The drought in London, England is so severe that there was a dust devil over the weekend in Greenwich Park in an area that is usually covered in grass.
Join us for Linda’s One-Liner Wednesdays! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/08/12/one-liner-wednesday-just-me-2/
I live in the Southern Tier of New York State and, like many places on earth, we’ve had weather weirding going on as a result of climate change, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels. (Yes, even in Stream of Consciousness, I need to make sure I am clear on the science I present on my blog!)
This summer, we’ve had lots of big temperature swings. We’ve had lines of thunderstorms that have had high winds. That isn’t unusual for us but what is unusual is the level of damage we are seeing.
Sometimes, it is straight line winds but this year we have had an unusual number of tornados. On the weather report on television a few days, if I’m remembering correctly, we had had 12 confirmed tornados in the state so far this year, well above our average of 5. (I’m not sure if those are the correct figures as I may have misremembered, so don’t quote me on them without checking first.)
Fortunately, the tornados near us have been small and on the weaker side of the F scale they use to grade tornados. Still, they have broken trees and damaged buildings in their path.
There have been some other areas where there was similar damage but caused by straight line winds. The chief meteoraligist from channel 12 was able to go out with the National Weather Service personnel on investigation of a possible tornado. They were explaining how they tell the difference between tornados and straight line winds by looking at the debris pattern. With a tornado, the trees will fall in different directions, whereas with straight line winds the trees will fall in the same direction. I’m sure there are other factors that they observe to make their determinations, especially the radar signatures during the storm, but they always look at the debris patterns before making a final determination.
There are so many people in the US and around the world suffering from weather-related disasters these days. I’m living in a place that has been luck this year compared to so many other places. For me, all these weather events are reminders that we need to move as quickly as possible away from fossil fuels to try to keep further increases of these disasters at bay.
Let’s go!
*****
Linda’s prompt for Stream of Consciosness Saturday this week is “wind.” Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/07/24/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-25-2026/
May is EDS & HSD Awareness Month and I promised to do some posts on it. I had hoped to get this first post out earlier in the month but I’m having some difficulties with an hEDS flare, which has slowed me down a bit.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) are heritable connective tissue disorders. There are 13 types of EDS. In 12 of those types, the exact genetic cause has been identified. Some of these types are very rare, affecting less than one in a million people. The most common form of EDS is hypermobile (hEDS), which is known to be inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern but appears to have a more complex genetic profile. The prevalence of hEDS is unknown because it is very often missed diagnostically. Case in point, I was diagnosed at age 65.
HSD is related to hEDS, usually involving fewer hypermobile joints than most people with hEDS. While some clinicians and researchers look at HSD and hEDS as separate disroders, others look at hEDS as occupying a certain segment of the hypermobile spectrum. In December, 2026, updated diagnostic criteria will be published, with best practices to follow in spring ’27. It will be interesting to see if hEDS and HSD will be merged into a single diagnosis.
One of the difficulties with obtaining a diagnosis with EDS or HSD is that they present in different ways in different individuals and can vary with age. All forms of EDS/HSD affect connective tissue, making it stretchier than is typical, often due to genetic impacts on the proteins involved in collagen production. Symptoms appear throughout the body and in different body systems. The charts at the top gives you some idea of how wide-ranging the symptoms can be. Thankfully, no one has all the symptoms but when tends to happen in the medical systems in most countries is that you see separate specialists for different body systems and there is no one with enough knowledge to integrate all the information and realize that connective tissue is the common denominator underlying it all.
Because EDS/HSD are genetic in origin, treatment revolves around symptoms. Physical therapy is often a big part of the treatment plan. There are medications, vitamins, and supplements to help certain aspects of the disorder, too. For example, I have a mast cell activation disorder as part of my hEDS and take several medications to help relieve respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Having an EDS/HSD diagnosis also allows your care team to keep an eye out for conditions that may develop, such as heart valve problems. It’s very important for surgeons to know if your connective tissues are not typical, as this may impact how a procedure is done or if it should be done at all. How well medications work and the dosages required can also differ. For example, my hEDS diagnosis explained why topical anethetics, like lidocaine, don’t work well for me.
I am hoping that, when the new diagnostic criteria are published, there will be increased awareness of inherited connective tissue disorders among both the medical community and the general public. For too long, symptoms have been dismissed as unrelated, idiopathic, stress-induced, hormonal, anxety-induced, unimportant, or imaginary. Like autoimmune diseases, these disorders are more prevalent in females than males, adding to the burden of being taken seriously and the dearth of studies.
The Ehlers-Danlos Society is an important organization spearheading study, training, education, and treatment of EDS/HSD internationally. Their website is a great source of information for patients and their families, as well as for clinicians and researchers. This month, as we raise awareness, my hope is that more people will learn about EDS/HSD and help those affected get the diagnosis, treatment, and validation they deserve.
(COVID Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash)
Last week, after reading a newsletter from Your Local Epidemiologist founded by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, I got a COVID vaccination. I will be going to my annual poetry residency with the Boiler House Poets Collective at The Studios at MASS MoCA in early October and wanted my immunity to be as strong as possible while I’m there.
