Health and Wellness

Take A Walk To A Park for Healthy Exercise & Fun!

/ jrmilson / 2 Comments

Happy National Walk To A Park Day!

When was the last time you visited one of your local neighborhood parks? National Walk to a Park Day, celebrated on October 10th each year, encourages us all to visit a local park. Swing on a swing set. Play with children. Throw a Frisbee around. Kick a ball.

Or, simply take a walk thru the park and enjoy the changing Autumn leaves, feeling the refreshing cooler air on your face after a long, hot summer.

For those living in cities who may not have a large yard, local public parks serve as a community’s backyard, and offer the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and visit with family, friends, and neighbors. A place to play, exercise (even if merely a short walk), and visit with Mother Nature for a spell.

I remember countless trips to parks as both a youngster, and then taking my own children to have a picnic, play on the playgrounds, fly kites, play tennis and handball, toss footballs, kick soccer balls around, and play catch and Indian Ball. And hours and hours of chasing Frisbees.

Yet sadly, according to statistics, about 100 million people, including 28 million kids, do not have access to a local, quality park within a 10-minute walk from home.

I encourage to take a walk to a park today. Or this coming weekend. And if too far to walk — to drive, roller skate, ride a bicycle, hitch a pony ride, or to get there somehow to enjoy time in a green space, get some fresh, and visit with nature. You will feel better for it, 99 3/4% guaranteed. Hope to see you there!

“Thank You!” for visiting with us today! We are grateful for you taking a few moments of your day to share with us here. Because you are why we do this.

And we are grateful to have local parks to visit, walk around, and enjoy the outdoors, always being thankful for the little things in life.

Please join us again next Monday, when we continue to explore Living A Life Of Gratitude, this time the Physical Benefits of living a life of thankfulness as we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday. Register today to be notified of every new post and feature in the future!

Best Wishes & Blessings! — Jim (and Red!) 🤠 🐻 🍂 🍁 🍂 🧡

In case you missed it, I invite you to check out Parts 1and 2 in my new Monday Morning series about Living A Life of Gratitude and Living A Life Of Gratitude — Mental Health Benefits leading up to the Thanksgiving Holiday. And “Happy October! Welcome Glorious Autumn!”

(Featured image credit — “Small Town Lane, Watercolor,” created via Bing Image Creator AI)

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “Mitakuye Oyasin — We Are All Related,” and “Wishing You Deep Peace, Love, Happiness, and Joy; And A Very Good Day!” 

We welcome recent visitors! Please check out “Welcome To My Writing Pages!” and “About the Blog, Jim, & Little Red Bear” to find out what we are all about. Sign up today to follow and receive notifications for every new post and feature!

In a world where we can be anything, please choose to be kind!

When not out fishing or gathering honey, Little Red Bear and Cinnamon Charlie love to color in their spare time!

If you have little ones around or simply enjoy coloring yourself for relaxation and fun, be sure to check out “Little Red Bear’s “Happy Autumn Season!” Coloring Pages.”

Download and color as many as you like, free of charge, because that’s just how we roll here!

Happy Coloring!

“A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” — Mary Davis

“A park is a love letter from the city to its residents.” — Unknown

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!

Think Globally — Act Locally!

Tomorrow Begins With YOU Today!

There Is No “Planet B.”

This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone. We freely share all content and do not generate any income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating the site.

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

With the help of patrons, we offer Seasonal Coloring Pages, Writing and Poetry Selections, Holiday Features and more for free, and we can donate print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Seniors, Libraries, Classrooms, and individuals who may not otherwise be able to afford or get a copy.

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

Will You Help Us Make A Positive Impact In The World?

We invite you to join us today!

“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness—it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” — Brene Brown
Please share this post with family and friends!
Your Likes, Shares, and Comments greatly expand our reach and encourage new visitors to our pages.
Because together, we can do so much! 
Thank You for visiting! Best Wishes and God Bless! — Jim (and Red!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It’s Summer, It’s August, and “It’s Hot!” (Poem by Shel Silverstein)

/ jrmilson / 2 Comments

As this is written here on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri, it is late August, the “Dog Days of Summer”, 103F degrees outside in the full afternoon sunshine, and a withering heat index of 117.

Whoa. That’s hot, by any stretch of the imagination or thermometer.

Squirrels are flared out flat as a pancake, cooling their bellies on shaded concrete. Birds are eerily silent and panting in the trees.

It is simply “Hot!”, and the August heat wave we are experiencing reminded me of a poem by Shel Silverstein, from his book of poems and drawings —  “A Light in the Attic.”

The poem appropriately titled — “It’s Hot”, is reprinted below.

