Category Archives: the land

A persistent La Niña leads to a long stretch of dryness

This year national weather and climate forecasters said they saw a La Niña condition developing in the Pacific, and promised dryness, as they did last year. This year, for virtually all of California, and much of the nation as well, they've been right. Here's the drought forecast, in a graphic from NOAA [National Oceanographic and AtmosphericContinue reading “A persistent La Niña leads to a long stretch of dryness”

What really happened to the developer: Chekhov

The New Yorker's great theater critic, John Lahr, hasn't been writing enough. Then on Dec. 12 the magazine doesn't put the compressed grace of his review of Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" on line, and further goes on in the truncated "abstract" it does post to mangle Lahr's dramatic wisdom. It's criminal! But no matter —Continue reading “What really happened to the developer: Chekhov”

What we have over-run and on which we rely

Here's a lovely profile of a poet new to me, Kim Stafford, from High Country News' Uncommon Westerners features series.  The writer finds Stafford in a coffee shop in Portland. Nearby, writes Tara Rae Miner, is "a strip of untamed land, bounded by busy roads in a dense, urban landscape. It is not a park,Continue reading “What we have over-run and on which we rely”

Birds, otters and whales: a week in the SoCal Bight

Had a busy week last week covering the ocean (by chance) for the Ventura County Star, I'm happy to say. On otters: fishermen not happy with prospect of being regulated by endangered species laws. On whales: CA air regulations may have saved whales from collisions with ships, but that could end.  On birds: On theContinue reading “Birds, otters and whales: a week in the SoCal Bight”

Edward Abbey encounters Los Angeles

Sort of. In his classic Desert Solitaire, Abbey recounts going to Southern California with some friends from the University of New Mexico. On the way they stopped to roll an old tire into the Grand Canyon. While so engaged, Abbey happened to hear a ranger describe a little-known branch off the main canyon called Havasu.Continue reading “Edward Abbey encounters Los Angeles”

Starbucks reaches out to backpackers with VIA

Well, not exactly. Probably the giant corporation is thinking mostly of harrassed and weary office workers with nothing but a microwave to their name, when they launched their new line of instant powdered coffees. Nonetheless, on a recent backpack trip with the family, looking for a coffee to take backpacking that wouldn't be hideous andContinue reading “Starbucks reaches out to backpackers with VIA”

Best time to hike in the Sierra

For the underemployed — now. Right after Labor Day. The kids have gone back to school, the Austrians have gone home, the drones have returned to their cubicles — the trails are yours, if you so choose.  Here's a new loop I'm checking out, starting Tuesday, featuring Deadman's Canyon, which I have heard from reliableContinue reading “Best time to hike in the Sierra”

Nakedness and freedom, by a playwright and a poet

Before he became a famous writer, while living at home and working a menial job under the thumb of his cruel father, Tennessee Williams dreamed of freedom. He wrote:  Now I’m back “home”. Which isn’t quite true. The world is my home. That is what I’ve just found out… but just the same I’ve gotContinue reading “Nakedness and freedom, by a playwright and a poet”

Jeff Masters: Irene on track to hit New York City

Dr. Jeff Masters: Irene is forecast to move to the northwest, passing over the northwest Bahamas by Thursday evening, then curving to the northeast. Irene then makes landfall in the US near or at the Outer Banks Saturday afternoon, then traveling along the mid-Atlantic coastline of the US. Sunday, Irene may make secondary landfall anywhereContinue reading “Jeff Masters: Irene on track to hit New York City”