The newsletter had warned that there might be label changes coming from the US Food and Drug Administration that would impact the availability of COVID vaccines and that it might be advisable to get the vaccine soon, especially for people younger than 65.
I’m glad I took action.
Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration changed the guidelines, making it more difficult for people under 65 to qualify for COVID vaccines without consulting their doctor. In response, CVS and Walgreens, whose pharmacies are a major source for vaccinations to the public, suspended giving any COVID vaccines to anyone in sixteen states, including mine, unless you have a prescription from a health provider. Part of the confusion is that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has yet to issue its guidance and just suffered the loss of its top leadership through firing and resignations, grounded in the fact that they were being pressured to put forward recommendations not backed by scientific research.
That’s what happens when you have a Health and Human Services Secretary like Robert Kennedy, Jr., who does not have a background in medicine and disrespects rigorous scientific inquiry.
The fact is that COVID-19 vaccines have been rigorously tested and are safe and effective, cutting down on infection rates and keeping most people from becoming seriously ill and needing hospitalization. Serious side effects are very rare, so the benefits of receiving the vaccine outweigh the risks.
Tragically, vaccines have been politicized in the US, which has cost lives. The death rate from COVID-19 for Republicans is higher than for the population as a whole because of this.
I urge everyone with questions to talk to a trusted medical professional about the research and science behind vaccines. Don’t fall for the misinformation coming from Kennedy and the people he has put in place at the CDC and FDA who disregard valid scientific findings.
You can also look for recommendations from medical associations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Don’t let misinformation keep you from taking the best care possible of your and your family’s health.
I’m pleased to report that, over the weekend, New York Governor Kathy Hochul finally signed the bill adding carbon dioxide to the existing ban on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the state. We recently observed the tenth anniversary of the ban.
You can read more about the bill and how important it is to keeping us safe here.
A huge thank you to State Senator Lea Webb, sponsor of the bill in the Senate, and Assemblymember Anna Kelles, sponsor in the Assembly. Thanks also to Donna Lupardo, my Assemblymember, who was a co-sponsor. I will always be grateful to the large coalition of scientists, experts, Indigenous Nations, environmental organizations, and concerned individuals who have been at work for years on this issue for the good of our health, our environment, and our climate.
Broome County, where I live, would have been among the first targeted with this dangerous experiment to use supercritical carbon dioxide to extract methane. I’m grateful that our state will remain frack-free!
Ten years ago today, New York State announced an administrative ban on high-volume hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the state. (in 2021, the legislature made it a law.)
To celebrate, Food & Water Watch, one of the lead organizations in fighting fracking, has compiled a free, commemorative e-book, which you can download here.
A large coalition of organizations, environmentalists, indigenous nations, scientists, engineers, and concerned citizens had spent years advocating for a ban, helped by many of our Pennsylvania neighbors who were suffering from the harms of fracking in their communities. There had been rallies, commentary in the press and at hearings, educational events, scientific papers and lectures, and showing up at public appearances by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo leading up to the ban, which occurred when the Dr. Howard Zucker, the Health Commissioner, said that fracking was too dangerous for New Yorkers’ health, ending what had been a very fraught battle over the SGEIS (Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement) that would have allowed fracking without need for site-specific studies.
Yes, that sounds very wonky but we were lucky to have lawyers and other experts in the coalition who could break everything down for us into understandable, actionable bits.
My role in the efforts to ban fracking was as a member of the Rapid Response Team. We would receive links to articles about fracking in the media and write comments to bolster the truth and challenge misinformation. It was intense at times but it meant a lot when I would be at a rally or event and people from other parts of the state would recognize my name from comments I had written. It was good to know that my little part was helpful to the cause.
When the announcement came from Albany ten years ago, there was rejoicing from all parts of the coalition and a celebration here in Binghamton, which had been the epicenter of both the pro- and anti-fracking efforts. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend because I was sick with shingles. I was very grateful, though, and as excited as I could manage to be.
We aren’t having a party on this tenth anniversary but we are all awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul signing a bill that will add carbon dioxide to the existing fracking ban. The bill was passed in March and we have been urging her to sign it ever since.
Many bills get signed in December so it could be any day now, although I’m hoping it will be today.
It would be a fitting tenth anniversary commemoration and a reminder to the nation that New York says NO to fracking!
Update: On Dec. 21, Governor Hochul finally signed the bill. You can read the press release from coalition members here.
(COVID Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash)
It’s become more difficult to keep track of COVID-19 cases here in the United States, as less data is being collected and shared with the public.
We do know that this summer’s wave has been substantial, mostly due to the Omicron subvariants known as FLiRT. While death rates have been lower than in previous waves, they have still been ranging in the 400s-700s per week this summer, which is upsetting. These figures may also be lower than the actual count because reporting is less robust than it was under the public health emergency protocols.
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines based on the KP.2 variant, one of the FLiRT family. Doses are already available from some pharmacies and are recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older. While some people will choose to wait until later in the fall to have the strongest protection possible going into the expected winter wave, I will be getting mine in mid-September so that my immunity will be strong when I go to North Adams for the annual Boiler House Poets Collective residency at MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts). It looks as though the vaccine will be a good match for the strains that will likely be dominant in the coming months.
