Environment

When All Hope Seems Lost — Thoughts on the Election. We are the Resistance.

/ jrmilson / Leave a comment

Happy November!

A week ago I was dog and pet sitting for one of my sons while he and my daughter-in-law vacationed in Cancun, and leaves began to first display Autumn colors here.

Then, on Monday and Tuesday of this week, 8 inches of rain soaked our area, caused widespread flooding along with many school closures, and blew newly colored leaves off trees already.

On Tuesday, folks headed to the polls in the Presidential election across the U.S., and officials declared Donald Trump the winner in a decisive victory.

And on Wednesday morning, following the overnight announcement of the election results, the world as we knew it ended. Or so it seemed anyway, as many around me fell into a sinking feeling of hopelessness, depression, and despair. Feeling drowned and done in by both the rain and the election.

Well, let’s talk about that. Because talking about problems and bringing them out into the light of day can help us to not only work thru what is bothering us but also to figure out what we can do about it all going forward.

Continue reading →

Happy Birthday to Smokey the Bear!

/ jrmilson / 2 Comments

Happy Birthday to Smokey the Bear!  A robust 78 years old today, Smokey is still dutifully at it, still spreading the word about fire prevention and safety for everyone.

Smokey the Bear was born on August 9, 1944, when the U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council both agreed that a fictional bear would be the symbol going forward for their efforts to promote forest fire prevention and safety. Smokey was named after a famously brave NYFD firefighter named  Joe Martin, nicknamed “Smokey”. The artist Albert Staehle, a popular cover artist for the ‘Saturday Evening Post’ magazine at the time, was commissioned to paint the very first poster of Smokey Bear.

Smokey the Bear’s image may have changed and been modernized a bit over the ensuing years, but his familiar phrase — “Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires!” has remained unchanged and become even more meaningful in today’s warming world. The phrase was adopted as his official message a few years after Smokey began, in 1947, the year his slogan first appeared.

 

Smokey the Bear has been spreading the word about forest fire prevention and safety ever since. More recently, and sadly due to climate change, Smokey’s message has expanded to include the Prevention of Wildfires.

Smokey the Bear became more popular when, in the spring of 1950 in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico, a young bear cub was trapped as the forest burned around him. Taking refuge in a tree, the young bear was able to survive the blaze, although badly burned. Rescued by firefighters who were so moved by the cub’s survival, he was named “Smokey”.  News about the real Smokey soon spread nationwide. Later, the real-life Smokey was moved and given a new, permanent home in the National Zoo located in Washington, D. C. During his life, this bear survivor played an important role in helping to spread Smokey the Bear’s fire prevention and conservation messages. After his death in 1976, he was returned to Capitan, New Mexico, and buried in the State Historical Park.

Smokey the Bear’s forest and wildfire prevention messages remain vitally relevant and important today. According to the Earth Eclipse site —

“90% of all wildfires are caused by humans. Human acts of carelessness such as leaving campfires unattended and negligent discarding of cigarette butts result in wildfire disasters every year. Accidents, deliberate acts of arson, burning of debris, and fireworks are as well other substantial causes of wildfires.”

To help children and families to learn more about Smokey the Bear and his fire safety and awareness messages, Little Red Bear has created a separate page of Smokey the Bear Coloring Images for everyone!  We invite you to download and print as many copies as you like for hours of family coloring fun, all Free because that’s how we roll here.

Thanks always for visiting and spending part of your day with us! We hope you visit often to check out all of the free posts, features, puzzles, games, coloring pages, and other activities for the family!

My story character friend Little Red Bear and I both encourage you to visit and enjoy the great outdoors, spending healthy quality time with Mother Nature. When visiting outdoors, as Smokey the Bear would say today — Please Remember – Only YOU Can Prevent Forest and Wildfires!

So, wishing a very Happy Birthday and many more to Little Red Bear’s cousin Smokey the Bear! — Jim  (and Red!)

P.S. – with children heading off to school soon, we invite you to visit Little Red Bear’s “Back-To-School” Coloring Pages for even more hours of family coloring fun!

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “I Will Greet This Day With Love In My Heart”  and  “Judge Softly” or “Walk a Mile in His Moccasins”

(New Visitors — Welcome! To find out what we are all about, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim & Little Red Bear” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post! Because really, why in the world wouldn’t you?)

          “Only YOU Can Prevent Forest and Wildfires!” — Smokey the Bear  

“The world, we are told, was made especially for man — a presumption not supported by all the facts.” – John Muir

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!
“The lack of power to take joy in outdoor nature is as real a misfortune as the lack of power to take joy in books.” – Theodore Roosevelt

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating.

If you enjoy your visits and time with us, I invite you to Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a Non-Monetized site free of distracting advertisements,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of Happiness, Inspiration, Kindness, Environmental Awareness, and Conservation with everyone.

We invite you to Join Us In Making A Positive Difference In The World!

