The Right to Repair movement is the idea that manufacturers have this policy where if something goes wrong with an item you purchase you have to take the item to them for repairs. That can be a big cost to you. You bought the item. You own it. You should be able to choose whom you want to repair it. Learn from Jackie Carter and what this all means.

PART I-“The Repair Cafe is free to the public.  It’s a place where people can bring in items needing to be fixed.  Visitors can also learn how to repair things themselves so that they can see their belongings in a different way.”
“The common mindset is to throw it away if it doesn’t work.  That causes problems for the environment and we are battling this all of the time. Sustainability is really big deal.”

Ray Orehowsky executed the building of several of the habitats for the Philadelphia Zoo. There is nowhere for the zoo to expand except up.  Ray and his construction team designed and built elevated cat walks and monkey trails.

Marion Owen of Kodiak, Alaska shares tips on organic gardening in the Alaska climate. “Grow organic food you want to eat.”

Richard East, also known as Van Cat Meow, is a nomad from Tasmania. He and his cat Willow travel around Australia in a van.  “I didn’t know where I fit in the world. If you’d asked me when I was ten what I’d be doing in twenty years’ time, I suspect my answer would have been exactly this. Exploration and adventure — the kinds of things we lose sight of as we’re thrown into adulthood.”

Andrew Bracken forges public and private partnerships that invest in sustainable agriculture for small farmers around the world. His work not only provides real income to farmers but also goes beyond mere subsistence living. In Zambia, they are implementing a tomato seedling project. He enjoys witnessing the product in action, which means returning to the rural areas. It’s crucial to see the individuals who are meant to benefit from this support. In Malawi, the vibrant traditions of the Chewa ethnic groups are captivating. With Feed the Future funding and USAID, this program has reached over a million farmers globally.

Happy Trails and Happy Tales from Iditarod Racer, author, adventurer and storyteller, Mary Shields.

Mary Shields entered the Iditarod in 1974 being the first woman to complete the Iditarod race.

I came to Alaska in 1965 to work for the Camp Fire Girls as a counselor. When the summer was over I returned to Wisconsin. I kept repeating Robert Service’s last line in his poem, ‘And I want to go back—and I will.’ And I did. And I’ve never left.

I was born a city girl. But I wanted to live what Henry David Thoreau talked about in his books so I lived in the rugged wilderness where I learned and loved to mush with a dog team.

‘I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.’—Henry David Thoreau

I was told I would never make it. One man yelled at me, ‘You’d better turn around now. You’ll never make it to Nome!’ But I did.

mary-dog-sled-348

Iditarod Racer Turned Storyteller

Mary Shields turned her positive imprint of opening the door for other women to enter male dominated races into another positive imprint. She began a successful writing career, authoring several children’s books that are Alaska’s classics.

“Can Dogs Talk?” and “Secret Messages-Training a Happy Dog” are a couple of her books. The illustrator is Donna Gates. Her other book, “Sled Dog Trails” captures her Alaskan dog team and wilderness experiences.

Mary continues to run the team. She also loves organic gardening. Her roof is a sod roof which insulates her home.

…and another positive imprint is sharing her stories and educating tourists. She invites tourists to visit her dogs and to learn about caring for dog teams. She shares her tales from the trails through her charismatic storytelling.

I lived in the wilderness to really experience what Thoreau was talking about. My adventures began when the conductor held onto my hand as I jogged along and when he thought I had my balance he let go.

Sometimes people go off on these adventures and nobody ever sees them again and I was a perfect candidate for not being seen again.

My friends delivered three dogs to me on the train to help pull the sled for my chores. The dogs arrived with a special note of instructions.

Listen to the podcast to hear what that note said and how Mary began her legacy in dog sled racing.

Listen to the podcast and learn more about Mary’s positive imprints.

What’s Your P.I.?

Subscribe to my podcast at iTunes Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform.

Sign up to receive my email updates. Please leave a positive review after listening to the podcast. Thank you!

photo-flower-mary-348
mary-shields-dog-348
photo-mary-roof-348

Listen to the podcast and learn more about Mary’s positive imprints. What’s Your P.I.?

Please leave a positive review after listening to the podcast. Thank you!

The Iditarod

The Iditarod takes place in March and it is about 1,000 miles long. Visit the website to see maps and learn more about this historical trail. Click the icon below to learn more about the Iditarod.

Joe Redington, Tom Johnson and Gleo Hyuck pushed to organize the Iditarod. Redington had two reasons for the long-distance mushers’ race. The first reason was to save the sled dog culture and the Alaskan Huskies. Both were being replaced with the introduction of the snowmobiles. The second reason was to preserve the historical Iditarod Trail between Seward and Nome.

mary-and-me-348

Please sign up! Podcast email updates!

You can sign up for Your Positive Imprint email updates below. Emails are from me.

Please post positive reviews on iTunes or your favorite Podcast platform!

Please subscribe to this podcast by clicking on the Subscribe button at your favorite podcast platform! Thank you for the support!!

My podcast launch party is being held at Cinnamon Sugar and Spice Cafe located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is owned by Kanella Chronis. This bonus episode features Kanella Chronis, the owner, and also James Garrigan who runs the Cinnamon Sugar and Spice cooking classes held at the cafe.

This podcast is a variety show hosted by Catherine. Guests transform how we live today for a more sustainable tomorrow through education and information. Your own positive actions inspire change. Thank you for listening. What’s YOUR P.I.?

Your positive imprint is transforming how we live today for a more sustainable tomorrow through education and information. YOUR POSITIVE IMPRINT podcast is real life…true stories. People from all over the WORLD share their positive achievements that are influencing positive actions.