The hottest Nature Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Art & Illustration Topics

There's a universe in your phone & a universe in a tree

Blackbird Spyplane • 899 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. There's a lot of depth and enjoyment in nature. Taking time to stare at a tree or ride a bike can be more fulfilling than staring at your phone.
  2. Wearing what makes you happy, even if it means repeating outfits, is important. It's all about feeling good in what you wear and letting go of what others think.
  3. Good public schools can really shape someone's life. Access to music and art in school can inspire kids to chase their dreams.

Part 1: We land at the Osprey Nest...

PASSAGES • 1618 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. The journey involved a long process of travel, including stopping at various places before reaching the final location. It sounds tiring but also part of the adventure.
  2. There was a sense of relief and accomplishment after reaching their destination, despite the exhaustion from the trip.
  3. The narrative hints at exciting stories still to come, encouraging readers to stay engaged and look forward to more.

The stillness of trees

Silentium • 759 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Trees represent a quiet and calming presence in nature.
  2. Taking time to appreciate silence can help us connect more deeply with our surroundings.
  3. Finding stillness can be a way to enhance mindfulness and mental peace.

One of life's finest pleasures...

PASSAGES • 1478 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. Big Lagoon County Park in Northern California is a hidden gem for camping near the ocean. It's great for those who like rustic, nature-filled spots.
  2. Beachcombing can be a relaxing and enjoyable activity. Collecting interesting stones or shells brings back memories and creates new ones.
  3. Finding treasures like agates while wandering the beach can be a fun adventure. It's all about the experience and the thrill of discovery.

Ice storm

The Common Reader • 5032 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
📚 Literature Nature
  1. The ice storm froze rivers and streets, coating the town in glittering, dangerous ice and long icicles that made everything strangely still.
  2. Daily life was disrupted but adaptive: people shoveled and used machines, cars and mailboxes were trapped in ice, power went out for many, and locals bundled up and kept going.
  3. The harsh weather is framed as part of a larger American story of endurance, suggesting that extreme climates help shape a hardy, persistent character.
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Through Autumn's Canopy

Holly’s Newsletter • 912 implied HN points • 13 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Autumn is a time of change and new possibilities, making it a reflective season. It's a chance to enjoy the beauty around us and think about changes in our lives.
  2. New England is at its peak foliage in autumn, offering stunning landscapes and colors. Driving through this area can be an enjoyable experience, taking in the vibrant sights.
  3. Engaging in activities like taking fall photos allows for appreciation of the season. Sharing these experiences can bring joy to others, whether through comments or just enjoying the views.

One Hundred Laps

Passing Time • 234 implied HN points • 11 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Doing Freeway on the Second Flatiron a hundred times turns the route into muscle memory. Climbs become focused, practiced movements where every foothold and crack feels familiar.
  2. The Flatirons and Chautauqua trail are a social hub that mixes students, tourists, serious athletes, climbers, and families. That variety makes the place feel like a shared public living room where casual outings and intense efforts coexist.
  3. When snow makes scrambling off-limits the rocks become a quiet, sublime scene that invites pausing and awe. That seasonal beauty brings contentment and a steady eagerness to return for more laps when the conditions change.

New England's October Glory

Holly’s Newsletter • 1170 implied HN points • 06 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. October is a beautiful time in New England as the leaves change colors. It's a great opportunity to enjoy the scenery and take lots of photos.
  2. Spending weekends offline can be refreshing and gives a chance to appreciate nature. Long drives while taking pictures can be a peaceful escape.
  3. Finding new spots for photography can be thrilling. Even if some places are crowded, exploring new areas can lead to stunning captures.

Important conclusions from the Oregon Coast

PASSAGES • 899 implied HN points • 07 Oct 24
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. Fort Stevens State Park is a great spot for camping and exploring nature. It's packed with fun activities like hiking, biking, and fishing.
  2. The park has a lot of history, with old military bunkers that you can explore. It's a reminder of the past and the peace we enjoy today.
  3. Riding bikes along the beach and seeing the famous shipwreck is a unique experience. It’s a beautiful way to connect with nature and enjoy the view.

The teaching of mountains

Silentium • 699 implied HN points • 05 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Mountains can teach us the value of silence and reflection. Spending time in nature helps us connect with inner peace.
  2. Silence allows for deeper understanding and contemplation. It’s important to take breaks from the noise of daily life.
  3. Embracing nature's beauty can inspire personal growth. Mountains symbolize strength and resilience we can learn from.

Defying death in Ladakh

The Global Jigsaw • 198 implied HN points • 10 Oct 24
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. Traveling through the Zoji La Pass is really risky because the roads are narrow and steep, with no guard rails. It can feel like a life-or-death situation.
  2. The region has a strong military presence due to its historical conflicts, making the journey feel even more intense and aware of the surrounding dangers.
  3. Funny and creative road signs by the Border Roads Organization highlight safety reminders in a modern, relatable way, which adds some humor to the scary drive.

