Being ugly to your mama

What quote am I vibing: "We're just mistreating Mother Nature — that's like being ugly to your mama. … We need to take better care of the things that God gave us freely. And that we're so freely messing up." Dolly Parton

Pounds of Trash Removed from the Wild since Last Post: 129

Pounds of Trash Removed from the Wild in 2026 (704 Pound Goal): 366

All-Time Pounds of Trash Removed from the Wild: 4,915

In this summer of 2026, the hottest on record, we have lost a number of great people. Dolly Parton seems to have been the most universally loved person in recent history - she commanded a blend of confidence, grace, talent, and charm combined with her unending generosity and commitment to a multitude of causes. She was a girl's girl, a human's human, a daughter of the Great Smoky Mountains, and a lover of nature and Earth. We are lucky to have had her here with us.

Here in my corner of the Earth, the summer has been daunting. Very hot and melty. But I still managed to gather up 129 pounds this season, bringing me only 85 pounds away from my 5,000 lifetime pound milestone. Exciting!

I hope that things cool off quickly so autumn can be more enjoyable as we nestle in a bit. Here is a breakdown of what I have picked up since June.

June 6. Idlewild Road. 13 pounds.

June 8. Amity Road. 5 pounds.

June 17. Amity Road. 4 pounds.

June 28. Reddman Road. 6 pounds.

July 12. Idlewild Road. 32 pounds.

July 30. Reddman Road. 9 pounds.

August 8. Idlewild Road. 9 pounds.

August 17. Reddman Road. 6 pounds.

August 22. Albemarle Road Park with Brian. 34 pounds.

August 23. Idlewild Road. 5 pounds.

August 30. Amity Place. 6 pounds.