“I don’t know how to save the world. I don’t have the answers or The Answer. I hold no secret knowledge as to how to fix the mistakes of generations past and present. I only know that without compassion and respect for all of Earth’s inhabitants, none of us will survive – nor will we deserve to.” – Leonard Peltier
Thank You for visiting with us!
Please feel free to share with family and friends. Likes, Shares, & Comments are truly appreciated and help greatly to expand our reach and encourage new readers and visitors!
Because together, we can do so much! 

 

 

A Post-surgery Return Piece About Nothing In Particular (But I’d Appreciate If You’d Visit Anyway)

/ jrmilson / 12 Comments

Lacking an impactful and attention-grabbing opening sentence or two today, I am admittedly in a bit of a quandary as to how to begin this particular piece.

After coming off the Writer’s LTIR (Long Term Injured Reserve) list, maybe I should have spent a bit longer stint in the Junior Writer’s Training League before rushing back to active duty following surgery.  Undecided as I am then, how about we change pace and begin with a question of sorts . . . .

Is it appropriate for me to begin this by saying “Welcome Back!” to readers, since everyone has really been here all along I would imagine, and I am in fact the one who left for a while to have yet another surgery, this time a rotator cuff repair on my right shoulder? Or, rather, should I perhaps begin by saying “I’m Baaaack!”, instead?

In the end, the more I think about it, the latter might be the more appropriate opening to employ since it was, in fact, me who went away for a spell. So let’s do that, shall we? Thank you for your patience while I cleared away the writing cobwebs and worked thru a momentary bit of senior befuddlement. Here goes then, as we truly begin . . . .

I’m Baaaack!

Returned from recent surgery no worse and measurably better for the experience, my story friend Little Red Bear and I are raring to get back to it! The feeling has largely returned to my hands following the dual carpal tunnel surgeries in June with both hands and fingers still improving each month. And despite six more weeks of therapy to rehab my right shoulder and arm that lay ahead,  I decided that they are both functioning well enough right now to be put back to work.

Little Red Bear and I simply cannot wait any longer to get back into the writing process once again, so let’s get to it then, shall we?

Thank you to everyone for your good wishes, patience, and kindness during the quiet period here over the past few months! We have actually added several new followers during that time, and that’s pretty cool.

Getting to it then, the following are some unassociated topics concerning the recent surgery, the coming Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the ongoing pandemic, and more . . . .

As tends to happen every year around this time, the Holiday Season is upon us! “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Time to grab the jingle bells and mistletoe!

Trudging thru our third COVID Winter, it looks like this will be the second year in a row where holiday plans are limited or altered due to the pandemic. As I write this, Broadway Shows are shutting down, NHL hockey games are being canceled, ICUs are overflowing, and more. Nevertheless, it is still a time when we can celebrate and find joy in the true spirit of the season despite how altered previous plans and traditions may be.

In that regard, I invite you to visit the many Christmas Holiday Features available here on my writing pages.

Please feel free to enjoy and share with family and friends, because sharing and spreading good cheer is what the Christmas spirit is all about. Here are just a few to get you started (hint — Little Red Bear’s “Happy Christmas” Left/Right Gift Exchange Game is always the most popular each year) . . . . .

And not to forget — Little Red Bear’s “Christmas & Holiday Season” Coloring Pages for all ages. Again, please feel free to download the images and share!

If you know someone or perhaps have a family member (or for yourself) on your gift list who, like me, has difficulty putting on their own socks in the morning due to stiffness or other issues, I can highly recommend the Sock Aid from my own personal experience the past several weeks.

I looked at these a couple years ago following another spinal fusion surgery but dismissed them as gimmicky. They are not, and are rather worth every penny and more. A real game-changer for someone with limited flexibility.

Tired of working to put socks on with a reacher and knowing that I would be doing everything solely with my left (non-dominant) hand for possibly several weeks after the rotator cuff surgery, I decided to finally try the Sock Aid.

Being unable to pull a sock on over the device with only one hand though, I actually ended up ordering two of these. A friend would pull the socks onto each Sock Aid the night before, and then I would slip each on the following morning, able to do the pulling with only one hand.

The Sock Aids are easy to use and work perfectly. You can possibly find the Sock Aid available at local retail outlets, or on Amazon complete with a demonstration video of how they work. I am not affiliated with this product at all, merely passing the information and personal recommendation along for anyone who may benefit from it. This simple device made a positive difference in my life.

Dealing with the supply chain shortages at present, just a friendly “nudge and wink” reminder that if the hi-tech stuff is unavailable for holiday giving this year, please remember that old-fashioned books make excellent gifts. And most are available for Kindle and other e-reader devices, too.

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!”, a collection of six short stories introducing Little Red Bear and many of his friends, is available in both print and for Kindle.

“Pine Holler Christmas”, a standalone Christmas-themed short story, is available for e-readers only at this time. Both books are available Free with Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.  A week ago, we received a heartwarming note from one of our followers concerning the “Pine Holler Christmas” story . . . .

“I’m re-reading ‘Pine Holler Christmas’ as I do every year, it really gets me in the festive mood.” 

