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As we cross the threshold of 2025 into 2026 I thought it might be wise to kick off the new year by sharing Robert Macfarlane’s gorgeous exhortation and call to action to go about gathering the light in these dark time. I urge you all to heed his message and go out as individuals, families, classes, friends and other groups to gather and cherish all the literal and figurative light you can find. I turn in promise to share as many stories as I can in the coming year. Happy New Year.

For further study:

Macfarlane’s newest book, Is the River Alive, is a bracing inquiry into the life of rivers in today’s world. Check out this conversation with Macfarlane conducted by the editors of Scientific American https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-a-river-alive-a-conversation-with-robert-macfarlane-on-natures/

Children, parents, teachers, people who care for children, and lovers of the natural world will appreciate his Lost Words which provide poetic definitions of words describing the natural world juxtaposed with spectacular illustrations https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/oct/02/the-lost-words-robert-macfarlane-jackie-morris-review

The Guardian describes Landmarks as a “joyous meditation on language, and a love letter to the British Isles.”

And here are some more wonderful books by Macfarlane https://fivebooks.com/people/robert-macfarlane/