Lin Harmon-Walker

This was a challenging EcoChallenge for me. I managed to get most of my goals accomplished, but next year I'll be a little more restrained in how many different actions I take on. Still, what a great experience! I have learned a lot about further reducing our household "footprint." Thank you, NWEI people, for your hard work in creating and coordinating this awesome event!

The daily walk in the rain today was a chance to pay attention to where the water goes. Large parts of our hilly neighborhood lack sidewalks and street repairs, resulting in rushing rivulets of water being captured in potholes and crevices in the streets, while other streams run through channelized culverts passing the water from one front yard ditch to another. The birds and wildlife have no shortage of drinking water today. 

The challenge of using NO processed food in two meals a day is turning out to be tougher than I thought. I already eat lots of raw fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds. But we also have all those convenience foods for busy days - soup, crackers, frozen dinners, Kind bars, bottled salad dressings, instant oatmeal, even vegan ice cream and bread ..... things I've always taken for granted. Food for thought, indeed!

I didn't get time for a true nature walk today, but when I went to my clinic in the NW Industrial District, I saw these beauties rimming the parking lot and had to take a walk all over the property admiring them. Years ago, someone had the forethought to plant these trees.knowing the fall color would be stunning. Today, I was the grateful beneficiary of their gift.

In stressful or dangerous times, I am grateful for: 1. people of goodwill who care about others and about our planet; 2. the soothing and therapeutic benefits of nature; 3. the transformative power of love.

Nature journal day 4: It's migration season and a host of new birds are visiting our feeders. Our Audubon bird guide is getting a lot of use these days. I am constantly amazed at the variety of colors and beaks and sizes and shapes of our feathered friends, and of how well (relatively) they get along in sharing the feeder, especially during rush hours in the morning and evening when everyone wants something to eat. 

I love reading all the posts in the "Feed" section of the website - watching everyone trying to meet their challenges, making new discoveries, having fun, encouraging each other. Some pictures of sunsets and cats, too!

Although I did this a couple of years ago, it was time to do it again. Trying to once again reduce the junk mail that keeps coming to our house is a pain in the neck. The Direct Marketing Association does all it can to make you feel like you are throwing your life and credit away if you get off their offers of credit list, which is the biggest offender for us as it just goes directly into recycling. Also, just to make it harder for consumers these days, they warn that you may have to continue receiving this junk for 3 to 5 months before seeing a reduction. Outrageous! In our instant-communication society there is no way to justify that ridiculous delay.

My 20-minute walk turned into an hour and 20 minutes with all the stops to visit with neighbors I hadn't met yet, who were also outside in the temporary sunshine.

Nature journal: I took another walk around my hilly neighborhood and started taking pictures of the trees to try to figure out which were native. After awhile I was surprised at the massive variety of trees we have just in these few blocks. Three different neighbors along the way filled me in on their own tree experiences; one, a 91-year-old woman who has lived  here for 56 years, told me the fir cones were very scarce this year; she only saw 5 or 6 on one large tree. Another neighbor, who had a baby nested in blankets in a front pack, grew up here, moved away for college and other adventures and moved back with his partner and young children. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of the types of trees, coniferous and deciduous, we could see around us (a vast number, maybe 30)., and he pointed out examples of old trees that had survived severe ice storms in the 1960s and had "jogs" where offshoot branches had developed after trees had cracked. Then a tree trimmer answered my question about the silvery gray tree  in the photo- he said it's an Atlas Cedar! Definitely not native, it's from the Middle East. Finally, I asked another neighbor about the gnarly trees in his front yard. He said he had no idea, but we had a wide-ranging conversation about sustainability, regulations, the huge nationwide crisis of lead water pipes, and the reasons for the weird policy directions our country is taking.