The FDA is also expected to approve the Novavax vaccine in the coming weeks. It is a more traditional protein-based vaccine rather than an mRNA one. Some people prefer it because it can cause fewer side effects.
Many people are choosing to ignore any news about COVID and vaccines but it is still a serious problem, here in the US and around the world. This is a reminder that some people are still getting very sick and dying from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Updated vaccines are known to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death, so please get one if they are available to you. (Contact your health care provider for any special recommendations that may apply.)
Other measures can also help reduce your chances of getting COVID. Wearing a high quality mask, especially in crowded, indoor areas, dramatically decreases the rate of infection. Increasing indoor ventilation and air filtration and holding events outdoors are helpful in preventing the spread of COVID and other viruses. If you are sick, stay home and take precautions against spreading your illness to others in your household. Get adequate rest and nutrition to keep your immune system strong.
COVID-19 has not settled into a pattern like we see with flu and is still much more serious in terms of hospitalizations and deaths. It also impacts more systems in the body and can cause symptoms over a longer period of time, such as we see in cases of long COVID. Some people are willing to risk their own health but please remember that you are also putting your family and vulnerable community members at risk if you spread the illness to them.
Wishing everyone good health in the coming months.
Project 2025, the lengthy document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation to lay out plans for the “conservative president” they expect to be elected this year, calls for disbanding NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration), the United States’ premier agency for weather, ocean, and climate data and research. (p. 664)
This public service message is brought to you through Linda’s One-Liner Wednesday series. Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2024/07/31/one-liner-wednesday-particularly-pretty/
In the United Kingdom and parts of the United States, there is an initiative called No-Mow May, encouraging people not to mow lawns (or a portion thereof) during the month of May in order to encourage the blossoming of wildflowers which provide food for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
In the spirit of No-Mow May, we have limited our lawn mowing in our front yard and left most of the back yard to grow on its own. The front yard starts things off with dandelions, which we let blossom but then wind up having to mow for propriety’s sake. B leaves the lawnmower on the highest setting, though, so that the spent dandelion stems get cut while sparing the violets and white clover that follow. Even though white clover is not native, our bumblebees seem to enjoy it. It’s also helpful that we use a battery-powered mower so that the plants don’t have to contend with the heat and exhaust of burning gasoline.
Besides those, the backyard has waves of additional flowers, including wild strawberry, bluets, forget-me-nots, speedwell, buttercups, celandine, ground ivy, and fleabane. While these help our pollinators, they also provide food for other animals, including rabbits.
Besides the lawn, we have other spring-flowering plants, including bleeding hearts, PJM rhododendron, dwarf daffodils, lily-of-the-valley, brunnera, amsonia, and our heirloom rose bush.
Although not all the plants are native, our native pollinators frequently visit them, which is important to us, especially our bumblebees. When we had a landscape plan drawn up and planted in fall 2020, we requested native plants, but some of the plants that grow wild in our yard are non-native species that are now considered naturalized in our area, though not invasive. If we do find invasive species, such as garlic mustard, growing, we try to pull them out so that they don’t spread. It is also helpful that we have had wildflowers growing as part of our lawn for decades. We never use herbicides. The mix of plants and not mowing it too short also make our lawn drought-resistant. We never have to waste water by spraying it on our lawn.
We may stretch No-Mow May into early June in the backyard so that the daisies that have started to grow up but haven’t blossomed yet have a chance to do so. Perhaps, B will do what he has done in some past years and mow around the daisies until they have had a chance to flower.
Do people observe No-Mow May – or some variation better suited to your geography, like Low-Mow May or No-Mow April, where you live?
(2017 Photo by Scott Szarapka on Unsplash)
One Monday, April 8th, there was a solar eclipse over a wide swath of North America. At my home in central New York, we were close to the path of totality with 97% of the sun obscured.
We dutifully bought eclipse glasses but the afternoon was very cloudy. During the time of maximum coverage of the sun, we did notice that it became darker, darker than you expect from cloud cover, even from a thunderstorm. A few minutes after it lightened again, it began to rain.
Meanwhile, many people were expressing their awe and wonder at viewing the eclipse. Some had travelled many miles, even internationally, to see it. All were subject to the vagaries of weather, but most were lucky to have good conditions for viewing. Even people who weren’t able to see the eclipse expressed gratitude at being part of an excited crowd putting aside divisions to look up together.
As I’ve been reflecting on the eclipse experience, I find myself wondering if I would have felt the same mystical sense of awe that others have been describing. Perhaps it is my practical New England upbringing or my study of science or my overall sense of respect for creation but I have trouble separating the eclipse from other natural phenomena. Should I feel more wonder at an eclipse than I do for a broken, blue shell that recently sheltered a baby robin or a riot of forsythia blossoms or the ancient rocks worn smooth by the brook or the full moon?
While I do appreciate the effect that the eclipse had to bring people together, I had no desire to be part of a crowd. Granted, I am the type of introvert who is always uncomfortable in a crowd, however noble or friendly its purpose.
Did you experience this eclipse or one in a different time and place? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
Joanne Corey 