Suitable for all ages, even for non-readers as “read-to-me” stories, I invite you to check the books out. You can check out Little Red Bear Book Reviews & Comments here to find out what others have had to say about the books.

When the pandemic began and we were all sheltered in place, I lowered the price of both books to Amazon’s minimum, eliminating any royalties so that folks would hopefully be able to afford and enjoy them while confined in their homes with family during the shutdown. The books still remain at ‘pandemic pricing’ until the end of the year!

Although not sharing new material live recently, my story friend Little Red Bear and I have been hard at work in the background preparing several new feature pages about Conservation, the Environment, and Our Children’s Future in a warming world.

Things today are clearly not the same as when I was growing up in the ’50s and ’60s. The seasons have changed with summer seemingly becoming longer each year, storms are more severe, and other impacts of climate change are being felt all over the world. Folks may still debate the cause (although I have no idea why) but the effects are all-too-real. and need to be addressed. The time to seriously confront the issue has already passed, and now we are forced to make hard choices and play catch up.

Mother Nature is a frequent mention and topic in the Little Red Bear stories, so we will be adding a good deal of material here on the writing pages after the first of the year which will be suitable for all age groups. I encourage everyone to share the pages, information, and activities with young people because they will be the ultimate ones to have to continue dealing with the issues of climate change in their lives. The Animal Alphabet Pages will continue to grow thru the year now that we are back and active again, as well.

So, just a heads-up to please watch for the new Environmental Feature Pages and posts coming in the new year!

At this point, it is understandable that so many people are worn out by the topic and feeling “so over with” the pandemic. They’re tired of wearing masks, travel hassles, standing in line for vaccine injections and tests, hearing about it every night on the news, dealing with bothersome restaurant and store restrictions, and on and on.

Believe me, I get it. But dismissing COVID because it is an inconvenience to the life we enjoyed before does not change the fact that we are still being affected by it and forced to deal with both it and the consequences.

Until the whole world is suitably vaccinated, I do not foresee this ending any time soon as new variants continue to emerge and spread. I hope I’m wrong, but am proceeding with caution accordingly.

This pandemic has been tragically life-altering and deadly for so many thousands so far, individuals and families, with over 804,000 deaths in the U.S. at this time, while adding over 17,000 new cases each day at the time of this writing as the new Omicron variant doubles every three days with the holiday season continuing and we near Christmas.

With two competing variants, Delta and the new Omicron, raging right now and hospitals’ staffs exhausted and progressively depleted, now is not the time to throw caution to the wind simply because we are tired of dealing with it all. Sometimes, as grownups, we have to make uncomfortable and hard choices. When confronted by any problem or crisis, it is best to view it realistically for what it is and deal with it. Wishing, hoping, and complaining about it will not make this pandemic go away. If things continue unabated as they are and with the grim possibility of reaching One Million deaths at some point in the U.S. alone, in my book that counts as a Crisis we can not turn our backs on in the hope it magically disappears.

I pray every day for the safety, health, and protection of my family, friends, and loved ones. And for everyone, everywhere. I hope that everyone who is able to benefit from the vaccines and boosters is able to do so. And quickly. I encourage everyone to take the necessary precautions and steps to stay safe and protect not only themselves but also their families and loved ones in the holiday season and coming months.

Taking advantage of the vaccines and boosters (which were not yet available at this time last year), wearing a mask, social distancing, and simply being smart about things are still the best ways to protect both yourself and others. It’s a bummer, but that’s the way it is right now. And we all need to do it. For ourselves and for each other.

The holiday season is always a bit stressful for many, and these COVID times are especially so. A simple kind word or gesture costs nothing and can go a very long way towards easing the stress and burdens for someone else. It may even change their day or entire life around!  I invite you to join our “Smile & Compliment” club and to share a ray of light in another’s life. The neat thing is, you will feel better about yourself, too.

As always, Thank You for taking time out of your busy day to visit with us. If you made it all the way to the end here, please Like and Comment and I will ask Santa to leave an extra Sugar Plum or two in your dreams on Christmas Eve! And if new to the site and visiting with us for the first time, please register to join our growing community and be notified of every new post and feature, as there is much more to come soon.

It’s good to be back with you!  Very best wishes for a safe, healthy, and happy Holiday Season! I am off now in search of a Snickerdoodle. ‘Til next time. – Jim  (and Red!)

(p.s. — Likes, Shares, & Comments are truly appreciated and help immensely in expanding our reach and encouraging new readers to visit! Because together we can do so much!)

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “I Will Greet This Day With Love In My Heart”  and  Wishing You Deep Peace, Love, Happiness, and Joy –  And A Very Good Day! 

(New Visitors — Welcome! To find out what we are all about here, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim & Little Red Bear” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post!)

“Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.” – Mary Ellen Chase

             “Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.”         – Peg Bracken

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!

    “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” — Charles Dickens

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us, Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a non-monetized, ad-free site,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone. We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!

                   “The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.” – Burton Hillis

Thank You for visiting with us! Please feel free to share with family and friends. Likes, Shares, & Comments are truly appreciated and help immensely in expanding our reach and encouraging new readers to visit! Because together, we can do so much! 

