ART. all things art/business.

In this week's Art category I'm making a shameless plug for my 2026 nature photography calendars that I finished designing on Tuesday. These are a big mid-year financial boost for me as a full-time independent artist, and I appreciate every single purchase more than I can say. Feel free to share the link with others who may be interested, or buy a few extras as gifts. They will ship in November, just in time for the holiday season. Pre-orders will remain open until October 1 and then they all go to print. For the last couple of years I've not been ordering any extras, so be sure to get your pre-order in to make sure you get one. And if you're a dog person there is, as there is every year, a Love Dogs calendar right here.

NATURE. all things nature/outdoors.

As I've mentioned before, I've fallen absolutely in love with creating ambient nature films. While I don't personally require documented research to know that sensory experiences in nature are calming (I've experienced it firsthand countless times in my life), I decided to look up what research exists about this subject. Check out this study in Science Direct about the effects of nature sound on a group of stressed-out college students. "Largo-Wight et al. (2016) divided 40 participants into three groups; one group heard nature sound, another group heard classical music, and the control group was not exposed to sound, and the authors measured the changes before and after 15 min of exposure to sounds. They found that the muscle tension, pulse rate, and self-reported stress were most decreased in the group that heard nature sound." Even as a former professional classical musician, I can confirm that nature sounds are my go-to stress reducer. If I'm in a city where nature sounds are harder to hear or are drowned out by urban sounds (traffic, sirens, etc.), classical music becomes my go-to. Combining the two in a distinct soundscape can be powerful. And adding visuals increases the calming effect even more. Check out this article about "Nature Imagery and Mental Well-being" by David Webb that states,"Even under tightly controlled indoor conditions, nature imagery has been shown to produce relaxation responses (like reduced cortisol and muscle tension) that are comparable to those achieved by actually being outdoors in nature." The article goes on to state, "The workplace is another area where nature imagery has proven beneficial. Office workers often face stress and mental fatigue, especially in windowless or cubicle environments. Studies in offices have found that adding photographs or screen savers of natural landscapes can improve employees’ mood and subjective stress. In one case, employees who had large nature posters in their workspace or a live view of nature out a digital display reported feeling less tense and more satisfied at work than those with blank walls."

When I moved to a city for the first time (I grew up in a very rural area; population less than 100), I remember the incredible feeling of peace that came over me every time I drove home and saw the forest-covered loess hills appear on the horizon. Crossing the Missouri River was a spiritual act. All of my stress fell out and tumbled off the bridge into the water below. It was tangible and instantaneous. What does this mean? I'm not sure, but I think that we humans were not meant to be as distanced from nature as we've become. If I can help close that gap for a few people, even just a tiny bit, all of the time spent making nature photos and creating ambient nature films will be time not only well spent, but immensely well rewarded.

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DOGS. all things dogs.

Since today is July 4th, I thought I'd share the bullet points from this blog post I wrote last year about keeping our dogs safe during fireworks season.

1. Even if your dog doesn’t typically seem very stressed by fireworks, or has been desensitized to them, you can’t always predict what will happen. There are secondary issues that may cause unexpected reactions, such as illness or pain, aging, losing sight and hearing, and others. Don’t assume your dog will be fine. Play it safe, and keep them safe.
2. Pay attention to how your dog is acting. There are often signs that indicate stress, such as panting, whining, pacing, a tucked tail, and hiding. Create a safe space for them to feel more at ease.
3. If your dogs are crate trained, consider crating them, particularly if/when you will not be home to watch them closely. If they aren’t crate trained, secure them in a safe space inside and make sure doors and windows are latched. Please do not leave dogs outside unattended if you think there may be firework activity near you.
4. If possible, exercise your dogs before fireworks displays begin and make sure they’ve had plenty to eat and drink. Ensuring their basic needs are met will help mitigate high stress and potential reactions.
5. Turn on soft music, or a television, or some other calming sound that will muffle the sound of the fireworks. Merlin’s Realms is a popular YouTube channel that offers relaxing music “for dogs and humans.”
6. Put a blanket over their crate, or use a crate cover. My dogs are much quieter and calmer when their crate (their safe space) is covered.
7. If you can, engage with your dogs during fireworks. Play games that will help distract them. Keep them close to you and offer support in whatever ways are helpful to your specific dogs.
8. A spooked/stressed dog will do anything to escape. In a panic, they will dig incessantly until they’ve dug completely under a fence. They will paw through screens and chew through barriers. They may jump over structures they’ve never attempted to jump over before. They will do whatever it takes to avoid a perceived threat, and in some cases they’ll injure themselves in the process. Or worse.
9. If your dog is super chill and you’re including them in the activities, please keep a very close eye on them, and keep them on a leash.
10. Make sure microchip and tag/velcro patch information is up-to-date and keep collars and tags/patches on your dogs. Microchips are useful in the event that collars break or otherwise come off. Have clear, full-body photos of your dogs in case they become lost. A detailed written description that includes unique identifying features and characteristics is also helpful.
11. Know when people usually start shooting off fireworks in your area. In cities, fireworks may be illegal but still randomly shot off. Talk to neighbors, if you feel comfortable doing so. Be prepared and preemptive about making accommodations for your dogs to keep them safe.
12. If you are shooting off fireworks, please be aware of what’s around you. Choose a location, if possible, that is distanced from animal shelters, cattle farms, and other areas where you know your actions might cause extreme stress to animals. Every year, for example, the shelter where I volunteer experiences high numbers of people who drive out and shoot off fireworks on the road near their property. It’s a few miles outside of the city proper, so people think it’s a great place to enjoy their celebrations. The shelter animals suffer for it.

VAN/LIFE. all things life, including van life.

Straddling the line between TiFBiTS' categories Art and Van/Life, this video of Chase Jarvis interviewing social psychologist Dr. Tessa West about people who spend decades traveling one specific path toward "success" and then change course to pursue a more independent, creative and entrepreneurial path is excellent if you have the time to listen. Dr. West talks about the change in mindset between working for someone else and working for yourself. It's long (51:33), but good, particularly if you struggle with the seemingly transactional nature of networking and desire to build a more authentic community around what you do.

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On a lighter note, I saw this (screenshot below) in my Instagram feed this morning and chuckled.

Until next time, be kind and be well. Have a safe and fun holiday weekend!