The natural world, life, and dogs.
If you spend time in the outdoors, eventually something will go wrong. It's a law of nature. But if you survive, those epic failures become the best stories! We’ve all read about amazing accomplishments in the wild, but now it’s time to tell us about the not-so-great times and what you learned from them. Share… Continue reading Epic Trail Fail #4: Guide Dog
Going through life, minding your own business, you don’t always know why something pulls you, calls to you, why you feel compelled to keep pursuing it. You find it impossible to articulate the whyfor. You just know, deep in your bones, that you feel better, healed even, when you do it, heeding the call. For… Continue reading Awe in Nature
I've written about the fact that the period between my birthday on December 18th through Christmas is not my favorite time of year. Soon I'll have more to offer on the topic of family. I wish I could say it will be happy stuff. So tonight - Christmas Eve - I reflect on my families… Continue reading Choosing Family
Take it from someone who knows: it sucks to have a mid-to-late December birthday. Mine happens to fall exactly one week before Christmas. Three days before Winter Solstice, the shortest, darkest day of the year. Like many with birthdays so close to Christmas, I grew up hearing, “We got you something really special, so we’re… Continue reading December Birthdays
If you spend time in the outdoors, eventually something will go wrong. It's a law of nature. But if you survive, those epic failures become the best stories! We’ve all read about amazing accomplishments in the wild, but now it’s time to tell us about the not-so-great times and what you learned from them. Share… Continue reading Epic Trail Fail #2: Peterson Ridge Rumble
If you spend time in the outdoors, eventually something will go wrong. It's a law of nature. But if you survive, those epic failures become the best stories! We’ve all read about amazing accomplishments in the wild, but now it’s time to tell us about the not-so-great times and what you learned from them. Share… Continue reading Epic Trail Fail: The Grand Canyon
Recently I’ve been scheming with fellow blogger Arionis of Just a Small Cog about sharing stories of things going wrong out on the trails, whether hiking or running or whatever activity one enjoys (could also be biking, walking, kayaking, climbing, skiing). I had enjoyed reading one of Ari’s posts about a long-distance hike on the… Continue reading Trail Fails – Minor and Epic
A reader commenting on my earlier post about the four phrases that make for civil society noted that giving someone who has been rude a dose of their own medicine is rarely effective, that leading by example is the better course. I completely agree. In responding to her comment I was reminded of something that… Continue reading Saying I’m Sorry: A Memorable Example
Such simple words and phrases. They are grease for the skids of social interaction and civility. So why is it hard for some people to use them? Or am I just being a crank? Maybe I am. Let me vent a bit. I live next to a national forest. I take interest in what happens… Continue reading Please, Thank You, You’re Welcome and I’m Sorry
A few days ago, my friend Dawn R, who was my next door neighbor for part of the two years I spent living in rural central Washington in the mid-80s, wanted to verify my mailing address. She wrote, "Found something that made me think of you." I do love surprises. Today I picked up the… Continue reading Am I That Obvious?
Wild Sensibility 