The Mary Christopher Podcast

Back in the good ol’ days, meaning when I was growing up in the previous century as a “Baby Boomer”, I remember that people prayed for crops, for the health of their cattle, for a generous pecan harvest, and for people they knew in their community.  I know we still pray for people in our now widespread communities who need our prayers.  But, I don’t know very many people who are praying for their crops, or their cattle, or the health of a new foal.

I can remember standing out in our wheat field with ripe wheat grains bouncing against my jeans as the wind blew the wheat in waves across the field.  I remember my dad standing in the field, holding ripe grains in his hand, and watching the clouds move hopefully away from our fields.  Believe me, my dad was praying!  He was praying that the rain or the winds, or the hail would hold off until our very ripe wheat could be harvested and trucked to the elevator.  All across the prairie, farmers prayed fervently for dry weather to last until that last field was harvested!

My family farmed, raised cattle and horses, owned a farm supply store, and a grain elevator.  I helped out in the store as Chief Go-For when I was in grade school.  Then I helped with the wheat harvest at the elevator when I was older.  I knew when wheat needed to be sown in the Fall.  I knew when our cattle had to be moved off the fields of green wheat in early winter.  I knew all that ripe wheat went from our elevator by rail car to General Mills or Pillsbury after harvest.  And, I knew the farmers and their families, just like mine, were working year-round as well as praying every day for a good harvest, healthy cattle, productive chickens, and bountiful gardens.

In many respects, my life during the mid-fifties was similar to the way people lived before the Industrial Revolution.  It was similar in the sense that we understood our relationship to the Earth, and where our food came from.  We knew the wheat from our fields went to Pillsbury or General Mills to become flour.  Several families I knew, including mine, raised their own beef.  Most of the fruits and vegetables in our locally owned grocery stores were shipped from “the Valley” in Texas.  Some families owned small pecan groves for extra income.  If there was a good crop, we might find half a gunny sack of ripe pecans on our kitchen doorstep in the fall!  The same went for tomatoes and zucchini in the summer, and occasionally a pumpkin in the late fall.  Many of the families I knew were intimately connected in some way with the Earth, with Insects, Birds, Rain, Wind, Cattle, Horses, Bees, Snakes, and all Creatures Great and Small.

We understood that the weaving of prayer and hard work was deeply connected to our well-being and often to our survival.  We never talked about these relationships.  We just understood.  Because of those early experiences, I can go almost anywhere in the world and have meaningful conversations with Farmers, Ranchers, Gardeners, Beekeepers, Bakers, Brewers, families running Orchards, or Vineyards.  We speak the same language.  We have similar vocabulary, and often it feels just like “old home week”!   

In the same way, I could “time-travel” back to Celtic times, change my wardrobe, rearrange my hair, definitely adjust my accent, and “sort of” fit right in.  At the very least, I could “help” with farm chores, moving cattle, and gathering eggs!  And, we would all be praying for the same outcomes!  Now, many of us are not involved with the Earth, or cattle, or horses, or bees, or baking bread.  As a result, our relationship to the Earth, to Creation, often doesn’t seem relevant, at least until there is a serious weather event or until our food supplies are interrupted!

In the Celtic Tradition, there are prayers for every aspect of Life, including the very mundane and ordinary.  There is a sense of God’s Presence with every breath.  Angels abound and are always available for conversation or in case of emergencies.

Here is a prayer that a Celtic herdsman, or herdswoman might say as they were turning out the cattle for a day of grazing.

Pastures smooth, long, and spreading,

Closed be every pit to you,

The care of Peter and of Paul,

Blessing for Your Day …

Lucky stars above you,

Sunshine on your way,

Many friends to love you,

Joy in work and play.

Laughter to outweigh each care,

In your Heart a song,

And gladness, waiting everywhere

All your whole life long.

Blessing of the Druidic Circle

Grant, O GOD, thy Protection;

and in protection, strength;

and in strength, understanding;

and in understanding, knowledge;

and in knowledge, the knowledge of justice;

and in the knowledge of justice, the love of it;

and in the love of it, the love of all existences;

and in the love of all existences, the love of God.

God and all goodness.