Navajo Blessings on the Road to Nowhere

Tom Ryan, Author • 10023 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. Experiencing car troubles on a remote road can be stressful, especially in unfamiliar areas.
  2. Unexpected encounters with wildlife and strangers can turn into profound and memorable moments.
  3. Connecting with others through shared experiences and stories can bring unexpected blessings and joy.

Happiness is…

Tom Ryan, Author • 10534 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. Happiness is represented by a sunset at White Sands National Park.
  2. The post is from Tom Ryan via substack.com.
  3. There is an option for a 7-day free trial to access more content.

What Surfing Has Taught Me

Remarkable People • 479 implied HN points • 21 Aug 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. It's never too late to start something new, like surfing. Trying new things can teach you valuable lessons about perseverance.
  2. The ocean doesn't care about who you are, so always respect it. This is a great reminder to stay aware of the bigger forces in life.
  3. To improve at a skill, like surfing, you need the right equipment. Using the right tools can make a big difference in how well you learn and succeed.

When you hear it

Austin Kleon • 5115 implied HN points • 05 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Experiences like a solar eclipse can be felt with your whole body, not just seen. Sounds from nature during such events can be unique and delightful.
  2. Creating a mixtape or playlist can be a fun way to share music inspired by special events like an eclipse.
  3. Rejecting ideas can hurt your creativity. It's important to explore your own thoughts and not just follow what others want.

The Philosophy of Dune

Becoming Noble • 5202 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Nature
  1. History is not a linear journey of progress; it's complex and constantly changing.
  2. Humans can transcend instinct and live with prescience and discipline.
  3. Rejecting technological determinism, humans must enrich themselves to navigate and master history.

Enchantment is resistance

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 4792 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Enchantment can be a form of resistance, challenging the myths that contribute to ongoing issues and inspiring new ways of being.
  2. Writers and storytellers play a crucial role in resistance by offering stories that help people imagine and desire a better world.
  3. Resistance to everyday evils can involve living differently day by day, making small changes that collectively create a positive impact.

Robin: The Gateway Bird

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 399 implied HN points • 15 Aug 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Robins are often the first birds people notice, making them a great introduction to birdwatching. They are recognizable and often found in urban areas, but many people overlook them.
  2. Despite being common, robins have interesting behaviors and adaptations. For example, they use their eyesight and hearing to find food, like earthworms, in clever ways.
  3. Connecting with local nature, like watching robins, can help us appreciate our surroundings and understand the ecosystem better. Observing these familiar birds can be surprising and fulfilling.

How myth and story can help us belong to our places

The Art of Enchantment, with Dr Sharon Blackie • 5811 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Find somewhere that draws you, connect with the place's ecology and folklore, tell stories to rocks and trees to build a relationship with the natural world.
  2. Imagine nature as a living creature with dreams, show up often in the same place, listen to the land's dreaming, and fall in love with the world.
  3. Connection with nature is about love, wonder, and awe, not about using nature for our needs; cultivate enchantment through myths and stories to feel connected and belonging.

Vigil

The Intrinsic Perspective • 18132 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
📚 Literature Nature
  1. The author finds a wounded rabbit and reflects on the nature of life and death. He is torn between wanting to help the rabbit and recognizing the harsh realities of nature.
  2. Through caring for the rabbit, he grapples with his own moral beliefs about animal life and the contradictions in being a meat-eater.
  3. As he takes the rabbit to a wildlife rehabilitation center, he contemplates the bigger questions of existence, connecting his feelings about the rabbit to deeper ideas about life and its fragility.

The Hills Are Alive with Live Oaks

Tom Ryan, Author • 7979 implied HN points • 19 Mar 23
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. The author enjoys morning treks in the Carmel Valley trails surrounded by California Live Oaks.
  2. The landscape includes steep hills, mystical oaken tunnels, and picturesque views of the opposite hills.
  3. Readers can access more content by subscribing to the author's newsletter.

Losing Mary Oliver

Tom Ryan, Author • 7940 implied HN points • 24 Sep 23
📚 Literature Nature
  1. Change is inevitable and can be difficult to accept.
  2. Loss of constants can leave us feeling adrift and disoriented.
  3. Nature can provide solace and connection to lost loved ones.

Red Rock Canyon

Tom Ryan, Author • 7881 implied HN points • 04 Mar 23
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. The author is in Summerlin, Nevada, near Las Vegas, for Red Rock Canyon, not the Vegas Strip.
  2. Winter weather has caused travel disruptions at various locations like Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Red Rock Canyon.
  3. The current season has presented challenges and unique, snowy scenery for the author during their travels.

