A funny thing about climate change: contrary to popular opinion, individuals can make a difference, here and there, for other people and other species. Example? The Monarch Butterly. Ask the experts at Monarch Watch, the leading conservation group devoted to this iconic species: In California, Monarchs aggregate in more than 25 roosting sites along theContinue reading “What we can do about climate change: the Monarch”
Category Archives: love poems to the world
At such times I knew I was worthy of myself: Jung
From C.J. Jung's "Memories, Dreams, Reflections," chapter two ("School Years"):
Nothing could persuade me that "in the image of God" applied only to man. In fact it seemed to me that the high mountains, the rivers, lakes, trees, flowers, and animals far better exemplified the essence of God than men with their ridiculous clothes, their meanness, vanity, mendacity, and abhorrent egotism — all qualities with which I was only too familiar from myself, that is, from personality No. 1, the schoolboy of 1890. Besides his world there existed another realm, like a temple in which anyone who entered was transformed and suddenly overpowered by a vision of the whole cosmos, so that he could only marvel and admire, forgetful of himself.
The lightly connected blossoms of spring: Kay Ryan
This one from the wondrously succinct Kay Ryan speaks to me of spring: "So Different," Kay Ryan A tree is lightly connected to its blossoms. For a tree it is a pleasant sensation to be stripped of what’s white and winsome. If a big wind comes, any nascent interest in fruit scatters. This is so different fromContinue reading “The lightly connected blossoms of spring: Kay Ryan”
What it looks like when a big atmospheric river hits CA
When an atmospheric river reaches California it's often a beautiful sight, especially in an infrared image drawm from NASA's AIRS satellite, explored in depth in this backgrounder from the Sacramento Bee: The exciting part is that — according to Duane Waliser, a lead scientist at the NASA-backed Jet Propulsion Lab — five-day forecasts of these "PineappleContinue reading “What it looks like when a big atmospheric river hits CA”
Sexy “rock art” in the Sespe wilderness: 2013
While I'm working up a post on "invasion biology," the monstering of tamarisk, and what it means for us to care for our local wilderness in the 21st century, I cannot resist posting this daring "rock art" photographed just this week in the Sespe Wilderness…. I wonder who the anonymous rock artist is — IContinue reading “Sexy “rock art” in the Sespe wilderness: 2013″
How to miss San Francisco and the Bay Area
See a picture like this: via Google Earth Pics.
“The Wild Effect” — will it ruin the PCT?
From a thoughtful Times story about the Pacific Crest Trail, and what Wild and Reese Witherspoon will mean for its future: The Wild Effect may be just beginning. More readers are finding the book, which appeared in paperback in March. And a film adaptation of “Wild” starring Reese Witherspoon, being filmed now in Oregon, promisesContinue reading ““The Wild Effect” — will it ruin the PCT?”
Muirtweets: Like a wind full of thistledown
A year or two ago I launched a Twitter stream devoted to the thoughts of a hero of mine, John Muir, believing that no one better inspires a person to explore nature. To be honest, found myself overwhelmed by life and dropped that thread for a while, only to pick up my current edition ofContinue reading “Muirtweets: Like a wind full of thistledown”
Are these clouds for me? (Sharman Russell)
This may be the most touching prose I've ever seen on Facebook, and of all subjects, it's about the natural world! An act of generosity from a pure writer who has published many books, including a recently wonderful one on Pantheism. But if you look, you'll see it's more than that: Where an arroyo meetsContinue reading “Are these clouds for me? (Sharman Russell)”
Hailstones like lemon drops: Strange summer on the PCT
Mostly it's been dry, dry, dry this year in Southern California, but a week ago Monday, as I was on the Pacific Crest Trail in the Big Bear section, big old clouds came in and hung over the moon: Then Tuesday afternoon, heading over a ridge near Doble Springs, down came the hail. Biggest hailContinue reading “Hailstones like lemon drops: Strange summer on the PCT”
Kit Stolz 