The Juno Project - sharing justice - citizenship and democracy - involvement

 

Above: the Juno logo.

1^st. Peace Chaplaincy; Interfaith Mission and Eco Spirituality Chaplaincy celebrated 40 years of service in 2022. The Ministry benefits co-operative communities, encouraging an increase in thoughtful, mindful and compassionate attitudes. In the diverse society in which we all live, understanding of citizenship and democracy is offered. We work with the spirit whatever the faith. We foster interfaith dialogue between people of different religious traditions and multifaith affinity. We focus on the beliefs and philosophies of Pagan, Heathen, Druid, 1st. Nations (US), African Animist, Celtic and Saxon Christian and Spiritualist paths. The Chaplaincy offers expertise in spiritual ecology and wider well being programmes, alongside traditional ministry, worship and mysticism. We have found ourselves more in demand than ever, as people report feeling anxious about the social and political turmoil, fighting and war around the world and lack of action on climate change, nature loss, human and animal suffering.

Sharing understanding of justice, citizenship and democracy is an important part of our Juno Project work. 

Juno Enterprise Charitable Association was established in Autumn 1984 and was up and running, delivering benefits by 1985. The Association went on to become a registered charity, charity number: 1169031. In Autumn 2024 Juno Enterprise celebrated 40 years of achievements. During that time funding was gained from the National Lottery to deliver a programme: "Out to Learn", it was a huge, popular success 

Above: learning about natural and cultural heritage, South Yorkshire

After celebrating the 40th anniversary, it was acknowledged that much had been achieved and sustained over such a long period and all of the charities objectives had been met. With this in mind, the decision was taken to dissolve the charity and wind up the organisation. 

However, having worked closely with two partners, Dawn Chorus Educational Initiative CIC and First Peace Chaplaincy on a co-operative partnership called Triple Helix, the chance was offered to acknowledge the historical contribution that had been made by Juno Enterprise Charitable Association, by naming a legacy project: "The Juno Project", to be delivered by First Peace Chaplaincy.

The Chaplaincy’s "Juno Project". We understand that co-operation assists implementation of strong standards. It encourages responsive flexibility; clear, simple achievable and creative concepts. Moral, ethical and meaningful action creates healthy outcomes; local enjoyment and worth. First Peace Chaplaincy Communities of Interest Learning Groups Networks engage, nurture, motivate, enable, encourage and support learning. Activities aim to increase thoughtful, mindful and compassionate attitudes; multi level community connections and potential. 

The Juno Project supports understanding of democracy and governance and fosters skills for participation in decisions that affect communities and impact on our lives and economy. We encourage accessible local democracy and collective responsibility, to help assure that the basic means of life, growth and development are available for all. 

First Peace Chaplaincy works within communities, discussing and exploring how their own resources and destinies can be ethically secured; growing the understanding that life resources, such as water, needed by plants, animals and humans, should be affordable and accessible to all, uncontaminated and sustainably managed.

The Chaplaincy delivers learning in organic plant based food growing, seed saving and propagation, pollination, composting and soil protection. We encourage the development and sharing of innovative low technology solutions by networking information and building co-operation with indigenous communities, in specified international locations. We respect the right of all peoples to seek inclusion in international agreements, and for indigenous peoples to have a voice and equal footing with other nations. The Chaplaincy Eco-spirituality programme offers and publicise opportunities and support for all, helping people meet their needs and fulfil their ethical aspirations, showing that enterprise is rooted in and responsible to communities and future generations. 

Cindy Bamford, a children’s activity leader in the East Midlands, thanked us for supporting Woodborough Preschool and Little Adventurers Forrest School: “The children are really happy learning and having fun in their natural environment “. 

The Chaplaincy's Juno Project offers or encourages participation, learning resources, assemblies, deliberations, communication, forums and experience with the potential to increase self determination. Benefits include increase in thoughtful, mindful and compassionate attitudes; opportunity and multi level community connections. For example at the start of Michaelmas Term 2024, our Communities of Interest Learning Groups discussed plans and expectations for the Democracy and Governance Programme, debating concepts of inclusion and involvement, transparency and truth, pluralism and neoliberalism, freedom of speech, the rise of the far right, systems and accountability.

