Eye On Sligo Creek

Most of you know that in my day job I run Orion’s Attic, an estate liquidation and home cleanout company based here in Silver Spring.

One thing we see all the time when opening garages and basements is shelves full of old paint cans, cleaners, and other household chemicals that have been sitting there for years.

It’s easy to forget that what happens to those materials can eventually affect the same waterways we all care about — including Sligo Creek.

I recently wrote a piece about that connection, and about a new partnership that helps make sure those materials are safely removed and responsibly processed instead of ending up in the waste stream.

The article includes a couple of short videos showing how the process works.

Household Hazardous Waste Removal in Montgomery County - Orion's Attic Learn how Orion’s Attic and Yuck Old Paint handle household hazardous waste removal in Montgomery County, safely disposing of paint, chemicals, and toxic materials.

I express my gratitude to you again this morning, Red Maple. I thank you for your teachings that I am never too old or too dormant to grow from the inside ... that times of rest can be opportunities to reflect on how I can prepare to spring into action doing more for those I love, doing more to be of service to all beings. I thank you for sharing your sacred life with me, and leading by the example of standing tall and reaching for the sky even when I'm inclined to hibernate.

Thank you, Clever Snow. You lured me out this morning cursing under my breath because I had to shovel you away from my van -- only for me to realize the work came with a gift.

The gift that comes when you lay down a white blanket seemingly to cover everything in sight ... except that you're not smothering and creating work; you're revealing things unseen without you ... tracks from rabbits, squirrels and so many more.

I apologize for my initial grumbling, and I thank you for your presents -- a chore turned not a physical but a meditative exercise, and the chance to see the hidden lives of those with whom I share this day and this earth.

Good morning, American sycamore tree on Sligo Creek! Thank you for calling my attention today. Thank you for letting me hang out with you as you awoke, yawned, and stretched your arms up to the sky. I did the same thing only moments ago. You and I are kin, Sycamore.

Thank you for letting me admire you as you basked in the sun. Thank you for the work you do to control erosion running from the parking lot above. Thank you for your sacrifice in allowing us humans to make furniture from your mighty trunk, and for giving Indigenous Americans the resource they needed to make canoes.

Thank you, too, for the history lesson you taught me this morning: I did not know your ancestors helped shelter George Washington's troops during the Battle of Brandywine. You are a patriotic tree.

Thank you for letting me make your acquaintance this morning. I extend my most sincere gratitude to you, American sycamore, for all that you are.

Happy rainy Saturday morning, Chipmunk! I greet you with love and affection on this day. I'm honored to have provided crushed corn on the ground for you, and seed for the birds above you. May this offering nourish your body and serve as a token of my appreciation for all that you do for me -- giving me joy and companionship to start my day. I thank you also for all the good you do for Mother Earth -- aerating soil, helping my tree friends grow stronger root systems, and dispersing seeds. You are tiny in size but mighty in contribution.

Simple solutions: Birds kept crashing into my windows today while I was trying to read -- so a simple pack of anti-collision window clings/bird alert decals solved the problem ... and forced me to clean four windows! My apologies, Birds, for not doing this sooner.

Good morning, Sun. I thank you for rising. I ask that you illumine my day -- giving me the ability to see better than I saw yesterday. I ask that you empower me to spot opportunities emerging from darkness to be of service to anyone or anything your gentle rays reveal.

Sligo Creek Adjacent -- as this kind of powerful experience happens here, too: This one is from the heart. It's about me going on an insufficiently prepared bike ride Harpers Ferry National Historical Park along the C&O Canal Towpath. One act of kindness led to another on the Towpath.

I gave what I had to help a stranger — and when I suddenly needed help myself less than hour later, the Universe answered through two kind people who came to my rescue. Grateful, humbled, and reminded that we’re all connected.

I'd love for you to watch it when you can dedicate 13 minutes and 15 seconds of quiet time to taking it in. I hope this this connects to you in some way, that it gives you inspiration.

A Life-Affirming Bike Ride on the C&O Canal Towpath -- Faith, Fate and the Kindness of Strangers A simple bike ride on the C&O Canal Towpath became one of the most moving spiritual experiences of my life. On this autumn morning in Harpers Ferry, I set ou...

One of the thrills of my growing meditation practice is that I never know who might join me. I start my mornings by filling my bird feeder, then offering ground corn not just for the birds, but also for the chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits and others who dine there.

An Eastern cottontail like this one that I photographed previously apparently knows my routine -- eagerly hopping my way as the corn hit the ground. The rabbit munched away, allowing me to sit down a mere few feet away. I meditated by observing every inch of my friend, and then continued with my eyes closed during a lengthy breathing and concentration exercise.

The rabbit and I expressed mutual gratitude for each other's company as the sun poked through from behind his or her big ears. Tears came to my eyes as they often do in such moments -- starting my day entranced by the beauty of Mother Earth, doing my part to offer it a service, and connecting with the divine.

You may not yet be a tree hugger like yours truly, but here are some great medical reasons you should get out and enjoy the majesty of Sligo Creek. Free article I'm sharing -- you should be able to open.

Column | Why Harvard doctors are seeking out this natural remedy for themselves I was skeptical of forest bathing. But then I tried it alongside eight Harvard doctors who looked to this practice with ancient roots to address modern ills.