This month’s edition of the Sacred Wonderland Newsletter features #joy. Unlike so many things in our hyper-consumerist society, joy cannot be monetized (though many monetized products and experiences promise to bring joy)—it comes from oneself and is abundantly available to all. But mostly, joy is aspirational. Our best future is a joyful future.

You can access the #newsletter and sign up to enjoy the #SacredWonderland every month at https://www.sacredwonderland.us/newsletter/

This essay about the #GrizzlyGiant sequoia tree in #Yosemite National Park considers how it holds wisdom in every fiber of its being.
#SacredWonderland #NationalParks #trees
https://www.sacredwonderland.us/standing-before-the-grizzly-giant/

This week I submitted the index for “Sacred Wonderland: The History of Religion in Yellowstone”—my final task before publication. I began work on the book more than 20 years ago, and at times I wasn’t sure it would get finished. But now, it’s done. I still hardly believe it.
The book will be published in July by University of Nebraska Press – more information at:
https://www.sacredwonderland.us/sacred-wonderland-book/
#SacredWonderland #Yellowstone #NationalParks #history #ReligiousHistory #ReligiousStudies #WritingCommunity

Enjoy the free Sacred Wonderland Newsletter—news and other items of interest about national parks and other protected places, plus recommended reading, a featured photograph, and poetry—sent on the third Monday of every month. No ads, no spam, no affiliate links. Just for your reading pleasure.

#SacredWonderland #Newsletter #NationalParks #photography #BooksWorthReading

https://www.sacredwonderland.us/newsletter/

#Intro:
Retired after 22 years teaching #ReligiousStudies at Rhodes College in #Memphis, Tennessee. I enjoy #writing, #reading, #hiking, and visiting U.S. #nationalparks, #museums, and botanic #gardens. In addition, I dabble in #photography and #poetry.

My third book, a history of religion in #YellowstonNationalPark, will be published summer 2025. Learn more at https://www.sacredwonderland.us/.

The #SacredWonderland newsletter features items of interest about national parks and other protected places, plus a recommended reading, photographs, and poetry—no ads or affiliate links—you can get it at https://www.sacredwonderland.us/newsletter/.

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Profile picture alt text: close-up portrait of person with glasses and wide-brim hat posing in front of a large tree in #Olympic National Park.

Header photo alt text: A small, reflective pond is surrounded by tall pine trees and grasslands under a clear blue sky. In the background, sunshine glints on a large body of water with distant mountains on the horizon. This tranquil scene captures the beauty of #Yellowstone National Park's natural wonders.

Sacred Wonderland: The History of Religion in Yellowstone

I'm expecting soon the final proofs of my latest book, which is scheduled for publication in July from the University of Nebraska Press as part of their America’s #PublicLands series. The book tells the story of religion in #YellowstoneNationalPark.

#SacredWonderland #History #Religion #BooksToRead #BooksWorthReading
https://www.sacredwonderland.us/sacred-wonderland-book/