#Northeastern Farming

[jtownraindancer]

Some notes: it's a sweet corn, Peaches & Cream, and I rescued the mostly dead, now thriving sprouts from the clearance section of a Walmart greenhouse.

I have never grown my own corn in a small garden before.

If I plant in ground, it would be in my next door neighbor's garden patch (he is 100% okay with this, so long as he gets to enjoy the harvest.)

If I plant in containers, I can move the corn around at a later date should the space chosen not be getting enough sunlight.

If I plant in ground, I will be tempted to invest in pumpkins and butternut squash again, and I still haven't finished off the purees and cubes I froze from last harvest.

[thelensart]

Guys it's ok they crash landed and now live happily in a farm in northeastern Spain. Nothing bad happened

[wachinyeya]

A historically and culturally significant lake in California's San Joaquin Valley that first disappeared in 1898 has returned after last year's atmospheric rivers flooded the region.

Tulare Lake, known as Pa'ashi — or "big water" — to the local Tachi Yokut Tribe, was "once the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi River," per Earth.com.

Vivian Underhill, who published a paper on Tulare Lake as a postdoctoral research fellow at Northeastern University, noted it was mostly sustained by snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada mountains and was 100 miles long and 30 miles wide at its peak.

The lake served as a key resource for Indigenous Peoples and wildlife and was once robust enough to allow steamships to transport agricultural goods throughout the state.

However, government officials persecuted and displaced the indigenous communities in the late 1800s to convert the area for farming through draining and irrigation.

"They really wanted to get [land] into private hands so that indigenous land claims — that were ongoing at that time — would be rendered moot by the time they went through the courts," Underhill told the Northeastern Global News. "It was a deeply settler colonial project."

While Pa'ashi periodically reappeared during the 1930s, '60s, and '80s, the barrage of atmospheric rivers California experienced in 2023 revived the lake despite the region receiving just 4 inches of rain annually. According to Underhill, Tulare Lake is now the same size as Lake Tahoe, which is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide.

Its resurgence has led to the return of humid breezes at least 10 degrees cooler than average and native species, including fish, amphibians, and birds. Lake Tulare was once a stopping point for migratory birds traveling a route known as the Pacific Flyway.

"Something that continues to amaze me is — [the birds] know how to find the lake again," Underhill told the Northeastern Global News. "It's like they're always looking for it."

The Tachi Yokuts have also returned to Pa'ashi's shores, once again practicing their ceremonies and planting tule reeds and native sage.

[reality-detective]

*IN OTHER NEWS*

In South Africa, elephants raided a broken-down truck carrying oranges.

The incident occurred in Limpopo, a province in northeastern South Africa. The truck was transporting oranges from a farm to a market.

While the truck driver and his assistant were trying to fix the tires, animals were pulling oranges out of the truck.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - June 20, 2023

🐕 - Meet Sheep Farm's Newest Employee: Collie Hired After Ejection from Car!

1. Border Collie ejected from car during Sunday crash found on sheep farm, herding sheep

Tilly, the 2-year-old Border Collie who was ejected from a car Sunday during a crash, has been found. He was found on a sheep farm, where he had apparently taken up the role of sheep herder. 

According to Tilly's owner, he has lost some weight since Sunday's crash and is now drinking lots of water but is otherwise healthy.

2. After 17-Year Absence, White Rhinos Return to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) recently welcomed the reintroduction of 16 southern white rhinoceroses to Garamba National Park, according to officials. The last wild northern white rhino was poached there in 2006.

The white rhinos were transported to Garamba, which lies in the northeastern part of the country, from a South African private reserve. In the late 19th century, the southern white rhino subspecies was believed to be extinct due to poaching until a population of fewer than 100 was discovered in South Africa in 1895, according to WWF.

3. UK to wipe women’s historic convictions for homosexuality

Women with convictions for some same-sex activity in the United Kingdom can apply for a pardon for the first time, the Home Office has announced.