 

Happy Autumn, Pumpkin Spice, and Everything Nice about Fall!

/ jrmilson / 14 Comments

Happy Autumn, Pumpkin Spice, and Everything Nice about Fall!

Living on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri, September can oftentimes feel more like Summer than Autumn, despite what any calendar says.  We do, however, usually receive a tempting tease or two of cooler Autumn temperatures during the month, and such was the case last week when daytime highs dipped into the mid-70s with nighttime lows in the mid-50s. (Temperatures given in the Fahrenheit temperature scale, of course, because living in the U.S. that is what we do it seems, the rest of the world and the scientific community with all their Celsius stuff be hanged.)

The air was cool and brisk. Morning walks were delightful. During evening walks, the faint scent of heavenly woodsmoke from a neighbor’s backyard firepit drifted thru the air. As anyone who has followed my pages here for a while is well aware, Autumn is far and away my favorite season of the year.

And now, as we are about to turn the calendar page to October, there is only one thing left to say —

Happy Fall, Y’all!!

Happy October!  Happy Autumn!  October is the perennial gateway to my very favorite time of the year — Autumn and the Holiday Season!

Here in our neck of the woods, besides getting back into Boots and Blue Jeans these are a few of our favorite things — Sweaters, Changing Fall Leaves, Crisp Mornings, Chilly Evenings with Woodsmoke in the air, Listening to the honking of Migrating Geese overhead, Raking Leaves followed by Hot Chocolate, Apple Butter, Cider, Pies, Warm Muffins with Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice!

With Summer my least favorite time of the year due to various health issues it presents for me personally, I always view the advent of Autumn and its promise of the coming holiday season as my personal reward for having survived yet another summer’s onslaught of midwest heat and humidity.  Having survived once again now it’s time to run outside, do my “Falling Happy Leaves Dance” on the front lawn, and PARTY!

I don’t feel alone in this view, because I believe even the most casual observer would agree that Mother Nature must certainly agree with me as she decorates all the trees and hills in a riot of colors each fall. Mother Nature is partying right along with me!

To help little ones and others to get into the spirit of the Autumn season, we have added a new collection of coloring images to the site — Little Red Bear’s “Happy Autumn Season” Coloring Pages!  Gather the little ones around and feel free to download, color, and share as many as you like.  Free of charge, of course. Little Red Bear is adamant about that. As he has stated so many times —

“It’s just not right to charge people for having fun, learning something, and having a good time. Gettin’ it free is most of the fun, anyhow!”

We hope you enjoy this new section, along with our collection of other fun and educational features here on the site.

So, what do you look most forward to in the coming Autumn period? Please do not be shy. Little Red Bear loves to hear what folks have to say, so please feel free to share your thoughts in the Comments section.

While not having posted regularly here for a spell attending to some personal health issues (not COVID related) the past few months, my story character Little Red Bear and I have nonetheless kept very busy preparing several new blog features and items you will be seeing very soon. Some new features we have recently added for the little ones include —

Here is a sample of just a few of the things we are working on for you to enjoy here in the coming weeks ahead . . . .

  • 101 Things To Do In The Fall
  • Time To Clean Out Bird Nest Boxes In October
  • Autumn Activities & Nature Scavenger Hunt
  • Happy Halloween Spooktacularly Good Recipes Special III
  • How To Preserve Autumn Leaves and Clean Pinecones for Holiday Displays
  • The Impact of Climate Change on Bird Migrations
  • Creating An Autumn Nature Leaf and Other Family Art Projects
  • Squirrel Proofing Your Bird Feeders
  • All About “Pie Birds” and Holiday Pie Recipes
  • And  Many More!

As the topics of Global Warming and Climate Change seem to dominate the news ever more each month as one disaster follows another, watch for more Nature, Conservation, and Environmentally-themed posts coming soon, as well.  As evidenced by the wildfires ravaging not only the west but also the world, the fuse is literally burning down on these issues.

I invite you to check out my original short story “Haystack Harry” during the Autumn season. Please feel free to share it with family and friends, because that is simply how we roll here.

Also, Little Red Bear has agreed to once again make himself available to respond to readers’ questions and comments in his “Ask Little Red Bear” segment, a very popular feature in the past. If you or a youngster have a question about something dealing with Nature or the Environment, please just drop him a note here.

Little Red Bear and I aren’t so big on relationship questions, but if you find yourself up a creek with no one else to turn to with something of that sort,  please feel free to go ahead and send those tricky questions in too, and we will do our best to try and help you out.

Little Red Bear promises to provide honest and factual information in response to all questions, and lacking the same will do his very best to make up something fun and interesting for you. Bearing in mind, of course, that we are both unabashed storytellers, after all.

I invite and encourage you to also visit with some of my wonderful writer friends to check out their pages and views on the coming Autumn season!

