Country Lifestyle
The Hemingway Project
By Jan Sikes
Imagine you’re a soldier returning home from Afghanistan or Syria or some other war-torn country. Maybe limbs are missing or your body is scarred in some other way. Or perhaps deep in the recesses of your mind, thoughts and emotions are twisted with guilt.
At what point do you decide you have nothing more to offer, and the world has nothing left to hold you?
It’s a question that smoldered deep inside singer/songwriter Dan Johnson’s mind as he struggled for decades to come to terms with his veteran father’s suicide that occurred the day before he turned eleven. Like thousands of others then and now, Johnson’s father returned home from war confused and in pain.
“My dad desperately needed someone to personally connect with him,” Johnson said.
Through the songs and stories on Hemingway project, Johnson has found an avenue to provide that vital connection. And while it is too late for his father, he is confident it isn’t too late for other veterans.
Johnson spoke candidly about the defining moment when he realized he had to step up and try to do something to help.
“It was a very specific moment for me,” he said. “I was doing a show at Hoot’s in Amarillo, Texas. The manager is a good friend, a Marine who came back with tremendous post-traumatic stress.”
Johnson paused. “I asked him about his new Facebook profile picture, a bloody red number twenty-two. He said he was part of ‘Twenty-Two Kill,’ and explained it is an organization that tries to help reduce veteran suicides through raising awareness. Then he told me there is an average of twenty-two veteran suicides per day. That nailed me to the wall.
“I couldn’t believe it. And while it seems extreme, I did the research and found it was accurate. A few days later, I had a thought. I play around two-hundred shows every year, and I have a microphone. If I ran into this guy in a bar (something tells me there’s somebody in every single bar I’m in) who has either been affected by or is currently struggling with thoughts of suicide.”
Johnson’s story always leads back to his own father.
“I thought about my dad, because as much as the awareness is important, my dad didn’t need public awareness,” Johnson said. “He needed someone to connect on a personal level, someone to tell him that while suicide may end his pain, it will only amplify it for his loved ones for the rest of their lives.”
That pain and long-lasting effects of his father’s suicide gives Johnson first-hand experience when counseling someone who is on the verge of taking his or her own life. He uses those words he wishes someone had said to his father and finds it strikes a chord of truth.
Exactly how was the Hemingway project born?
Johnson has been a huge fan of the writer Ernest Hemingway his entire life, so he visited Hemingway’s home in Key West, Fla. As the tour guide took the group through the house, Johnson lingered behind in Hemingway’s study where so many of the classic stories were written.
“His study is still identical to the way he left it with his typewriter and bourbon bottle. It was literally like he could walk back in at any moment,” Johnson said. “I stood there soaking up all the creativity that flowed through that room. It hit me hard how many people, like Hemingway, reach a point where they feel as if they don’t have enough left to give, and the world doesn’t have enough reasons for them to stay in it. And of course, then I thought of my father and how he took the Hemingway out. So, I wrote a big chunk of the song, ‘Hemingway,’ standing in Ernest Hemingway’s study.”
However, Johnson did nothing except play the song for some friends. While they were blown away by the powerful words, he still didn’t know what to do with it.
“After the night in Amarillo, everything shifted,” Johnson said. “I decided that I wanted to sing the “Hemingway” song in the middle of every show and use it to tell my dad’s story. So, that’s what I started doing.”
The results have been phenomenal.
The rest of the Hemingway project came together at a bar in Ireland where Johnson was doing a show. Following his performance, an American soldier approached and asked to buy him a drink. Then, the soldier, with tears in his eyes, told him that his words that night may have just saved his life. He described the isolation and pain he experienced each time he returned home on leave. Because of that, he was hiding out in Ireland on leave and staying drunk. He admitted to Johnson he’d about reached the end of his will to stay alive. That was until he listened to “Hemingway” and heard Johnson’s story about his dad.
Every song on Hemingway is deep and character-driven. Johnson brings the stories to life in each line, each lyric, each aching note.
The musical journey starts with “The Favor.” Haunting strands from a slide guitar set the mood. It is a dark story about newlyweds accosted in a Louisiana swamp by men intent on inflicting evil and harm. But, as the tables turn, Billy says these words to his new bride, “Babe, when the devil owes you a favor, you damn sure don’t ask why….”
The title song, “Hemingway,” is more than moving. It holds the power of a freight train loaded with TNT. It is everything all rolled up into one, with unforgettable lyrics.
Johnson’s strong baritone voice lends itself to the force of the song and pushes the message across. This story has a tragic, heartbreaking, too-human ending.
“Bloom,” tells of a young woman trying to find her wings. “Tom Waits For No One,” is the sad and lonely tale of a man waiting fruitlessly for his lover to return. Chilling and raw, “The Lone Gunman’s Lament,” is a story all-too-familiar for the many who have been forced to kill.
