July 24, 2026

REMINDER: YOUR SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED

Overview for this week.

1. Bindu's Corner: This week, Bindu brings us timeless quotes about greatness from ancient texts and historic intellects.

2. Running: This past Saturday, I attended the Audi Power of Four Trail Run in the mountains around Aspen as a spectator, offering encouragement to the runners competing in this challenging endurance race.

3. Philanthropy: The philanthropic organization, Stand Together, recorded an interview with my husband, Michael, as part of an ongoing project collecting perspectives on the 'American Dream'.

4. Government: Not all democracies function in the same way. The UK's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, has become the nation's chief executive without a general election.

5. Nutrition: Harvard Health has some helpful advice for transitioning to a plant-based diet and reducing your intake of animal products. To make the journey to a healthier diet easier, Meatless Mondays has a website full of resources, including meat alternatives, nutritional charts, and recipes.

6. The Heavens: Next Tuesday & Wednesday night will bring July's full moon, the Buck Moon.

7. Reader Submission: I have a beautiful rainbow photo from a Flock reader this week.

8. Hayward M. Fox, P.h.D: Read the latest post from Dr. Fox's blog.

Now, to this week's Flock.

Greatness, as considered through time and cultures, from ancient Vedantic philosophy, classical Greek oratory, Confucianism, contemporary and practical Vedantic thought, and Shakespeare's Renaissance humanism.

Pure, clean, void, tranquil, breathless, selfless, endless, undecaying, steadfast, eternal, unborn, independent; they abide in their own greatness.

— Upanishads

The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves.

The greatest sin is to think yourself weak.

— Swami Vivekananda

The great man always thinks of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.

— Confucius

Everything great is not always good, but all good things are great.

— Demosthenens

Some are born great; some achieve greatness; and some have greatness thrust upon them.

— William Shakespeare

This past Saturday I attended the Audi Power of Four Trail Run that includes 50K (~31.7 mi.), 25 K ( ~15.5 mi.), and 10K (~6.2 mi.) events over each of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains: Aspen Mountain ( Ajax), Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, and Buttermilk (Tieach). Complete course information can be found here. I didn't race in this year's event; I came as a spectator and fan armed with KT tape and gummy bears to support the competitors. This is a tough race; finishing is a big achievement for recreational and elite athletes alike. I want to give a shout-out to two 50 competitors: Aspen friend Eli Garcia, 29th overall, and Tucsonan Vasileios Paschalidis, 16th overall, whom I met and shared a gummy with at the Buttermilk aid station.

Boulder's Sophie Linn, who won the women's 50k race, competes in the Audi Power of Four Trail Run on Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Snowmass Village. credit: Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times

Finishing fourth overall in the 50k was Boulder’s Sophie Linn, who was the top woman with a time of 6:08:31. Another Boulder runner, Mack Abernathy, was fifth overall and second among women in 6:15:58. Rounding out the women’s 50k podium was Eagle’s Heather Pugh in 7:34:07, good for 20th overall.

The 50k was the true “Power of Four” race as it tasked runners with going up and over all four of SkiCo’s area ski mountains — Aspen Mountain to Highlands to Buttermilk to Snowmass — from the 6 a.m. start at Gondola Plaza in Aspen to the midday finish at Snowmass Base Village.

All told, 94 runners finished the 50k race, with a few dozen more recording DNFs.

Stand Together is a philanthropic organization inspired by the ideals of equality and personal dignity enshrined in America's founding documents, empowering individuals and communities to work together to create ground-up societal progress. As part of an ongoing project, Stand Together interviewed my husband, Michael, about his personal story, in which he discusses his family's experience escaping WWII Europe and their path to immigrating and starting anew in the United States, as well as his education, career, and whether the American dream is still alive.

Who is Stand Together?

From: Stand Together

Our vision

Stand Together is working to move toward a society based on the principles of human progress — one of equal rights and mutual benefit where everyone has the opportunity to live a life of meaning and succeed by benefitting others.

We advance this vision by partnering with social entrepreneurs who apply these principles to empower people to realize their potential. As the effectiveness of this approach becomes widely recognized, it inspires movements that bring society closer to this ideal.

These movements create paradigm shifts, transforming society’s key institutions, so rather than control people from the top down, they consistently empower people from the bottom up.

