#Sevier Lake

[rabbitcruiser]

Clouds (No. 920)

Millard County, UT

[lionofchaeronea]

Clovis point, fashioned from chert and belonging to the Clovis culture (so named from early 20th century archaeological finds near Clovis, New Mexico) that spread throughout North America following the Last Glacial Period. Clovis points are distinguished by manufacture through the pressure flaking technique and by fluting near the base. Manufactured between 11,500 and 9,000 BCE and found in Sevier County, Utah; now in the Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City.

[everydayesterday]

A walk around Sevier Lake, Nashville, TN. 2024-08-21.

photos by me.

The Double-Crested Cormorant has its head tucked away, resting after a fraught morning — it was stuck in fishing line. Thankfully, my friends at the wildlife conservation center were able to assist.

[bad-moon--rising]

Task 28 - Around the World in 30 Days: Write 10 headcanons for the location where your character is from!

10 Facts About Magicks in the Southern United States: Tennessee

The Bell Witch and Creation of Spirit Sanctuary laws

Ghost stories are a long-standing tradition in the Tennessee mountains, and many of them are connected to real ghosts. This is largely because Mediums are commonplace in the Tennessee area and early on they began documenting these ghost stories in the storytelling tradition. Verbal history has been a form of documentation in the area for generations, so few question the authenticity of even the more outlandish stories of hauntings.

One of the most famous is the Bell Witch and her cave home and anchor in Robertson County.

Her story has been noted in literature and movies and recounted over time as largely malicious, but many Mediums have argued otherwise. Attempts to convince her to move on have been met with opposition as she insists her story needs to be told, so local Mediums have instead pushed for her earthly place of rest to be viewed as a protected area.

This push has led to other areas being recognized as Spirit Sanctuaries and led to state laws forbidding disruption of places known to have active spirit anchors.

Smoky Mountains Guardians

The Smoky Mountains is considered to be one of the most Magick-dense areas of Tennessee. Historically it was an area where many Magicks settled during times of threat of anti-Magick backlash in the States. The mountains have been home to many guardians watching over the area, established there by native tribes who predated more modern development of the area, who still remain there today.

Most are now mislabeled as cryptids, and many are very elusive and don't concern themselves with anything outside of the mountains.

These guardians in their various shapes and purposes are particularly harsh towards those with ill-intent towards Magicks, since many of those who make their homes in the mountain range are not species often welcome in other areas easily such as giants, werewolves, or more reclusive fae.

Efforts have been made to communicate with these guardians through their apparent speaker, a towering two-headed Not-Deer doe, known only as The Mother, accompanied by a ghostly, midnight-black fawn.

She and her youngster appear often when there is disruption or infringement on the mountains by those who attempt to destroy, warning the park staff that she and the other guardians will address the threats that continue.

The Fawn, who has never made their name known, is often seen by lost hikers and children on the trails, leading them back to safety if they mean no harm.

The Park Service And Magicks - Douglas Lake

Due to most of the beings who live in the mountains being Magicks it was decided by the park service that the positions of park rangers, staff and guides were best suited to Magicks as well, although this has never been specifically noted on official documents or publically disclosed by the agency in order to avoid scrutiny by the government.

Many of these jobs are filled by werewolves or fae, although occasionally other Magicks with skill sets useful to certain areas are also employed.

One specific instance of this being the case is Douglas Dam, where it is public knowledge that a water elemental works with the scientific team there both tending to water levels and working to keep the lake clean and healthy.

Often seen in the waters around the lake and dam, this Magick, who prefers to be called Loch, is quite friendly and has always spoken fondly of the visitors to the lake, taking great care to oversee repairs and safety of the dam and stepping in on several occasions to rescue visitors in distress in the waters.

Forbidden Caverns Pixie Hollow

The Forbidden Caverns in Sevier County are one of the only underground Pixie Hollows in the United States.

It has become a tourist spot of sorts, and the Pixies make use of this in a unique way by working alongside geologists and visitors in exchange for the caverns to remain an area protected by the National Park Service, leading guided tours through the rock formations and underground waterfalls.