Cat Michaels — “What’s Not to Love? – Six Things to Make You Fall for Fall”

Rebecca Lyndsey  — “Fall Favorites”

Julie Schooler — “3 Harmful Habits to Cast Aside in the New Season”

Julie Gorges — “A Fall Self-Care Bucket List to Make the Most Out of Autumn” 

Sandra Bennett  — “Spring Into The Season”

Rosie Russell — “Jumping Into Fall With Big News At Books By Rose”

Auden Johnson — “What’s On Your Fall Bucket List?”

Thank you always for stopping in to visit with us!  Little Red Bear and I are pleased as blackberry punch to share the upcoming Autumn and Holiday Season with you!

So until the next time, we wish you and yours a delightful fall season filled with pumpkin spice and everything nice.

Best Wishes for a Beautiful, Healthy, and Happy Autumn Season! — Jim  (and Red!)

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “I Will Greet This Day With Love In My Heart”  and  Wishing You Deep Peace, Love, Happiness, and Joy –  And A Very Good Day! 

(New Visitors — Welcome! To find out what we are all about here, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim & Little Red Bear” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post!)

“For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad.” – Edwin Way Teale 

“Autumn leaves don’t fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar.”  – Delia Owens, “Where the Crawdads Sing”

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!

    “And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” – Oscar Wilde 

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us, Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a non-monetized, ad-free site,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone. We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!

                      “It’s the first day of autumn! A time of hot chocolatey mornings, and toasty marshmallow evenings, and, best of all, leaping into leaves!” — Winnie the Pooh

 

What I Believe and Where I Stand

/ jrmilson / 5 Comments

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Autumn and Family-themed programming for a special public service announcement . . . . 

This site and my writing normally focus on positive and happy things. My “Little Red Bear” books are light reading for enjoyment, with lessons for children and all ages where Little Red Bear and his friends happily live side-by-side with humans, interacting and cooperating as equals. But sometimes, circumstances demand something different. This is one of those times where I am writing for the adults.

The Presidential Election in this country is rapidly approaching. For each of us, for our families, for future generations, for the environment, and for the world at large — what is at stake and the importance of this election cannot be overstated. And the whole world is watching to see what we do, hoping the United States can regain its sanity.

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor                               popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.”                            — Martin Luther King, Jr.

I generally steer clear and do not get into politics, and will not waste my time or energy engaging anyone in a debate. But at such an extraordinary time as this to remain silent may be construed to imply consent, and that would not be accurate.  The “official” election day is approaching very soon. Many are already voting around the country in record numbers.  As is customary here, I have avoided getting into the election year melee, not to add to the noise level.

But, at a juncture so critical to the future of this country and the world, in case there is any doubt about where I stand on the issues confronting us individually and collectively at this time, for the record —

  • I believe in Science, and that Climate Change and Global Warming are real, and that our actions and decisions and lack thereof are the greatest and determining drivers in climate change. And I do not think the dedicated scientists working to save the environment and to save us from a rampaging pandemic are “idiots.”
  • I believe that the lives of future generations and the natural world depend on our actions right now because we are rapidly approaching a tipping point in the climate from which there will be no return.
  • I believe that denying climate change and indisputable science is to condemn countless species to extinction and to leave future generations to live in an unrecognizable world. I believe that what we do in the next twenty years will determine the future for all life on Earth.
  • I believe that wearing a mask to protect others and to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus, COVID-19, in no way constitutes an infringement on my freedom or individual rights, any more so than obeying speed limits, wearing seatbelts, stopping at stoplights, not driving on sidewalks, not running around naked, or having to refrain from urinating in public. Some things are simply common sense, folks.
  • I believe that purposefully misleading the public about a deadly health crisis and world pandemic, the public that one is sworn to protect, for purposes of personal and political gain is criminally negligent. Over 222,000 deaths and charges against so far, and counting. Over 222,000 lives lost. Over 222,000 families whose lives are changed forever.  Over 222,000 whose loved ones were not allowed to be at bedside to say goodbye. Over 100,000 small businesses closed and gone forever. It was not “a Democratic hoax” and it did not “miraculously disappear.” It was a clear dereliction of duty and shameful failure to fulfill the sworn duties of the office of President.
  • I believe that leaders should lead by and set a positive example not only for children but also for everyone, as they set the course and tone of our country.
  • I believe that to encourage and empower hate groups is detestable, and to directly share in the blame and consequences of whatever actions result.
  • I believe there needs to much more kindness, compassion, and forgiveness in the world, with much less judgment, prejudice,  and exclusion.
  • I believe in inclusion and acceptance, and that diversity makes us stronger. I believe in Unity over Division.
  • I believe that “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”, and denounce those who seek to divide us for personal or political gain, for in doing so they weaken the fabric of the nation and imperil us all.
  • I believe in the importance of family, regardless of how it may be configured. Love is Love and the world needs more of it.
  • I believe that everyone, without exception, is “created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Everyone.
  • I believe in the Constitution, Three Branches of Government, and the Seperation of Powers as established by the Founding Fathers of this country. No one branch is or should be above the others.
  • I believe it is way past time to do away with the antiquated Electoral College which disenfranchises all but battleground state voters, and am tired of witnessing presidential candidates win elections for the highest office who are incapable of winning the overall popular vote.
  • I believe that respect is earned, not bestowed by title.
  • I believe that anyone in public office who puts their own interest above the general good and betrays the public trust has forfeited their right to hold office. At any level of government.
  • I believe that true leaders lead from the front, accept responsibility and not seek to blame others, carry water for their people, and eat last.
  • I believe in honoring those who have gone before, sacrificed, and continue to place themselves in harm’s way today while serving to protect and insure the safety of others and our country. They are heroes, not “suckers.”
  • I believe in civility, fundamental decency, truth, honesty, character, and integrity.
  • I believe in respecting the rights of others, including immigrants seeking a better life and opportunity. Just like it says on the Statue of Liberty.
  • I believe that separating immigrant families is unjustified, indefensible, and reprehensible. As of this date, after three years the parents of 545 migrant children still cannot be located to reunite families, with many parents having been deported without their children. To help visualize, 545 children is about eight (8!) school bus loads!  What kind of person does this, and what does this say about our country and us?  Tap here for more information.
  • I believe in the “American Spirit” and our ability to handle the hard truths, come together to make the difficult choices, to do the right thing, overcome any challenge, and to Build Back Better.
  • I believe in working together to make positive changes to make the world a better place — for Everyone and Everthing Everywhere.
  • I believe everyone and everything is connected, and that it is time for the United States of America to become United once again, to resume our role as leader and shining example of the Free World, and not turn a blind eye to oppression, injustice, or suffering, nor to abandon allies.
  • I believe the world is full of goodhearted people who all share the same basic common desires for happiness, good health, an opportunity to prosper and do well for their families, avoid suffering, and for Peace.
  • I believe that basically, from the aspect of shared human values, we are all the same the world over, regardless of boundaries, history, continents, culture, or beliefs.
  • I believe we are all one and that whatever happens to or for one of us anywhere affects us all.
  • I believe in Hope.
  • I believe in placing the needs of Country over Party.
  • I believe it is time for us all to take personal responsibility for what is going on in this country.
  • I believe it is past time to set provincialism aside and become citizens of the World.
  • I believe it is time to Live and Be the Change we wish to see in the World.