Every autumn, one of the most astonishing natural events unfolds right above us.  Yet many of us barely notice. Monarch Butterflies, with delicate flashes of orange and black wings, make an epic journey that stretches from Canada all the way to the mountains of central Mexico.  It is almost unbelievable that something so fragile could be so resilient.  But year after year, these tiny travelers follow a path that crosses through Oklahoma and Georgia in September and October.  This yearly expedition puts our yards and communities right in the middle of one of nature’s most amazing migrations!

Here is what makes the Monarch migration even more fascinating!  The Monarchs that head south to Mexico are not the same ones that headed north the previous spring.  It takes four or five generations of butterflies to complete the full round trip.  In spring, a new generation hatches in the northern United States and Canada, beginning the journey southward.  Along the way, these Monarchs pause to breed and lay eggs on their one essential host plant, the Milkweed.  The eggs hatch into caterpillars, which gorge themselves on milkweed leaves, often stripping the plant bare in a day or two.  The caterpillar then transforms into a chrysalis, and finally emerges as a new adult. That cycle - egg to caterpillar to chrysalis (pupa) to butterfly - is a miracle of Creation in itself.  

It is a complete transformation from a crawling caterpillar to a beautiful, vibrant, Monarch Butterfly!  By the time fall arrives, this “super generation” of Monarchs hatches from its pupa.  Unlike their short-lived parents and grandparents, this final generation can live up to eight months, strong enough to fly thousands of miles to overwinter in the oyamel fir forests of Central Mexico.

So here is the key.  Monarchs can only continue their amazing migration if they have the right plants waiting for them at every stage of their journey.  Milkweed is absolutely critical!  It is the only plant Monarch caterpillars can eat! Without milkweed, there’s no next generation.  Adult Monarchs also need nectar plants along their path, from goldenrods in Oklahoma to blazing stars and asters in Georgia.  These flowering native plants are the refueling stations that keep Monarchs going, mile after mile.  When we plant native milkweeds, coneflowers, ironweed, Joe-Pye weed, and goldenrods in our gardens, we’re not only decorating our yards, we are creating stepping-stones for Monarchs as they migrate.  Our small patch of native plants may be the very spot where a Monarch pauses to drink, lay eggs, or even begin the next leg of its journey south!  By planting Native Plants in our yards and neighborhoods, we are being Good Neighbors to the Monarchs!

In a world where so much feels out of our control, it’s comforting to know that something as simple as planting a milkweed or a cluster of native wildflowers can connect us to a migration story thousands of miles long. Each fall, when those orange wings flutter through Georgia skies or across Oklahoma prairies, we are reminded that the Monarchs’ story is also our story, a story of resilience and connection.  By Caring for Creation, we are Partnering with our Creator!

Thinking About Going Native for Pollinators in Your Yard?

Do you know about the many benefits of growing native plants in your yard or garden? I know so many people who dream of a front yard that’s alive with color, texture, and movement, rather than a monotonous lawn that needs constant mowing and trimming. The good news is, it’s possible to create a space that’s beautiful, low-maintenance, and buzzing with life. All it takes is shifting from conventional turf grass to a vibrant, colorful native landscape.

Native plants are those that have evolved over thousands of years in a specific region, adapting to the local climate, soils, and wildlife. Because of this long history, they offer powerful benefits for both the land and the creatures who live on it.

Native plants are the backbone of healthy ecosystems. They provide nectar, pollen, seeds, and shelter for pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects that evolved alongside them.

These plants don’t just “decorate” a yard—they help it function as a life-support system.

Once established, native plants need far less watering, fertilizer, and pest control than non-native ornamentals. They’re naturally adapted to the rainfall, temperature swings, and soil conditions of your region. That means more weekends enjoying your garden and fewer afternoons pushing a mower or dragging a hose.

Because different native species bloom throughout the seasons, your garden can provide year-round beauty. Early spring wildflowers feed emerging pollinators, summer blooms keep butterflies fluttering, and fall seed heads feed migrating birds. These plants also tend to handle weather extremes—heat waves, sudden cold snaps, and heavy rains—better than most exotics.

One of the best things about native plants is that there’s a match for almost every soil type and climate zone.

Getting started with native plants is easier when you connect with local experts and resources.

By planting natives, you’re not just adding beauty to your yard—you’re restoring a piece of the natural world. Every milkweed, coneflower, or native grass you plant offers a lifeline to wildlife and reduces your environmental footprint. Going native isn’t just a gardening choice; it’s a small but powerful act of caring for creation.

