Debra Mihalic Staples
@dmihalicstaples.bsky.social
Writer, reader, hiker, kayaker, nature journaler, all at a leisurely pace. Words in Still: The Journal, High Country News, Wild Roof Journal, Gastropoda, South Carolina Wildlife, and elsewhere.
Pinned
listen little sister
angels make their hope here
in these hills
-bell hooks
from her collection Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place
angels make their hope here
in these hills
-bell hooks
from her collection Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 12, my photograph of the Teton Range reflected in a lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, US.
December 12, 2025 at 3:21 PM
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 12, my photograph of the Teton Range reflected in a lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, US.
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 11, my photograph of a trio of bloodroot blooms, Sanguinaria canadensis. This is one of the earliest blooming wildflowers in the Eastern US.
December 11, 2025 at 2:35 PM
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 11, my photograph of a trio of bloodroot blooms, Sanguinaria canadensis. This is one of the earliest blooming wildflowers in the Eastern US.
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 10, from my nature journal: one of the Southeastern US’s native trilliums, purple toadshade, Trillium cuneatum, sketched in ink and colored pencils.
December 10, 2025 at 2:35 PM
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 10, from my nature journal: one of the Southeastern US’s native trilliums, purple toadshade, Trillium cuneatum, sketched in ink and colored pencils.
For Day 9 of #ArtAdventCalendar, some of my wildlife photography. American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, basking in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Yep, I used a telephoto lens.
December 9, 2025 at 3:29 PM
For Day 9 of #ArtAdventCalendar, some of my wildlife photography. American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, basking in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Yep, I used a telephoto lens.
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 8: my photograph of kudzu flowers. This introduced plant has a mythic, negative reputation due to its aggressive growth in the southern US, but artists make beautiful baskets and handmade paper from it. The flowers have an intense, grape-like fragrance and brilliant color.
December 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 8: my photograph of kudzu flowers. This introduced plant has a mythic, negative reputation due to its aggressive growth in the southern US, but artists make beautiful baskets and handmade paper from it. The flowers have an intense, grape-like fragrance and brilliant color.
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 7: My ink and watercolor drawing of dimpled trout lilies, Erythronium umbilicatum, native to the Southern Appalachians. These bloom from February to April.
December 7, 2025 at 2:02 PM
For #ArtAdventCalendar Day 7: My ink and watercolor drawing of dimpled trout lilies, Erythronium umbilicatum, native to the Southern Appalachians. These bloom from February to April.
listen little sister
angels make their hope here
in these hills
-bell hooks
from her collection Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place
angels make their hope here
in these hills
-bell hooks
from her collection Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place
December 7, 2025 at 1:46 PM
listen little sister
angels make their hope here
in these hills
-bell hooks
from her collection Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place
angels make their hope here
in these hills
-bell hooks
from her collection Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 6: This is my ink and watercolor drawing of some ghost pipes, Monotropa uniflora, seen along the Appalachian Trail. Usually ghost pipes are white; I'd love to know what gave these their pale magenta coloring.
December 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 6: This is my ink and watercolor drawing of some ghost pipes, Monotropa uniflora, seen along the Appalachian Trail. Usually ghost pipes are white; I'd love to know what gave these their pale magenta coloring.
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 5: Here is my watercolor from last night’s @wildwonder.bsky.social workshop with @expedart.bsky.social on how to quickly capture winter landscapes in a nature journal. (Reposted to correct hashtag)
December 5, 2025 at 4:15 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 5: Here is my watercolor from last night’s @wildwonder.bsky.social workshop with @expedart.bsky.social on how to quickly capture winter landscapes in a nature journal. (Reposted to correct hashtag)
For day four of #ArtAdventCalendar my drawing of a juvenile red-shouldered hawk, done with black and sepia inks. I made the reference photo from far away with a telephoto lens; the parents were teaching this baby to hunt, and he/she was crouching by my back fence, complaining loudly.
December 4, 2025 at 7:54 PM
For day four of #ArtAdventCalendar my drawing of a juvenile red-shouldered hawk, done with black and sepia inks. I made the reference photo from far away with a telephoto lens; the parents were teaching this baby to hunt, and he/she was crouching by my back fence, complaining loudly.
For the next few days of #ArtAdventCalendar I’ll share some pages from my nature journal. I love this art practice for many reasons, but especially because anyone can do it, regardless of skill level, location, income, etc. For Day Three, here is my watercolor of a Southern magnolia:
December 3, 2025 at 2:47 PM
For the next few days of #ArtAdventCalendar I’ll share some pages from my nature journal. I love this art practice for many reasons, but especially because anyone can do it, regardless of skill level, location, income, etc. For Day Three, here is my watercolor of a Southern magnolia:
For day 2 of #ArtAdventCalendar here is my watercolor of a red wolf, Canis rufus, a critically endangered species.
December 2, 2025 at 1:07 PM
For day 2 of #ArtAdventCalendar here is my watercolor of a red wolf, Canis rufus, a critically endangered species.
Reposted by Debra Mihalic Staples
November 30, 2025 at 1:54 PM
As of right now, Cloudflare's outage is affecting the Georgia Secretary of State's website: sos.ga.gov
During some state elections, today, by the way.