The Home Office is widening its scheme to wipe historic convictions for homosexual activity more than a decade after the government allowed applications for same-sex activity offences to be disregarded.

It means anyone can apply for a pardon if they have been convicted or cautioned for any same-sex activity offences that have been repealed or abolished.

4. Study shows human tendency to help others is universal

A new study on the human capacity for cooperation suggests that, deep down, people of diverse cultures are more similar than you might expect. The study, published in Scientific Reports, shows that from the towns of England, Italy, Poland, and Russia to the villages of rural Ecuador, Ghana, Laos, and Aboriginal Australia, at the micro scale of our daily interaction, people everywhere tend to help others when needed.

5. In a First, Wind and Solar Generated More Power Than Coal in U.S.

Wind and solar generated more electricity than coal through May, an E&E News review of federal data shows, marking the first time renewables have outpaced the former king of American power over a five-month period.

The milestone illustrates the ongoing transformation of the U.S. power sector as the nation races to install cleaner forms of energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.

6. Iceland becomes latest country to ban conversion therapy

Lawmakers in Iceland on June 9 approved a bill that will ban so-called conversion therapy in the country.

Media reports note 53 members of the Icelandic Parliament voted for the measure, while three MPs abstained. Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, an MP who is a member of the Liberal Reform Party, introduced the bill.

7. The temple feeding 100,000 people a day

Amritsar, the north Indian city known for its Golden Temple and delicious cuisine, is also renowned for its spirit of generosity and selfless service. The city, founded by a Sikh guru, embodies the Sikh tradition of seva, performing voluntary acts of service without expecting anything in return.

This spirit of giving extends beyond the temple walls, as the Sikh community has shown immense compassion during crises, such as delivering oxygen cylinders during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the heart of Amritsar's generosity is the Golden Temple's langar, the world's largest free communal kitchen, serving 100,000 people daily without discrimination. Despite a history marred by tragic events, Amritsar continues to radiate kindness, love, and generosity.

----

That's it for this week :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation:

BUY ME A COFFEE ❤️

Also don’t forget to reblog.

[erijt]

Great Lakes Cultures and affiliate Groups

Snow Selkies

Primarily inhabiting the northern shores of the Great Lakes, many years of contact with the first Gnomish Settlers have created a unique relationship which has provided a Cultural exchange of Beliefs and Goods. The various Snow Tribes which call the region home have united under a singular banner which partially include their Gnomish allies and more recently the River Tribes.

Lake Gnomes

Settlers of the Great Lakes Southern Shores, over the years the mountains have separated them from their Coastal counterparts. Extended exposure to regional cultures has further distanced them from their Druidic Roots. Knowledge of sophisticated metallurgy and the recent arrival gunsmithing knowledge has placed them in a unique position within the region.

River Selkies

Tribes of the Great River, recent conflicts have pushed their range to the Eastern Lake Lands and parts of the Laurentian Shield. Having once been the inhabitants of the Great River, long standing feuds with Woodland Tribes have pushed them northwards away from the Southern Forest lands. Wild Rice farming is a staple of many families in this region.

Ash Goblins

Beyond the Northeastern Grasslands sit the Ashen Forests, a region of land under the shadow of a smoldering Caldera. Isolated from the affairs of the far East, the Ash Goblin's only contact with the Great Lakes Region is through trade with the Woodland and River Tribes. Unique access to various artifacts and machines brings into question where such items are sourced from.

Woodland Goblins

The most numerous of the ethnic Cultures made up of various semi-related people which share a language family that loosely unifies the Tribes. In recent history, their expansion to the northern woodlands have placed them in direct conflict with a confederacy of Lake Tribes.

Mountain Goblins

The least established of the Tribes, limited to the Southwestern mountain Range which extends to the southern Continent. Their close relationships with the bordering Woodland groups provides them allies which are able to create a buffer between them and Northern Savagery.