Mary teaches mindfulness and spiritual practices 

and offers individual coaching.

Through her “Caring for Creation” podcast, she shares practices

for connecting with the earth and our spirituality.

With all this “political noise and chaos” we are not hearing much about “Taking Care of Our Planet!”.  I know for many people having anything to do with the environment or ecology just does not seem relevant right now.  I have noticed this with some older people who grew up in the 50s, 60s, or 70s.  I also know there are numerous well-informed “older folks” gardening and taking good care of the land.  And, many of them are being very vocal in support of Caring for Creation.  So, I am writing to my friends and neighbors who are still using pesticides and herbicides, and do not seem much interested in the decline of birds or bees, or other small creatures.

We are all aware that the current political turmoil is demanding our attention.  We have not seen this level of chaos in our nation or government probably since before the Civil War. (We know it was not a very “civil war" if there is such a thing.)  We are also aware that this current turmoil may be very distracting for some time!  So, I decided that in the midst of all this upheaval, I would continue my efforts to protect and preserve as much of Nature as I could,

For me, that meant “digging in” literally!  I have been learning as much as I can about the land and all Creatures Great and Small where I live.  We are not using pesticides or herbicides at home.  We planted milkweed and nectar plants for Monarchs and other amazing Butterflies.  We are careful with the amount of water we use, and we do recycle.  I have also been learning as much as I can about providing safe habitat for birds, bees, bunnies, and all creatures great and small.  I also use my articles and podcasts to inform others about being better Caretakers of our Earth Home.  Hopefully, I am contributing to a better future for my children, my grandchildren, and all those amazing people who will show up on Earth long after I am gone.

When I was growing up in SW Oklahoma, my family owned a farm supply store and a grain elevator.  I grew up with feed and seed, farming and gardening tools, real live bunnies and baby chicks at Easter, and a variety of plants in the spring.  The store carried DDT, a very toxic pesticide which was still legal at the time.  My dad did not like having it in the store or even using it because it was so toxic.  DDT was banned by the EPA at the end of 1972, but is still produced in the US and sold to other countries that continue to use it on their food crops!

Several years ago, I was working at a retreat center in Florida.  I usually shopped at the local Farmers’ Market on Saturdays and happened to find a beekeeper with excellent local honey.  We talked for almost an hour about the decrease in Bees, and about the problem of pesticides in general.  He told me that several countries, including China, have very few Pollinators and are challenged to find ways to pollinate their crops, especially fruits and vegetables.

He said that in the 1990s, the situation was so desperate in China that beekeepers in Florida gathered hundreds of hives with Bees and had them airlifted to China.  The Bees were distributed to farmers, hoping to re-establish Bee colonies there.  Within a few weeks, all these thousands of Bees had died!  The ground and the environment were so saturated with insecticides that the transplanted Bees could not survive.  What a letdown and what a tragedy!  No one involved had thought the Bees could not survive there!  And, such a good lesson for all of us about continuing to use pesticides and herbicides.

As you may know, I am living in Tulsa now.  And, Tulsa has several excellent programs such as Master Gardeners, Yard by Yard, and Church by Church.  Master Gardeners is an Oklahoma State University extension program.  The other 2 programs are part of the Oklahoma Conservation District plan to create yards and church lawns into pollinator-friendly environments.  Oklahoma also has a strong and expanding  Native Plant Network providing native plants for yards, churches, and businesses!  These native plant nurseries are owned by the next generation of growers and are definitely a sign of hope.  Every state that I know of has a Native Plant Society as well as local Native Plant Nurseries.  They can usually be found on Facebook or by searching the internet.  Georgia has a very active Native Plant Society, a variety of excellent Farmers Markets, as well as small organic fruit and vegetable farms all over the state.

I am so impressed by the dedicated owners and growers of native plant nurseries.  So, this fall, wherever you are, find one of these nurseries, buy some plants that have been raised with great care, and start returning native plants to your yard!  All of us will be healthier!  And, we will see more Beautiful Butterflies, Bees, and other Amazing Pollinators every year!  Maybe we will all feel a bit more hopeful about the Future!!!

A Keystone Species is one having a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance. Its removal would cause significant changes to the ecosystem, potentially leading to its collapse. Essentially, they play a crucial role in maintaining the balance and diversity of their environment.