While there are various organizations who provide help to veterans in need, Johnson is taking the Hemingway project to the streets, to those too broken or ashamed to seek help. He is making those one-on-one connections that are vital in suicide prevention. Hemingway is an education, motivation, and intervention all rolled into one powerful campaign. Johnson dares to expose the naked, raw and sometimes ugly truth through words and music.
When Johnson teamed up with Texas novelist Travis Erwin to create short stories that accompany each song, it took the Hemingway project into a much broader spectrum. With a writing style much like Johnson’s, Erwin weaves stories together in an intricate web of multi-dimensional characters and situations that are masterfully intertwined.
From graphic violence to exquisitely tender moments, Hemingway is a journey that touches everyone in some way. No one is spared.
For more information about the project, the non-profit and Dan Johnson, visit http://www.operationhemingway.org.
Hemingway Lyrics
John was a soldier from deep down in Florida
He turned eighteen on Key West
The Army would get him as soon as they’d let him
He signed on the line to enlist
They all called him Hemingway
Because he spent every day
Cussing and fighting and drunk
And, lord he could tell you a story so well
You’d get wrapped in the yarns that he spun
So, Hemingway, tell us a tale
Of some great adventure
Or champions or fisherman
Or girls that put wind in men’s sails
Take us away
Hey, Hemingway
On the day that he turned nineteen
That cursed IED took off his legs at the thigh
Mangled and burned up
But thankful it turned out
The doctors at least saved one eye
Then they sent him home to his mom on the coast
They said, “Thanks for your service there, son.
This purple heart is a medal to mark
All the good for your country you’ve done.”
Through his personal hell
Not a soul would he tell
Too modest to speak of his pain
While innocent, ignorant well-meaning friends of his
Said it would all be okay
So, he just kept on swinging
As each blow kept stinging
Not sure how much longer he’d fight
And everyone asked him to tell them what happened
The day he almost lost his life
So, Hemingway, tell us a tale
Of some great adventure
The battles, the missions
The glory in how you prevailed
What do you say?
Hey, Hemingway
Last Saturday night as the vacancy sign
Beckoned to him from the road
With a bottle of bourbon
And a month’s worth of Percocet
Tucked in his camouflage coat
He reached for the Bible
And read for a while but nothing much seemed to stand out
So, in that little hotel room
When the Gideons fell through
He took the Hemingway out
Hemingway, tell us a tale
Of the young life they took from you
The darkness you’re going through
How we and the whole world have failed
There as you lay,
Hey, Hemingway
Pollinators, especially bees, play a crucial role in our ecosystem and agricultural landscape. They are responsible for pollinating many of the crops that we rely on for food production. However, bee populations worldwide have been declining due to various factors, including habitat loss, pesticide use, disease, and climate change. In Oklahoma, where agriculture is a significant industry, protecting pollinators is of utmost importance. Here we explore some strategies for supporting bee populations in Oklahoma and why it’s essential for the health of our environment and economy.
Understanding the Importance of Bees
Before delving into strategies for protecting bee populations, it’s essential to understand why bees are so vital. Bees are one of the most effective pollinators, playing a crucial role in the reproduction of flowering plants, including many crops such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Without bees, the pollination process would be severely disrupted, leading to reduced crop yields and potentially threatening food security.
In Oklahoma, bees contribute significantly to the state’s agricultural economy by pollinating crops like cotton, canola, alfalfa, and various fruits and vegetables. According to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, pollinators contribute over $157 million annually to the state’s economy. Therefore, protecting bee populations is not only essential for environmental conservation but also for the economic sustainability of agriculture in Oklahoma.
Challenges Facing Bee Populations in Oklahoma
Despite their importance, bee populations in Oklahoma, like elsewhere, face numerous challenges that threaten their survival. One of the primary threats is habitat loss due to urbanization, agricultural expansion, and land development. As natural habitats disappear, bees lose the food sources and nesting sites they need to thrive.
Furthermore, the use of pesticides, including neonicotinoids and other chemical treatments, poses a significant risk to bee populations. Pesticides can harm bees directly through poisoning or indirectly by contaminating their food sources and disrupting their reproductive cycles. Climate change also exacerbates the challenges faced by bees, affecting flowering patterns, altering habitat suitability, and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.
Strategies for Supporting Bee Populations
While the challenges facing bee populations are daunting, there are several strategies that individuals, farmers, and policymakers can implement to support bee populations in Oklahoma:
- Creating Pollinator Habitat: One of the most effective ways to support bees is by creating and preserving pollinator-friendly habitat. This can include planting native wildflowers, flowering trees, and shrubs that provide bees with a diverse and abundant source of nectar and pollen. Additionally, leaving natural areas, such as meadows and hedgerows, untouched can provide essential nesting sites for solitary bees.