In the course of nurturing learning in environmental protection, the Juno Project also encompass animal welfare, community development, citizenship and democracy, human rights, justice, peacefulness and well-being.

Below: ancient bluebell wood at Launde.

People ask what inspired the name, it derives from the Goddess Juno who is associated with women’s enterprise, regeneration and peacocks. Peacocks appear in the Juno Project logo, with Juno, Cupid (social engagement) and Silvanus (the environment and nature).The motto: “Educate to Rejuvenate: to aid and benefit our communities” is from concepts associated with Juno: iuvare, “to aid, benefit”, iuvenescendo, “to rejuvenate" . 

Below: Percy Peacock is our project mascot. Peacocks pulled the chariot of Juno.

1^st. Peace Chaplaincy Interfaith Ministry & Eco Spirituality Chaplaincy and our Lyfjaberg initiative: these three elements of chaplaincy's work, perfectly compliment the work of the Juno Project. They nurture connected communities of co-operation, encouraging an increase in thoughtful, mindful and compassionate attitudes; creating opportunities and potential. The Chaplaincy is committed to co-operation in the diverse society in which we all live, offering understanding of citizenship and democracy, justice and peacefulness, as well as exploring interfaith and multifaith issues within a sustainable and healthy community. Our Communities of Interest Learning Groups Networks are a perfect mechanism for delivery.

Our volunteer Andrew says: "the benefits we deliver are seen in our work; meeting people's needs and making a difference in communities"

Above: children on the Dawn Sind project in Pakistan painting Percy, our peacock mascot. 

Below: children exploring the natural environment at Clumber Park, Uk.

Above: family activities. 

Since 1985 we have developed a range of educational resources and learning opportunities on a range of issues: animal welfare, wellbeing, the arts and cultural and natural heritage. We often help parents, schools and pre-schools to explore nature with children. This supports our eco-spirituality and wellbeing work. We constantly update and expand our learning resources with activities directly linked to Key Stages of the National Curriculum: 1, 2, 3 & GCSE.

Activities engage people of all ages and abilities, from children to academics. The activities seem to help people to value the same natural features needed by wildlife. By protecting such areas in a wild state, for biodiversity, space is secured in which our children can exercise through physically play, develop social skills and mental agility. We believe that children and young people are the most important resource in our society and we strive to enable them to make a positive contribution.

We helped with shelter building and story telling activities for preschool children, brewing up hot chocolate, hammering with wooden mallets, tying ropes, telling stories, practicing communication and teamwork skills and getting lots of fresh air.

At Easter 2024, on a visit to Spern Head, children were able to see billions of brown-tail moth caterpillars, barn owls, curlews, stilts and mute swans. Children learn about art in the landscape. Below: colour and texture in nature, Epperstone.

 

Learning mechanisms used in our programmes:

• improving learning pathways and people's learning experience.

• engagement and involvement.

• inspiring people (for example, to get involved with food growing).

• skills support.

• engaging teachers and educators.

The Chaplaincy has unprecedented experience in the following areas which we strive to embed into our programmes:

Wider application of key skills and basic skills.

Outdoor and forest experience learning.

Arts education, creative and heritage learning.

Conservation, biodiversity and climate change.

Organic gardening.

Below: exploring textures and touch in nature, Lincolnshire.

Above: "What is this?" Child's found object, family walking session,  April 2013.

Above: a pond is a good place for contemplation and observation. Wild places can sustain psychological resilience and wellbeing.

Below: Andrea Wright Preschool Manager.

Below: children taking part in Earth Day action and learning about responsibilities and sustainability.

Below: toddler looking for ladybirds in an old tree.

At First Peace Chaplaincy we encourage a supportive, nurturing culture, which builds learning principles and practices based on the real world, to give meaningful, relevant experience. This can lead to positive life long learning patterns, improved confidence and self-direction. We believe that most people, especially youngsters, want to be respected and trusted and want to co-operate in contributing to the community, in a responsible and sustainable way. We aim to encourage opportunities that build children's confidence and encourage mentors to experiment with approaches to learning which are filled with vitality and creativity. We recommend the use of positive affirmations with children. This creates effective self-regulation and provides tools in troubled or stressful situations, boosting self-esteem and helping create positive mental attitude, thinking and outlook. We encourage Trust Nurturing and PACE parenting, where playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy are key. This Opens communication, helping children to experience being listened to in a safe place. Children then start to explore, discover and learn.

