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Dorothy Wedderburn's avatar

That's a very beautiful and moving newsletter, and it speaks to the heart. You are very lucky to have had those childhood interactions with nature, despite ( or maybe because) of your father. And thank you for sharing them so eloquently. I have a tiny patch of garden, and am giving it minimal water, but it is shady and the birds love it, and it is cool on the hottest day. I stopped weeding a few years ago, but the flowers I once planted come back every year and even the weeds provide lovely flowers which attract the bees. Hope is everything. And love xx

Heather's avatar

Thank you. I think this is your best yet. I could hear the cicadas, the black cockatoos the snake in the grass the insects. As I reflect on this piece, I think of my nearly 3 YO grandson asleep in our spare room and my mission to ground him in nature, curiosity and the natural world. Community with everything and every one around us is our only hope. I hope you find a new place to publish. How disappointing of Substack. Take care as I see the news, I often think of you and I am already preparing for the drought that is just around the corner in Australia.

Clare Stent's avatar

Thank you. So beautifully expressed. I too am in the midst of dry central France very alarming but enjoying the swallows swooping in and out of the barn. Thank you for explaining the origin of despair. That really does help

Hannah lewis's avatar

Loved reading this Johanna. It resonates strongly. Beautifully written.

Michèle Fandel Bonner's avatar

Beautiful, eloquent and much needed. Thank you.

Laura's avatar

Incredibly beautiful writing, Johanna. It touched my heart, but also my soul. The majority of us are disconnected from nature, and from each other….it’s going to be a long difficult struggle to awaken people from their numbness, to help them face the truth they are afraid to see. But we have no choice, we must come together so that we can be stronger than the greedy, criminal billionaires and corporations who are the walking dead. The description of your experience with the quince tree reminded me of the character Cress in Still Life; his deep wisdom that comes from his connection to nature, particularly his cherry blossom tree. The brave choices he made which led to connections and community with others. We all need to be brave - we must face these demons together.

Angelica Deverell's avatar

Thank you Hanna for producing a really really beautiful essay under the incredible heat we are all enduring in France. My brain is fried...but you have somehow encapsulated all necessary thoughts. 👏 Kudos.

jane reynolds's avatar

This is a remarkable piece of writing with a revelation of a past both painful and enlightening, and a realistic, positive view of a future that we the people can bring about, refusing to tolerate all that is so wrong. Writers and artists are crucial to our survival as they show the way through intuition and knowledge.

Lucinda's avatar

Thank you soo much

I am

So sad to hear of the AI thing here

I avoid it also

Everyone i know uses it and says its free

I reply its not free it takes, water, land , power, jobs and creativity

It is not free

But thank you so much for your writing

wordybird2002's avatar

have you read 'the ministry for the future' by kim stanley robinson? he is one of the greatest living science fiction writers, with a focus on climate change, ecology, nature and scientists as heroes. the book came out in 2020 and pretty much predicted where we are now and where we're headed. i highly recommend it.