Do you notice any country and “leader” notably missing from the “Leaders’ Pledge for Nature” list in this video? How have we gone so quickly from being a world leader for positive change to being totally Missing In Action on the global scene?

 

If not obvious from the above, I believe in and have already voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the coming election. I strongly urge others to consider doing likewise for the safety and sake of us all. And for the survival of nature and the planet to which we are all so intimately connected and dependent upon. It is a question about our very survival. Nature does not need humans. Humans need Nature in order to survive.

I urge you to visit my new page “Nature Speaks About Environmental Conservation, Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Mother Earth” to learn more!

Voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is less about policy, politics, or ideology.  It is first and foremost about Leadership and my belief that they are best suitable and able to make and bring about a significant and immediate change of direction in the country for the future betterment of both our nation and the world.

 

I believe that as a nation we have suffered thru a despicable and almost inconceivable failure of leadership the past four years on both the Presidential and Congressional levels. We deserve and must demand better, and then hold those who we put in office accountable in the future.

You may disagree and that is perfectly fine as it is your right to do so. We have freedom of choice and it is a free country. For the time being.

I have never formally aligned myself directly with any political party, but tended to lean more Republican than Democrat in the past, until 2008. The Republican party of “Compassionate Conservatism” is long gone, and I no longer recognize the party I once knew, nor will I allow myself to be a part of the divisiveness, selfishness, abuse of power, and hate-mongering that is going on now. George H. W. Bush’s hopeful “Thousand Points of Light” have been replaced by this president’s thousand glittering rifle barrels of the Proud Boys, KKK, and other emboldened hate groups.

Republican “leaders” at every level who have marched in lockstep and empowered this President are as complicit and as much to blame for the current situation and lack of leadership as he is, and must be held accountable to the people they represent.

“In long intervals, I have expressed an opinion on public issues whenever they appeared to         me so bad and unfortunate that silence would have made me feel guilty of complicity.”         — Albert Einstein

I encourage everyone to exercise their right to VOTE no matter how cumbersome the process, how deceiving the disinformation, or difficult the circumstance.

Voting is not only our guaranteed constitutional right, it is also an obligation and our duty in a free society. Too many have sacrificed too much over the years to protect that right. And those who sacrificed and gave all were not” losers.”

The choice could not be more clear and I truly believe the outcome of this Presidential Election will determine the future course of our country, the environment, and the world, for better or worse, and that the results will be far-reaching and echo thru time.

We must set aside personal ideologies and political party affiliations. We must come together now to do what is necessary in order to change the world to come in a positive way, securing the environment and future for generations to follow.

This Presidential Election must be an overwhelming repudiation of what we have witnessed and lived thru the last four years. We must speak with one unified and very loud voice for everyone in the world to hear — We Are Better Than This!

Future generations will look back on the past four years and on this administration and pandemic and wonder what in the world the people back then were thinking.

