The Wordsmith's Forge

How a Navajo Scientist Is Helping to Restore Traditional Peach Horticulture

People have grown peach trees in the vast desert landscape of the southwestern United States for hundreds of years. Peach orchards in Canyon de Chelly National Monument were first sown by predecessors of the Hopi people and in the 1700s by the Navajos. They were part of a local economy of shepherding, small-scale farming, hunting, and gathering. Of the orchard fruits adopted by the Navajo people, the peach became the most culturally significant. It was a versatile food, trade good, and feature of traditional ceremonies. The peaches are now predominantly modern varieties, but young Navajo horticulturist Reagan Wytsalucy, who is collaborating with the National Park Service at Canyon de Chelly, understands there’s great interest in returning to the centuries-old, traditional peaches. Her groundbreaking research shows why.

Wytsalucy is working with Indigenous communities to increase the availability of traditional crops for original uses. She hopes this will counter food insecurity, increase resiliency, and perpetuate traditional cultural knowledge.


This is a great cultural accomplishment. It's also valuable in the face of climate change, which is causing droughts in many more places.  You can help by growing a climate-resilient garden with drought-resistant crops.

Fossil fuels made up less than half of the U.S. electricity mix in March for the first month on record

In March 2025, fossil fuels accounted for 49.2% of electricity generated in the U.S. — beating the previous monthly record low of 51% set last year in April.

This also means that renewable sources reached all-time highs — accounting for 50.8% of U.S. electricity for the first month on record. Nearly half of that came from wind and solar alone, which have been seeing (and will continue to see) exponential growth.

Well, it's progress.

The Return of the Dire Wolf

Relying on deft genetic engineering and ancient, preserved DNA, Colossal scientists deciphered the dire wolf genome, rewrote the genetic code of the common gray wolf to match it, and, using domestic dogs as surrogate mothers, brought Romulus, Remus, and their sister, 2-month-old Khaleesi, into the world during three separate births last fall and this winter—effectively for the first time de-extincting a line of beasts whose live gene pool long ago vanished.

( Read more... )

Growing and sharing seeds can boost mental health

Storing and sharing seeds has clear environmental benefits. But new findings suggest they can bring about wellbeing wins too.
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Author Kathy Slack, whose new memoir Rough Patch explores how growing vegetables helped her recover from burnout and depression, was unsurprised by the connection. “Sowing a seed is an act of hope,” she says.“Not to be overly dramatic about it, but when you’re wondering whether it’s worth even bothering to stick around any more, planting a seed is like a promise to your future self.”


Projects like a community garden where people can just come in and grow things, a seed library, a seed / plant swap, etc. can have great benefits for individual and community wellbeing.

Little Free Library opens its 200,000th book box in a milestone for youth literacy

In neighborhoods across the globe — yes, even in Antarctica — it is not uncommon to find a Little Free Library, or a book-sharing box filled with a collection of free books to take, share, and enjoy.

If a location on the South Pole wasn’t enough, Little Free Library is celebrating a major milestone: Its 200,000th box.


Share the celebration by visiting a Little Free Library near you! Leave a book, take a book. :D

A masterpiece in the making? Movement aims to unite artists from every country in the world

Project 195 is built around the premise that art is global society’s ‘only true universal language’

Anew movement aims to connect creators from every country across the world, asking if art could be the ‘one language that unites us all’.

Project 195, launched by art platform 13AM Studio, began on 17 February and will run until 31 August. Creatives from 71 nationalities are already on board.

George Ripton, founder of 13AM Studio, explained: “Art is the purest form of connection – it crosses borders, cultures and languages without hesitation. 195 in 195 isn’t just about numbers, it’s about proving that creativity can unite us in ways nothing else can.”


This would be a great opportunity for under-recognized nations, such as tribal reservations, to get some cultural representation.

Retired veteran teams up with nonprofit to build free ramps for senior and disabled neighbors

In an interview with Woman’s World, Adler recalls the representative saying: “Too many seniors and disabled individuals need ramps, but they can’t afford them.”

That’s when Adler reached out to his clergy so that they could start building ramps for neighbors in need.

( Read more... )

Portland pays homeless residents to clean up trash: 'This gives people purpose'

The initiative hires people with a history of homelessness to pick up waste alongside designated routes, provide tent-side trash collection to people living outside, and more. Workers are paid between $20 and $29 per hour by the city of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Lloyd Enhanced Services District.


This is a great start.

What we really need are work centers where anyone can go ant get paid for doing the long list of stuff that needs done, which a choice what tasks to take.  Plenty of that is work that needs little or no skill.  Some is more skilled and could be done by people who already have that experience -- or it could be used to help people acquire more job skills.