this makes me think of the movie "Hundreds of Beavers". Totally creative, black and white silent film about a trapper battling beavers. Made in 2022. Definitely worth a watch.
Thank you as always, for every facet of your art. Totally random on my Playlist yesterday was Maybe Sparrow. Wow. Your voice.
I am one of the very angry aging gray haired, tattooed yet invisible old lady punks left over, who hasn't died yet. Living with chronic pain and wishing women would riot. Your voice keeps me from straying too far off my path. So many motherfuckers out there.
Pain is loneliness, and I am not alone when you sing.
Oh Sally! What a gorgeous post! I feel like that too...when I play Neko's songs, I'm not alone either. I feel like all the ladies are gathered around a hearth fire, relishing in the magic of her voice. She brings us together. She is a true magician. May you know you are never alone. There are many more of you. Of us.
Neko, you write so beautifully about nature and humans' place within it. I work in environmental mitigation/restoration for the feds (yes, some of us still have jobs - for now) and have seen many things that have made my heart break.
And yet... I've witnessed even more that reminds me how resilient nature and its little critters are. Just recently I watched beavers come back to a pond impacted by an oil spill. Within a couple weeks of cleanup, ducks had returned. Swans were nesting. Multitudes of salamanders. Just one example out of many that has taught me: the little fights matter.
construction workers who love beavers...novel (couldn't resist). speaking of resistance, just this morning I was wondering where our punk insurrection was? Where's the mohawk clad, topless dyke, anarchistic January 6th? I remember marching on Washington in the 90s with thousands of radical women - where are they (we) now? are the stakes that much higher? I fear if I showed up in DC at the mall, topless with duct tape on my nipples and doc martins on my feet I would be shipped off to el salvadore or somewhere. My tattoos proof that I'm a criminal. nope, i just want to hide out in my catskills cabin, learn to can vegetables and live off the land until it all blows over - this makes me ashamed if I'm being honest. how did we get so organized back then? or in the 60's or the suffragettes before the hippies? how are we so paralyzed now? I don't know but if a bunch of angry women in combat boots send me a date and location for a riot grrrl redux, I'd probably show up. (though I would probably wear a shirt this time)
also I am praying for an indigo bunting, I have lots of amazing birds here, in fact there's a rose breasted grosbeak right in front of me - but i've yet to see the electric blue of the bunting IRL.
I'm reading Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America, by Leila Philip, just came out in paperback. It's a fascinating history of beavers, including present day activism to save their habitat, and 'remake' the American landscape.
A friend of mine who works for our town public works has commented more than once how he is amazed with how good the work is beavers do - he said it's better than their own flooding protection work.
Also - Indigo Bunting!! We have a pair in our yard this year along with a pair of Baltimore Orioles, which I have never seen before. Such a gift to enjoy the nature around us as we try and cope with the crazy in the world.
I think of sitting with folks watching beavers would be like heaven. I feel so at odds with myself lately. I am so wrung out with rage, shock and fear.
I can only visualise the beavers being so beautiful and that is a good image to go to bed on.
I know I will never see one in my time, say hi for me .
It feels like the eerie quiet before the big storm that I know is coming … I don’t know how to do more than help support my local things right now (shelter, elections, climate justice group). I may be in Canada but I know this slow rolling wave of hatred is heating up and coming for us too (is in fact already here). So in the meantime, I want to hear about the beavers and the bunnies and help all the people working hard to do something (which is not nothing, but also probably not enough either). Thank you for your beautiful and heartfelt writing and songs Neko. They are making every precious moment pulse with life and beauty.
The hippies burnt their brains, their hair fell out, as did mine by the way, now they wear red hats and complain about having to pay taxes. No government regulations on their “rolling coal” trucks, get those brown skinned migrants up and outa here, except the ones that clean their houses and pluck the feathers off a their chicken wings. Merican exceptionalism I barf in my mouth.
So much in these posts. Thank you! You are not alone in fighting against the nazis...I worry it isn't enough but we have to keep fighting.
And thank god for beavers! I spent a good 20 minutes on Saturday watching two beavers in a little pond at a local conversation area. I was completely in awe.
And I too had an Indigo Bunting at my feeder the other day. Such joy
Beaver update: They completely re-blocked the culvert overnight. Hahahahaha!
Good work beavers! Nature’s best engineers!
this makes me think of the movie "Hundreds of Beavers". Totally creative, black and white silent film about a trapper battling beavers. Made in 2022. Definitely worth a watch.
https://www.hundredsofbeavers.com/
hahahaha that's so funny.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
Thank you as always, for every facet of your art. Totally random on my Playlist yesterday was Maybe Sparrow. Wow. Your voice.
I am one of the very angry aging gray haired, tattooed yet invisible old lady punks left over, who hasn't died yet. Living with chronic pain and wishing women would riot. Your voice keeps me from straying too far off my path. So many motherfuckers out there.