Watch Mike's Stand together interview »

Every now and then, you learn something new about how other counties governments work. While both the US and the UK are democracies they differ in several ways, one of those differences is being exemplified this week as the head of Britains government is being replaced without a general election.

From: PBS News, By: Sylvia Hui, July 20,2026

Veteran Labour Party politician and popular former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has become Britain's next prime minister, formally taking over Monday from Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation last month.

Burnham was the only candidate to secure enough support from his fellow Labour lawmakers to replace Starmer as leader of the governing party. Because Labour holds a majority in government, its leader also becomes the U.K. prime minister.

Burnham received support from 379 out of 401 Labour Party lawmakers, and was announced Labour leader at a special party conference on Friday. He officially became prime minister on Monday, when he met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace for a formal go-ahead.

A look at how and why Britain is getting a new prime minister just two years after Starmer led his party to a landslide election victory:

Why Britain is getting a new prime minister without a general election

Britain's parliamentary democracy allows governing parties to change leaders midterm, with the winner becoming prime minister without the need for a general election. Prime ministers can be replaced if one has resigned as leader of their party, or been forced out by a leadership challenge.

The next national election does not have to be held until 2029, five years from the last election in 2024.

Starmer announced he was quitting as Labour leader on June 22 after barely two years in power, ending a tenure marred by a series of political missteps — most notably his decision to appoint a man with close ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as Britain's ambassador to the United States.

Heavy losses suffered by Labour in a midterm set of local elections in May prompted many lawmakers to demand Starmer's resignation. And when Burnham — favored by many within Labour to lead the party and the country — won a special election for a seat in Parliament, Starmer gave in to the mounting pressure to quit.

His resignation automatically triggered a Labour leadership contest. Under Labour rules, a lawmaker can challenge the leader if they have the backing of a fifth of the party's House of Commons lawmakers. There was no contestant other than Burnham, who comfortably surpassed that threshold.

Harvard Health is here to help you transition to a healthier plant-based diet, including plant proteins, whole grains, vegetables and fresh fruits every day.

From: Harvard Health, February 23, 2026

You may be interested in adopting a plant-based diet but feel overwhelmed by the changes involved. After all, you may have been eating meat throughout your life. But transitioning to a plant-based diet can be a gradual process, starting with small changes like incorporating more vegetables and plant proteins into your meals while slowly reducing animal products.

The key to eating a balanced, healthy plant-based diet is to include a variety of plant-based foods at each meal. Choose from these key plant-based food groups at each meal, no matter what your eating style.

Plant proteins. From pulses (beans, lentils, peas) to soy foods (edamame, tempeh, tofu, soy milk) to seitan (made from wheat gluten, a protein) to nuts and seeds, plant protein food groups offer important nutrients beyond protein. These plant protein food sources also contain stores of fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals…

Whole grains. Plump, crunchy grains of barley, Kamut, and wild rice are examples of whole grains, which include the germ (the embryo for the plant), endosperm (the food store for the embryo), and outer layer of bran.

These fiber-rich grains have a lower glycemic index than refined grains; thus, they have a gentler impact on blood glucose levels and increase satiety (that sense of fullness). In addition, these healthy grains are rich in protein and essential vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. The average person should eat about six servings of grains per day, and at least half should be whole grains.

Vegetables. A rainbow of vegetables - leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, asparagus - offer rich rewards of vitamins, minerals, and fiber and high levels of phytochemicals, all for a very low calorie and carbohydrate load. These foods should be the foundation of a healthy plant-based diet. Try to consume two to three cups per day.

Fruits. Colorful, naturally sweet fruits, including peaches, pears, berries, melons, mangos, grapes, and cherries, are also high in phytochemical levels, as well as vitamins, minerals, and fiber - all for a moderate level of calories…

Plant fats. Unsaturated plant fats, including monounsaturated fats (in olives, olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds) and polyunsaturated fats (in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds) are linked with heart health…

Meatless Monday is an excellent resource to help you switch to a plant-based diet, with a free library of nutrition infographics, healthy recipes and meat alternatives to support your transition.