During some state elections, today, by the way.
November 18, 2025 at 2:37 PM
As of right now, Cloudflare's outage is affecting the Georgia Secretary of State's website: sos.ga.gov
During some state elections, today, by the way.
During some state elections, today, by the way.
Y’all—northern lights down south, a few minutes ago.
November 12, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Y’all—northern lights down south, a few minutes ago.
Excellent thread, superb use of alt text.
THREAD. A collection of photos I have taken of scarecrows I have stumbled across during walks in the British countryside over the last fifteen years.
November 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Excellent thread, superb use of alt text.
Attention, voters in Georgia House District 23: georgiarecorder.com/2025/11/10/t...
The ballot is set for next month’s special Georgia House election in Cherokee County • Georgia Recorder
Six candidates have stepped forward to fill a Cherokee County legislative seat that was left empty after the death of the district's state representative last month.
georgiarecorder.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Attention, voters in Georgia House District 23: georgiarecorder.com/2025/11/10/t...
I leaned in to smell a way-too-early jessamine bloom and nearly inhaled this small mantis.
November 6, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I leaned in to smell a way-too-early jessamine bloom and nearly inhaled this small mantis.
Reposted by Debra Mihalic Staples
GEORGIANS!
During COVID, Georgia Power received $35 million in Federal funds to help people with utility bills. They spent less than 1% of those funds to help customers avoid disconnection; much of that funding went to executive bonuses. The GA PSC didn’t question that.
VOTE FOR ALICIA AND PETER!
During COVID, Georgia Power received $35 million in Federal funds to help people with utility bills. They spent less than 1% of those funds to help customers avoid disconnection; much of that funding went to executive bonuses. The GA PSC didn’t question that.
VOTE FOR ALICIA AND PETER!
November 3, 2025 at 9:38 PM
GEORGIANS!
During COVID, Georgia Power received $35 million in Federal funds to help people with utility bills. They spent less than 1% of those funds to help customers avoid disconnection; much of that funding went to executive bonuses. The GA PSC didn’t question that.
VOTE FOR ALICIA AND PETER!
During COVID, Georgia Power received $35 million in Federal funds to help people with utility bills. They spent less than 1% of those funds to help customers avoid disconnection; much of that funding went to executive bonuses. The GA PSC didn’t question that.
VOTE FOR ALICIA AND PETER!
Reposted by Debra Mihalic Staples
“This is already on track to be one of the most expensive gas-fired power plants in history, and the health and environmental impacts will reach millions.” - Eddy Moore, @CleanEnergyOrg https://selc.link/4oaufDj
South Carolina gas plant plans finally surface
This month, a private pipeline company began informing landowners in Georgia and South Carolina that it's eyeing their property for construction of a pipeline that would serve a proposed methane gas plant in Canadys, South Carolina. With the power of “e...
selc.link
October 30, 2025 at 3:46 PM
“This is already on track to be one of the most expensive gas-fired power plants in history, and the health and environmental impacts will reach millions.” - Eddy Moore, @CleanEnergyOrg https://selc.link/4oaufDj
Reposted by Debra Mihalic Staples
Ghada Amer,
'We are the granddaughters of the witches that you could not burn' ♀ #womensart
'We are the granddaughters of the witches that you could not burn' ♀ #womensart
October 31, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Ghada Amer,
'We are the granddaughters of the witches that you could not burn' ♀ #womensart
'We are the granddaughters of the witches that you could not burn' ♀ #womensart
Reposted by Debra Mihalic Staples
Nearly a month into the federal government shutdown, logging is ongoing in the country’s national forests.
Some advocates worry that the unusual circumstances could mean less oversight over logging in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests.
www.bpr.org/politics-gov...
Some advocates worry that the unusual circumstances could mean less oversight over logging in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests.
www.bpr.org/politics-gov...
'Keeping the lights on.' On Blue Ridge public lands, a complicated and unusual federal shutdown
Local governments are paying out of pocket for park reopenings - and logging continues in National Forests
www.bpr.org
October 24, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Nearly a month into the federal government shutdown, logging is ongoing in the country’s national forests.
Some advocates worry that the unusual circumstances could mean less oversight over logging in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests.
www.bpr.org/politics-gov...
Some advocates worry that the unusual circumstances could mean less oversight over logging in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests.
www.bpr.org/politics-gov...
Although Georgia has had some ridiculous tax surpluses the past few years, the state may double the fees it charges to use our own public lands. Anyway, here's a tip, Georgians: some public libraries have free park passes you can check out.
Excellent article, by the way. Follow @georgiarecorder.com
Excellent article, by the way. Follow @georgiarecorder.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Although Georgia has had some ridiculous tax surpluses the past few years, the state may double the fees it charges to use our own public lands. Anyway, here's a tip, Georgians: some public libraries have free park passes you can check out.
Excellent article, by the way. Follow @georgiarecorder.com
Excellent article, by the way. Follow @georgiarecorder.com
Reposted by Debra Mihalic Staples
"The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is—it’s to imagine what is possible." ~ bell hooks
October 17, 2025 at 10:56 AM
"The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is—it’s to imagine what is possible." ~ bell hooks