Above: exploring.

We aim to: raise awareness of the vital role played by families in raising levels of attainment. We develop opportunities for parents, carers and guardians to support children and special needs family members. For example as part of our community awareness and well being work, we arranged an event where mental health service users and young people with learning difficulties visited the office of the Nottinghamshire Crime and Police Commissioner.

We work with families in receipt of pupil premium, including adoptive families and forces families. We also integrate these activities with initiatives for those who feel lonely and isolated in our communities. This often leads to intergenerational cooperation and sharing.

We foster involvement and encourage hands on seasonal creative learning activities, which promote an understanding of the power of nature and horticulture; the arts and heritage. This help children to transform their understanding of the world and their communities. One example is our popular annual photographic competitions.

We encourage family access to intergenerational activities, events and play-learning games. This develops compassionate and creative thinking, social responsibility, healthy eating and mental wellbeing, basic skills, understanding of and skills in animal welfare, environmental and social responsibility. For example: community, family and children's cooking sessions are popular.

Below: a little angel, Laxton Church.

We understand that arts activities, stimulate learning and creativity in all academic areas. The arts develop neural systems such as motor skills and emotional balance, aesthetic awareness, cultural awareness, social harmony and appreciation of diversity. Helping children to understand cultural heritage and history, builds self-esteem and pride in place and community. Children who are read stories and who are taught to listen to music become good listeners: in lessons, in relationships, in social care roles and may become more empathetic and compassionate. 2012 saw a 30% contraction in arts funding in the UK, this makes our work even more vital and worthy of support.

Above: exploring the girth of a tree.

We deliver landscape conservation skills development and promote outdoor education for all ages. We are working hard to help bees and pollinating insects. Our Moth-Watch Challenge had good community participation and turned up many colourful species such as the Poplar Hawk Moth.

Below: found objects.

Below: "discovering the peg" used to mark the strips in the medieval strip farming still practiced at Laxton.

Below: green spaces are important for children.

Our community engagement for all ages, in just one week, helped children's groups to: celebrate heritage festivals, take part in garden bird watching, countryside ID and pond adventures. Our community project on ammonites model making for children and our family kitchen food preserving project, has been important to our communities in lockdown, stimulating the documentation of the memories of participants. First Peace Chaplaincy set up fifteen virtual learning community event forums during lockdown, to promote thinking and awareness on a range of topics. Following this success and by demand, we will maintain this type of engagement as part of our ongoing programme delivery.

In contrast to the virtual world, our real world  learning activities are popular and range from consideration of medieval stonework in Tickhill, South Yorkshire, to architectural furniture in Grantham and cooperation with SEND Nottingham, who work with hard to reach children and young people in an inner city area. We have been in demand in the community, to support cross-curricular immersive learning: developing compassion, spirituality, cultural and ethical experience, creativity, academic potential, social skills and outdoor learning possibilities. In one project, our volunteers helped families with children to check insect hotels, comparing designs to find out the preference of specific species for various designs.

We view citizenship within the context of a multidisciplinary field, a field encompassing politics, philosophy, education, sociology and cultural studies. Good citizenship creates the foundation stone of democratic societies. With this in mind, our Communities of Interest Learning Groups, come together to listen to each other, debate individual and collective views and enjoy inclusive conversations relevant to these cross cutting themes. 

Recent debates have included:

Discussing good Ideas from Isaiah: ' They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore'. The group discussed the role of women and pointed to diplomacy as a tool to forge peace, women were often the diplomats, offered through royal marriages, both in the distant past and in modern times. After some difficult discussions about warfare and intolerance, the session ended with participants each contributing a line to a prayer for the children, the care givers, the vulnerable, the doctors and the animals in Palestine.

One online group discussed the question: "Why does modern life feel so empty?" After wide ranging debate, concluding comments included: " we can't have something in common with every person but we can be polite and say hello. It brightens the world to smile." "Communities can be cold and selfish, very unresponsive. The sunshine of friendship opens gates and comes in when you least expect it."

