March 6, 2026

REMINDER: YOUR SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED

Overview for this week.

1. Bindu's Corner: This week, Bindu has brought us a new quote from the revered Swami Vivekananda.

2. Women's History Month: I have a brief background on how March became Women's History Month in the US, along with some inspiring Women's History Month quotes.

3. Flock Spotlight: In the mid-20th Century, Australian bush nurse Sister Elizabeth Kenny developed her own method of physical therapy to treat polio patients. Originally met with skepticism, her method was eventually adopted as a standard treatment.

4. Art: A Dutch woman sorting out clutter in her home during the Covid-19 pandemic came across a folder left to her by her grandfather that contained 35 etchings he had purchased one hundred years earlier. The artist who created the etchings turned out to be the Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn. 

5. Gardening: March is here, and the official first day of Spring is just two weeks away. It's time to get started planting, whether you want to grow flowers or vegetables.

6. Cinema: Select mountain culture and adventure films from the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival are currently touring the world. Find a screening near you.

7. Poetry: After reflecting on this week's lunar eclipse, I found a wonderful poem about the side of the moon we never see.

A Note From Beth

It has now been five weeks since Nancy Guthrie went missing. Please don't give up. Keep praying for Nancy Guthrie and her safe return to the Guthrie family.

Now, to this week's Flock.

Thank you, Bindu, for these sage thoughts from Swami Vivekananda.

Even at the present time we find many sects and societies, with almost the same ideas, fighting each other, because one does not want to set forth those ideas in precisely the same way as another. Therefore, religions will have to broaden. Religious ideas will have to become universal, vast, and infinite; and then alone we shall have the fullest play of religion, for the power of religion has only just begun to manifest in the world.

— Swami Vivekananda

The month of March is recognised as Women's History Month by the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. Here in the U.S., a presidential proclamation designating the month is issued each year. Throughout March, various federal institutions honor the contributions women have made to the country.

From: United States Census Bureau

Women’s History Month honors the successes and sacrifices of U.S. women. It dates to March 8, 1857, when hundreds of women from New York City garment and textile factories rallied to protest harsh working conditions. In 1909, New York City became the site of the nation’s first Women’s Day celebration, a year after 15,000 women there marched to demand shorter working hours, better pay, an end to child labor and the right to vote. More than seven decades later, in 1981, Congress set aside the second week of March as Women’s History Week. 

Six years later, Congress expanded the week to a month. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we reflect upon the advances women have made, including increased earnings, educational attainment and job opportunities.

In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th 1980 as National Women’s History Week. 

Six years later, Congress expanded the week to a month. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we reflect upon the advances women have made, including increased earnings, educational attainment and job opportunities.

From: History.com

“Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.” — Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), political figure, diplomat, activist, First Lady.

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity," — Amelia Earhart (1897-1937?), aviation pioneer.

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” – Rosa Parks (1913-2005), civil rights activist.

"If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair." — Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005), U.S. Congresswoman.

“My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” — Maya Angelou (1928-2014), memoirist, poet, civil rights activist.

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” — Madeleine Albright (1937-2022), U.S. Secretary of State.

“Champions keep playing until they get it right.” — Billie Jean King (1943 - ), tennis champion.

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." — Alice Walker (1944 - ), novelist, short story writer, poet, social activist.

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”

— Malala Yousafzai (1997- ), Pakistani female education activist, Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Last week, in Bindu's Corner, we brought you a quote from Sister Elizabeth Kenny, an Australian bush nurse who was a pioneer of physical therapy, developing treatments for polio patients in the mid-20th century. This week, as part of Women's History Month, I'm featuring her in the Flock Spotlight.

From: University of Virginia School of Nursing, By: Maura Singleton, September 6, 2019

In a 1951 poll, she beat out Eleanor Roosevelt as the woman Americans most admired in the world. Hollywood dramatized her crusading story. There were transatlantic invitations to lecture, honorary degrees conferred. Today, though, Sister Elizabeth Kenny is a forgotten puzzle piece from history.

But in the 1940s, when the United States was gripped by polio epidemics, this Australian nurse with no formal training pioneered a treatment that flew in the face of orthodox practice. Sister Kenny was roundly ridiculed by the mostly male medical establishment, even as her paralyzed patients recovered. The controversy she sparked seemed to fuel her throughout her career.

Before the Salk vaccine was discovered in 1953, recurring polio epidemics overwhelmed communities with fear and dread. Polio, said one parent, was “a word that strikes more terror in the hearts of parents than the atom bomb.”

The conventional treatment called for splints and braces to immobilize paralyzed limbs. Physicians believed that rest protected the damaged limbs. Muscle shortening was treated through surgery.

