Milkweed & Monarchs

Dawn Klem
  • 5.0 (9)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to our podcast Milkweed & Monarchs

  1. Urgency!

    6D AGO

    Urgency!

    There are some stories that sit in two places at once—where your heart aches and softens at the same time. This episode is one of those. It’s a chapter filled with endings and beginnings, with the kind of tenderness that only shows up when life asks you to hold joy in one hand and grief in the other. Today, I’m sharing something that’s both sad and good, heavy and hopeful. It’s a reminder that we don’t get to choose the shape of our seasons, but we do get to choose how gently we move through them. And sometimes, even in the hardest moments, there’s a small light that finds its way in. So take a breath with me. Settle in. This is a story about loss, love, and the quiet beauty that rises when we let ourselves feel all of it. Chapters (00:00:01) - A terminal brain cancer patient's story(00:09:34) - The end of life of a neurosurgeon(00:16:33) - One patient's end-of-life care

    23 min
  2. EP72 - Lighthouses and Tina Turner

    MAR 22

    EP72 - Lighthouses and Tina Turner

    Some stories don’t start with sunshine — they start with rain clouds rolling in over Lake Michigan, muddy shoes, frizzy hair, and a husband with a stubborn streak of optimism. Today’s episode is one of those stories. In this chapter of Milkweed & Monarchs, I’m taking you with Craig and me on a lighthouse adventure up the northern coast — the kind of day that begins as a simple escape from a long winter and slowly unravels into something much more memorable. You’ll hear about tiny lighthouses and towering ones, the history tucked inside their walls, and the way Michigan’s shoreline can surprise even a lifelong New Englander. But the heart of this story isn’t the lighthouses. It’s what happens when you’re soaked to the bone, covered in sand, convinced you look like a disaster… and the person across the table sees Tina Turner instead. This is a story about partnership — the push and pull, the steady and the wild, the moments when someone loves you not despite the mess, but because of it. It’s about finding beauty in the unexpected, humor in the uncomfortable, and grace in the places you least expect it. So settle in. Let’s head north together. Chapters (00:00:01) - The Story of Craig and Michigan(00:03:07) - Camps and Lighthouses in Michigan(00:07:29) - Small Lighthouse Visits in Michigan & Maine(00:13:38) - The Night They Drag Me To Stella's Restaurant(00:19:18) - The Moment I Learned To Love My Hair(00:22:30) - Stella's Lighthouse Dining

    23 min
  3. EP71 - Maine to Michigan

    MAR 7

    EP71 - Maine to Michigan

    Welcome to Episode 71 — which feels impossible, because somehow we’ve arrived at that number one story, one lesson, one wild detour at a time. Today’s episode is one of those stories that didn’t wait its turn or arrive neatly wrapped. It barged in, made itself comfortable, and demanded to be told. And honestly? I’m glad it did. This chapter is messy in the most human way — full of unexpected turns, emotional curveballs, and the kind of hindsight humor that only shows up once the dust has settled. But underneath the chaos is something real: a reminder that life rarely unfolds according to our plans, yet somehow it still manages to hand us exactly what we need to grow. So settle in with me for Episode 71. Let’s step into this story together — the laughter, the lessons, and the little moments of grace tucked between the lines. Chapters (00:00:00) - Deciding to Retire from Maine to Michigan(00:08:59) - I wrote part of the Magnet documentation at Maine Medical Center(00:17:36) - In the Elevator: Shared Leadership(00:27:08) - A few moments in the life support classroom(00:28:56) - The challenges of working in a union hospital