We will be judged by either our courage and determination to confront the issues and make the necessary changes now, or by our unfathomable failure to do so, mindlessly following along like lemmings over the cliff.  Our generation will be held responsible for the consequences of this election, one way or the other.

We were preceeded by “The Greatest Generation.”  How will our generation choose to be remembered?

I urge everyone to “Vote As If Your Life And The Future Depended On It.” Because this time and most clearly — they do. And there are over 222,000 reasons why. Tragically, there will be even more tomorrow.

All elections are important. But some seem to be more impactful and consequential than others. I firmly believe this to be the most consequential election in my lifetime. And being seventy years old, I have seen more than a few.

Please make no mistake — this Presidential Election is about the very soul of our nation. It is about Who We Are as Americans — you, me, the guy next door, and every one of us. It is about what we believe our country should be and stand for. It is a stark choice between the darkness of bigotry, oppression, and hatred; or the light of hope, kindness, and compassion. You know where I stand now.

Writing this today — I Still Believe In A Bright Future.

But We Must Resolve To Make The Right Choices Now in order to secure that future. And then work together, hand-in-hand, to bring it about.

Let your voice be heard. Please Vote to make a difference. Please vote to reaffirm a belief in science and logic. Please vote to save the planet. Please vote to save the future. Please vote to show the world that the people of America are not what has been on display the past four years. Please Vote.

I believe that we are on the brink of a great awakening in the world. Can you feel it? The groundswell is building. It is time to close the chapter on the dark times, and step into the light of a bright and enlightened new tomorrow. Will you join us?

Together . . We . . Can . .  Do . . This!

The time to ACT — to VOTE — for the FUTURE — is NOW

“Life presents you with so many decisions. A lot of times, they’re right in front of your face and they’re really difficult, but we must make them.” – Brittany Murphy

            “Whatever you decide, don’t let it be because you don’t think you have a choice.”             –  Hannah Harrington

 

Happy October — The Gateway To Autumn & The Holiday Season!

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Not being a “Summer Person” at heart and with this past summer being without a doubt the oddest in memory with the COVID-19 virus on the loose, it is finally time to utter one of my favorite phrases of all —

Happy Fall, Y’all!!

Happy October!  Happy Autumn!  October is the perennial gateway to my very favorite time of the year — Autumn and the Holiday Season!

What are your favorite things about Autumn? Do you have any special Autumn memories?

Here in our neck of the woods, besides getting back into boots and blue jeans these are a few of our favorite things — Sweaters, Changing Fall Leaves, Crisp Mornings, Chilly Evenings with Woodsmoke in the air, Listening to the honking of Migrating Geese overhead, Raking Leaves and Hot Chocolate, Apple Butter, Cider, Pies, Warm Muffins with Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice!

While not having posted regularly here for a spell attending to some health issues (not COVID related) the past few months, my story character Little Red Bear and I have nonetheless kept very busy preparing several new blog features and items you will be seeing very soon. Some things we have been working on —

We are especially proud of a new page created — “Nature Speaks About Environmental Conservation, Climate Change, and Mother Earth.” A series of short “Nature Speaks” videos covering major conservation and environmental topics, it is perfectly suitable for children, as they more than we will determine the future. We invite you to visit and share the page with others!

“The Ozarks Ostrich Crisis” was a serialized story originally shared on Facebook in 2014. The story received such a positive reception that encouragement from readers actually led me to shortly thereafter create this Writing Blog, where it has been shared as a Free Read. Serving as the Resident Manager in a seniors community shut down by the COVID-19 virus, Little Red Bear and I dusted the story off and began sharing it once again with residents on a weekly basis, with the intention to provide some light reading and mental diversion to folks confined to their apartments thru the initial virus surge. As the weeks went by the story was edited and revised, with several new characters and storylines added. By the end, the Ostrich story had more than doubled in length. The weekly story ran for 17 weeks, during and after which I was encouraged by readers to publish it as a book to be available for everyone in a single volume. So Little Red Bear and I will be back to work on the editing and review process to make sure the weekly installments flow seamlessly from beginning to end, targeting the spring of next year for the “Ozarks Ostrich Crisis” book release.

With the ongoing support of Patrons to the site, Little Red Bear and I have been working over the past couple of months to develop a “Learn The Alphabet” section for young visitors. We are calling it “Little Red Bear’s Animal Alphabet Coloring Pages.” Each letter will have its own page and feature artwork showcasing the particular letter, with two additional letter coloring images available for download, one easy for the very youngest and the other a bit more detailed and challenging. With part of this site’s focus on Wildlife, Mother Nature, Conservation, and the Environment, each letter will be nature-oriented, featuring different animals, marine life, etc. as illustrated in the summary image alongside, along with information about that particular creature. The images are being secured thru a paid Shutterstock subscription to ensure that there are no licensing, copyright, or sharing issues down the road. New letter pages will be added as funds are available to acquire more images. Would you like to help support the project or perhaps sponsor a page?  The cost of the three images for each page is $10.00.  Anyone can lend a helping hand merely by joining our Patreon Community for as little as $1.00 a month,  or choose to Sponsor a Letter Page(s) directly, in which case the sponsor’s name will be included on the page unless they wish to remain anonymous. Here is a sample of what is to come — Little Red Bear’s Animal Alphabet Coloring Pages — “A” is for “Ant”. 

