Dear Yana:

It’s amazing—just yesterday, I was wondering how your name sounds in Czech, and then the very next day, you brought it up! What a coincidence! 😲

I love that you’re exploring your feelings about nature, and I’m excited to witness your exploration unfold here, in your new thread.

The nature where I live is unlike anywhere else—the trees here are breathtaking. I’ve never seen so many, and they remain magnificent in every stage of life, even after they break or die. There’s something quietly powerful about them, even in their brokenness—still standing, still beautiful, still silently grand.

Looking forward to reading more of your reflections! 💛🌿✨

anita

Dear Jana:

Your photos are absolutely beautiful! I had no idea about wandering rocks—so fascinating. The trees in your pictures look a lot like the ones around here. And ouch, a bee sting—that’s never fun. I hope it’s feeling better now.

I’ve actually seen bison in person at Yellowstone National Park years ago. They’ve lived there since prehistoric times, but their numbers dropped drastically due to hunting and habitat loss. By the 1880s, only about two dozen remained—but now there are around 5,400 bison in Yellowstone. They’re massive, yet despite their size, they can run incredibly fast. If you ever come across a bison, you can tell its mood by its tail—hanging down means calm, raised means it might charge.

It’s sad how people fought to shoot wolves after they reappeared where you live—it’s such a loss for nature and ecosystems. In the U.S., wolves were heavily hunted and nearly wiped out. Alaska currently has the largest population of gray wolves, with 7,000–11,000. I’ve never seen a wolf in the wild, and honestly, I’d be terrified if I ever came across one—or worse, a pack—on a walk, which might end up being my last!

Where I live, we have deer, elk, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears. If you ever encounter a coyote, mountain lion, or black bear, the best thing to do is stay calm, make yourself look big, make loud noises, back away slowly (facing them, never turning your back), and never run (running triggers their chase instinct). With mountain lions, maintaining eye contact helps assert dominance, while with grizzlies, playing dead is the recommended survival strategy.

Carrying bear spray is smart—but I had a bad experience once. I accidentally sprayed myself in the face (forgot the safety cap!), and wow, did it burn! I ran onto someone’s property—something I’d never normally do since people here have guns and guard dogs—but I was desperate. I grabbed their outdoor hose and sprayed my face for 20 minutes, shocked that I could still see. After that, I was too scared to carry bear spray for a long time, but I finally started again—this time, with the safety cap firmly on!

I was confronted by a coyote on one of my walks- the reason I ordered and started carrying my first bear spray. It was my first and hopefully hunter-hunted moment.

Your Easter tradition (Pomlázka) sounds so bizarre and uncomfortable—I completely understand why you dislike it. I’m glad your partner doesn’t celebrate, so you don’t have to deal with the awkwardness.

I hope your dog gets relief soon—ticks are such a hassle, and it’s frustrating when pets react badly to collars. It sounds like you’re doing everything you can to take care of her.

Thanks for sharing all of this—it’s always great to read your thoughts!

anita