Outsized Impact:

Ecosystem Engineers:

Apex Predators:

Pollinators:

Consequences of Removal:

Buffalo are considered a Keystone species.  When significant numbers of Buffalo were re-introduced to the prairie in South Dakota there was a significant improvement in the health and biodiversity of the land.  Before the Buffalo were re-established, there was very little plant or animal, or insect biodiversity.  Because of the way they graze and roam on the prairie, restoration happened faster than expected.  This restoration is ongoing, with Buffalo grazing on nearly 60,000 acres across two properties. 

Buffalo graze the grasses at different heights, providing nesting grounds for birds. They also roll around and pack down the soil in depressions in the ground known as wallows. These wallows fill with rainwater and offer breeding pools for amphibians and sources of drinking water for wildlife across the landscape.  The Buffalo’s split hooves also create smaller depressions that can hold water, giving it time to be absorbed into the ground.  Over time, this can raise the level of groundwater.  

During the late 1880’s, Buffalo were hunted for their hides, and to remove the main food source for nomadic Native Americans.  By 1900, it was estimated that there were fewer than 1,000 bison left in North America.  In 1800, the Buffalo population in North America was estimated to have been between 30 and 60 million.  It is possible that this drastic decline of the Buffalo from the Great American Prairie contributed to the dust storms of the 1930s.  This would be an example of what can happen when a Keystone species is removed or eliminated from its environment.  It can also demonstrate the amazing result of bringing back the Keystone Species.

You may have guessed it already, depending on how much you know about Beavers!  Most of us did not grow up around Beavers.  There were no Beavers in SW Oklahoma where I grew up.  But, I was always fascinated with them and with their ability to build dams and lodges and raise families! I also admired them for their swimming ability.  It always looked to me like they were having a good time.  Probably the first live Beavers I saw were living in a Zoo!

In Great Britain and the United States, Beavers were, for the most part, hunted very close to extinction for their warm, water-resistant fur, their scent glands, and in some cases, their extraordinary flat tails.  Beaver hats and coats were in high fashion for at least 300 years, from 1550 to 1850.  As they were hunted down and removed from most of civilization, the environments they inhabited began to change.  Farming and ranching took over much of their territory, destroying wetlands, lowering the water table, and erasing biodiversity!

It has only been in the last 20 or so years that Beavers were found in the wilderness or brought out of zoos and reintroduced to specific areas.  Scotland began a trial period for Beavers in 2009, following 400 years when there were no Beavers in Scotland.  During this trial period, another group of Beavers were unofficially “reintroduced” in Scotland, and both groups flourished.

Beavers are amazing and very efficient engineers.  In the right environment, they can build a dam across a flowing stream in a few days.  They can build a 35 foot dam in about a week.  Their lodges take longer because they are built for safety from floods, a place to escape predators, and a nursery for their children.  Their lodges are sturdy, water-resistant, and often at least 10 feet high!

Beavers, as engineers, seem to have excellent instincts about where to build their dams, which trees to bring down, and how high to build them.  There were many unexpected benefits from these carefully placed dams.  The first and most obvious was that water running in streams slowed down and began to spread out.  As the water spread, it created a “wetland”, giving the water time to soak into the soil, raising the underground water level.  By slowing the flow of water through the land, it helped prevent a dry stream bed during droughts or a flood caused by unexpected rainfall.

By slowing the water flow, this allowed silt deposits which enriched the soil.  These wetlands provided the perfect environment for biodiversity of plants and small creatures like frogs, lizards, dragonflies, pollinators, and butterflies.  Small fish began to appear and soon different species of birds showed up and enjoyed the feast!  In some areas of Great Britain and the United States, this “sudden” biodiversity was surprising.  Because there had been so few Beavers anywhere to be observed, ecologists and landowners had no idea what to expect.  Most people were delighted.

Beavers are considered a “Keystone species” because they create habitats that support and encourage biodiversity.  And, they do it faster and more efficiently than human engineers!  During the last 8 to 12 years, Beavers have been reintroduced in many areas for the specific purpose of providing habitat for such species such as salmon in NW Washington.

Next week, I’ll cover more about the wonderful benefits Beavers create when they are brought into specific areas.  When environmentalists began “reintroducing” Beavers in Great Britain and the United States, they had no idea what would happen or how quickly conditions in specific areas would improve.  More about these Amazing Engineers next week … !!!

