No. 1: The Danger of Nostalgia
Even if we didn’t grow up with a yard, chances are that we remember a critter that we connected with in a creek, at the park, in the woods, on the playground. Take a moment. Think back. What’s yours? Ranchers, politicians, biologists, farmers, businessmen, teachers, you name it, we all have one. We have memories about the number of fish in the creek, the rabbits and foxes darting just out of sight, about how stinky the creek was when the lamprey spawned, or how many toads we caught as a kid. An invasion of lady bugs, the hordes of fireflies, or the bats that lived in the attic. It's something we all have in common, no matter our background. No matter if we were nice to the wild things or not-so-nice. They informed our childhood. We had a relationship with them. For me it's the monarch. Growing up in the upper Midwest meant many, many monarchs. They were a commonplace sight, but beautiful every time. I can still see them now floating through the air while I rode my bi...