- Reducing Pesticide Use: Minimizing the use of pesticides, especially bee-toxic chemicals like neonicotinoids, is crucial for bee conservation. Farmers can adopt integrated pest management (IPM) practices that prioritize non-chemical methods of pest control, such as crop rotation, biological control, and using pest-resistant crop varieties. When pesticides are necessary, they should be applied judiciously, following label instructions and avoiding spraying during times when bees are most active.
- Supporting Organic Agriculture: Organic farming practices that eschew synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are inherently more bee-friendly. By supporting organic agriculture and purchasing organic products, consumers can help create demand for farming methods that prioritize environmental sustainability and pollinator health.
- Educating the Public: Increasing public awareness about the importance of bees and the threats they face is essential for fostering support for bee conservation efforts. Educational initiatives can include school programs, community workshops, and public outreach campaigns that highlight the role of bees in food production and the steps individuals can take to protect them.
- Collaborating with Stakeholders: Protecting bee populations requires collaboration among various stakeholders, including farmers, landowners, conservation organizations, government agencies, and researchers. By working together, these groups can develop and implement comprehensive strategies for conserving bee habitat, reducing pesticide exposure, and promoting bee-friendly farming practices.
Conclusion
Protecting pollinators, particularly bees, is a critical priority for environmental conservation and agricultural sustainability in Oklahoma. By implementing strategies such as creating pollinator habitat, reducing pesticide use, supporting organic agriculture, educating the public, and collaborating with stakeholders, we can help support bee populations and ensure their continued role in pollinating our crops and maintaining ecosystem health. By taking action now, we can secure a future where bees thrive, benefiting both our environment and our economy.
Top of Form
References:
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry. (n.d.). Pollinators in Oklahoma. Retrieved from https://www.oda.state.ok.us/food/fs-pollinators.htm
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. (2022). Neonicotinoids. Retrieved from https://xerces.org/neonicotinoids
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (2022). Climate Change and Human Health – Heat Impacts on Pollinators. Retrieved from https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/translational/peph/webinars/heat-impacts-on-pollinators/index.cfm
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles
Organic Trade Association. (n.d.). Why Buy Organic? Retrieved from https://www.ota.com/why-buy-organic
Pollinator Partnership. (n.d.). Education & Outreach. Retrieved from https://www.pollinator.org/education-outreach
United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Partnerships for Pollinators. Retrieved from https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2016/06/24/partnerships-pollinators
These references provide a comprehensive overview of the topics discussed in the article, including the importance of pollinators, the challenges they face, and strategies for supporting bee populations in Oklahoma.
I am a mother. I do not know about the rest of you mothers, but the second I became “Mom,” my life became a constant state of wondering if I am doing a good job.
That is especially hard to tell when you choose to homeschool. I have no feedback from anyone that is not family. No teacher conferences telling me the little girl talks too much or the oldest boy can not sit still. Sure, I could ask my husband how he thinks our kids are maturing emotionally and intellectually. Still, he would most likely look out the window and see the aforementioned children running around in the sand with only socks on. He would then look at me and ask me to make him a quesadilla. I would say yes, we would joke about socks, and life would go on. See? Zero feedback to go on here.
So, you start to rely on personal experiences. You come up with little tests throughout your days to rate your kids “ready for society” level.
Example 1: A trip to the big city where the kids treat the grocery store as their personal snack depot. They successfully eat all the grapes and a whole block of cheese in your basket before you can check out. As you leave, they tell the door greeter, “Have a nice day.”
Example 2: Your husband enters an indoor rodeo. You are bouncing the baby and notice your oldest child is eating a bag of dippin dots. First, you smile and then remember that she has no money. Come to think of it, the concession stand is not even open. You have now concluded your firstborn has broken into the closed concession stand with her posse of four-year-old convicts and has helped herself to some ice cream.
Example 3: You are in church. The children have managed to be nice and quiet the entire time. After the message and the closing “Amen” is said, your three-year-old turns to you and says, “Well, that wasn’t so bad.”
After a little while, you start to question your “Ready for Society” tests. Are they productive? Are they accurate? I figure the answer to that question is better left unanswered.
One evening this summer, after I had quit conducting all these tests, I was mourning the loss of my children’s place in society when I looked up and noticed all our horses running down our driveway, headed for the neighboring pastures. For a minute, I just sat there wondering what I should do. I was holding the baby and wearing the ever-practical slip-on loafer and had absolutely no idea what was for supper. That had nothing to do with the horses being out, but that is part of being a housewife, I guess. You always wonder if you left the iron on and what is for supper.
While I sat there stunned, pondering life’s biggest questions, my husband and my daughter yelled at me to get a move on as they were already springing into action. My husband ran to stop them, and my daughter was on her way to the barn for some halters. Meanwhile, I was tripping over my loafers, scaring the horses and making already stressful matters much worse.
