It's Earthy Thursday, full of stories that emphasize our connection with Mama Gaia. We've got a giant volcano stirring, tiny altars, drawing strength from Nature, cleaning up after gatherings, fossilized forest fires, and indigenous farmers meeting to plan for climate change. Have a great Thursday!

What's an Earthy Thursday without a report of a huge volcano in Iceland threatening to erupt? Well, if you haven't heard of (Anglicized spelling) Bardarbunga yet, check out the story here. (Includes two great slideshows of previous Icelandic eruptions.)

Why we should have little altars everywhere. (Hint, its to connect with both inner peace and Mother Earth.)

Tara Masery Miller writes about how she draws strength for her daily life by connecting with Nature.

A short report on the 2014 Rainbow Gathering reports that after the 8000-person event concluded, the site was completely tidied up by the gathering's volunteer clean-up crew. Well done!

Forest fires are in the news this summer, but they aren't new. A 210-million-year-old piece of wood contains the first fossilized fire scar ever discovered.

This photo essay in YES! magazine profiles the indigenous farmers who  recently gathered for a week in Peru's Cusco region to discuss climate change, its effects on their ancestral farmlands, and ways that they could work together to improve the resiliency of their agriculture.