Elizabeth Brown joins us this week for a discussion in our “The World is on Fire What Can I Do?!” series where we reflect on how we are showing up in our world as we know it. She is a dynamic soul who does a little bit of everything (as a mother, an audiologist, an author with one book just published, another on its way, and a third in process at her desk, and a flower farmer) with a refreshing humility, groundedness, and a buoyancy of spirit. Drawing from her upbringing in York, Maine that she lovingly refers to as alternative and wild, Elizabeth takes us on a beautiful journey through the dark time of pandemic where she threw herself full into political movements and suddenly lost a father. This used up all of her resources and quite literally forced her outside into her back yard, in the soil to make something honest from scratch. What blossomed from this experience was—still is!!—full of healing and hope. Tending her own garden rippled out infinitely— reaching Elizabeth, her family, her patients, and her community in ways she had tried so hard to do before but never found. Over and over in these conversations, we are hearing that the greatest change begins with what you already have. Let’s let Elizabeth describe this to you in her own words through this promising conversation. If you want to learn more about Elizabeth’s work, check out Foxglove Farmhouse and look for her amazing first book The Beginner’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Nourish, and Create Bliss Year-Round at your favorite book seller. Show Notes If you want to start playing with the garden metaphor as an entry into finding your own authentic role in movement, check out the list that dear friend of the podcast, Ashley O’Brion created. We view this as a starting point for understand, a first draft, not a rigid framework that’s universal. Send us a message or comment if this resonates or you have anything to add/alter. We would love to hear from you! 🌱 The Gardener (Seed Planter) * Imagines new ways of being * Starts experiments, pilot projects, cultural shifts * Often misunderstood early on Strengths: Vision, hope, imagination Watch-outs: Burnout, being ahead of the moment ⸻ 🍂 The Composter (Transformer) Sits with the hard, messy work of breakdown. * Names harm, grief, and failure * Breaks down old systems, stories, and power structures * Holds truth without rushing to “solutions” Strengths: Depth, honesty, healing Watch-outs: Getting stuck in despair or endless critique ⸻ 🌿 The Tender (Caretaker) Keeps things alive day-to-day. * Nurtures people, projects, and morale * Checks on burnout, builds trust, offers care * Makes movements sustainable Strengths: Empathy, consistency, relational intelligence Watch-outs: Over-giving, invisibility, martyrdom ⸻ 🌾 The Cultivator (Systems Builder) Turns ideas into something that can last. * Builds structures, workflows, and processes * Connects people, resources, and timelines * Helps movements scale without losing their soul Strengths: Practical magic, follow-through Watch-outs: Rigidity, becoming more system than human ⸻ 🐝 The Pollinator (Connector / Messenger) Carries ideas between communities. * Translates language across groups * Spreads inspiration, stories, and tools * Helps movements cross-pollinate Strengths: Communication, charisma, bridge-building Watch-outs: Overextension, dilution of message ⸻ 🌳 The Canopy (Protector / Elder) Provides shelter and long view. * Shields vulnerable folks from harm * Holds memory, context, and lineage * Knows when to slow things down Strengths: Wisdom, protection, stability Watch-outs: Gatekeeping, resistance to change ⸻ 🪵 The Mulch Layer (Rest & Recovery Holder) Often overlooked but crucial. * Creates conditions for rest, integration, and pause * Holds space for grief, joy, and celebration * Marks endings and transitions Strengths: Rhythm, attunement, nervous-system care Watch-outs: Being undervalued or sidelined ⸻ 🌧️ The Weather Watcher (Strategist) Reads the larger conditions. * Tracks political, cultural, and economic shifts * Helps movements time their actions * Knows when to plant, wait, or retreat Strengths: Foresight, adaptability Watch-outs: Analysis paralysis, emotional distance ⸻ 🪨 The Mycelium (Invisible Networker) Not flashy, deeply powerful. * Builds trust quietly behind the scenes * Shares resources, information, and support * Connects struggles across distance and difference Strengths: Resilience, interdependence Watch-outs: Being unseen, taken for granted Episode Transcript Christina: Okay, so we just went for a off leash, frozen pond jaunt with Palo, and he completely ran away and started hunting this deer that was in the woods. And we didn’t see him for a long time, and Lucy was like, “oh no, we’re never gonna have a dog again”. And she literally was in the snow. I sat down next to her and she was like, are you worried? And I was like, no, I think you’ll