the scarecrow from the wizard of oz wants you to touch grass

on consulting with the rain

Happy Wicked Release Weekend to those who celebrate!

This week’s letter is a bit unconventional, but I’m the one who makes the rules about what touching grass means and I think that can involve reconnecting with childhood nostalgia.

As I ready to see Wicked in theaters, I spent last night revisiting the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland. It’s a tale of self-discovery and mistakes, love and friendship, it’s also about nature and how it bites and rewards us. Many fans view the American fairytale as a spiritual journey and last night as those magical technicolor ruby red heels clicked across my screen I felt my eyes go misty at the idea of home—leaving it—coming back—and fighting for it.

Since the results of the election, I have felt a lot of despair when it comes to the environment, so watching this movie has been one of my pick-me-ups. Scientists have told us that we have five years to make a change before our planet faces the irreversible effects of climate change— it feels like we’ve lost hope for four of those five years.

In the past, we’ve been able to rely on the courts to protect us but with SCOTUS overturning Chevron—we cannot count on them to protect our planet, to protect not just the lives of the critters and plants around us—but ourselves too.

One of my favorite parts of The Wizard of Oz is Dorothy meeting the Scarecrow and his musical lament regarding his empty head. His song, quirky and clever, is a love letter to the nature of Oz and how he could enjoy it even more if he only had a brain.

On this recent rewatch I was reminded that a central theme of the film is finding hope within despair: Dorothy, and her reaction to Mrs. Gulch ripping Toto away from their home, the twister taking Dorothy away from Aunt Em who searches for her before being pushed into the storm cellar, Dorothy loosening the nail for the Scarecrow, oiling the joints of the Tin Man, encouraging the Lion to find his courage in the dark woods, and above all, she stands up to The Great and Powerful Oz. She demands what was promised.

Dorothy, and the other citizens of Oz, face trial after trial, and still—not even a wicked witch or a chaotic band of flying monkeys can prevent hope from springing forward. Not only does Dorothy find hope for herself, she helps her friends fight for their dreams that seem just out of reach.

I could while away the hours
Conferrin' with the flowers
Consultin' with the rain

Margaret Renkl (who is the topic of next week’s touchgrassfriday) emphasizes in her work that we are not separate from the environment—we are inexplicably tied to it. Like the crow perched on the Scarecrow’s shoulder, the peacock fluttering her feathers behind the Tin Man, angry apple trees ripe for pickin’, the poisonous poppy field and its healing snow, even the twister and its mangled spiral turning the neighbor next door into a meltable villain—our wishes and ambitions, our fears and terrors are intertwined with the world outside.

The Scarecrow : But I'd face a whole box full of 'em for the chance of getting some brains! Look, I won't be any trouble, because I don't need to think. And I won't try to manage things, because I can't think! Won't you take me with you?

Dorothy : Why, of course I will!

I want to note that while the Scarecrow in the quote above claims he won’t try to manage things, he does in fact, manage things (see: the gun he wields as the trio storm the witch’s castle). While I know these lines are fun and heartfelt, it does solidify what the Wizard tells him at the end: he always had a brain, perhaps he just didn’t know how to use it.

But the thing is, we’ve seen the man behind the curtain

Oh, I would tell you why
The ocean's near the shore
I could think of things I never thunk before
And then I'd sit and think some more.

If you’re reading this newsletter, I know you have the brain, the heart, and the courage to fight for your home. If you are not supporting an environmental group—a $5 monthly donation or volunteering can go a long way. I’m including some of my favorite local organizations that have staff members who are doing the heavy lifting, they need our support now more than ever.

• Cahaba River Society | is dedicated to restoring and protecting the Cahaba River watershed and its rich diversity of life.

• Alabama Audubon | promotes conservation and greater knowledge of birds, their habitats, and the natural world 

• Jefferson County Greenways | consists of Red Mountain, Ruffner Mountain, and Turkey Creek.

• Freshwater Land Trust | In the simplest terms, FLT conserves land and builds trails to create happier and healthier communities in Central Alabama.

• Mobile Baykeeper | exists to defend and revive the health of the waters of Coastal Alabama

I’ve also recently been equally enraged and empowered by Hughston Homes in Auburn, Alabama who removed a bald eagle nest in the dead of night after residents raised concerns about the validity of their permit. Hughston Homes has not only robbed two bald eagles of their home, but they have robbed residents (whose battle cry features an eagle) of developing a relationship and fascination with these birds.

While Fish and Wildlife have stated that they are investigating the matter, I for one, am looking forward to the ways the community continues to rally together to protect these creatures and their home.

Next week will be my last touchgrassfriday for 2024. I have been neglecting another writing project that is equally important to me and well . . . I want to go outside and enjoy it without the pressure of this newsletter for a couple of weeks.

For now, I am following the yellow brick road to an AMC theater in hopes of meeting the Wizard.