Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration | 
1) Resting in Uncertainty (alternate: That Was Fast. What Now?)
2) It's not specifically what I would do at this point in my life (biking solo 10,000+ miles), but I love the way Sara Dykman lives her values.
#TwoForTuesday @TheSpineView
pickI can't remember how I learned about this book, but it's just my cup of tea. An epic, car-free journey following the migratory loop of the monarch butterfly, undertaken to raise awareness about conservation and habitat loss with commentary about community and culture and privilege... it's like the many thru-hiking books I've enjoyed just with a purpose broader than self-discovery. And on a bike. I'll definitely be gifting some copies of this one.
A little bittersweet to work this puzzle while listening to Xe Sands tell Sara Dykman's story of biking thousands of miles to raise awareness about the North American monarch migration and conservation in general. I'll review the book once I finish it...and then I'll see if my landlord will let me plant a patch of native milkweed and other butterfly-supporting plants in the tiny yard.
so-soI finished this one for the #AuldLangSpine readathon, just under the wire on January 31. It gets full marks for concept—a travelogue of one woman‘s solo journey following the Monarch migration by bicycle—but in the end I just didn‘t resonate with it. Some of my issues were purely personal—I can‘t even begin tell you how Dykman‘s lack of advance planning stressed me out. 😆 While I found her determination and adaptability admirable ⬇️
Jessi! I LOVE a themed gift! I am so excited for this book and its perfect bookmark and cozy blanket. Thank you so much! #NLWS Thanks for hosting, Jenny!
@jenniferw88 @Endowarrior21
Some might thrill at settling on a favorite book for the year…but I‘m MUCH more comfortable with a top three! They are, in constantly shifting and swapping order:
1. Saltus by Tara Gereaux (thanks, @JamieArc !)
2. Bicycling with Butterflies by Sara Dykman
3. Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H
I hope 2024 reveals gems that are just as sparkly. ✨
#2023ReadingBracket
#ReadingBracket2023
@chasjjlee
Better late than never!
Added my September pick for @chasjjlee ‘s #2023ReadingBracket, which honestly may take the whole damned thing. 🧡🤩🖤
Apologies, in advance, to Mona Awad‘s Rouge (bound to be my October pick), which deserves far more attention than this bracket will imply.
“That night, I waded into a small creek alongside tadpoles and reflective-eyed spiders. The coolness of an Ozark creek and the obsidian darkness of the sky swallowed me wholly. Or was it “holy”?”
pick8 full months in, this is definitely a contender for my favorite book of the year. Dykman bikes from Mexico to Canada & back again, following the route of the Monarch butterfly migration, learning about herself & the monarchs along the way. She looks unflinchingly at issues threatening their phenomenal journey: climate change, deforestation, & farming monoculture. I listened one slow mile - or chapter - at a time & relished the adventure. 👇🏻
“An adventure is an exercise in trust; we must trust ourselves, the people we meet, and in this case, the gentle bees humming homecoming songs. We also must trust in the unknown, which will reveal itself in time.”
“I would be like the frogs in the pond….singing not because they could secure their future but because all they could do was try.”
I don‘t know if my parents think my adventures are worth the risk. I do know as I continue to explore the world that they keep their worries mostly to themselves. They have accepted who I am and I am grateful that they don‘t burden me with their worries.
pick3.5 ⭐ I took a chance on a friend‘s recommendation and was richly rewarded. Read my full review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#bicycling-with-butterflies
This is why I read…my life has honestly been changed by this book “Bicycling with Butterflies” which I read one year ago. My oldest son and I have been on a quest since then to raise monarchs and create a habitat for them in our yard. I‘m over the moon to report that our effort has paid off and we will have butterflies who have hatched from eggs, eaten all of our milkweed as caterpillars, and will soon be metamorphosing in a matter of days!! ♥️
pickSara's journey is absolutely beautiful. I loved the stories she shares about her trip, and enjoyed learning more about monarchs as well. It was wonderful reading about her deep passion for the monarchs, as well as her fears and insecurities. I also enjoyed reading her stories about the ice cream (especially that first one with the motorcyclist). #Nonfiction #Environmentalism #Naturalist #Bike
1. St. John (USVI), Iceland, Tanzania
2. Hiking
3. Tagged book.
4. It‘s my birthday and once again I got to spend it with my beloved, @BookishMarginalia
#WondrousWednesday
Tagging @Gissy
pickA nature memoir, totally in my wheelhouse. Sara bikes the migration path of the monarch butterfly, from Mexico to Canada and back again.
I felt inspired while reading this book. We‘ve already been working on areas in our yard to make more pollinator-friendly. This book made me look for milkweed around every bend in our area. I love it when a book inspires activism, which this certainly has in me. Loved it! #theyearofthememoir 🦋