When we look around the world or watch the news or talk to friends or family, we often hear about turmoil, disagreements, warnings of disaster,  or other distressing news.  When we hear about so much chaos and disappointment, it can deeply affect us.  We can become cynical and lose our faith in the future.  Or, in some cases, people may just give up.  This is not a good situation!

 So, what can we do?  Where can we go?  Where can we look when we are faced with so much chaos and upheaval?   We can turn to friends and family, or our friendly local therapist.  Maybe we have a deep spiritual practice.   Maybe we are part of a strong faith community.  Or maybe we decide to pack up the SUV and head for the Hills!  Definitely a tempting option ... !

However, for most people heading for the hills may not be an option for any number of reasons.  Regardless of how crazy our civilization can become, there is an answer staring us in the face all the time.  The antidote for this craziness can be found in Creation, in the daily examples found in Nature.  Why is that?  For one reason Creation is very orderly.  At least it is until Human Beings start goofing around with it.  However, that is another topic altogether.

Here is one of my favorite examples.  When most of us go to bed at night,  do we ever worry about whether the Sun will come up in the morning?  Do we doubt that the New Moon or the Full Moon might not appear on schedule?  Are we concerned that our Earth will stop rotating in the middle of the night?  I don’t doubt Sunrise, or the arrival of the New Moon or Full Moon.  And, I do not fall asleep worrying about the Earth’s rotation which is actually the reason that we have Sunrise!  I am not surprised to see Sunlight streaming through my bedroom window early in the morning.  I am grateful and delighted, but not surprised!

Why are we able to find peace or even just a sense of belonging by paying attention to Nature?  One main reason is that Human Beings have lived in a deep relationship with Nature for at least 200,000 thousand years!  Our well-being and our survival for all but the last 130 or 140 years of that time depended on our ability to understand and work with Nature.  Usually, the best farmers, gardeners, dairy people, fishermen, cooks, builders, and medicine people were successful because they paid close attention to Nature!  They were also successful because they learned to work with the patterns they found in Nature.

When we make the time to study recurring patterns in Nature, we find these often complex patterns are the result of simple mathematical formulas!  This suggests an “Underlying Unity in Creation”!  The effect for Humans of spending time in Nature is that we are reminded of this Underlying Unity.  This often subliminal reminder can be calming and restorative.  Scientific studies done with people who were “forest bathing” have established there is a positive result. Some of these studies showed that the longer Humans spent forest bathing, the longer the beneficial effects last!  (No drugs involved!)

One of the most recurring patterns is the hexagon, or 6 six-sided shape.  This shape is found in the honeycomb in a beehive.  Hexagons are also found in the shape of the core in a snowflake.  Insect eyes are made up of tiny hexagon shapes, giving them the greatest light-sensing area.  Many different flowers have 6 petals that form overlapping triangles with 6 sides.  The Prayer or Rain Lily is a good example.  Nature uses simple formulas to create elegant and useful solutions.  Honeycomb is an excellent example because the hexagon maximizes space and strength.  When we pay attention to Nature, immerse ourselves in a forest, or spend time at the beach, we are reminded of this consistent underlying Unity!  And, it permeates our entire consciousness, often causing peace of mind and happiness!

Mary teaches mindfulness and spiritual practices.

She leads Heart Coherence groups and offers individual coaching.

Through her “Caring for Creation” podcast, she shares practices

for connecting with the earth and our spirituality.

Whenever we pay attention to or take care of the World of Nature surrounding us, then we are caring for Creation.  When we take care of the birds and the bees and the grasses and the trees and the water and the soil and every bit of Nature all around us, that is practical spirituality.

Human beings live on this lovely gem of a planet because of photosynthesis, and rainfall, and chlorophyll, and red blood cells, and ants that till the soil beneath the ground, and birds that distribute seeds, and all the other amazing activities taking place every day all around us!  All these activities supporting our lives on this planet happen without any help or instruction from us.  There is some kind of spiritual activity that is very orderly and beautiful and filled with wonder sustaining us.

If I go through the day, and I get to the end of that day feeling grumpy,  then I go outside and sit in the Sunshine, assuming it's not too hot.  I listen to the birds.  I listen to the sound of the leaves moving in the trees.  I watch the grasses bend and the clouds moving, because of this invisible energy that we call wind.   