[racefortheironthrone]

Now you mentioned i, I am a bit surprised Smallville is prominently and consistently in Kansas? It's Smallville, Kansas. There might be others and certainly cities located vaguely within a real region, but it's definitely the first fictional town or city of D.C. in a real-world American state to come to mind.

So this gets to the weirdness of D.C geography. When Superman was first established, there was much less of a cohesive "universe," so if Siegel and Shuster wanted Superman to specifically be raised in Kansas, that's where he was from and the rest of the geography would have to work itself out.

IMO, this early slapdash approach to world-building has (over time) led to some things that just don't make sense to me as a student of urban history and urban studies:

Metropolis shouldn't be in Delaware. It doesn't make sense in terms of urbanization, given the context of an already-crowded Northeastern Corridor - Delaware simply does not have the capacity to sustain a city of 11 million people, and you wouldn't get a municipality of that size right next door to New York City (as well as D.C's other fictional cities in the area). The whole idea of Metropolis and Gotham being across the river/bay from each other has never really worked for me; you can still do Superman/Batman team-up stories no matter where they are, because Superman can fly and Batman has his own personal fighter jets.

More importantly, it doesn't make sense in terms of historic patterns of urban migration. Moving to the big city in search of the American Dream is a big part of the Clark Kent story, but historically people moving from rural to urban areas overwhelmingly go to the nearest large city, depending on how transportation networks are arranged, whether we're talking about train lines or direct flights or highways or bus routes. There is a reason we can track regional movements of black communities during the Great Migration, because who went where depended on which train lines ran through which states:

This is why I've always felt that, while Metropolis has aesthetically been associated with New York City, it logically should be Chicago. It is the biggest city in the Midwest, one very much associated with robber baron industrialists and corruption at the highest levels, and absolutely stuffed with art deco architecture for Superman to pose on top of. Up until the Tribune Company began to strip it for parts, it's also been a major newspaper town with a long tradition of muck-raking investigative journalism that would inspire a starry-eyed cub reporter like Clark. As one of the original transit hubs and the U.S' own "nature's metropolis," it is precisely the place that a Kansas farm boy would hop a train to, because all trains go to Chicago. Also, culturally I like it better that Clark Kent represents the City of Wide Shoulders whereas Bruce Wayne is the typical Tri-State Area Type-A personality.

Going back to D.C's bizarro Northeast geography, I likewise have an issue with Gotham being in New Jersey...if New York City is also supposed to be a major metropolitan area in the D.C universe. Just as Delaware would struggle to support a city of 11 million people, it would be very difficult to grow Gotham into a city of 10 million people so close to the gravity well of the Greater New York Metro Area. New Jersey is a pretty urbanized state, but its biggest cities tend to range in population from 300,000 to 100,000 - which works very well for a place like Blüdhaven, which is supposed to have something of an inferiority complex vis-a-vis Gotham - because a lot of the population tends to gravitate to NYC for work and eventually housing as well.

I've already said my piece about the lack of cultural specificity of D.C's Midwest.

As far as the West Coast goes, I've always found it a bit odd that Star City isn't where Seattle is supposed to be. Let's face it, the only place where Oliver Queen's facial hair would go unnoticed is Seattle. Also, Coast City is often depicted too far north on the map - if it's supposed to be a half-hour away from Edwards Air Force Base, it should be significantly more southern, down by Kern County and San Bernadino County, not practically up in San Francisco.

[birdstudies]

February 18, 2024 - Rufous-backed Bunting or Jankowski's Bunting (Emberiza jankowskii) These buntings are found in grassy steppes and low hills of northeastern China and may be extinct in their former range in parts of China, North Korea, and southeastern Russia. Foraging mainly on the ground, they feed on fallen grain, seeds, and grasshoppers and other invertebrates. Breeding in scattered colonies, pairs build nests on the ground from dry grasses and horsehair. Females incubate clutches of four to seven eggs alone, but both parents feed the chicks. They are classified as endangered by the IUCN due to rapid population declines probably caused by habitat loss from farming, ranching, and forestry.