The innermost areas of the caverns are the home of the pixies, a beautiful tree grows from a silvery pool there, and is off limits to outsiders.

It is speculated that the Hollow itself actually covers miles underground and houses hundreds of pixies in vast cave systems under the mountains.

The collective magic from this community also aids in protection of the surrounding Smoky Mountains above, and serves as a welcoming beacon to Magicks seeking safe haven temporarily until they can be taken to the Guardians of the mountains.

Oak Ridge Nuclear Research

Oak Ridge has long been noted for its involvement in nuclear energy, and it is common knowledge that its stability is due to the power source of the nuclear plant being a star fragment that was gifted to the scientific community at the beginnings of the project by a still-unknown species of celestial humanoid Magick who, or so its been suggested, found humanity's attempts to harness energy particularly amusing.

This being, present in a semi-physical body composed of a shimmering matter that most have compared to sunlight or starlight, can change shape fluidly, although most people claim to have different opinions of what the being actually looks like.

So far as reasons for doing so, that has never been clarified by the being, it simply remains there looking after the star and observing the various experiments carried on in the facility and has helped during several times of crisis by absorbing the excess energy produced by the star as a result of some of those past experiments.

Nashville's Coven of Octave

The Nashville area is one known for music, and a sorcerer's coven in the area that specializes in entertainment-focused magic that is said to have first formed before Nashville became the booming area it now is.

Spoken of as modern day bards of sorts, these sorcerers compose magic mostly with an auditory speciality known as sonokiness. Due to the nature of their magic revolving around entertainment, the Coven's headquarters is actually found in the Octave Lounge and Bar, which is both an active bar open to the public and meeting place for coven members.

While not the only coven world-wide that teaches this speciality, it's widely recognized as one of the best, and responsible for promotion and support of several well-known musicians with sorcerer backgrounds and continues to count among its ranks many famous entertainers.

University of Tennessee Magizoology Facility

The University of Tennessee veterinary science department is home to one of the South's largest Magizoology research facilities, including a rehabilitation for the many local species native to the area and breeding programs for out of state efforts to preserve endangered magical creatures.

In the past decade the faculty has focused on protection of the small indigenous species of Fire Drake Salamanders that can only be found in the Smoky Mountains with the creation of the Southeastern Magical Amphibious and Reptilian Institution.

This center cares for this rare variation of fire-breathing amphibious magical creature nearly driven to extinction by poaching for its unique flammable throat pouch, and has made great strides in increasing their numbers in the wild back to a stable population.

Along with their fire salamander program, students and experienced staff run one of the few Familiar support and care facilities, offering both medical treatment and rehabilitation services for injured magic Familiars, as well as working with displaced Familiars in matching them with potential sorcerers.

Nashville's Parthenon

Nashville hosts a very unique tourist attraction in The Parthenon; a full recreation of a Greek temple situated in bustling Centennial Park.

As one would imagine, not only does this attraction draw in tourists but also is appealing to Magicks with Greek heritage, so a fair number of them visit yearly to take in the historical tours and admire the careful attention to detail and accurately put into the building construction and replicated architecture and statues.

This has actually led to several spirits of Greek origins haunting the building due to artifacts being brought in for study by the archaeology department and choosing to remain to share their experiences with Mediums on staff who recount these stories to curious guests.

One of the museum's curators actually lives in-house, and is considered to be a leading expert in art history. She is also one of the few Gorgons in the United States who is openly Magick and uses her status to encourage visitors to embrace Pro-Magick history and the role of Magicks in the progression of civilization.

Ms. Stheno is hailed as a pillar of the Nashville Education and Historical Society community; having spent her time since the eighteen hundreds advocating both for Magick rights and the preservation of Magick-related history.

The Blackwater Pack and Coven

Several werewolf packs and witch's covens make their home in the Tennessee and Appalachian area, and most go unnoticed or undisturbed by the locals. Rather than make a point of hostility towards these Magicks, many generations of farmers and mountain homesteaders have instead turned to them for protection and aid during times of trouble with droughts, flooding and bad growing seasons.

