Environment
‘Tis the Season
‘Tis the season of light, warmth and cheer! One festive tradition during these dark days of winter is the simple kiss under the mistletoe. This tradition originated in Europe with the Norse tale of the death of Baldur, the God of innocence and light by an arrow made of mistletoe. His mother Frigga’s tears restored…
Read MoreDip! Wade! Swim!
The water ouzel was my father’s favorite bird. Sometimes I think it was his favorite because he liked to say “water ouzel.” Try it, it’s fun! There are five water ouzel varieties throughout the world, and our local ouzel is the American dipper. (Not as much fun to say.) The American dipper is roughly robin-sized…
Read MoreRiver Dreams
Along the lazy, tranquil, rushing, surging river,Dense hatches of gnats and mayfliesBriefly cloud the banks and darken the skies.For feeding fish, they’re a life giver. Below the rippled surface, rocks lurk near.They never move, yet break the flowOf dividing currents, some fast some slow,The river tells me, place the oars here. Logjams and sweepers, hazards…
Read MoreSlowing Down
I’ll admit it: I’m slowing down a bit. I’m well past my youth – so far past it, in fact, that I’m knocking on the door of my 60’s. I occasionally experience some angst when I look in the mirror and struggle to match the middle-aged fellow looking back at me with the image of…
Read MoreFriendship on the River
Late last June, I embarked on a midday trip with some friends on our glorious Snake River. The river was flowing fast due to the ongoing effects of the late spring runoff. Jn just the first 4 miles of the trip, we had seen Bald Eagles, Mule Deer, Red-tail Hawks, Mergansers, Ravens, Geese, and some…
Read MoreRandom patterns
I love the return of spring and its random patterns and awakenings. In spring, the days warm slightly – and then snow slightly – and then warm slightly, but despite the season’s see-sawing nature, we start to see the return of the flowers, insects, and animals that have been missing or were merely occupied with…
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