May 5Asking the Bees — Nicole Sallak AndersonIt was a perfect day today to apply a “501 horn silica” biodynamic preparation on the land. A medicine best taken with sunrise; it nourishes the flowers as well as the bees. Since becoming a bee guardian over a decade ago, I’ve applied this prep every spring as a means…Wildfires7 min read
Mar 31The Monopoly Money Era — Are We Too Immature for Capitalism? — Nicole Sallak AndersonIt was love at first sight when I got out of the realtor’s car and saw the building, a beautiful six-flat built before cars and cheap, industrial, profit driven architecture-only a block from Lake Michigan. …Real Estate9 min read
Jan 27One More Chance — Nicole Sallak Anderson“Pressure, pushing down on me. Pressing down on you, no man ask for.”* My most recent permaculture class was about disaster preparedness and I know that other than earthquake, wildfire is the number one disaster our community faces on a regular basis. I understand this more than most. …Climate Change10 min read
Jan 7Grandmother Wisdom — Nicole Sallak AndersonLast week, I was on the phone with my mom, giving her an update on life in the Anderson household. My husband had just headed out to care for his mother who wasn’t doing well, and I’d stayed behind because our dog, Evelyn, had been diagnosed with aggressive cancer, and…Pets7 min read
Nov 24, 2021Thanksgiving: Appropriate or Appropriation? — Nicole Sallak AndersonGrowing up, I looked forward to Thanksgiving more than any other holiday, for it was the one time each year my entire family gathered. My mother and father’s siblings along with all the cousins would descend upon our house and mayhem would ensue. My mom worked for days, if not…Thanksgiving9 min read
Jul 24, 2021Adytum — Nicole Sallak Anderson“Sometimes, the fastest way to get there is to go slow. And sometimes, if you wanna hold on, you’ve got to let go. I’m gonna close my eyes, and count to ten. I’m gonna close my eyes, and when I open them again, everything will make sense to me then.”…Wildfires6 min read
Jun 22, 2021Why So Much Stuff? — Nicole Sallak AndersonStuff: Noun 1) matter, material, articles, or activities of a specified or indeterminate kind that are being referred to, indicated, or implied. “She lost all her stuff in a fire.” 2) the basic constituents or characteristics of something or someone. “Grandma was made of tougher stuff than I.” Verb 1)…Consumerism8 min read
Dec 29, 2020The Not-So-Empty Christmas TreeThere are so many ideas I cling to in life. From one day to the next, I set expectations, measure myself by them, and then attack all the various feelings that accompany a life of plans, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life doesn’t ever go as…Christmas8 min read
Dec 23, 2020Not a Good NeighborYou know the jingle, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” As a wildfire survivor who has suffered a total loss of property and pets, who has also been a customer of State Farm’s since I was sixteen, I’m not convinced that’s true. Let’s play a game. Look around…State Farm9 min read
Dec 7, 2020The Gods are Crazy — And So Are We: PART TWO — Nicole Sallak Anderson(NOTE: this is the second of a two part series. I suggest you read PART ONE first) “Inside the skull there is a place where the essences of creation play and mingle- The ecstatic light of awareness and the awareness of that light. The divine feminine and masculine sport with…Social Media8 min read