“Is this peace? A small glen:
a winding footpath, the sun
resting beneath the flowers,
rippling water postponing
each and every answer”
(Japanese Garden, Honolulu, Sapardi Djoko Damono, Translated from Indonesian by John H. McGlynn, published in Here: Poems for the Planet)
Books
“Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! from the pen of Stephen Moss. Partridges in pear trees, Colly Birds, large flocks of Turtle Doves and swans and geese – but where do all the other species come from? Stephen Moss uses his wit and wisdom to retrofit a bunch of birds to the Christmas carol and does it with quite some aplomb.
“This [The Twelve Birds of Christmas] is a book that is worth reading at any time of year and is essentially twelve chapters about the biology, folklore and history of a slightly random bunch of species stitched together with anecdotes from Stephen’s birding life.”
In Gun Island, Amitav Ghosh, explores climate change and global migration, seeking insight from 16th and 17th century Italy, a time when “the rise of vast European empires setting up colonies around the world, disrupting Indigenous ways of life and setting the stage for global discontent and migration” signifies the starting point of climate change.
Here: Poems for the Planet, edited by Elizabeth J. Coleman, is a call for hope and action, on behalf of a planet in crisis. The poems in Here are introduced by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and followed by an activist guide written by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Stars & Planets
“The night has captured our imaginations since the beginning of time. After all, half our lifetimes are spent in darkness, and when our instincts kick in and our more primitive senses are heightened, who knows what weird and wonderful stories will unearth themselves?” - 10 books that capture the world of night
The Night Sky app is a “planetarium in your pocket. Day or night, just aim your device skyward to see a live 3D map of the heavens, complete with beautifully illustrated constellations, stars, planets, and satellites.”
Comedy
Youthful pranks, family disagreements, dance moves, and camouflage. All are present in the 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Award winners.
Happy Christmas from Penny and Andrew at EcoFriendly Sask!