While the Blackwater Pack and Coven, named for the natural spring with ebony water assumed to have mystic properties in the Coven's community, are no more distinct than any other separately it is their decision to live and work together early on in their creation that marks them as unique. As well as their willingness to offer aid to their Mundus neighbors around the forest where both groups live.

As a historical note it was one of the then-leaders of the coven who was elected mayor of neighboring Townsend in the early nineties, a big boon for Pro-Magick representation at the time, although since the coven has removed itself from politics and the werewolf pack has settled more widely across the Townsend, Sevierville and Pigeon Forge area as it has grown.

[Well this had a banner too but Tumblr image limits...eeh]

Cades Cove Centaur Settlement

Cades Cove has, for nearly as long as the area has been occupied, homed a large community of centaurs. As intelligent humanoid Magicks, these beings have built a comfortable and thriving farming homestead within the private areas of the park and surrounding forest that was established before current modern areas were developed.

Because of this it was determined in the last twenty years that Cades Cove and the surrounding area technically already belonged to the original settlement, and was recognized by law in 1990 formally as a Magick Township under the Tennessee Township Regulations.

This land is already recognized as a preserve, but the centaur settlement falls under justification of the community itself and is protected from outsiders by law. Many of the centaurs interact with and even are employed by the Cades Cove tourist committee as park guides and outsiders are even welcomed into a staged version of the existing, and magically-hidden, actual settlement as a means of promoting Pro-Magick relationships.

This arrangement is, of course, at the discretion of the centaurs, rather than a push from the park services and every effort is taken to ensure respect for their customs and privacy.

[sexynetra]

6, 16, 34, 41 <33

6. Describe your personality in 3 words or less

Uhhhhhhhh… passionate, emotional, gay

16. Favorite makeup brands

See here’s the thing I worked at Ulta for 3 years so I have WAY too much makeup. I also have different brand loyalties for different products 😅 but all my favorite eyeliners are NYX, I love to buy lip gloss from various indie brands, I use a lot of morphe shadows (they are FAR from the best quality shadows but they are cheap and have great color range), I will never give up my Anastasia brow products, back when I wore mascara I always used the essence princess mascara. I’m sure there’s more I am blanking on <3

34. Favorite actress

I don’t keep up with celebrities very much 💕 but Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez were some of my first celebrity crushes and Selena and I are bonded forever by lupus so she can do no wrong to me

41. Top 10 favorite songs

This is too hard I listen to SO much music in so many genres so in no particular order here are 10 songs I’m loving that I have listened to recently 💕

“Do you wanna be friends”/newly unrequited - Leanna Firestone

Pretty Lips - FIRESTONE

Sugar at the bottom - Hayley Kiyoko

In My Head - Jacob Ryan Smith, Daniel Mertzlufft

What would I Do? - falsettos OBC

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac

So Far Away - Carole King

1985 - Bowling for Soup

Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act II No. 14 - Tchaikovsky (but also just all of swan lake)

Precious Lord - Thomas Dorsey arr. Arnold Sevier

[northamericanbirder]

Birding Hotspot: Shelby Park and Bottoms, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Links: [illustrated eBird hotspot page]

[Nashville.gov - Shelby Park]

[Google Maps]  

  Another prime birding spot in the Nashville urban expanse, the Shelby area is a large greenspace (1200 square acres) along the Cumberland River. Effectively split in two by a railroad bridge, the Shelby Park side contains picnic shelters, baseball fields, and a man-made lake, and up the hill there is a community center, basketball and tennis courts, a playground, and dog park; the Bottoms features a greenway (very popular with joggers and bicyclists), and unpaved nature trails.

The Shelby area comprises 9 separate eBird hotspots, and for data precision, it's best to select the one closest to you when starting off. The most popular ones are Shelby Bottoms Nature Center (which contains the observation field, Froggy Bottoms, and Hidden Pond), Sevier Lake, and Cornelia Fort Airpark.