Several years ago I was living in Texas, outside of Austin.  It was a very warm summer.  So, one afternoon I took a walk in an area behind the houses where there were trees.  There was a lovely breeze and some older evergreens.  I remember it was very warm.  And, I remember walking underneath the branches of an old evergreen tree.  The first thing I noticed was it was cooler and there was a little bit of moisture.  It was not as dry under that evergreen tree, as it was out where there were no trees.

 So, I sat down under that tree, leaned up against the trunk, and had a lovely meditation.  It was cool!  There was a breeze!  After I sat there for a while,  I began to hear the birds singing in the surrounding trees.  Then after a while, I could hear little bugs crawling around in the dry leaves and grasses right next to me.  I was sitting where it was cool and moist and very, very still.  I remember feeling my whole body begin to relax.  I could feel my shoulders dropping down.  Then I noticed that my heartbeat was slowing and I was breathing more deeply!  I noticed that I wasn't as irritated with the heat, even deep in the Heart of Texas!

All Creatures Great and Small, all of us living on this planet,  are completely dependent on photosynthesis, on water, on wind, on the trees with leaves with chlorophyll that create fresh oxygen from carbon dioxide.  Without those trees, and those leaves, and those little chlorophyll molecules, we would not be here.  Somewhere deep down in our consciousness,  we know this.  We understand that we are part of Creation!  And, we understand that Creation is showing us so much about the Creator!  Deep in our Hearts, we know this!  We may have forgotten.  We may be so busy that we don't notice.

 But, when we slow down.  When we take a walk in the woods, see a beautiful sunset, stand beside a waterfall, or watch the Full Moon rising in the east right on schedule, we often stand in awe.  And that is the beginning of understanding.  It is the beginning of Spiritual Awakening.  Or,  maybe we could say it's the beginning of remembering Who We Are.  These experiences also help us remember to have gratitude for our lives, for the beauty that surrounds us, for the blessings of delicious fruits and vegetables and the herbs for seasoning and healing and comforting.

We are so blessed and when we remember how blessed we are then, we begin to understand how important it is to Care for Creation! 

One of the challenges we face in our “modern world” is our loss of connection to Creation.  We live in houses shaped like boxes with running water and air conditioning systems that we can set to any temperature we prefer.  We have running water for washing, bathing, and cleaning.  We no longer have to dash to the outhouse or look under the bed for the chamber pot.  And, thank goodness for all those blessings !!!

However, one dubious result is that we have lost our sense of connection to Creation, our direct contact with Nature.  We use our cell phone, or our laptop to track the weather, rather than stepping outside to “feel” the wind and the humidity, as well as checking the clouds.  That is how I learned to “check the weather” when I was growing up.  Checking the weather was and still is a daily activity for farmers and ranchers.  I still like to “check the weather” this way even if I have already looked at my weather app.  

Humans have spent centuries honing our ability to read all the weather signs.  Our ancestors survived because they could sense the weather and they knew which plants and fruits were safe to eat.  They knew how to work with the land to grow crops and preserve nutrients in the soil.  They learned how to live in harmony with Nature or they would not have been around to produce another generation.  Those of us on Planet Earth right now are here because our Ancestors paid attention to Creation every day!

This lovely spiritual practice shows up in their prayers and spiritual practices.  They had prayers for everything, from re-kindling the fire every morning, including blessing their food, for travelers and traveling, blessing the crops as well as their cattle.  All of Creation was included because Creation reflected the presence of the Creator, as well as saints and angels.  The Celtics were very good at being aware of our Creator!

Here is a good example of a Celtic blessing often used when kindling the hearth fire every morning.

This morning, as I kindle the fire of my hearth,

I pray the flame of God's love may burn in my heart

and in the hearts of all I meet today.

I pray that no envy or malice,

no hatred or fear,

may smother the flame. 

I pray that indifference and apathy, 

contempt and pride, 

may not pour like cold water on the fire.

Instead, may the spark of God's love

light the love in my heart, 

that it may burn brightly through the day.

And may I warm those who are lonely,

whose hearts are cold and lifeless, 

so that all may know

the comfort of God's love.

