Northeast Ohio where I live has been spared most of the high temperatures burning across America and the world. We are fortunate in that regard. We have Lake Erie not far away and the water table is very high locally. Our campus is carefully and sustainably built on former wetlands. As a result, we have seven different ponds which support various waterfowl and other critters of the water loving variety.

I saw my first Green Heron the other day. It was sitting on a downed grayish log lying across the far end of the pond. I only saw through its perfectly blended camouflage because the head moved to reveal the long dagger sharp beak in profile. I wondered why the frogs were silent and why two small birds kept fluttering wildly over that log- a feeble attempt to foil the still predator among them. It was too far away to get a closeup with my phone camera but when I looked green herons up online, it was obvious that is who I saw to add to the blue and white ones that I have seen as more frequent visitors here.

In the middle of July we did have a short hot spell. That sent some songbirds to begin their migrations and the insects to begin their romancing all ahead of schedule. It is hard to believe there are still avid climate change deniers around Ohio or anywhere in the States these days. Anybody who loves the outdoors for sport, large- and small-scale agriculture, or play, has to know that former patterns of weather systems have changed significantly. People are too frightened to admit the evidence before them and are not given the information or the structured guidance as to how we can all dig in to make necessary painful changes that must happen if we are to adapt to this new world we share. Hence, we are watching a presidential denier accumulate indictments as a means of funding his reelection campaign.

Burning the Cicada Calendar: July, 2023

From high in the trees

cicadas launch summer sonics,

wave after wave of trilling clatter

filling silent holes migrant

songbirds leave behind.

To the day, this used to denote

Listening to their fanfare every year

August had crawled up the branches in our woods.

we promptly flipped the calendar.

But today it’s only mid-July

annual male cicadas rattle their tymbals

the drowning whir for females

subsumes frog bellows and leaf chatter.

Hot soil summoned adults out of the earth

out of synch, out of time,

the cycle used to be

nature’s careful calendar.

End of Summer Insects

By day cicadas

By night crickets and katydids

Where did summer go?

I cannot sustain my life by living in despair for the future. I am not sticking my head in the sand to declare everything is “gonna be OK”. Rather I look for joy wherever I can find it and my friends and I do not leave our conversations in the downward spiral that starts innocently enough with: “Did you hear the news that.. read the article in.. see the documentary on..” and before long we are shaking our heads at all the awful things happening in the world. We always stop ourselves, breathe, and share a personal story of friends and family to end on a positive note. It helps us to keep things in perspective. Much is out of our control, but in small significant ways we can contribute to remain balanced and uplift one another as best we can.

I wrote this for my own self to hum when the world gets me down. It has a simple melody but here are just the lyrics:

JOY

Have you laughed out loud with a friend today?

Then joy, joy, let’s sing of joy

Have felt contented and peaceful today?

 Then joy, joy, let’s sing of joy

How can you sing of joy when

The world is so full of sorrow?

How can you sing of joy

When the world is so full of fear?

How can you sing a song of joy

When we’re losing our hope in tomorrow?

How can you sing a song of joy

When the future is so unclear?

If joy dries the tears on just one face

Then joy, joy, let’s sing of joy

If joy makes the world a more loving place

Then joy, joy, let’s sing of joy

If joy holds up hope through one endless night

Then joy, joy let’s sing of joy

If joy brings the world a heart full of light

Then joy, joy, let’s sing of joy

Have you had a moment of joy today?

Then joy, joy, let’s sing of joy

Have you shared a moment of joy today?

Then joy, joy, let’s sing of joy

August unfolds before us and may the end of this summer season bring you joy to affirm and sustain you and yours for wherever your life leads you next.