From: The Monday Campaigns

Meatless Monday is a global movement that encourages people to reduce meat in their diet for their health and the health of the planet. The campaign was started in 2003 by Sid Lerner, the Founder of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

The peak moment of July's full moon is next Wednesday at 10:36 a.m. EDT, but it will be best viewed Tuesday and Wednesday night after sunset as it rises over the eastern horizon.

From: Mental Floss, By: Eden Gordon, July 23, 2026

On July 20, 1969, humans took their first footsteps on the moon. Nine days later, a full moon appeared in the skies above our planet, though this time, many Earthlings were looking at it in a whole new way.

July’s full moon is commonly referred to as the Buck Moon, and in 2026, it occurs on July 29 at 10:30 a.m. EST. Long before the first moon landing, this moon was honored as a symbol of nature’s power, rebirth, and the gift of wisdom.

The Origins of the Name “Buck Moon”

The name “Buck Moon” comes from Native American traditions, particularly those of Algonquin-speaking peoples. It refers to the fact that around the time of this moon, bucks—or male deer—tend to grow their new antlers. Bucks shed their antlers each winter and regrow them in summer, an annual process driven by changes in testosterone. 

This moon is also known by a number of other names. It is sometimes referred to as the thunder moon because of the summer storms that tend to occur in July. Additional names include the Feather Molting Moon, which comes from the Cree people, and the Salmon Moon, a Tlingit name that references the time that salmon traditionally return to the rivers. 

To the Anishinaabe, this moon is known as the Berry Moon, and to the Dakota it is known as the Moon When the Chokecherries are Ripe. Some European traditions, meanwhile, referred to it as the Hay Moon or the Herb Moon, due to the quantity of herbs generally available to them at this time.

Simultaneously, Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains celebrate the moon that falls in the Hindu lunar calendar month of Ashadha, which overlaps with June and July, with a holiday called Guru Purnima. This festival has slightly different meanings in different traditions.

In Hinduism, it is said to be the day that the god Shiva passed his knowledge down to another guru, or spiritual teacher, thus starting the tradition of gurus passing down spiritual wisdom through the ages. Buddhists, meanwhile, believe this day marks the date that the newly enlightened Buddha gave his first sermon. In general, Guru Purnima pays tribute to wisdom both inner and outer. It is considered an auspicious time for honoring teachers, meditating, and cultivating inner peace

This photo of a rainbow in Hawaii was shared with us by Flock reader and financial advisor extraordinaire Nancy Coons. Thank you, Nancy!

If you would like to share photos, short stories, or your thoughts with the Flock, please use the link below.

My thanks and great appreciation go out to Dr. Fox for once again sharing a post from his blog with us. Please visit Dr. Fox's website at the Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge and explore his past blog posts, guided meditations, and study guides.

Below the content of mind

lies awareness,

our intrinsic nature.

From: Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge, Written by Hayward M. Fox

The summer monsoon has arrived in Tucson.

These Flock regulars are always here for you:

Cita Scott for paintings, photography, and culinary art. Cita will be in and out of town all summer. Don't hesitate to give her a jingle. (520) 404-1551

Kimberly Gomer, MS, RD/LDN:

Registered and licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist. Find me on my website at KimberlyGomer.com for information about nutrition coaching.

Sarah Smallhouse & Make Elections Fair ArIzona

– Sign the petition here

Sensitive & Specific: The Testing Newsletter by Mara G. Aspinall and Liz Ruark. Mara is always here to help in understanding testing knowledge and how it's being applied.

Kyria Sabin of Fletcher Pilates:

(520) 323-7070

The Fabric Jeanie!

Tap to learn more. 

(520) 245-0589

Linda Collazo, mezzo-soprano:

for piano and voice lessons

Andres Valbuena: drum selection, drum basics, and more.

Dr. Hayward M. Fox, Ph.D.

The institute of Personal andTranspersonal Knowledge

Tucson Village Farm:

Vegetaable growing in the summer heat.

The Physio ShopThe Physio Shop:

Elite physical therapy services and more.

Icebox Cryotherapy:

Icebox Tucson’s unique enhancers allow you to be your best version! 

Nathan Anderson of Catalina Acupuncture:

(520) 999-0080

Greer Interiors: Insightful, elegant spaces that complement your life. True beauty begins with alignment. 
(970) 570-3039

Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories!

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our third year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

520-818-4433

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