In October one of our rural "Walk and Talk" groups, explored the idea that the weather tells us when the seasons change, when day and night are more equal in length. One participant said: "It’s a good  time to reflect on the balance between light and dark in our own lives and in the community, it is a good time to giving thanks for the harvest, our ancestors, teachers, the angels and spirit helpers, to make offerings, share food with each other and to work on our spiritual paths. "

Another group considered how "social oppression and injustice can lead to individual vulnerability and illness." Members considered the chaplaincy's work with people in the community, aimed at developing balance and harmony in our souls and spirit in the present moment, and gave examples of this bringing positive benefits. The group concluded that Heathen, Pagan or Christian prayer can give a sense of deep confidence and peace and that making offerings, sharing food with each other and working on our spiritual paths is fulfilling.

We have endeavoured to advance understanding of: 

Welfare, well-being, quality of life, peace, happiness and enjoyment. 

Equality, equity, justice and ethical communities. 

Spirituality and divinity.

Social, environmental and economic welfare. 

The arts and cultural heritage, including sustainable ceramics research. 

Landscape and natural heritage wildlife and animal welfare.

Responsible, compassionate and sustainable lifestyles.

Climate change. eco-philosophy and eco-spirituality.

“Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today.” –  Barack Obama

Animal welfare and ethics

                                    

 

Above, graceful swans at Hoveringham.

1^st. Peace Chaplaincy; Interfaith Mission and Eco Spirituality Chaplaincy celebrated 40 years of service in 2022. The Ministry benefits co-operative communities, encouraging an increase in thoughtful, mindful and compassionate attitudes. In the diverse society in which we all live, understanding of citizenship and democracy is offered. We work with the spirit whatever the faith. We foster interfaith dialogue between people of different religious traditions and multifaith affinity. We focus on the beliefs and philosophies of Pagan, Heathen, Druid, 1st. Nations (US), African Animist, Celtic and Saxon Christian and Spiritualist paths. The Chaplaincy offers expertise in spiritual ecology and wider well being programmes, alongside traditional ministry, worship and mysticism. We have found ourselves more in demand than ever, as people report feeling anxious about the social and political turmoil, fighting and war around the world and lack of action on climate change, nature loss, human and animal suffering.

Wildlife and animal welfare are important to our work:

This programme complements our natural heritage; climate change & sustainability work & underpins the compassionate, ethical, cooperative & educational culture that we seek to foster. It sits along side of our healthy plant-based diet & lifestyles unit, part of our well being programme, and our international equity unit, within our international cooperation programme. We promote welfare for all creatures. 

This ethos permeates our work, complementing our learning programmes. We consider such influences as the work of Peter Singer. Singer is an Australian philosopher, author, activist and is Emeritus Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. His work specialises in applied ethics and has influenced the animal rights movement. His books include Animal Liberation, Practical Ethics, The Life You Can Save and Effective Altruism. Also popular is the life and work of the great poet, Lord Byron. Byron was a hero of the Greek Revolution, a pioneer of wild water swimming and  "master" to his beautiful Newfoundland dog, Boatswain, whom he nursed though rabies. A beautiful and imposing monument to Boatswain stands in Newstead Abbey inscribed with Byron's poem to his dog. A Romantic, Byron was a lover of nature, shown here in his work Manfre:   

I linger yet with Nature, for the night

Hath been to me a more familiar face

Than that of man; and in her starry shade

Of dim and solitary loveliness,

I learn’d the language of another world.

Promoting bioethics & challenging speciesism: For thirty five years First Peace Chaplaincy Eco-spirituality mission has delivered community learning activities that have been cutting edge and trail blazing. Biodiversity, animal welfare, climate change, sustainability, wildlife, landscape conservation and habitats, heritage culture and wellbeing all remain key work streams. Since we started our work, parts of society have moved on to embrace the vital importance of climate change, biodiversity and veganism, which are now main stream rather than marginal issues. We believe that climate survival and speciesism are crosscutting issues. In these areas we are long established as expert educators and project delivery agents.

"We now pray especially for our relatives in the wilderness — the four-legged, the winged, those that live in the waters, and those that crawl upon the land." Black Elk.

Below: compassion.