Enter Sister Kenny. A nun she was not. Largely self-taught, she gained additional experience as a staff nurse in the Australian Army Nursing Service during World War I, serving on troopships. Promoted to “Sister,” she used the honorific for the rest of her life.

Working as a “bush nurse” in rural Queensland, Sister Kenny had never heard of the established treatment for polio. Relying on keen bedside observation, she experimented with ways to alleviate a child’s muscular pain and contracted limbs. She wrapped arms and legs in hot woolen cloths and encouraged active movement of the muscles. She also made her patients learn the names of their affected muscles and how they worked—encouraging them to take an active role in their recovery.

By 1933, Sister Kenny was convinced that her methods worked. She traveled throughout Australia and England to demonstrate her techniques, but hit a wall; she had no scientific basis for her therapy. She recalled in her 1943 autobiography, And They Shall Walk: “I was wholly unprepared for the extraordinary attitude of the medical men in its [sic] readiness to condemn anything that smacked of reform or that ran contrary to approved methods of practice.”

But Sister Kenny apparently made up in will power whatever she lacked in formal medical training. Newsweek described her, rather unflatteringly, as “a human tornado.” Imposing and irascible, Sister Kenny persevered, arriving in the U.S. in 1940 to present her controversial method to American physicians and nurses. Doctors in New York and Chicago showed her the door. At the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, however, the “Kenny Method” became widely accepted. In 1942, the Sister Kenny Institute opened in Minneapolis to treat polio patients and it remains a prominent center for rehabilitation treatment and research.

Elizabeth Kenny Improved the Lives of Polio Patients, Women's History Month

Self-Portrait in a Fur Cap, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1630 Collection of Charlotte Meyer

The following article tells the story of one woman's remarkable find while sorting through a drawer of forgotten family heirlooms during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Charlotte Meyer’s grandfather acquired the artworks between 1900 and 1920. Now, they’re going on view for the first time in more than a century

From: Smithsonian Magazine, By:Christian Thorsberg, February 26, 2026

During the homebound days of the Covid-19 pandemic, cleaning and sorting through clutter emerged as an easy way to pass the time. But few enjoyed the same level of luck as Charlotte Meyer, a Dutch woman who made a life-changing discovery in 2020, when she decided to sort through a drawer of heirlooms that had long gone untouched.

ears before, when Meyer’s grandfather died, he left her a folder of prints that had been in the family for roughly a century. When Meyer finally opened the folder, she found 35 etchings created by the Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn, whose 17th-century paintings and prints are renowned as some of the greatest visual art to come out of the Western world.

“It’s such a beautiful story, one you can only dream about,” Meyer tells Omroep Gelderland’s Milla Helfferich, per a translation by NL Times. “Nobody was interested in etchings back then. They were nothing special. For just a few guilders, my grandfather bought 35 different ones.”

The Pancake Woman, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1635 Collection of Charlotte Meyer

Meyer’s grandfather collected the etchings between 1900 and 1920. They were small, with some measuring only a few centimeters in length. At first, Meyer wasn’t sure if the artworks were truly by Rembrandt. She felt sheepish calling experts at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, especially because works attributed to the artist sometimes turn out to be forgeries.

When the experts arrived at Meyer’s home and went through the etchings, which are in excellent condition, the full weight of the find sank in. “They said, ‘Charlotte, you have no idea what you’ve got!’” Meyer tells Omroep Gelderland.

This Article from A-Z Animals has a rundown of which flowers, vegetables, and berries to plant in March. Before you get started, it's important to know which "Hardiness Zone" you live in to ensure you plant the right plants for your location. For example, Aspen, CO, is in zone 5b, while Tucson, AZ, is in zone 9b, two very different environments for growing Spring plants. Visit the USDA's Plant Hardiness Zone Map and enter your ZIP code in the search field to find your zone.

From: A-Z Animals, By: August Croft, February 14, 2023

Spring often comes quickly during the early months of the year, which is why you may be wondering what to plant in March. Depending on where you live and what you want to grow, this can be a particularly tricky month for seedlings and young plants. Unexpected frost conditions occur often throughout March, which can be a pain on top of the potential for seasonal allergies.

Determining what to plant in March is largely decided by your Hardiness Zone. If you live in Zones 1-5, you will likely only be growing seeds indoors or in a greenhouse. Some of these seeds may include broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, snapdragons, cabbage, and cucumbers. In other, more temperate Zones, many flowers can be directly sown outside such as zinnias, daisies, and begonias. Plus, peas and spinach are good to grow in March!

In this article, we’ll dive in and address everything you should know about planting flowers and vegetables during the month of March. We’ll go over some of the best options for you to try to grow, depending on your Hardiness Zone, and some tips as to how to best plant these plants. Let’s get started!

What to Plant in March: Flowers

If you live in Zones 1-5, you will likely only be growing seeds indoors or in a greenhouse.