Pain is loneliness, and I am not alone when you sing.
Oh Sally! What a gorgeous post! I feel like that too...when I play Neko's songs, I'm not alone either. I feel like all the ladies are gathered around a hearth fire, relishing in the magic of her voice. She brings us together. She is a true magician. May you know you are never alone. There are many more of you. Of us.
Speaking of grey haired punks, the adage “keep your enemies close and your beavers closer” reminds me of the old adage “trust no bush but your own.”
That's beautiful.
Neko, you write so beautifully about nature and humans' place within it. I work in environmental mitigation/restoration for the feds (yes, some of us still have jobs - for now) and have seen many things that have made my heart break.
And yet... I've witnessed even more that reminds me how resilient nature and its little critters are. Just recently I watched beavers come back to a pond impacted by an oil spill. Within a couple weeks of cleanup, ducks had returned. Swans were nesting. Multitudes of salamanders. Just one example out of many that has taught me: the little fights matter.
Amen to that! And thank you.
re: where are the punks, did you see John Cameron Mitchell’s piece in yesterday’s NYT? https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/11/opinion/gen-z-punk.html?unlocked_article_code=1.HU8.r79B.8DHZGC4PekLi&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Martha, as always, you are THE BEST. Thank you for sharing this. XO
Thanks for the link. I needed that!
Here to help!
Thank you for sharing this!
“The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe.” Joanna Macy
construction workers who love beavers...novel (couldn't resist). speaking of resistance, just this morning I was wondering where our punk insurrection was? Where's the mohawk clad, topless dyke, anarchistic January 6th? I remember marching on Washington in the 90s with thousands of radical women - where are they (we) now? are the stakes that much higher? I fear if I showed up in DC at the mall, topless with duct tape on my nipples and doc martins on my feet I would be shipped off to el salvadore or somewhere. My tattoos proof that I'm a criminal. nope, i just want to hide out in my catskills cabin, learn to can vegetables and live off the land until it all blows over - this makes me ashamed if I'm being honest. how did we get so organized back then? or in the 60's or the suffragettes before the hippies? how are we so paralyzed now? I don't know but if a bunch of angry women in combat boots send me a date and location for a riot grrrl redux, I'd probably show up. (though I would probably wear a shirt this time)
also I am praying for an indigo bunting, I have lots of amazing birds here, in fact there's a rose breasted grosbeak right in front of me - but i've yet to see the electric blue of the bunting IRL.
I'm reading Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America, by Leila Philip, just came out in paperback. It's a fascinating history of beavers, including present day activism to save their habitat, and 'remake' the American landscape.
Yay for Vermont in its beaver-protection efforts!
And for my fellow Canadians, here's another old punk who is doing something: https://substack.com/@charlieangus?utm_source=global-search
A friend of mine who works for our town public works has commented more than once how he is amazed with how good the work is beavers do - he said it's better than their own flooding protection work.
Also - Indigo Bunting!! We have a pair in our yard this year along with a pair of Baltimore Orioles, which I have never seen before. Such a gift to enjoy the nature around us as we try and cope with the crazy in the world.
Thank you Neko- no, you are not alone. Thank you for your kind and caring words.
I think of sitting with folks watching beavers would be like heaven. I feel so at odds with myself lately. I am so wrung out with rage, shock and fear.
I can only visualise the beavers being so beautiful and that is a good image to go to bed on.
I know I will never see one in my time, say hi for me .
You can always come visit with Jenny
That would be a dream if Jenny saw a beaver she may never leave. You and MF J welcome anytime you need some slow old Adelaide time.
It feels like the eerie quiet before the big storm that I know is coming … I don’t know how to do more than help support my local things right now (shelter, elections, climate justice group). I may be in Canada but I know this slow rolling wave of hatred is heating up and coming for us too (is in fact already here). So in the meantime, I want to hear about the beavers and the bunnies and help all the people working hard to do something (which is not nothing, but also probably not enough either). Thank you for your beautiful and heartfelt writing and songs Neko. They are making every precious moment pulse with life and beauty.
The hippies burnt their brains, their hair fell out, as did mine by the way, now they wear red hats and complain about having to pay taxes. No government regulations on their “rolling coal” trucks, get those brown skinned migrants up and outa here, except the ones that clean their houses and pluck the feathers off a their chicken wings. Merican exceptionalism I barf in my mouth.
Aw man, I don’t know where you live but the hippies in NM are out protesting while I’m at work.
I've never seen one before, they are breathtaking
So much in these posts. Thank you! You are not alone in fighting against the nazis...I worry it isn't enough but we have to keep fighting.
And thank god for beavers! I spent a good 20 minutes on Saturday watching two beavers in a little pond at a local conversation area. I was completely in awe.
And I too had an Indigo Bunting at my feeder the other day. Such joy