. Everything was accurate, including that I have long light hair and was wearing a bulky sweater (even tho I didn't include that in my description). The AI was very accurate. BUT, it is nothing compared to my own photographs which are crisp and clear, and detailed. The AI photo looks like airbrushed painting, fuzzy.
What I thought about this morning is that I hope AI does not replace REAL TALENT and art coming from the dedication of those who wish to create it.
Fresh thread of a comment. Love the pictures.
I'm glad that you shared all of the pretty mountain stuff because I'm a flat lander so I don't even like walking up stairs. I get to view the beauty vicariously without needing an oxygen tank. I was short of breath at Yellowstone and that's just 3,000 ft.
I can relate to the relaxation out in the Wild, and then the shoulders tensing when coming back to a campground full of Winnebagos. Funny that is an alternate name for a Native American tribe turned into a suburb on wheels.
good to hear you liked the photos, glad I can share these things. In doing some research about how Nature helps people with "STRESS"" lol, they have found that even looking at photos can lower blood pressure and help with depression. I was going to leave links but then didn't want to be too technical in the post.
I try only to camp remote, or in tent only places.. I know what you mean.
And probably the Native Americans felt just like you. I am convinced that perhaps some people have more affinity with nature than others.
Maybe man kind was “inserted" in nature (I think this sometimes). We have adapted nature to us and not adapted to nature and this is why we have so many detachment issues as well with mother nature. So a part of us must not be exactly from here perhaps. I keep thinking we were hybridized with hominids species already here and our other dna is from somewhere else.
BTW each of the beautiful photos deserves a paragraph commentary. What a majestic nature shots!!!!
“The snow is pink because of an algae growth, an obvious sign that the water nearby is not safe to drink without a filter”
I did not know this. I do not know a lot of things about the mountains.
Native Americans did their share of destructive things, while at the same time, seemed much more knowledgeable of the connectedness between all life.
I wonder a lot these days if we are Avatars, 'inserted' as you say into this reality. Since we can't be sure anymore of our true history even as early humans, its not clear if there really was a time when we fit in much better with the Nature of this world.
Thank you about the photos. yes I could have concentrated on each photo and a short commentary... good idea, I have many more photos.
This type of algae is called Chlamydomonas nivalas, they call it watermelon snow.
ohhh, I did not know about the Native Americans contribution to destructing nature? Wow I was always under the impression they were the most attuned people with nature. Yes they did have that “primitive” connection with understanding life, animals and nature linked together. I come from a homeland that has been raped over the millennia from everything and in the most recent 300 years, was subjected to massive deforestation….not to build anything but to use trees for firewood. They were shipped then in the main land.
What a disaster.
this is one book that gives some interesting insight
https://www.amazon.com/Ecological-Indian-Myth-History/dp/0393321002
yes it seems wherever there are humans...there is environmental destruction
then I found this article which seems to point to a different understanding
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/12/05/did-early-native-americans-live-in-harmony-with-nature/2981bdb7-3466-42a7-9e16-30cc75c06761/
I always take historical accounts written by someone other than the actual subject with skepticism. Like the Jesuits writing about the bloody rituals of the Maya, Inca, and Aztecs. Were they really maniacal cults or was that all fabrication by the Jesuits? I can't read those ancient languages and after decades on this sick rock I don't trust a single thing that a Jesuit has produced.
That being said I read that the native americans would start a prairie fire just for the helluvit. Boredom? Entertainment? Free BBQ?
It would stampede animals. It would help restart prairie grass. It would help some pines germinate when the cones/seeds would only work after a fire.
There's two sides of the same action all rolled into:
I'll take destruction/construction for $500, Alex.
They warred with each other. They were Jen Oh Sided by Whitey.
There has been a snake in Paradise for a long time.
I've read all the same things. stampede buffalo right off the cliffs. fires to keep certain trees from growing. the links I give talk about these things.
Yes there has been an evil entity all along
Whatever came in and decided we had to eat each other to stay alive, is the start of it.
Your photography is incredible, the video lovely
I have never been out west. ...and when I say that, it is from here at home in Northern Virginia
I have tramped all over Europe though.
Thank you for sharing
Thank you! I've done just a little travel to Europe, but most of North America. Virginia at MT Rogers.. Beautiful area!!