    31 min
  4. EP70 - Faruk

    FEB 22

    EP70 - Faruk

    Some stories arrive gently. This is not one of those stories. Today’s episode is a full‑tilt ride through one of the most chaotic chapters of my life — a time when I was juggling graduate school, managing an oncology unit, navigating the emotional hurricane of IVF, and trying to plan a trip to Wales for a wedding I was genuinely thrilled to attend… until life, hormones, and fate had other plans. What begins as a sweet friendship and an international adventure quickly turns into a saga of canceled flights, disappearing refunds, and one very patient husband who underestimated just how long my fuse would burn before it finally snapped. And when it did? Well… let’s just say a certain travel agent in Texas learned that you do not string along a woman who has just survived IVF and lived to tell the tale. This is a story about disappointment, resilience, and the moment you realize you’re done being polite and ready to get your money back — with interest if necessary. It’s messy, it’s honest, and if you know me at all, you’re probably already laughing. So settle in. This one’s a ride. Chapters (00:00:01) - The Nurses' Wedding in Wales(00:04:18) - One In-Vitro Mother's Attempt To Get Preg(00:09:50) - One woman's experience with in-vitro fertilization(00:16:54) - How To Get Your Wedding Ticket Refunded

    24 min
  5. EP69 - Katahdin

    FEB 7

    EP69 - Katahdin

    Every adventure has a beginning, though it rarely announces itself with fanfare. More often, it starts in the middle of an ordinary day—when a question lingers a little longer than usual, or a small shift inside nudges us toward something new. This story begins in that familiar place, where life is still happening around us, but something in us knows it’s time to pay attention. This isn’t an escape from real life; it’s an extension of it. The kind of adventure that asks us to stay present, to notice what’s right in front of us, and to trust that clarity comes from moving forward, not waiting for perfect conditions. There will be moments of uncertainty, moments of quiet courage, and moments that remind us why we chose to begin at all. So here we are—standing at the edge of what comes next. Not rushing. Not dramatizing. Just taking the first honest step into a journey that’s as real and grounded as the life we’re already living. Chapters (00:00:01) - A Personal Life Lesson(00:08:26) - The Time He Should've Hiked Up The Mountain(00:15:11) - Unbelievable Moose and Baby Moose(00:23:27) - A Moose and His Family

    25 min

  6. JAN 24

    EP68 - Sierra Nevada

    Every adventure begins with a moment—small, almost forgettable—when something inside us whispers that life is about to shift. Sometimes it’s a choice. Sometimes it’s a chance. And sometimes it’s simply the feeling that the ground beneath us is nudging us forward, asking us to trust what we can’t yet see. In today’s episode, I’m inviting you into one of those journeys. It’s a story shaped by curiosity, by the unexpected, and by the quiet bravery it takes to follow a path without knowing where it leads. Along the way, there are detours, discoveries, and the kind of moments that stay with us long after the adventure ends. So settle in. Let’s step into this together—one breath, one mile, one unfolding moment at a time. Chapters (00:00:01) - What I Learned From Camping With My Ex-Husband(00:08:38) - What I Wish I Knew About Backpacking(00:18:32) - Camping at the Grand Canyon(00:20:55) - Backpacking Trips

    28 min
  7. EP67 - Intro to Season 3

    JAN 24

    EP67 - Intro to Season 3

    Looking Ahead: The Future of Milkweed and Monarchs Chapters (00:00:01) - No More Milkweed and Monarchs Podcast

    4 min
  8. EP66 - The Early Days with Our Girls

    JAN 10

    EP66 - The Early Days with Our Girls

    Some stories arrive softly, and others enter our lives like a storm — disorienting, humbling, and transformative all at once. When my daughters first came to the United States, we stepped into a season filled with new language, new routines, and new fears we didn’t yet have words for. Those early days were tender and chaotic, threaded with moments that tested my resolve and revealed just how much courage two young girls carried inside them. In today’s episode, I’m taking you back to those first weeks — to the dentist visits that shook us, the school moments that pushed me into full mama‑bear mode, and the unexpected lessons that taught all three of us what it means to belong to one another. These stories aren’t polished. They’re real, vulnerable, and foundational to who we became as a family. So settle in. This is a chapter about resilience, advocacy, and the quiet beginnings of trust — the early days with our girls. Chapters (00:00:01) - The Journey of Bringing a Daughter to the US(00:08:45) - The Romanian school system's failure to help parents(00:18:12) - An American Parent's role in teaching her daughter to swim

    25 min
See All (73)

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Welcome to our podcast Milkweed & Monarchs

Information

  • Creator
    Dawn Klem
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Milkweed & Monarchs

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