Little Red Bear is hard at work gathering new recipes for Halloween treats and goodies for the next “Happy Halloween Spooktacularly Good Recipes Special III”. In the meantime, you are invited to check out our previous Halloween Recipe Specials — #1 and #2. Some frightfully delicious treats in those!

The next collection of Little Red Bear adventure stories, “The Second Holler Over!” is more than halfway finished now with a release planned for the late spring of next year. The next book will feature a different and exciting new format.

At the same time, we are working to make Red’s first stories, “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” available in a large print format soon, and are working to make Red’s holiday story, “Pine Holler Christmas”, available in both regular and large print formats for the coming holiday season.

We are so excited about the remainder of the year! Here is a sample of just a few of the things and what is ahead for you here in the coming weeks . . . .

  • 101 Things To Do In The Fall
  • Time To Clean Out Bird Nest Boxes In October
  • Autumn Activities & Nature Scavenger Hunt
  • Happy Halloween Spooktacularly Good Recipes Special III
  • How To Preserve Autumn Leaves and Clean Pinecones for Holiday Displays
  • The Impact of Climate Change on Bird Migrations
  • Creating An Autumn Nature Leaf and Other Family Art Projects
  • And  Many More!

This month I am sharing my original “Haystack Harry” short story with various senior communities in the area. “Haystack Harry” is available on the blog as a Free Read.

I invite you to check it out for the Autumn Season and share it with your family and friends.

Little Red Bear has agreed to once again make himself available to respond to readers’ questions and comments in his “Ask Little Red Bear” segment, a very popular feature in the past. If you or a youngster have a question about something dealing with Nature or the Environment, please just drop him a note here. We aren’t so big on relationship questions, but if you don’t have anywhere else to turn please feel free to send them in and we will do our best to try and help you out. In any event, Red promises to provide honest and factual information in response to all questions, and lacking the same will do his very best to make up something fun and interesting for you.

In addition, something Little Red Bear and I are a little proud of, Red’s first collection of stories “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” was submitted to the Kirkwood Public Library for review — and Was Accepted!

The book passed all review steps, procedures, and readings, and is available now thru the Kirkwood Library and connected library system. While not on the level of Ernest Hemingway perhaps, the reviewers determined it wasn’t on the level of Joe Btfsplk either and approved the book for display on their shelves and in their catalogue. Request your local library to carry it, too!

I do not enter contests or competitions, not seeking that kind of recognition, but must admit passing muster with the library was kind of cool. Sort of like an official “Okey-Dokey!” from people whose opinions we respect and value. Maybe you should give “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” a look, too.

So, that is just a few of the many things we have been working on and have on the way while sequestered and quarantined by the COVID-19 virus the past several months.

In the seniors’ community where I reside, no one is allowed out of their apartment without a mask. Since the beginning. So totally understand “mask fatigue”.

Nevertheless, it is what we must continue to do to protect not only ourselves but also our families and loved ones.

Wearing a mask is simply the necessary and right thing to do at this moment in time, along with social distancing, diligent handwashing, and avoiding crowded places, especially as we all head back indoors with cold weather on the horizon.

Your encouragement and visits here mean a lot to Little Red Bear and me, so please — be vigilant and careful in the coming months. Experts across the board are predicting that the COVID-19 crisis will get a whole lot worse this fall and winter before it gets better.

We will do our very best to continue providing a positive-themed site of encouragement, education, information, and entertainment for you, and hope that you will join us as we enter our most favorite time of the year in the months ahead — Autumn and all the fun and joys of the Holiday Season!

Thank you always for stopping in to visit with us!  Little Red Bear and I are pleased as raspberry punch to share the upcoming Autumn and Holiday Season with you!

So until the next time, we wish you and yours a delightful fall season with pumpkin spice and everything nice.

Happy Autumn! — Jim   (and Red!)

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “I Will Greet This Day With Love In My Heart”  

(New Visitors — Welcome! To find out what we are all about here, please check out — “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim & Little Red Bear” — and sign up to follow and be notified of every new post!)

“For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad.” – Edwin Way Teale 

“Autumn leaves don’t fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar.”  – Delia Owens, “Where the Crawdads Sing”

Meet Little Red Bear & His Friends —  “Once Upon A Time In A Very Special Woods . . . .”

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages! 
About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.
Tap Here For A Free Preview!

    “And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” – Oscar Wilde 

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us, Join our new Patron Community today, because together we can do so much!

With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens,  School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.

Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a non-monetized, ad-free site,  dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone. We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!

                      “It’s the first day of autumn! A time of hot chocolatey mornings, and toasty marshmallow evenings, and, best of all, leaping into leaves!” — Winnie the Pooh