[somecutething]

Bonnie the cow escaped from a slaughterhouse and lived in the woods for eight months. 

People in the small town were surprised that the cow had been able to survive so long on her own in the woods during the winter, but a local who had game cams set up in the woods caught an astounding thing. 

The calf had been adopted by a family of deer. The cow traveled, ate and rested with the family of deer.  Becky Bartels knew this would not always be the case. Bonnie was a domesticated animal facing a cruel northeastern winter. After spotting Bonnie on a camera she had set up, Bartels, who owns the land that Bonnie was frolicking on with her deer friends, started approaching the cow. Throughout the winter, every day, Bartels would trek through the snow, pulling a sled carrying food and bedding for Bonnie. Eventually, the cow, who was terrified of humans after her last encounter, warmed up to Bartels and began approaching her for pats and snacks.

The cow was eventually captured by Farm Sanctuary to be raised without threat of death. 

(Source)

[mononokevalley]

Sbilfs

The Fascinating World of Sbilfs in Friuli

In the enchanting region of Friuli in northeastern Italy, folklore is rich with intriguing creatures known as sbilfs. These mischievous beings, each with distinct characteristics and quirks, have captured the imagination of locals for generations. Here’s a closer look at some of the most famous sbilfs and how they are recognized.

Gan or Gjan

The Gan, also known as Gjan, is a friendly sbilf known for its love of comfort. Preferring to sleep on a bed of moss under old fallen trees, this creature is considered a friend to the mountain people. Its red attire is often associated with the sbilfs' fondness for this color, which appears frequently in local tales.

Mazzarot

The Mazzarot is characterized by a cheerful laugh and a mischievous nature. This sbilf delights in upsetting the daily routines of farmers by overturning milk and leading animals astray. The resulting chaos is a source of amusement for the Mazzarot, who takes pleasure in making the farmers work harder.

Massaroul

One of the most notorious sbilfs, the Massaroul is particularly fond of berries and is known for its tricks. Despite its red stockings, the Massaroul supposedly despises the color red. To protect themselves from its pranks, people often hang red clothing or rags on their doors, hoping to deter this troublesome spirit.

Ridusuela

Ridusuela stands out as one of the few female sbilfs. She is easily recognized by her hat adorned with tiny bells. Ridusuela is the devoted and jealous wife of the Massaroul, and her presence adds an extra layer of complexity to the folklore surrounding this couple.

Licj

The Licj is a small elf that prefers enclosed spaces. Living within homes, the Licj’s favorite pastime is unraveling clothes, a habit that often leads to frustration among the inhabitants. Despite its small size, the Licj’s antics can be quite troublesome.

Brau or Braulin

The Brau, also known as Braulin, is known for its affinity with ropes and strings. This sbilf resides in villages and delights in tangling threads and skeins into knots that are nearly impossible to undo. Its playful nature is centered around these elaborate and often frustrating tricks.

Bagan

The Bagan is the quintessential prankster among sbilfs. Preferring to live in barns, it shares similarities with the Mazzarot, including a penchant for overturning milk and hiding farming tools. Tradition dictates that offering milk, cream, and cjarsons (local dumplings) on Shrove Tuesday can help placate the Bagan and prevent its pranks.

Pavar

The Pavar is the sbilf of the fields and open spaces. A guardian of nature, the Pavar is known to punish those who do not respect the environment. Its presence serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding natural surroundings.

[photos from Pinterest]

[whencyclopedia]

Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly or Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a protected site that contains the remains of 5,000 years of Native American inhabitation. Canyon de Chelly is located in the northeastern portion of the US state of Arizona within the Navajo Nation and not too far from the border with neighboring New Mexico. It is located 472 km (293 miles) northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. Canyon de Chelly is unique in the United States as it preserves the ruins and rock art of indigenous peoples that lived in the region for centuries - the Ancestral Puebloans and the Navajo. Canyon de Chelly has been recognized as a US National Monument since 1931 CE, and it is one of the most visited National Monuments in the United States today.