My husband finally got the horses cornered at the far end of our neighbor’s pasture and waved at me for some assistance. I handed the baby to my daughter and told her to watch the boys and stay in the house while I headed to help.
Within 30 minutes, we caught the horses and led them back to the corrals. I was in a near state of panic, wondering how long the boys had been crying and what state of mind my daughter was in, having just witnessed her dad nearly sweat to death and her mother make terrible fashion choices.
To my surprise, as I walked up to the house, I saw three happy children on the porch eating a supper of plums and peaches. The boys laughed at their sister as she shuffled little cars and cows around for them to play with. Not only had she fed and entertained her brothers, but she had also cleaned the house and fed the chickens to boot. I just stood there quietly watching for a while, not wanting to disturb the moment.
After the kids passed their first ever Ready for Society test, I realized that society’s standards versus my own were probably quite different. Society tells me that my kids need to be clean and quiet. Seen but not heard. Able to recite the ABCs on command but have no opinion on political matters. To be kind to everyone but never bring up God’s name and what He has to do with it. Society says my kids should fall into the assembly line and attend a good college someday to get a good minimum-wage job.
Why would I want my kids to fit into society when I do not even fit into society? No, I think I will keep my dirty little misfits all to myself. I think I will continue raising them to know how to care for themselves and each other. I will continue to show them how to serve God and work hard. I will continue to raise them never to wear slip-on shoes in the pasture and that plums and peaches are a totally acceptable supper on a warm summer evening.
By
Norman Winter
Horticulturist, Author and Speaker
National Poinsettia Day just passed, December 12 to be exact. While I am sure the powers to be wanted a celebratory type day, from what I have been seeing this year is this may have been a deadline day. This most likely applies to poinsettia partners too! If you are asking what a poinsettia partner is then put on your thinking cap and gather around.
Proven Winners got most of us to thinking partners when they introduced the concept of combining poinsettias with Diamond Frost euphorbias. This is one of the best ideas ever and we now actually have three choices, Diamond Frost, Diamond Snow with double flowers and Diamond Mountain that is the taller of the three.
To a horticulturist like myself this combination is so special because both the Poinsettia and the Diamond Frost are Euphorbias. That’s right, they are cousins. Just like Christmas, families visiting and long-lost cousins getting together. Of course, the main reason we like this idea is that the red, pink, or variegated poinsettia looks incredible, it’s as though it is sitting on a bed of snow or frost. I have found these to be more available at fine florists.
But if you are going to create your own and go plant shopping then keep in mind some other options you might want to-try. For instance, a couple of years ago Jenny Simpson of Creekside Nursery in Dallas North Carolina introduced us to not only using caladiums at Christmas but even in combinations with poinsettias. She used the Heart to Heart White Snowdrift caladiums which turned out to be a perfect partner with red poinsettias.
My time as Executive Director at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens in Savannah GA taught me there are opportunities for outside use with poinsettias, particularly if you are astute at long range weather forecasting. First consider that Savannah is technically zone 8B with a proclivity to lean into zone 9. We used poinsettias in large planters surrounded by Silver Bullet Dusty Miller or artemisia.
A similar application gave me the opportunity of photographing pink poinsettias mass planted in an atrium-like setting and surrounded by gray leaved Icicles helichrysum. But the most obvious and perhaps easiest if you are getting a late start is to combine your poinsettias with another Christmas plant like cyclamen. White cyclamen around a red poinsettia can be simply breathtaking.
This year I have also been watching what I call the professional garden club ladies walking out of both florists and floral departments with holly berries. We all think of hollies on swags above the fireplace or front door, but two or three preserved branches loaded with red berries stuck in a pot of white poinsettias is quick, easy and unbeatable.
Red berries for Christmas, landscape beauty, and of course feeding the birds is a prime reason to grow winterberry hollies like the compact Berry Poppins. Consider also growing Berry Heavy Gold winterberry holly. Cutting branches of the gold berries to be used with red poinsettias makes a stunning partnership. Go to Proven Winners site, Winterberry Holly: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Colorful Berries. If you don’t have poinsettias yet make today your shopping day! Follow me on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy for more photos and garden inspiration.
-
Country Lifestyle7 years agoJuly 2017 Profile: J.W. Hart
-
Outdoors6 years agoGrazing Oklahoma: Honey Locust
-
Country Lifestyle2 years agoThe Two Sides of Colten Jesse
-
Attractions7 years ago48 Hours in Atoka Remembered
-
Outdoors4 years agoPecan Production Information: Online Resources for Growers
-
Farm & Ranch6 years agoHackberry (Celtis spp.)
-
Equine7 years agoUmbilical Hernia
-
Country Lifestyle1 year agoSay Yes!