During the month of March, spring has sprung in many locations in the United States. However, snow certainly persists in many northern Zones, making it difficult to anticipate when to sow your flower seeds. As much as we all want to see beautiful blooms during this month, some flowers are too delicate for such frigid temperatures! 

Hopefully you planted plenty of spring bulbs to make up for a lack of blooms in March. Most crocus, tulip, daffodil, and hyacinth bulbs should be starting to sprout. If you live in the right climate for it, here are some other flowers that you can plant during March!

• Daisies
• Zinnias
• Snapdragons
• Marigolds

What to Plant in March: Vegetables

Your garden bed may need tilling before you get your vegetables planted in March. In fact, your ground may still be too frozen to plant things directly outside! However, many vegetable plants work best when started indoors, especially during the month of March. Here are some of the most popular vegetables to consider planting during this time of year, indoors and out.

• Tomatoes
• Peas
• Cucumbers
• Spinach
• Peppers
• Broccoli
• Cabbage

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for (audience)? Why should they care (benefit)? What do I want them to do (call-to-action)?

Create a great offer by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"

What to Plant in March: Berries

Did you know that March is an optimum time for planting berry shrubs and plants? While you likely won’t grow most of your berry plants from seed, most garden centers and nurseries carry established berry plants or even dormant cuttings. Keep an eye out for these if you want thriving berry bushes in your yard!

• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries

Know Your Zone for Best Success!

Given just how temperamental the month of March can be depending on where you live, it’s important to be acquainted with your Hardiness Zone. Knowing when your average frost dates occur as well as paying attention to how the past few growing seasons have gone can be key to a successful garden.

Did your yard remain frozen well into the month of April last year? Do you live in a tricky Zone (such as Zones 8 and 5) and are feeling unsure about what to plant? While starting things indoors will always guarantee a successful start, planting things at the right time needs to happen to keep your seedlings thriving!

Practice makes perfect, and some years are more abnormal weather-wise than others. You can always chat with local garden centers or nurseries in your area to get some tips as to what plants and crops take best to the potentially chilly soil found during the month of March!

Every year, the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity in Alberta, Canada, hosts an international competition showcasing the best films and documentaries on mountain culture, sports, the environment, and adventure. After the festival, select films go on a world tour, presented in theaters across Canada, the USA, and international venues. Selected films from the festival are even available to view online.

Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival & World Tour

From: Banff Center for Arts and Creativity

Since 1976, the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, a flagship program of Banff Centre, has been an industry leader in the celebration of Mountain Culture. We promote understanding and appreciation of the world’s mountain places by creating opportunities for people to share and find inspiration in mountain experiences, ideas, and visions. Following the festival each fall, our annual World Tour reaches more than 45 countries on 7 continents, making us the largest adventure film tour on the planet.

Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival

Join us in Banff for the 51st annual Festival from Oct. 31-Nov. 8, 2026! The Festival features guest speakers including adventurers, authors, and filmmakers sharing their stories; epic films from around the world; FREE events, the annual Festival Marketplace, happy hours with music, downtown and partner events, and mountain art exhibitions, and more!

World Tour

The 2025-2026 World Tour launched in December following the Festival in Banff and is on the road in over 40 countries! Find a location near you.

Canadian Screenings | US Screenings | International Screenings

Watch Films Online

Watch films online from home! Available anywhere in CAN/USA. Featuring films from past World Tour programs, festival favourites, as well as school programs.

Online Screenings

Banff Mountain Film Festival 2026 | Trailer

Looking back on the lunar eclipse we were treated to at the beginning of the week, it got me thinking about the beauty and cultural power of the moon, which led me to the power of writing and to this beautiful poem, The Other Side of the Moon.

From: All Poetry

There exists a half side of moon unseen to us,

it has radiance blessed by the light source sun,

glows identical to the other side, we all focus,

but in the opposite flow with forward time run.

on the no moon day, it glows like the full moon,

contrary, on the full moon day, it has no glisten,

as the moon disc seen to us changes gloom,

from all dark to all bright, towards dark again.

the other side of the moon undergoes conversely,

it goes towards whole dark from all bright,

then from dark to bright, with the other side coherently,

no moon is a full moon, full moon is no moon, for it.

though it lives the same life as that of the other,

it remains invisible to the visions of us, perpetually,

the visible side of the moon is adored being closer,

it’s valued scientifically, poetically, and by all truly.

the hidden side of the moon is the twin of the other,

has the same gleam, capability, lighted by the sun,

but gets no love, no one's attention forever,

why is this bias? its sin is its birth in that zone?

Total Lunar Eclipse Turns Moon Blood Red, Phenomena Witnessed In Most Part Of The World

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 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

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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