Our wildlife friendly organic heritage trials garden, has a much loved worm hotel, the worms have an excellent, comfortable, predator free home with as much food as they can eat. In exchange they provide us with rich compost and liquid fertilizer. Earth worms benefit the planet, making our soil healthy and increasing the capacity for rain water to be stored at root level. Pesticides, compaction from heavy machinery, lack of bio-matter and other modern farming practices have led to a steep decline in earth worms. 42% of UK farmland surveyed was deficient in earth worms. It is not just farming; many golf courses eradicate worms with chemicals to prevent spoiling of the greens. Some experts warn that not only does our planet have a crisis in pollinating insects (such as bees) and earthworms (both essential to food production) but that all insects and invertebrates, given current rates of decline, could vanish within 100 years. This would lead a total ecosystems collapse.  We had a huge response to our simple online survey asking people if they pick up worms from paths and move them to a place of safety; it is heartening to know that so many people care about earth worms!

Look out for volunteers on the leaflet stalls in your community. We are updating forty learning resource packs, including our hedgehog pack; they will be available soon.

Below: One of our over wintering hedgehogs. 

Above: Shawn one of our supporters, a priest in Norfolk, after seeing our hedgehog house building & hibernation resource, sent us this picture that she took, saying: "Fancy doing a hedgehog workshop here in Norfolk?"

We set up a virtual learning community event during lockdown, aimed at anglers, individuals and community wildlife groups, to increase awareness that fish feel pain. We have also stimulated community based discussion to try to help stop shrink-wrapped live packaged lobsters and crabs being sold in supermarkets to be bought to boil alive. Educational and beneficial activities and involvement are vital to fight climate change and biodiversity decline. We support many eco-conscious and animal rights campaigns and create peaceful pathways for members of the community to become involved in creating social and environmental justice and making the positive change that they wish to see in the world.

Above: mental health service users enjoying pond dipping in a First Peace Chaplaincy Eco-spirituality & wellbeing event; our biodiversity activities include a strong commitment to “social prescribing”.

Members have offered advice to landowners interested in conservation, including good pond management. This is vital because, in the twentieth century the UK countryside has lost half of its ponds.  Pond Conservation estimate that of the remaining ponds, 80% are in poor state. Agri-pollution has played a huge part in damaging these ponds & the associated wildlife. Pond dipping makes a great community activity, led by a responsible conservationist, and helps us to realise just how important ponds are. Your could consult your Local Biodiversity Action Group website and look at the Habitat Action Plan for ponds in your area.

Other activities carried out by our learning communities of interest groups, have included recording the historical and cultural heritage value of ponds and lakes, to our local communities in areas such as Dark Lane in Calverton.

Below: access to nature can teach that habitats are vital to wildlife and people.

First Peace Chaplaincy was keen to offer support during lock down. We set up a virtual learning community of interest group event during lockdown, for individuals and wildlife community groups, promoting awareness of the dangers of moving spawn, frogs or plants from a natural pond or between garden ponds. Transmission of pest plants and diseases can follow. It is better to create in your garden or field corner, lush hiding places, near your pond, as frogs don’t actually live in ponds but will visit supportive habitats on your site. DO NOT move frogspawn or tadpoles from pond to pond or site to site, it can transfer & spread a virus around the country that kills frogs. The deadly frog disease is spreading across Britain with 80% of frogs killed in some areas. People taking spawn from ponds to new places are spreading it. Frogs can develop skin ulcers, sores and can bleed and die due to the devastating ranavirus.

Apniel is the Angel of Birdsong and Messenger of God. Like  Rhiannon, this angel brings the message of bird song to our ears and hearts. 

This Green Woodpecker was a recent rescue, by a member of our community, it was cared for after being hit by a car. We are pleased to report that after being checked out by the Cedars Animal Sanctuary by Wendy & Phil, the Green Woodpecker has recovered well and has been released in the Burton Dumbles area.  Wendy said: "it has done well, woodpeckers usually get so stressed". Our volunteer, Andrew said "When I released it, it knew where it was, it seemed pleased to be home, it fly in a great arc around the meadow & up into the top of the tree where it sat calling"

Below: green woodpecker.

During the snowy weather, lots of people ask us for advice on feeding garden birds, including many parents seeking to get children interested; it is important to feed & put out water for birds. In the spring people seek advice on baby birds who have fallen from nests. We only hand rear birds, such as the nestling below, as a last resource, mother birds knows best how to look after chicks.