Geography & Prehistory

The etymology of Canyon de Chelly's name is unusual in the U.S. Southwest as it initially appears to resemble French rather than the more ubiquitous Spanish. "Chelly" is actually derived from the Navajo word tseg, which means "rock canyon" or "in a canyon." Spanish explorers and government officials began to utilize a "Chelly,” “Chegui,” and even "Chelle" in order to try to replicate the Navajo word in the early 1800s CE, which eventually was standardized to “de Chelly” by the middle of the 19th century CE.

Canyon de Chelly lies very close to Chinle, Arizona, and it is located between the Ancestral Puebloan ruins of Betakin and Kiet Siel in the west and the grand structures of Chaco Canyon in New Mexico in the east. Canyon de Chelly, as a National Monument, covers 83,840 acres (339.3 km2; 131.0 sq miles) of land that is currently owned by the Navajo tribe. Spectacularly situated on the Colorado Plateau near the Four Corner's Region, Canyon de Chelly sits at an elevation of over 1829 m (6,000 ft) and bisects the Defiance Plateau in eastern Arizona. The tributaries of the Chinle Creek, which runs through Canyon de Chelly and originates in the Chuska Mountains, have carved the rock and landscape for thousands of years, creating red cliffs that rise up an additional 305 m (1000 ft). The National Monument extends into the canyons of de Chelly, del Muerto, and Monument.

Canyon de Chelly is one of the longest continuously inhabited places anywhere in North America, and archaeologists believe that human settlement in the canyon dates back some 5,000 years. Ancient prehistoric tribes and peoples utilized the canyon while hunting and migrating seasonally, but they did not construct permanent settlements within the canyon. Nonetheless, these prehistoric peoples did leave etchings on stones and on canyon walls throughout what is now Canyon de Chelly. Around c. 200-100 BCE, peoples following a semi-agricultural and sedentary way of life began to inhabit the canyon. (Archaeologists refer to these peoples as "Basketmakers." They are considered the ancestors to the Ancestral Puebloan Peoples.) While they still hunted and gathered like their prehistoric forebears, they also farmed the land where fertile, growing corn, beans, squash, and other small crops. It is also known that they grew cotton for textile production. Yucca and grama grass have grown in the canyon for several millennia, and indigenous people utilized these plants when making baskets, sandals, and various types of mats. Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia cactaceae) and pinyon are also found throughout Canyon de Chelly, the latter of which provided an important source of food for indigenous peoples in autumn and winter. Fish are found in Canyon de Chelly's tributaries, and large and small game frequent the canyon.

Continue reading...

[firestars-five]

Territory

Known to the humans as Grandview Forest (or Wailing Wraith Woods to some), it is a hiking destination occupied by four colonies of cats.

Notable and neutral landmarks include:

Twolegplace - Known by Twolegs as Grove City, the Twolegplace is home to Twolegs, kittypets, dogs, and monsters. Borders the Thunder and Shadow Colonies to the west. 

Treecut Place - Known by Twolegs as Happy Holly-days Tree Farm. Active during leaf-fall and leaf-bare and an occasional hunting ground for the Thunder Colony. Borders the Thunder Colony. 

Highstones - A long-abandoned quarry in the mountains. It’s home to the Moonstone, where oracles meet with the Ancestors every other half-moon. 

Fourtrees - A hollow with four massive oak trees. The Colonies gather here every moon to share news and trade goods. 

Windover Farm - A farm near Wind territory that is home to two loners; Barley and Piper. 

Morgan’s Farm - A farm in River territory that is home to three loners; Sunny, Spooky, and Splash.