Dreaming About Going Back to the Land? I Did It.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 9993 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Living on a farm brings a deep understanding of nature's realities. It's a reminder that not everything can be controlled, like waiting for hens to lay eggs.
  2. The transition from city life to a rural lifestyle can be challenging and unexpected. It often requires tough decisions, like dealing with the life and death of animals.
  3. Nature teaches valuable life lessons that many people might overlook in a digital age. Embracing these lessons can lead to personal growth and a reevaluation of what really matters in life.

How to Get Lost

Sarah Kendzior’s Newsletter • 6290 implied HN points • 11 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. The story of Don Robinson, who rejected society in favor of solitude and freedom in nature, reminds us of the value of being independent and true to oneself.
  2. In a world filled with power struggles and inequality, it's important to recognize the manipulation and false promises of those in control and not to be complicit in their harmful agendas.
  3. Finding solace in nature, being able to embrace solitude, and reflecting on the past while looking towards the future can be sources of comfort and strength in challenging times.

An Ode to Age

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 599 implied HN points • 11 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Aging can be appreciated by looking at both people and nature. For example, the author's mom turned 90, which is an incredible milestone.
  2. Many local marine animals, like rockfish and orcas, have long lifespans and play important roles in their ecosystems. Their age brings wisdom and stability to their communities.
  3. Trees and geological formations in the region can be thousands, even millions of years old, showing us that age contributes to resilience and strength in nature.

The Sun When It Is Behind Translucent Clouds, Pale, Moon-Like, and Painless to Gaze Upon

Atlas of Wonders and Monsters • 339 implied HN points • 17 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. The Sun can look pale, moon-like, and surprisingly painless to stare at when it sits behind a thin, translucent layer of cloud; the solar disc can still appear well defined even though its brightness is much reduced.
  2. There is no widely accepted name for this common-but-unremarked phenomenon, so ordinary search terms return noisy or unrelated results; short candidates that work best include "pale sun," "overcast sun," or "filtered sun."
  3. Both scientific studies and painters have noted similar muted-sun effects—science uses phrases like "filtered sun" or "sharp-edged sun" while art sometimes depicts dull, moonlike discs—but the effect is lightly studied and not an established concept, so broader use and shared photos could help a canonical name emerge.

The Saturday Selection, Vol. 86

Why is this interesting? • 361 implied HN points • 03 Jan 26
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. A weekend roundup curates eleven standout links that span culture, design, nature, and true crime.
  2. Standouts include a deep dive on Coca‑Cola’s formula change and its corporate fallout, an odd personal anecdote about a ping‑pong champion, and an amateur’s claim to connect two famous cold cases.
  3. The mix balances light, clickable pieces—like book dedications and snowy‑owl videos—with longer investigative and historical reads, so you can skim or dive deep.

25 Articles

Sarah Kendzior’s Newsletter • 2755 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. The newsletter provides a wide range of topics, from politics and history to art, music, and nature, emphasizing the interconnectedness of politics with everyday life.
  2. The author values accessibility to their work, keeping the newsletter free and open to all readers, with appreciation for paid subscribers who support the writing.
  3. The post lists all articles from the newsletter categorized by topic, offering readers the opportunity to explore a variety of content based on their interests.

Day 9. Delight: NATURE!

DrawTogether with WendyMac • 3537 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Nature
  1. Nature is full of variety and no two plants or objects are exactly the same.
  2. Nature journaling can bring a sense of peace and a deeper connection to the world around us.
  3. Drawing the natural world offers endless possibilities, from contour drawings to colorful painterly styles.

Milford winterscape in black and white

Lucian Truscott Newsletter • 3498 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🏝 Travel Nature
  1. The author is enjoying the winter view from their desk in Northeast Pennsylvania.
  2. They mention the snowfall in the region and urge people to stay safe, especially on the roads.
  3. The author observes that skiers may be taking advantage of the snow on the slopes in various mountains.

NOTICING BLIZZARDS

Entering The Lung • 3105 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Nature
  1. The author reflects on missing a friend and dealing with grief.
  2. The author enjoys blizzards and finds inspiration in snow-covered landscapes.
  3. The author discusses feelings of anger towards the world and rejects the idea of using pain as a muse in creative work.

Wandering the Ruins of the American Dream

Sarah Kendzior’s Newsletter • 4333 implied HN points • 21 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Nature
  1. Exploring historical ruins can reveal hard truths about the past, such as the impact of colonialism and environmental degradation.
  2. Visiting sites like Fort Belle Fontaine can provoke reflection on the decay of the American Dream and the realities of history.
  3. Nature reclaims abandoned spaces with thorns and vines, serving as a reminder of the destruction caused by human actions.

Frost Flowers

Sarah Kendzior’s Newsletter • 5231 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Nature
  1. Visiting Mooner's Hollow in Missouri offers a mix of historical exploration and natural beauty.
  2. The complexity of the situation in Gaza highlights the importance of distinguishing between people and governments.
  3. The symbolism of frost flowers in Mooner's Hollow serves as a reminder of the delicate yet powerful forces at play in life.