In May 2015, a community member scooped up young great tit fledglings, who had become soaked in the storm and were stranded in a puddle in the dark . Overnight the young birds were dried out & released next morning. Check out our Facebook page for more news like this and to get tips on caring for wildlife, like the wood-pigeon who needed attention. 

Below: we try not to handle wild birds, only doing so if all else fails.

Below: "Woodie" wood-pigeon needed help.

We have specific expertise in rodentology & have completed training in the care of rodents teeth. Do you like this cheeky wee fellow, below: young rodent.

We are seeing lots of support and demand for our wildlife and animal welfare work. We work through direct intervention and by raising awareness of good practice and animal welfare issues through contact with communities and family activities, support for volunteers and businesses, information networking and digital inclusion.

Above: pet sheep

The welfare of farm animals is of great concern and we offer educational advice and activities, on compassionate & plant based healthy eating.

Our Kosy-Kitchen project was set up to celebrate the millennium (in 2000) and nurture a plant based vegan diet, promote health and compassion. Our resources on Pinterest are well accessed & popular the project initiates animal care and welfare activities. We encourage moral, ethical thinking towards animals, challenge speciesism and explore bioethics. We actively oppose all cruelty. We challenge animal abuse, including vivisection, as we do racism, bullying and exclusion. We champion the concept of a world where all animals can live freely, in peace and lead dignified and naturally fulfilled lives. Below: a handsome duck

In the wild, chickens spend their days pecking at the ground for food and dustbathing. In factory farming chickens do not have the opportunity to live natural lives. Most people are now aware of the terrible suffering of battery hens. In addition, the males from egg-laying hens (who being male do not produce eggs) are culled whether the egg farm is free range or battery. The few short hours of a male chick’s life are ended in a gas chamber or they are minced up alive. Chickens reared for meat are called ‘broiler’ chickens. ‘broiler sheds’ can hold 40,000-50,000 birds. Crowding and machinery noise offers little opportunity to rest. Bred to grow fast, and with just 670cm per bird, they can be more crowded than caged egg-laying hens. This unnatural rapid growth, enormously strain their skeletons, often causing leg deformities that can prevent them from reaching food and water. Other health problems are documented and burns to the chickens’ legs are common, from ammonia in the excrement on the shed floor. Antibiotic-laced food is needed to keep them alive. It is said that six per cent of all chickens reared for meat (50 million per year) die in broiler sheds. Most chickens reared for meat are slaughtered at just six weeks old, having lived just a tiny fraction of their natural lifespan of around six years. At First Peace Chaplaincy, we support initiatives that work to rescue chickens and other poultry and improve the lives of these widely abused birds.

Below: a very cute and friendly hen and rescue chickens living with a pet pig.

Above: two fine pet chickens in Arkengarth Dale and well cared for rescue hens living natural lives in Calverton.

Some of our supporters also have links with Sarx, a UK based Christian charity which strives towards a world where all animals are enabled to live with dignity, in freedom and in peace.

Epona is a Gallo-Roman fertility goddess associated with protecting horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. She is often depicted with horses, foals, cornucopia & ears of grain. Epona Day is the 18th of December; let us remember all of the abused horses, ponies, donkeys and mules kept by ignorant & cruel people, those equines working in terrible conditions and those in war zones such as Gaza. We can also remember the horses and donkeys on the festival of Old Halloween and Martinmas: when we make traditional little vegan marzipan-filled horseshoe pastries. Martinmas is traditionally a time to wish warmth and light to those in need, displaced & forced to travel in darkness. 

Below: the beautiful picture of the much-loved pony, below, was sent to us by our supporter Niki Senior from Norfolk, who runs an animal welfare programme.

Above: a rescue horse in Lincolnshire.

Above: our Calverton cat project ran for a number of years. It had two work strands: the care of large numbers of homeless cats that were being dumped at a household tip and a safe antifreeze campaign, following the death of 22 cats from antifreeze poisoning in Calverton. 

Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean to hear my feeble voice. You lived first, and you are older than all need, older than all prayer. All things belong to you: the two-legged, the four-legged, the wings of the air, and all green things that live. You have set the powers of the four quarters of the earth to cross each other. You have made me cross the good road and road of difficulties, and where they cross, the place is holy. Day in, day out, forevermore, you are the life of things. Hey! Lean to hear my feeble voice. Black Elk

Below: a beautiful goose. Compassion for animals should be fostered.