The Growling Thunder Colony

Located in the southeastern part of the forest. Borders the Shadows to the north, Rivers to the southwest, and WInds to the west. Notable landmarks include:

Sandy Hollow - A training ground for apprentices located close to camp. It’s surrounded by new elms and lined with bushes and soft reddish sand. 

The Great Sycamore - A mighty sycamore near the Shadow border. Apprentices practice climbing and occasionally stalking here. The tree was said to sprout from the remains of Boulderclaw and his mate Wetfoot. 

Snakerocks - A pile of rocks home to venomous snakes. During leaf-bare, it is used for hunting. Otherwise, it is mostly avoided, outside of finding herbs, although the Graves are always preferred. Apprentices are banned from approaching without a warrior around. 

Owl Tree - An oddly tall maple tree home to a moody Long-Eared owl nicknamed Honey. Rumored to be a hunting ground for restless spirits. 

The Graves - An old Twoleg burial site with three graves. Thunder Colony oracles grow most of their plants here. 

The Lurking Shadow Colony

Located in the northeastern part of the forest. Borders the Thunder and Wind Colonies to the south and southwest. 

The Burnt Sycamore - An ancient tree that was struck by lightning long ago. Apprentices do most of their training here. 

Star’s Blessing - A small garden cared for by Shadow oracles. The Blazing Star flower that was used in ancient times only grows here. 

Ratplace - A Twoleg dump site. The Shadows rarely use it as hunting grounds due to Twolegs, dogs, rats, and diseases. Apprentices are forbidden from nearing this place.

The Tranquil River Colony

Located in the southwest part of the forest. Borders the Thunder Colony to the northeast and Wind Colony to the north. 

Night Falls - A steep gorge and a waterfall that separates the River and Wind Colonies. Cats are banned from nearing here alone. 

Finch Meadow - A small meadow with a stream running through it. It’s the only part of the territory that rarely floods. Apprentices practice swimming here. 

Beech Copse - A thicket of beech trees that overlooks Finch Meadow. Apprentices do their regular training here. 

Abandoned Nest - An abandoned Twoleg nest that functions as the River’s second camp in times of flooding. Also doubles as a garden for River oracles. 

Twisted Tree - A twisted honey locust tree. The River Colony often gets their lumber from here.

Twoleg Camp - A Twoleg camp near the bridge used from late new-leaf to early leaf-fall. 

The bridge - A bridge sometimes used by the Rivers (and Thunders) when the river is at its highest. 

The Whispering Wind Colony 

Located in the western part of the forest. Borders the Rivers to the south, Shadows to the northeast, and Thunders to the east. 

Outlook Rock - A tall rock that overlooks almost the entire territory. Scouts are here day and night.

Midnight’s Haven - An abandoned badger sett that is the main entrance of the tunnels, the entrance to the Wind Colony's underground camp, and a popular hunting spot.

Wind’s Peak - A walnut tree located near the camp. Thought to be Windstar’s final resting place. 

Bluecoat Rocks - An easy hunting spot due to reptiles of all kinds adoring these sunny stones.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Irene Yazzie can’t think of anyone who lives within 10 miles of her farm in the Navajo Nation who has drinking water flowing into their homes, hers included. In the far reaches of the reservation in Northeastern Arizona, near where the red-rock buttes of Monument Valley rise above the desert floor, indoor plumbing can feel like a luxury.

“I don’t know that people understand how hard of a life we have here,” said Yazzie, 71.

Help could be on the way if Congress approves a historic agreement reached between the Navajo, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribes and the state of Arizona that would settle all of their outstanding water rights claims to the Colorado River Basin.

The deal, which all three tribes have now approved, marks a historic milestone for Indigenous nations that have fought for decades for their fair share of the water coursing through their ancestral lands.

Water claims with New Mexico and Utah had already been settled. Arizona had been the lone holdout. The 27,400-square-mile Navajo reservation, the nation’s largest, stretches across parts of all three states, with huge distances between towns and even individual homes.

