PinnedMember-onlyTen Common Features of Successful Longtime VegansA couple of years ago, I posted this question to my Facebook friends: “I’m curious: for those who have been vegan for more than five years, what factors do you attribute to your longevity as a vegan? There are many things that tempt people away from veganism, from a desire…Vegan10 min readVegan10 min read
PinnedMember-onlyThirty Days of New Vegan Tips for World Vegan MonthHere are fresh tips for each day in November to celebrate World Vegan Day (November 1) and World Vegan Month. With so many benefits and so much at stake, there has never been a better time to embrace your inner-herbivore. November 1/Day 1 There are so many amazing resources for new and transitioning…Vegan15 min readVegan15 min read
6 days agoMember-onlyHope Dies Last But Should It? On Wishful Thinking, Hanging on by a Thread and the Peace of AcceptanceThere is this interesting digital library I learned about not too long ago called the Wayback Machine, which, among other things, archives what is happening on the internet by taking occasional screenshots on any random day that take you, well, way back to what a given website or blog looked…Hope7 min readHope7 min read
Nov 8Member-onlyAn Agnostic’s Prayer…It’s a little odd that I’d feel compelled to write a prayer. I should say from the outset that I have always envied people of faith. They seem to have one less worry, a major one, even if that faith is an unwavering, confident rejection of being of faith. How…Prayer4 min readPrayer4 min read
Oct 11Member-onlyGet Squashed: 25 Sweet, Savory, Stuffed and Sensational Recipes Starring Our Favorite Cold Weather FruitI will admit, we’re heading into the months that are not my favorite time of the year for produce, but leaning into winter squashes makes it a little easier to take. There are about 30 varieties of winter squash grown in different parts of the world, with lots of unique…Recipe3 min readRecipe3 min read
Sep 13Member-onlyThe Suburban Cemetery for “Wayward Girls” and Their BabiesWhat a small resting place in a subdivision says about our past and why it’s a cautionary tale for the future — On Sunday, I was feeling that familiar invigoration I can always rely on in early autumn, as the leaves are just on the verge of changing and the earliest of households start displaying their Halloween decorations. I convinced my son and husband that we should drive out to Geneva, IL…Reproductive Rights10 min readReproductive Rights10 min read
Aug 24Member-onlyHot Weather, Cool Kitchen: 21 Vegan Recipes for People and a Planet that Need to Chill OutThe Chicago area is now experiencing the triple digit weather so many have lived through (or are currently still enduring) after a fairly cool summer by our standards. I am not complaining! Give me pleasant autumn weather year-round and I’d be happy. I thought it might be nice to gather…Climate Change2 min readClimate Change2 min read
Aug 16Member-onlyWhen the Natural Toolbox is No Longer Enough, You Do What You Have to DoAnxiety and I, well, we go back. I do recall a sepia-toned time when I didn’t have anxiety as my copilot but it’s been a while, as they say. After a pretty idyllic early childhood, anxiety started to seep its way into my body over time, like dark ink from…Vegan9 min readVegan9 min read
Aug 3Member-onlyYes, We Are Heartbroken. Yes, We Have Hope.“Let your heart break so your spirit doesn’t.” Andrea Gibson I was in the car on the way to Duluth to vacation with my family when I saw the news about Sinéad O’Connor. A dark pall fell over all of us, as I know it did for millions of people…Activism5 min readActivism5 min read
Jul 18Member-onlyWhy Vegans Won’t Just “Shut Up” About It.And why we shouldn’t ever. — “I understand that you’re vegan but why can’t you just keep it to yourself?” If you’ve been vegan for any length of time, you’re probably familiar with this sentiment, one that is expressed to us in a million different ways, from more polite appeals to reactions that are simmering —…Vegan5 min readVegan5 min read
