Siena & Toast

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23 Blue Zones, Birds, and The Beauty of Portland

Siena & Toast
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Vaux’s Swift Birds

We kinda went on and on about seeing the Vaux’s Swift birds in this episode. Below is the story of how we humans have hurt, and helped, the Vaux’s Swift birds on their way south for the winter.

Photo by Ryan Loughlin • these are not Vaux’s swifts at Chapman Elementary, but the photo conveys the feeling of beauty at the scene :)

After fund raising efforts, Chapman Elementary switched to a different heating system for their classrooms.

But the furnace chimney remains, for the sole purpose of helping the Vaux’s Swifts to reach their winter homes each year.

Face-to-Face Human Interaction

In his book On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, one of the ways to resist tyranny is to “Make eye contact and small talk.”

Why?

Because it’s part of being a “responsible member of society.”

And it’s how we “break down social barriers….”

The author, historian Timothy Snyder, tells how, during Nazi Germany in the 1930’s…

“A smile, a handshake, or a word of greeting–banal gestures in a normal situation–took on great significance.”

In other words, your humanity is an act of resistance that makes a difference.

Photo by Alexa Mazzarello

There are no small things these days.

We just want to applaud your kindness, your humanity, and your heart.

As On Tyranny says: “Power wants your body softening in your chair and your emotions dissipating on the screen. Get outside. Put your body in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people.”

Now without further ado, here are the links to the things and places we mention in this episode.

Blue Zones:  bluezones.com

Cool Stuff to Do and See around Portland, Oregon

Neat Places to Eat in Portland, Oregon

Here are the places we mentioned on the podcast.

The bar at Victoria

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