While millions of people in the interior Southwest and Southern California draw from the Colorado River to sustain their cities and crops, Yazzie’s tribe has lacked pipelines connecting it to this precious — and overtaxed — waterway.

Several days a week, Yazzie or one of her two adult children makes the hour-long drive along bumpy dirt and gravel roads to reach a tribal community center that allows residents to pump water for a fee. Once back home, Yazzie has her son refill a cistern in the family’s yard.

“I’m always hauling water,” Yazzie said recently by phone.

Yazzie and her neighbors outside the Navajo hamlet of Dennehotso aren’t alone in living with water scarcity. An estimated 30% of households on the Navajo reservation don’t have indoor plumbing, and many who live in remote areas have to power their homes with generators because they’re also not connected to the power grid.

During a signing event in the tribal capital of Window Rock, Ariz., Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said the water agreement is especially meaningful for residents on the reservation who are forced to haul water simply to access a basic necessity of life. In some cases, residents share water supplies with relatives and friends, while others get relief from nonprofits that offer free water system installations.

While the deal has been a long time in the making, the effort to bring safe drinking water into tribal members’ homes has taken on a new urgency in recent years due to droughts caused by climate change, the coronavirus pandemic and the battle among Southwestern states to secure their share of water from the river basin.

The country’s volatile politics and the looming presidential election are also top of mind for Indigenous leaders. The tribes will need both congressional approval and a presidential signature before the new agreement can take effect.

Some tribal officials see the Democratic administration of President Biden as more favorable to water rights claims and the protection of ancestral lands than Biden’s predecessor and presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, though both as president have acted in support of expanding water access. In 2020, the Trump administration backed a deal between the Navajo Nation and Utah that settled all water rights claims in state and authorized about $220 million in federal funding to help build water infrastructure. Since Biden took office in 2021, his administration has directed hundreds of millions of dollars to Indigenous tribes for water projects.

In 2023, however, the majority-conservative U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow to Navajo efforts to expand water access when it ruled that the federal government is not legally obligated to aid in the building of pipelines and other infrastructure to bring safe drinking water to reservation residents.

“Last year it was a hit to the belly that the (U.S. Supreme Court) was not going to help us,” Nygren said at the signing ceremony. “But now we have our own attorneys, water experts, hydrologists, and we can figure out how much water belongs to us.”

Under the finalized agreement, the Navajo will receive “a substantial amount of the Colorado River Upper Basin water, some Lower Basin water, all groundwater underlying the Navajo Nation, all surface water that reaches the Navajo Nation from the Little Colorado River, and all wash water that reaches the Nation south of the Hopi reservation,” according to the Navajo Nation Council.

The deal calls for the federal government to allocate $5 billion toward the building of critical infrastructure to link the territory’s surface water and groundwater sources to the communities that need them. It also gives the Navajo the flexibility to move Arizona water from the Colorado River’s upper basin to the lower basin and to divert water in New Mexico and Utah to Navajo communities in Arizona if that’s the closest source to those residents.

“Obviously, living on the Navajo reservation, we don’t have boundaries — this is just one piece of our homeland — so building out large infrastructure for water, sewer and electric lines, that’s huge,” said Joelynn Ashley, who chairs the Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission and represents areas that border the river.

Ashley said that while many Navajo have long depended on groundwater, contamination from uranium and arsenic, as well high salinity levels, make some of it unsafe to use. And some wells simply don’t yield enough water to meet demand.

“We just want to be able to use all of our water because we’ve got a lot of places where either water quantity or water quality is not there,” Ashley said.

Yazzie says the arrival of pipelines and water pouring from a tap in her home could not happen soon enough. She’s looking forward to the day when she doesn’t have to drive 16 miles each way to fill up on water for her family, as well as her 18 cows, 15 goats and two horses.