God and God’s blessing and love are woven into every line of this prayer.  It is a prayer and a blessing to cover all sorts of contingencies for that whole day!

This is one of the shorter prayers for milking.

Bless, O God, my little cow,

Bless, O God, each teat,

And, here is my favorite early morning prayer that always gives me a sense of being deeply immersed in Creation and connected to GOD!      

Celtic Morning Prayer ~

I arise today,

through the Strength of Heaven:

Light of Sun,

Radiance of Moon,

Splendour of Fire,

Speed of Lightening,

Swiftness of Wind,

Depth of Sea,

Stability of Earth,

Firmness of Rock.

We are so blessed by the beauty and bounty of Creation which is an expression of our Creator, but we often go zipping through the day being unaware of all these Blessings.

So, the next time you are feeling anxious, or uncertain, or wondering where God has gone, just step outside and look around.  Even better, take a walk in the woods, inhale some fresh air, and soak up the Creator’s Blessings that surround us all the time.  God hasn’t “gone” anywhere.  We just forgot where to look …

Mary teaches mindfulness and spiritual practices.

She leads Heart Coherence groups and offers individual coaching.

Through her “Caring for Creation” podcast, she shares practices

for connecting with the earth and our spirituality.

Each fall, hundreds of millions of monarch butterflies migrate from the United States and Canada to mountains in central Mexico where they wait out the winter until conditions favor a return flight in the spring. The monarch migration is truly one of the world's greatest natural wonders yet it is threatened by habitat loss at overwintering grounds in Mexico and throughout breeding areas in the United States and Canada.

Monarch Waystations are places that provide resources necessary for Monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their migration. Without milkweeds throughout their spring and summer breeding areas in North America, Monarchs would not be able to produce the successive generations that culminate in the migration each fall. Similarly, without nectar from flowers these fall migratory monarch butterflies would be unable to make their long journey to overwintering grounds in Mexico. The need for host plants for larvae and energy sources for adults applies to all monarch and butterfly populations around the world.

Milkweeds and nectar sources are declining due to development and the widespread use of herbicides in croplands, pastures, and roadsides. Because 90% of all milkweed/monarch habitats occur within the agricultural landscape, farm practices have the potential to strongly influence monarch populations.

Development (of subdivisions, factories, shopping centers, etc.) in the U.S. is consuming habitats for monarchs and other wildlife at a rate of 6,000 acres (9.4 square miles) a day - that's 2.2 million acres each year. This is roughly equivalent to losing an area of habitat the size of the state of Illinois (the 24th largest U.S. state) every sixteen years!

Widespread adoption of herbicide-resistant corn and soybeans has resulted in the loss of more than 100 million acres of monarch habitat in recent years. The planting of these crops genetically modified to resist the non-selective systemic herbicide glyphosate (Roundup) allows growers to spray fields with this herbicide instead of tilling to control weeds. Milkweeds survive tilling but not the repeated use of glyphosate. This habitat loss is substantial since these croplands represent a significant portion of the summer breeding area for monarchs.

The use of herbicides and frequent mowing along roadsides has converted much of this habitat to grassy areas that lack shelter and food for wildlife. Although some states have started to increase the diversity of plantings (including milkweeds) along roadsides, these programs are small. Unfortunately, the remaining milkweed habitats in pastures, hayfields, edges of forests, grasslands, native prairies, and urban areas are not sufficient to sustain the large monarch butterfly populations seen in the 1990s.

We can help Monarchs as well as other Butterflies and Pollinators!

To offset the loss of milkweeds and nectar sources we need to create, conserve, and protect monarch butterfly habitats. You can help by creating "Monarch Waystations" (monarch habitats) in home gardens, at schools, businesses, parks, zoos, nature centers, along roadsides, and on other unused plots of land. Creating a Monarch Waystation can be as simple as adding milkweeds and nectar sources to existing gardens or maintaining natural habitats with milkweeds. No effort is too small to have a positive impact.

Be sure to register your habitat(s) and encourage your friends and neighbors to follow in your footsteps!  When you have several Monarch Waystations in your neighborhood, you can have a neighborhood “Welcoming Party” in the Fall for returning Monarchs!

Having a Monarch Waystation is a Wonderful Opportunity to support the Monarch Migration as well as protecting other Pollinators!  Everyone comes out ahead when we work together and Care for Creation!