Hotspot amenities: The Bottoms is where you'll find the nature center. There are restrooms (the ones in the building itself are kept very clean), and there is plenty of parking all around, though the occasional 5k run or baseball tournament will take place and things can get quite busy. Next to the nature center is a sandy play area for kids.

There is a one-mile loop trail that takes you from the nature center and around to the observation deck. The path is paved, and the deck is wheelchair accessible. The paved greenway continues northward for a few miles toward the other areas of the park.  

  Observation Field - In the summertime, this is a vibrant location, as wildflowers have taken over the field, drawing butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and plenty of wedding photographers. Various warblers (especially Common Yellowthroats), Eastern Bluebirds, American Goldfinch, Indigo Buntings, Summer Tanagers, and Orchard Orioles are all common at this time of year. Over the winter, the Red-Shouldered Hawks remain, typically holding fort in the trees lining the field, and occasionally American Kestrel and Wild Turkeys will show up. Look up above you, and you'll definitely see Black Vultures circling around—sometimes they'll gather in the nearby electrical towers by the dozens.

There is a one-mile loop trail that takes you from the nature center and around to the observation deck. The path is paved, and the deck is wheelchair accessible. The paved greenway continues northward for a few miles toward the other areas of the park.  

  Froggy Bottoms (zig-zag bridge) - Not too far from the observation deck (and part of the one-mile loop) is an area of swampland created by local beavers (the trails used to follow around a stream, but that was blocked up and the area flooded). The dead trees host woodpeckers (most commonly Northern Flickers). Wood Ducks and Blue-Winged Teal are known to nest here, and you might see them swim by with ducklings in tow.  

  Hidden Pond - Adjacent to the observation field, this is a beaver pond that can be at dramatically different levels based on the season; summers have been quite dry the last few years as we've seen drought, and the pond nearly dries up; in wintertime it will be full. Ducks, Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, Belted Kingfishers, Pied-Billed Grebe, and the occasional small shorebird will make an appearance. Sparrows will also be plentiful. You'll see plenty of evidence of beavers—their lodges, and trees they've chopped down—and possibly the beavers themselves (including pups).  

  Sevier Lake - This is a small man-made lake on the Park side that is stocked for fishing. Phoebes and Swallows will be seen darting out over the lake, you'll catch a decent variety of ducks, often a Double-Crested Cormorant, almost always a Great Blue Heron, along with resident populations of Mallards and Canada Geese (and over the last 2 years or so, a resident population of Fish Crows has developed). You may also see an Osprey hanging out in the sky above, especially after stocking. In the marshland at the end of the pond, you'll find Red-Shouldered Hawks. The hills on the community center side are known for warblers.  

  Cornelia Fort Airpark - At the North end of the Bottoms is an old municipal airfield that is no longer operational—its runways are now used by walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, bicyclists. In the grasses along the runway, Eastern Meadowlarks are likely hiding. Blue Jays will be occupying the trees. In recent year, Bald Eagles have been nesting (look up into the tallest tree at the corner of the farmer's field and you should see the nest; it's massive). Hawks are common, and the occasional Northern Harrier will scan the fields. Waterfowl (ducks, geese, herons, shorebirds) can be found in the ponds past the cow fencing.

[Update: The farm is no longer operational, electric fences have been removed, and the land is now available to the public. At the moment there are no restrictions to the area, but there may be an effort to restrict or buffer certain grassland, shore, and wooded areas for nature preservation purposes (e.g., nesting birds, including the Bald Eagles). Already, two sparrows very rare to the Nashville area have been sighted and photographed by birders—Henslow's Sparrow and the Grasshopper Sparrow (by me!).]  

  (all photos by @everydayesterday)

[discovernashville]

Exploring Nashville's Parks and Recreation Areas

Nashville, Tennessee is known for its vibrant music scene, but it's also home to numerous parks and recreation areas. Whether you're a local looking for a new spot to explore or a visitor seeking some outdoor adventure, Nashville has plenty to offer. In this article, we'll take a closer look at some of Nashville's top parks and recreation areas.