“It’s a hassle,” she said.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil's Parintins Festival and the legend of boi-bumbá

Almost every non-Brazilian has heard of the country’s massive Carnival celebrations, and many may even be familiar with the São João harvest festivities that enrapture Brazil’s Northeast during the months of June and July. What’s more, plenty of foreigners know about the storied football rivalries of Flamengo and Fluminense, Grêmio and Internacional, or Palmeiras and Corinthians.

But few, if any, will have heard of the Parintins Festival, held annually in the Amazonian city of the same name, on the last weekend of June. Even so, it is one of Brazil’s biggest parties, and the stage of one of Brazil’s biggest rivalries.

The Parintins Festival revolves around the folkloric legend of the boi-bumbá, or bumba-meu-boi, and its central spectacle consists of a competition between two traditional teams, to see who can best tell the tale.

As one of the most common versions of the story goes, a pregnant northeastern slave by the name of Catirina asked her husband Chico to eat ox tongue for dinner. Following his wife’s wishes, Chico killed the most prized ox on their master’s land and was jailed as a result. The slave master, so upset at the death of his ox, calls in an indigenous priest to try and bring the beast back to life. Overwhelmed with joy at seeing his ox alive again, the slave master forgives Chico and Catirina, and the entire farm holds a party devoted to the ox.

Continue reading.

[teawithhazel]

A Witch's Quick Guide to Chrysanthemum

Fall is creeping around the corner and these flowers are becoming a common site at farm markets and floral shops.

Name: Chrysanthemum or mum

Native Range: Asia and Northeastern Europe

Identifying Traits: Bright, daisy like petals that come in a wide variety of colors with lobed leaves.

Edible Parts: Flowers, stems, and young leaves.

WARNING Only a few species of mum are edible; Chrysanthemum indicum and Chrysanthemum morifolium. All mums contain pyrethrum, an insecticide that can be toxic in large amounts.

Most mums that are seen commonly are decorative mums that are not recommended for use as food.

Lookalikes: Asters, daisies, and the leaves can resemble mugwort.

Correspondences: Balance, Joy, Life, Rebirth, Friendship, and Repelling Negativity/ Protection.

Always remember to do your research when identifying plants. If you're not sure, don't eat it!

[stawpny]

Texas/NY

uh.. little weird ask but okay 😭

idrk what u want for this one so I guess just headcannons?

hcs under the cut!!

- New York likes to take Texas places that are normally cold to annoy him. Texas does the same but with hot places.

- Texas asks a lot of questions. Like about his history or animals or really anything he is thinking of in that moment. New York thinks it’s funny when he does it but answers the questions to the best of his abilities.

- New York fell first, Texas fell harder and hit his head.

- Texas takes NY to see his animals at his farm. New York loves every single animal like its his child. Texas finds it adorable how he cares so much about little things.

- Holding hands>>>> (you’ll never see the two in the room not holding hands)

- New York takes him to the city in the winter and laughs when he complains about the cold, in a loving way ofc.

- black cat and golden retriever duo

- “Y’all.. hwhat?” + “The fuck..?”

- they play fight with each other, like NY would punch him in the shoulder just hard enough for him to notice but not enough to hurt. In retaliation, Texas would pick New York up off the ground and spin him around.

- Southern gentleman/Northeastern asshole (or like cowboy/big business owner)

- New York loves talking about birds, and Texas knows this, so he points to random birds in the sky and asks what they are even if it is like a bluejay or something.

- York steals his cowboy hat constantly and Texas uses York as a hat rack sometimes. he would just randomly place his hat on his head.

- “Well.. I remember the song goin’ like, “Save a cowboy, ride a horse” so..” “Save a horse, ride a cowboy.”

- Texas is in love with Italian food ever since it was pretty much the only food New York would make. New York will not admit it, but Texas makes the best brisket he’s ever had.

- Sassy/Anxious

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anyways, I hope u liked these

<3