mental health

Review of "Heartstopper" by Alice Oseman (Comic)

Today, we’re talking about Heartstopper. While not connected to botany, leaves are used in most scene transitions and plant life seems to grow at emotionally strategic moments, so we’ll take it. Also it’s pride month and this is a queer teen love story.

The Bad Seed | Botany Book Review

The Bad Seed | Botany Book Review

The Bad Seed by Jory John, Illustrated by Pete Oswald and is written for children aged 4-8, or Preschool reading level. It’s designated as children’s fiction. The story explores the themes of isolation, pain, and how it can fester and cause additional damage, far and above what the initial pain was, both to the individual themselves and those around them.

Take a Breath and Listen to the Bees

Take a Breath and Listen to the Bees

Even with everything occurring and abundant uncertainty, take a moment to drink some water, take a breath, and perhaps even hum a few bars like the bees do. It won’t create a vaccine, nor feed someone in need, nor even get your shopping done. However, it might just help you relieve the tension and other stresses you’re holding, at least for a time.

Lessons from the barrel cactus

Lessons from the barrel cactus

While the long, beautiful spines of a mature barrel cactus are truly a sight to behold, they are woven so tightly together, across the cactus' ribs that any environmental detritus that falls on or around the cactus, becomes entangled.

Humanity's Beautiful Diversity

Humanity's Beautiful Diversity

Human rights and diversity are important regardless of your background, dear reader, but are perhaps most spotlighted when concerning those members of society whose voices tend to be suppressed in some way.  Minority voices are important, brightening and enlivening the global human narrative, whether that be religion, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender expression, relative ablebodiedness, or other aspects. 

Things I learned from plants (A Series): #3. You can heal from injury.

Things I learned from plants (A Series):  #3. You can heal from injury.

Whether it be physical, mental, emotional, or otherwise, dear reader, you can heal from injury.

Have you ever seen an old, decomposing tree stump in the depths of the forest, with a seedling sprouting from its ruin?  The decomposition and complete breakdown of the old makes way for an emergent new life form, providing the impetus for its growth and development.