Centennial Park

Centennial Park is one of Nashville's most iconic green spaces. It is home to the iconic Parthenon replica, which houses an art museum. The park itself spans 132 acres and features walking trails, a lake, a band shell, and a sunken garden. There's also a playground for kids and plenty of picnic areas.

Percy Warner Park

Percy Warner Park is a must-visit for outdoor enthusiasts. The park features 10 miles of hiking trails, including the popular Mossy Ridge Trail, which offers stunning views of the surrounding hills. 

Edwin Warner Park

Edwin Warner Park is adjacent to Percy Warner Park and offers even more outdoor fun. The park spans 3,100 acres and features hiking and biking trails, picnic areas, and a nature center. There's also a dog park and a golf course.

Radnor Lake State Park

Radnor Lake State Park is a nature lover's paradise. There are hiking trails and bird watching opportunities, as well as a visitor center where you can learn more about the park's ecology.

Shelby Bottoms Nature Center & Greenway

The Shelby Bottoms Nature Center & Greenway is a great place to explore Nashville's urban wilderness. The greenway spans over 900 acres and features hiking and biking trails, as well as canoe and kayak rentals. There's also a nature center where you can learn more about the park's wildlife and ecology.

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is a unique park that celebrates Tennessee's history and culture. The park features a 200-foot granite map of the state, as well as various memorials and monuments. 

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is a beautiful historic estate that has been converted into a public garden and art museum. The estate features 55 acres of botanical gardens, as well as art exhibits and a historic mansion. There are also walking trails and plenty of picnic areas.

Sevier Park

Sevier Park is a popular spot for families and locals. The park features a playground, tennis courts, and plenty of open space for picnics and relaxation. There are also walking trails and a community center that offers various classes and events.

Cumberland River Greenway

The Cumberland River Greenway is a scenic trail that follows the Cumberland River through Nashville. The trail spans over 11 miles and features beautiful views of the river and the city skyline. There are also plenty of opportunities for picnics and relaxation along the way.

Warner Parks Nature Center

The Warner Parks Nature Center is a great place to learn about Nashville's natural history. The center offers various educational programs and exhibits, as well as hiking trails and birdwatching opportunities. There's also a gift shop where you can purchase souvenirs and books about the park's ecology.

In conclusion, Nashville's parks and recreation areas offer something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat in nature or a fun day out with the family, Nashville has plenty to explore.

[unpersonrp]

Plot

Under a setting sun, the dawn of the supernatural awakens. Hiding from society, in its secret and dark corners and crevices, communities as old as humanity's very dawn live. They work towards a greater collective now, the different species forming a tenuous peace treaty. How long the laws will be upheld and kept is anyone's guess.

Handful of Dust is set in the fictional city of Sevier, Illinois in an AU of earth. Where the different societies of supernaturals learn to make peace from war, a new communal supernatural society of the future. But not all have each other’s best interests at heart, and there is a long and storied past that colors their paths ahead. Not all that remains has yet been revealed.

Setting

Handful of Dust is set in the fictional sprawl of Sevier, Illinois. A veritable metropolis of a city, it sits flush on one side with the Great Lakes, connecting along the freshwater border to other cities and their imports. On its southwestern side rolls the quiet areas of open nature, hours out from any other large city.

A large city, Sevier rivals the size of New York at 300 square miles and a population 5 million people.