“IT’S HOT”
by Shel Silverstein

It’s hot!
I can’t get cool,
I’ve drunk a quart of lemonade.
I think I’ll take my shoes off
And sit around in the shade.

It’s hot!
My back is sticky.
The sweat rolls down my chin.
I think I’ll take my clothes off
And sit around in my skin.

It’s hot!
I’ve tried with ’lectric fans,
And pools and ice cream cones.
I think I’ll take my skin off
And sit around in my bones.

It’s still hot!

Humor aside, many areas of the country are and have been experiencing dangerous heat levels this summer. This stretch of combined excessively high heat and humidity is unprecedented for this area, especially given the duration. Please take the necessary steps to keep yourself, your family, your loved ones, and your pets safe.

If you must work or be outside for any length of time, please remember to wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, take frequent cooling breaks, drink plenty of water and other clear liquids to stay hydrated, and avoid prolonged, direct sun exposure as much as possible in the afternoons.

The duration of this extreme heat means that conditions become progressively more dangerous each day for everyone, especially for the elderly, the very young, pets, and those exposed to the heat for extended periods outdoors, or even indoors without proper cooling. Again, Children, Seniors, and Pets are especially vulnerable to high heat. It is important to remember that in times such as this, the impacts of excessive heat can be CUMULATIVE, making it all more insufferable and dangerous the longer it goes on.

Heat Stroke is a life-threatening emergency with possible life-long, and life-threatening effects.  Be smart, know the signs of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke, be careful, and stay safe.

As anyone who knows me well is aware, I do love the change of seasons here in the Midwest on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri, and try my best to appreciate each season and its unique beauty. But, for various health reasons, I do not handle the heat and humidity of Summer very well anymore.

So, taking liberties and having a little fun with William Shakespeare, I offer the following little ditty, inspired by the William Shakespeare page on Facebook several years ago —

“Shall I compare thee to a Summer’s day? Okay, fine then. Since thou asketh — Thou art a sticky, bug-infested, sweat-stained, and uncomfortable mess that seemest to go on insufferably without end. Art thou happy now?”

“Thank You!” for dropping by to visit! Please take care of yourself, your loved ones, and your pets during these prolonged summer heat waves. Hang in there with me — Autumn is coming soon! And as always, please remember — Kindness Matters!

Best Wishes & Blessings! — Jim  (and Red!)  🤠 🐻

With children and grandchildren around (and for those of any age who like to color!), we invite you to visit “LITTLE RED BEAR’S ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ COLORING PAGES”  for hours of family coloring fun and time together!

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, 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?)

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” – Sam Keen

(It’s Hot – Poem & Drawing by Shel Silverstein)

“Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me, those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James

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!
         “I love how summer just wraps its arms around you like a warm blanket.”          – Kellie Elmore

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, 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!

“Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape…” — Harper Lee
Thank You for visiting with us!
Please feel free to share with family and friends. Likes, Shares, and Comments are truly appreciated and help greatly to expand our reach and encourage new readers and visitors!
Because together, we can do so much! 

 

Happy “National Good Neighbor Day!”

/ jrmilson / 1 Comment

Happy “National Good Neighbor Day!”

Do you remember the days when someone new would move into the neighborhood and folks would bring them warm casseroles for dinners or a basket of things to welcome them into the neighborhood?

Or, the tradition of bringing a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine as a blessing to ensure everyone would have enough to eat in the home? Some would bring salt and a new broom along, too.

Good Neighbor Day celebrates the importance of both having and being a good neighbor, and provides an opportunity to go out and get to know our neighbors a little better.

It is a blessing to have a good neighbor, and even more important to BE one. Oftentimes, neighbors become friends and help to look out for each other, especially if one or the other happens to be elderly or somehow impaired or challenged in any way.

Being a good neighbor helps to make good neighbors. Like so many things in life, it is simply all about kindness, isn’t it? A kind word, gesture, and a helping hand. Being there for someone and them being there for you in times of need.

I encourage you to call or take the time to visit with a neighbor today. We never know where it may lead, perhaps to a wonderful new friendship.

If you love the Autumn season as much as we do, I invite you to check out our most recent post – “Sharing Autumn Joy & Free Wallpaper Images!” and register to be notified of every new post and feature!

Best Wishes and Blessings!  — Jim  (and Red!)  🤠 🐻

With children back in school now, we invite you to visit Little Red Bear’s “Back-To-School” Coloring Pages along with Little Red Bear’s “Happy Autumn Season!” Coloring Pages for hours of family coloring fun and time together!

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?)

