Jonathan Balcombe, Sea Shepherd, and Japanese Veggies for 2017

Ethologist and author Dr. Jonathan Balcombe. I just bought a used copy of his 2010 book, ‘Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals’, and can’t wait to start it.

I’ve become completely impassioned with the thoughts and writings of ethologist and author Dr. Jonathan Balcombe. I just bought a used copy of his 2010 book, ‘Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals’, and can’t wait to start it.

Last night, at home, I revisited the application I completed almost two years ago to do volunteer work with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The 2015 application was my second. In 2010, I completed the same application, then set it aside. Now, I’m again trying to decide how to merge this longtime desire to go to sea – in search of driftnet ships, in particular – with my role as wife, mom to two floofers, and full-time publisher.

I doubt my husband would love the idea. And I would hurt to be away from him. If I have a regret to look back on, it’s that I didn’t grab the chance to go before I married.

But Sea Shepherd also offers volunteer work on shore-based projects. This might be the answer. It’s not direct action, but it’s still part of the solution. I’m going to complete and submit the application for shore-based work this weekend. Sea Shepard has been doing amazing activism since 1977. Check it out at seasheperd.org.

Not coincidentally, right now I’m listening to orca and humpback whale sounds. If you haven’t put in some earbuds and listened to these beautiful recordings, you should. It makes classical music sound like squawking.

I picked up some turnips, beets, and carrots for roasting this weekend. I also grabbed a few Kalamata olives to add to the pan. Keeping fresh veggies in our winter diet is the work at hand now. There’s no food coming from the garden, and fresh vegetable prices continue to increase.

We decided on new Japanese crops for the 2017 garden: Yamato Sanjanko cucumber, and Mitsuba parsley. I’m also going to grow a large pot of Penang, a lemony Thai basil. We’ll order the seeds this month. I’m counting the hours.

Live in peace.