[interestos]

Winter’s edge on a salinated lake • Utah . . . . . . #interestos #oc #interestos0c #photography #photo #wanderlust #wild #outdoors #ourplanet #nature #travelgram #adventure #naturephotography #travel #travelphotography #explore #utah #lake #winter #saltlake #west #visitutah #go (at Sevier Lake) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpTZEiYOWwN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[psychicarjunkrishna]

Psychic Arjun Krishna is the best Indian BadLuck Removal Expert in Tennessee, USA, Bad Luck Removal Specialist in Tennessee, USA, Bad Luck Removal Astrologer Nearby me. Tennessee City’s Anderson, Bedford, Benton, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carroll, Carter, Cheatham, Chester, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Davidson, Decatur, DeKalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Fentress, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Maury, McMinn, McNairy, Meigs, Monroe, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sullivan, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van, Buren, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Weakley, White, Williamson, Wilson

[rabbitcruiser]

World Soil Day

One annual celebration people will be forgiven for not participating in (or even knowing about) is World Soil Day. Yes, soil—as in that sticky brown stuff that gets walked all over into prized cream carpets. Sadly, it is the ignorance about the importance of soil and the degree to which people take advantage of all that it offers that have led to a drastic reduction in its quality all over the world.

These are precisely the problems World Soil Day aims to battle, as few things could be more important to humans, the inhabitants of Planet Earth, who could never hope to survive without the land.

Soil is, without a doubt, one of the most significant parts of the ecosystem. Contributing to people’s food, water and energy and playing an important part in reducing the impact of climate change, soil is a vital part of life.

For all of these reasons, it’s high time that World Soil Day became known to more people than just scientists concerned about the welfare of our planet. So it’s time to get ready to learn about and celebrate this important day!

History of World Soil Day

In 2002, the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) made a resolution proposing that the 5th of December be World Soil Day. The idea for the day was to make it possible to celebrate the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system and as a vital contributor to human well-being.

Later, 2015 was also declared to be the International Year of Soils, in hopes of raising as much awareness as possible about the enormous role that soil plays in food security and, therefore, the very lifeline of humans. Unsurprisingly, so far it’s mostly been the global community of 60,000 or so soil scientists who have been the ones who are celebrating the day the most.

The chances of rather ordinary people exchanging ‘Happy Soil Day’ cards in the near future remain minimal. But that doesn’t mean that people can’t learn to appreciate the important role soil plays in human lives (even if it is darn hard to scrub off the carpet when those nearest and dearest feline friends leave muddy footprints on their way to the kitchen!).

Getting average people involved in becoming more aware of soil and taking part in its health is what this day is all about.

How to Celebrate World Soil Day

As it turns out, there are a number of things that average, regular people can do that can greatly help the soil they live off of to remain in good condition. It’s easy to get started with observing World Soil Day beginning with these ideas. Or for those who are super creative, they can come up with their own!

Get Educated About Soil

The best way to celebrate this day is to do exactly what scientists the world over so badly needs: to get educated. An enormous amount of damage is done to the planet every year–not due to ill will, but to ignorance. This is because many average people simply do not know enough about the earth to know when they are causing damage to it, sometimes damage that cannot be repaired.

Consider these resources for getting further educated on the issues related to World Soil Day:

Kiss the Ground (2020) This 90 minute documentary film featuring Woody Harrelson, Patricia Arquette and Tom Brady tells the important story of the soil being a viable solution to the world’s climate problems.

Symphony of the Soil (2012) Filmed on four different continents, this documentary features farmers, scientists, and ranchers who draw from ancient knowledge to pay respect to the importance of the soil.

The Biggest Little Farm (2018) Telling the story of one family’s attempt at farming, this documentary shows the way the little farm with depleted soil turned into a productive organic farm using regenerative agricultural practices.

Laguna Blanca (2012) Revealing how a farm in Argentina went from a single-crop, low-producing industrial farm to a multi-faceted area capable of production as well as lush greenery that houses many different wildlife.

Participate in a Soil-Friendly Activities

One of the first fun ideas average people can participate in is to plant a rain garden. For those who may not know what a rain garden is, it’s a shallow depression in the yard or garden that rainwater can easily flow into. This helps reduce soil erosion and promotes healthier soil.

Another important soil-friendly activity is composting. In order to stay rich in nutrients, soil needs access to fresh minerals which can come from dried leaves, dead plant parts, grass clippings and more. Keeping a compost heap in the backyard, filling it and turning it regularly not only improves the growing soil, but also reduces the amount of waste put into a landfill.

