YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Donating blood & platelets.
If nothing else, I can do this!

Had friends and relatives in hospitals who were in need, and as long as I can... why not?

Raising and Releasing Monarch Butterflies.
(Sounds like a grade school project, and it is).

But did this last year and felt a real thrill in releasing them. The five or six we hosted were of the generation that flies south to Mexico for the winter. (Takes several generations to complete the migration).

Afterwards into autumn, would think of them and where they might possibly be..

So few of the eggs hatch and make it to maturity. Small thing to do, but connects to deep things; the seasons, migration, ecology/web of life, evolution, chance & probabilities....

Two more caterpillars munching away!

Laugh if you must, but I'm thrilled!

Sometimes we can get pleasure from small things.
I saw some young skunks out exploring last week. It literally scared me out of my shoe at first, but then watched the youngsters exploring from a safe distance. Then mama showed up (she is all white on top and black on the bottom. A really unique looking skunk) and she led them off single file. I think they may be residing under one of my sheds, so it makes me a little nervous, but I'm sure they'll be grown and gone in no time.

I'm not laughing, snoringdog! We grow plants to help the Monarchs, and last year I spent several hours researching the various types of Milkweed.

Skunks can teach us much about mental health. They are peace loving, but if threatened they are ready to spray.

They have boundaries and are ready to defend them.

While it is not appropriate for us to spray others with revolving goo, we can learn from them about drawing a line for our own wellness.

I like to imagine that SD’s butterflies enjoy and date strengthened by the flowers planted by RG.

We used to see Monarchs and milkweed all the time in an undeveloped suburban block behind the house when I was growing up, and sometime would see the caterpillars.

But not until recently had I thought about trying to find the eggs and "raising" them.
Our early milkweed plants get attacked by aphids and many wilt, and the eggs are eaten by ants.

But if we pull out those plants, a second more resilient batch appears.
We'll probably be able to raise another brood later in the summer.

Yes, simple pleasures sometimes are the best..

We get so disconnected from nature and the earth, don't we?

Hello BrownBlob,

Here in the rather dense suburbs we have skunks, possums, rabbits and an occasion raccoon.
Makes walking my namesake interesting sometimes!

I've heard that some people have kept skunks as pets after having them de-sprayed or de-scented (?), and they're have cat-like dispositions. They do seem gentle and unassuming.

Live and let live!

Hello Oak,

I like to try to think of those things too, since the automatic *negative* thoughts and associations come frequently, and unbidden. Really a burden sometimes.

Interesting metaphor about boundaries, Boy do they set them, and how!
Been on the receiving end a couple of times!