Inner Nature: The Otherworldly Octopus
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
I was watching a male ruby-throated hummingbird at my feeder the other day. Hummingbirds fascinate me. Besides being charismatic and heart-stoppingly beautiful, they are feisty. I watched him drink his fill and then sit on a nearby branch to play dog-in-the-manger, chasing away other hummingbirds who dared to try to take what he didn’t want. Their speed, their...
ReFirement at any age: Vital core values to know, practice and stay true to
By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times
In a world of chaos, where one’s core values are tested every day by the influences of our society, stay true to yourself and your values, at all times, even when no one is looking.
It is important to stay grounded in the values and beliefs you have come to know.
The battles we wage on ourselves and the world can be a never ending-struggle if we don’t...
Inner Nature: Beekeeping in Ukraine
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
“History is all explained by geography.” Robert Penn Warren, novelist and poet (24 Apr 1905-1989)
In this article, I want to pay homage to Ukraine’s beekeepers and beekeeping in light of the many wars that have washed over this beleaguered land. With a land area only slightly smaller than the state of Texas, it lies at many junctions: between Europe...
Inner Nature: Fibers for Fabric
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
In my Inner Nature article on the dye called Tyrian purple, I alluded to its stratospheric value in ancient times because it adhered to fabric and also darkened over time. Consequently, I thought to look at the origins of the fabrics that we wear and use, focusing on fabrics of natural origin. But before discussing specific fabrics, I need to touch on some other...
ReFirement at any age: Strive for better, every day
By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times
If there is one thing we all should have learned in the last two years is that life is short, life is precious and life is unpredictable, where you never know what each day will bring.
The lessons I present every month are as much for me as they are for you, my readers. However, some topics hit me harder, like this one. It has more impact and relevance, in...
Inner Nature: Poisonous and venomous animals
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
I am in India. It’s a vibrant and bustling place. This month, a couple of friends and I are planning a trip to a wildlife sanctuary in Southern India*. We hope to see tigers and a plethora of other animals and plants.
What I am hoping we do not encounter closely are mosquitoes and snakes. I do not like mosquitoes, but I do like snakes, in principle. But many snakes...
Don’t Retire, ReFire: March, lion or lamb?
By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times
You know the saying about March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb, with the intended meaning that March starts off with cold winters and ends with warmer, spring weather?
It’s a perfect metaphor as March straddles two seasons, ending one and starting another.
Our lives are all about endings and beginnings. March reminds us of that.
So now that I’ve...
Don’t retire, Refire: Be Curious
By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times
February, while a short month, tends to drag, just like January did, at least it does for those who long for the warmer weather.
How are we spending these short, cold days until Spring rolls around?
Many of us hibernate, becoming sedentary, eating too much, drinking too much, sitting too much and basically becoming couch potatoes.
As the days slowly get longer...
Inner Nature: The incredibly resilient tardigrade
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
In the annals of the ecosystem’s version of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not is a long list of organisms that are considered over-performers: tough, enduring and even thriving in environmentally adverse conditions. Most endure in state known as cryptobiosis (also called anabiosis), which means “mysterious or enigmatic” and refers to the difficulty in telling if...
ReFire at any age: A time for renewal
By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times
Renewal comes in many forms. That’s what the start of a new year is. That’s what each birthday is. Think of winter, when everything goes dormant, waiting for the renewal of spring.
They are all forms of renewal and signify a rebirth.
As we “turn the page” to a new year, our minds may give thought to a fresh start. My mind always does, every year.
With...