Read Kids Books about Soil

Got little family members, friends or school children who want to be educated on how important soil is to the lives of humans? Then try reading some different books with them about it! Here are a few to get started with:

The Magical World of Soil Biodiversity, by a variety of authors (2021).

You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Dirt, by Ian Graham (2016).

The Good Garden: How One Family Went from Hunger to Having Enough, by Katie Smith Milway (2010).

What’s Sprouting in my Trash? A Book About Composing, by Esther Porter (2013).

Landscape and Plan for Less Erosion

It is a good idea to reduce to a minimum the amount of flat or paved surfaces on a property, such as driveways and patios. This is because the water flowing over these types of surfaces has a tendency to gain momentum which causes more erosion than it normally would once it reaches the soil.

For those who absolutely must have that patio, they should consider having it built with paving stones so rainwater can flow directly downward into the soil instead. It’s a much healthier (and prettier!) way to get that walking path in the garden.

Place a Rain Barrel

Another simple way to go about conserving soil (and in this case, water as well) is to have a rain barrel placed somewhere strategic where it can easily collect rainwater that is flowing off of the roof, which can then be used to water the grass and the plants.

Whatever you decide to do, remember that even the smallest gestures can make a big difference to Mother Nature!

Source

[shesventuring]

🌲🌿 Join us for our next stop on #DestinationDoGood2023 🧡 We’ll be supporting @friendsofshelby for Restore the Forest on 2/11 at 9am! 🌿🌲 #LinkinBio to sign up to join! 🙌 We will meet at the Shelby Park Community Center and walk a short distance to Beech Grove Hill (the forest between the Community Center and Lake Sevier). Join your community members as we spend time in the woods together, chatting and restoring the ecological health of your public lands! At this volunteer opportunity, we will be planting native trees to restore ecosystems that have been overwhelmed by invasive species. In addition to planting native trees, we will also be removing invasive species. *What will volunteers be doing at this event?* Volunteers will be removing invasive plant species from the forest surrounding the Community Center in an area known as Beech Grove Hill. This process may be relatively strenuous, but is quite enjoyable service! Depending on the day, we may also be planting small native seedlings. *What is the community impact of this event?* First, we must ask, what is an invasive species? It is a species which is introduced to habitats where it is not native and harms the environment, human health, or the economy. In Shelby Park and Bottoms, a few species in particular have spread and pose a serious threat to the health of the park’s ecosystems (and natural beauty). Invasive species reduce biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. In addition, they make our forests much less beautiful. By removing invasive plants, we open up the forest and provide an opportunity for native species to move back into the space. In the long term, this will ensure that our forests can continue to host a wide variety of mature trees, native shrubs, and the animals that benefit from healthy, native Middle Tennessee forest. (at Shelby Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoMEMSXOjRv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[everydayesterday]

Red-Shouldered Hawk. (Buteo lineatus)  

photos by me.  2023-03-25 Nashville, TN (Shelby Park - Sevier Lake).

[eomer]

Bonus: The Great Salt Lake is in decline due to climate change and other man made factors. It had a break in 2022 with an absurdly wet winter, but with the above mentioned meaning that snow laden winters will be fewer and far between, the lake is in rough shape. If it shares the same fate of Sevier Lake, another body of salt water that's no more, the Salt Lake Valley is in danger of toxic dust. So please take a moment to donate for better funding and research on how to protect this ecological treasure.

X

And another link for more information about the lake and the important wetlands and other life it sustains

X

Great Salt Lake, 2018

[mike-jacque-c-the-world]

09/07/18 - Hinckley, UT - SEVIER LAKE - The white that you see is salt from a lake that is dry most of the time because the river that used to feed it has been diverted for irrigation further upstream. Currently there is a big tug of war between potash mining interests and environmentalists as to the future of this lake. As for me, it sure looks cool and is a welcome differentiation from the sameness of the desert landscape I’ve been riding through all day.

[bloganlive]

Sevier Lake Utah