ALGONQUIN DEFINING MOMENTS

Episode 62: Ontario Lumber Kings - John Egan Up until recently, I’d always thought that anyone who cared about Algonquin Park human history was already familiar with J. R. Booth and so never put any energy into building an episode around his life experiences. However, last summer I stumbled upon a 2018 biography by Michael McBane on John Egan.. In so doing, I discovered a whole new aspect of lumbering in the Ottawa Valley that I knew nothing about. The end result is this multi-part series about two of the most well-known of the Ottawa Valley Lumber Kings, namely John Egan and J. R. Booth. In my view both are tightly connected in history because as you all know J.R, Booth made his fortune by buying at auction Egan’s timber limits in 1867. In this episode I’ll focus on the life of John Egan. I think though I have no proof that, though of different generations, Booth may have seen Egan as a role model in the lumber industry The musical interlude for this episode is called Below a Towering Pine and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes Breaking Through the Mist CD. It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming. Key References: * Michael McBane’s John Egan: Pine & Politics in the Ottawa Valley, published in 2018 * H. T. Douglas’1969 talk to the Gatineau Valley Historical Society called An Irishman in Canada: John Egan * R. Morgan’s 1926 article in the Ottawa Journal History of the Early Ottawa * Stephen Banks’ A Polite Exchange of Bullets: The Duel and the English Gentlemen 1750-1850, published in 2010 * Debates of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada 1849 * John McGregor‘s British America published in 1832 * Roderick MacKay’s Sprits of the Little Bonnechere 2nd Edition, published in 2016 * David Lee’s Lumber Kings and Shantymen, published in 2006 * Dictionary for Canadian Biography, - John Egan search term * Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Ancestors, 2020 discussion * Robert Grace’s The Irish in Quebec: An Introduction to the Historiography, published in 1993

Episode 61: The Earth Caretaker Way - Being of Service This episode is the last of a six-episode series on the Earth Caretaker Way Tim Corcoran, Julie Boettler from Headwaters School in Mt. Shasta California and focus on one of the most important aspects of The Earth Caretaker Way, which is to contemplate how to be of service in ways both big and small. The musical interlude in this episode is called Silent Meditations and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes CD 2024 CD called Mountain Magic  It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming. Referenced Books and Articles: * Peter Mathiesen- Wildlife in America - Discusses the injustices committed by people against the North American wildlife from the first colonies to the present published in 1987 * Can Wolves and Beavers Help Save the West From Global Warming? By Bob Berwyn in Climate News August 2022 * Alan Wiseman, The World Without Us, 2008 * Life Without People – 2009-2010 TV Series created by David de Vries * Ben Goldfarb, Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet 2023

Episode 60: Earth Caretaker Way Philosophy & Spirituality:  In this episode, Tim, Julie, and I focus on various aspects of Earth Caretaker Way earth philosophy and spirituality including: * Acknowledging the mystery of nature, and greeting with gratitude sacred moments and peak experiences * Recognizing the important role of power animals as helpers and spiritual guides   * Awareness of the power of trees to transform lives into lives of purpose, living beauty, kindness, and service * The importance of pilgrimage which involves going back to a place over and over so that it becomes sacred and in so doing a source of inspiration, where one can let go and let one’s true self out * Valuing the collection of personal earth medicine in the form of creating nature art, building altars, and creating ceremony to honour medicine moments We end with a short discussion of elementals and their role in protecting the earth.  The two musical interlude tracks come from Dan Gibson's Solitudes  CD's  The Great Bear Softly Sleeps from his Sleeping Under the Stars CD. The second track is called  Mountain Tops from the MountainnMagic CD. Both are brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming.

Episode 59: Building Confidence by Mastering Wilderness Living Skills This episode is the fourth of what is now seven episodes on the Earth Caretaker Way a newly released book by Tim Corcoran and Julie Boettler from Headwaters School in Mt. Shasta California. In this episode In this episode Julie Tim and I delve deeply into Part 2 of The Earthcaretaker Way that focuses on value in building knowledge of Wilderness Skills such as shelter building, foraging for edible plants, tracking, building fire without matches and what to do if you get lost on a trail. Another important book that Tim references  by Ben Goldfarb is called Crossings – How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of our Planet published in 2023. The musical interlude in this episode is called Morning Stroll and comes from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes CD 2024 CD called Mountain Magic  It is brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming.

Episode 58 Earth Caretaker Way Part 3: Nature Awareness - Building Connections and Relationships This episode is the third of what are now seven episodes on the Earth Caretaker Way a newly released book by Tim Corcoran and Julie Boettler from Headwaters School in Mt. Shasta California. In this episode, I continue my discussion and storytelling with Julie and Tim on the importance of nature awareness and how becoming more aware can help build meaningful connections and relationships with plants and animals.  This art of building a personal relationship with nature by awakening your senses and rewilding your heart helps generate purpose and meaning to our lives. Several books that Tim referenced include: * Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird’s 2004 book  The Secret Life of Plants: A Fascinating Account of the Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Relations Between Plants and Man [https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Plants-Fascinating-Emotional/dp/B082YG34P3/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3HN9DVJI30TKQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bME92F0N5e4UPEqS6ovfMtzS8vR3B0nk3rwklQl4jw7GjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.ALQPpLyLXg6VqhqQAuPZXRHSSx3yUOmNR7lk_cbBQXw&dib_tag=se&keywords=peter+thompkins&qid=1713909671&s=books&sprefix=peter+thompkins%2Cstripbooks%2C169&sr=1-2] * Peter Tompkins’ 1997 book The Secret Life of Nature: Living in Harmony With the Hidden World of Nature Spirits from Fairies to Quarks [https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-Nature-Harmony-Spirits/dp/0062508474/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7MdKbgXxOeRhW9ZUT7C0pVCOSvH9MP2I2UDCsuT4NFpYZmwS0bxisi2AoRBWsSMl1BDSnFPwEnNh4genbQIAa_ZdjmPiBpTLgd7o40ieh4oExTzpGt9iK4qTfBXmsxhz.QilJf3_t4rcoEbQL6o61_d-TjWmGanVqCWMGjZ71cCI&dib_tag=se&keywords=peter+thompkins&qid=1713909756&s=audible&sr=1-1] * Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird’s  1998 book  Secrets of the Soil: New Solutions for Restoring Our Planet [https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Soil-Solutions-Restoring-Planet/dp/1890693243/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3IGWLQ3I29CFT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.H2LjMY7fqPPxc9P7UaesIcgZbJfaYKj9CTVzW_07PZVsK1yXZ5Ei2kzR1A4RqkL660kcUFCcWQwHTvRBmqMzpNVZiUwzoBBdqcicSkwE4yC2doPPl9Bs8DzMbFa4vIzchJQtiPaAvhhxCEsAPjBXcG9fRVowtnlgxR2kJxciRiI1hvWUv_eirUphrtxo_rsNIYN2yS5rsZlam7Hw0OQ1A0zkXvkLevhbeMHqbSO1-mw.siPKpOhwbnGk-5anU-jazIdpiHNe_ckezcIAqZRFBqs&dib_tag=se&keywords=secret+life+of+soil&qid=1713909852&s=books&sprefix=secret+life+of+soil%2Cstripbooks%2C176&sr=1-1] * Douglas W. Tallamy’s 2020 book Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard  There is also a Young Person’s version that was published in April 2023. The musical interludes in this episode come from Dan Gibson’s Solitudes CD 2024 CD called Mountain Magic  They include one called Spring’s Caress and a second called /Quiet Moment. Both are brought to you with the approval of Digital Funding LLC. Solitudes music can be found wherever you get your music streaming.