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” – John Wooden

“Definition of a good neighbor: someone to be trusted; a courteous, friendly source of help when help is needed; someone you can count on; someone who cares.”    Edward B. Rust, Jr.

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 good neighbors make a huge difference in the quality of life. I agree.”    Robert Fulghum

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!

“Being a good neighbor is an art which makes life richer.” — Gladys Taber
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! 

 

Growing My Hair Out To Support Children With Hair Loss

/ jrmilson / 15 Comments

Happy December!  Happy Holiday Season!

But before we get into holiday season topics and features, taking a few minutes today to talk about another issue dear to my heart – Children With Hair Loss.

Seeing sick and ailing children in hospitals has always torn at my heartstrings. While having actively supported St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital thru the years, I have always sought out ways to do more, and have recently discovered another way to help the children. And it costs nothing, really.

In recent days, some folks here have approached and asked me about my increasingly long hair. “What’s up with the ponytail, Jim?” Here is the inside scoop for everyone.

What began as more of a lark when the COVID shutdown occurred last spring, growing out a ponytail just for fun because I could not get to a barber anyway, continued afterward when restrictions eased just to see what it would do, aided by my lifelong disdain for barbers and costly haircuts in general.

I had always wanted to grow a ponytail just for fun and had made more than a few aborted attempts along the way, always grabbing the scissors when my hair reached five inches or so, not having the nerve to really go thru with it. But always in the back of my mind were the mental images of some of my heroes, all sporting ponytails (or “queues” as they were called in the early days) at one point or another in their lives – George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Willie Nelson, George Carlin, and others. Admittedly, some may have been wigs in colonial times, but still a simply smashing good look!

So, with a beginning boost from the COVID shutdown in spring, my personal “Ponytail Project” has now evolved into purposely growing my hair out with a reason.

I am supporting and joining in the efforts of a large (and growing) number of men who are growing their hair out to support the organization “Children With Hair Loss”, a non-profit organization that provides human hair replacements at No Cost to children and young adults facing medically-related hair loss due to Cancer treatments, Alopecia, Trichotillomania, Burns, etc. Beginning in the year 2,000 and helping children and young adults across the nation, Children With Hair Loss has assisted over 5,000 nationwide thru 2019.

A 2019 event sponsored by ‘The Longhairs’ organization I am participating with set a Guinness World Record, generating 339 pounds of hair donations and $50,000 in support of the Children With Hair Loss efforts.  The next big donation event – “The Great Cut 2024” is scheduled for some time in 2024 (exact date to be determined later), at which time they are working to do even more and set another Guinness World Record. At that point, I will donate my hair to be part of it all.

So, that is why I am growing my hair out – to help the kids. Because the painful effects of the treatments these children have to endure are far more than physical, and deeper than merely cosmetic.  Self-image is a very important thing when one is a youngster, teen, or young adult. Emotional scars are just as or more painful than the physical, with emotional damage perhaps everlasting.

If you would like to join with me in the cause and save a bundle of cash in barber and hair salon expenses over the next four years, I would be honored to grow along with you. There will be opportunities to donate and/or participate from anywhere in the world.

Donated hair must be at least 8” long, with the strongly preferred length 12” and longer. It can be grey or any color, dyed, or treated, but cannot be bleached. On average, human hair grows approximately ½” per month, so now is the time to start.

In the meantime and as time goes on, your support and encouragement are greatly appreciated while I simply Keep on Growing!

I will update with progress reports here from time to time as we go along and eagerly look forward to hearing from others who may be growing their hair out for the children, as well.

Right now, with the early head start last spring, my hair is already 9” long. With the kids in mind and along with the other men, I am shooting for a length of 24” to 30” by 2024. Please wish me luck and just call me “Hippie Jim” if you like.

Will you grow along with me to help the Children With Hair Loss efforts? It is for a very good cause and is yet another opportunity to help make a positive difference in someone’s life.

Thanks always for visiting and reading along! Very best wishes for a Happy & Healthy Holiday Season!  Keep on Growing!  – ‘Hippie’ Jim

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “How To Be Mindfully Aware Of Positive Thoughts and Actions”  

(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!)

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

“The charities closest to my heart have always involved helping children in some way.”           — Oscar de la Renta

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!

Find out what readers have to say about Little Red Bear and His Friends!

(Royalties from the sale of Little Red Bear’s books go directly to supporting this site.)

“Helping someone because you want to is much more appreciated than helping someone because you have to.” — Unknown

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 Great Cut 2024” info → https://thegreatcut.us/

Children With Hair Loss → https://childrenwithhairloss.us/

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!

/ jrmilson / 7 Comments

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.
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    “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