come back. And she literally looked up at the sky and said, “God, please bring my dog back”. And she started talking to God. And you know, we don’t go to church. I’m not, not talking openly about God. If she has questions, I answer in my honest way, but like, she’s so connected. And um, and then. She asked him like what to do and God gave her an answer. And basically she, she like told me what the answer was and it was basically just like, don’t worry, your dog’s gonna come back. Just let him be in the woods for a while and like he will come back to you. You don’t have to worry. I am with you. So she just said that out loud. She’s like, oh, there’s my answer actually. And I said. Um, I was like, wow, that’s really cool. I don’t think we have to worry either. And she said, yeah, I usually ask an answer and then I get an, or I ask a question and I get an answer in my heart. And so I just kind of let it go. And then Palo literally came back as soon as she got her answer and told me out loud. And then, um, then on the way back I said, Hey. Um, where did you learn to talk to God like that? And she was like, oh, I just knew how to do it. I just decided to try one day. And so I asked a question and I immediately heard an answer. I asked a question in my head, and the answer came into my heart and. Um, she kept referring to God as he, and I said, how do you know God is a he? And she was like, well that’s, you know what? I guess you’re right. I guess it could. I think there are two. I think there’s a she and a he. And um, so, you know, when Mimi died, she went back up and became a she ‘cause the, she was Mimi. And I was like, okay. And then, um. And then I said, okay, so like, no one ever taught you how to do that. And she said, no, I just, it’s just something that I knew how to do. And I just, I, I only get a response when I ask a question. So she’s like, mom, you should try it. And I was like, I do, I do get an answer in my heart when I ask a question. I just never told you about that, so I didn’t know. That you knew? And she said, yeah. And she said, well, how many countries are there? And I was like, I don’t know. There are lots of countries. Well, there’s one God per country, and they’re in a line. And when someone in that country asks a question, the God that is for their country gets to the front of the line and all the gods are really close, and then they all go back together again. And she was just speaking super, super openly about it and then was just like, yeah. Anyway, when we get home, you should totally try it. ‘cause I bet that my God and your God are very similar. ‘cause families probably have the same one. Becky: Welcome to Noticing: A Podcast About Nothing And Everything At The Same Time. This week, we are continuing our series: “The World is On Fire. What can I Do?” And we’re speaking with mother, audiologist, author, flower farmer, and refreshingly humble and grounded human, elizabeth Brown. In this conversation we talk about Elizabeth’s journey through the pandemic where she threw herself into political movements and suddenly lost a father. Finding herself depleted of all of her resources, Elizabeth turned to the soil in her backyard to make something honest from scratch. And what blossomed is full of healing and hope. I hope you enjoy. Um, before we start, Elizabeth. Mm-hmm. My wife Tarra told me to tell you that she’s loving your book. Oh, yay. I haven’t even gotten to read it yet ‘cause she’s, she’s hoarding it. Elizabeth: Oh, I’m so glad to hear that. You know, um, when I get those little messages, it means so much that it’s made me realize I need to do the same for other authors who have been meaningful to me because it’s super, I mean, you guys know, putting out your work to the public, it’s so vulnerable. Becky: Yeah. Elizabeth: Like it’s, it’s intense. You’re sharing this big portion of yourself and as much as you can be like, this is fine. No ego, I’m putting it out there. It is what it is. When someone comes back and says it resonates for them, it’s like, oh, thank goodness. Yeah, Christina: totally. And that’s not even the original reason why you necessarily make the thing so that you get this pat on the back. But it’s really beautiful realizing. Mm-hmm. That it ripples out. It’s the same with feedback we get about this podcast actually. Elizabeth: Yeah. Yeah. I think that’s it. That it’s like, um, you put something out in the world that’s doing good and having an impact, that feels good. Becky: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yep. So, Christina, for today, I thought since, um, you know, we started this podcast introducing each other. What if you introduce Elizabeth. Christina: Oh my, Becky: I didn’t prep her. Christina: You always like, seriously, you just like drop these Becky: because I know you can handle it. Christina: Oh Elizabeth: my God. Do you want a little cv I can whisper into your ear.
