The natural world, life, and dogs.
My second summer here in Idaho, in 2006, I bought some wildflower seed meant for mountain climates and tossed it out along my driveway. I didn’t know what to expect. I hoped for the best, especially since it was ridiculously expensive and I was living on borrowed funds. I was disappointed. That first summer very… Continue reading Flax: A Mix of Beauty and History
One afternoon last March, one of those early “false spring” days when the sun warms the air up to the low 60s F while there’s still snow on the ground, I hauled the deck furniture out of the garage. Several days of unseasonable warmth had already melted the snow off the deck, so why not?… Continue reading Bumbling Bumble Bees
Whenever I stop to photograph wildflowers, trees, streams, cairns or vistas in the forest, my dogs patiently wait nearby, following their noses, until I'm ready to continue our run or hike. They often end up unexpectedly in the frame of my photo in classic photobombing style. This third installment of dog photobombs carries the sub-theme:… Continue reading Dog Photobombs III
Friday May 8th was a gorgeous spring morning in Idaho's mountains: clear skies; brisk temperatures hovering around freezing; early sun rising above the eastern horizon, breaking through the branches of the tall forest trees. My dog Conall and I were exploring single-track dirt trails that are finally emerging from their long snow-covered winter sleep. A… Continue reading Tuck and Roll (and More Wildflowers)
When you live in the mountains - elevation 4,000-5,000 feet - "spring" is a flexible term. Spring can arrive in early March, for a few days anyway. It will be sunny and warm (in the 50s!), migrating birds start arriving with their beautiful songs, and one willingly - hopefully - believes spring has arrived. It… Continue reading Wildflowers in (Frosty) Early May
The vast majority of my nature photos are taken in the nearby national forest during runs and hikes with my dogs. I simply stop and photograph whatever catches my eye on a given day. Wildflowers are favorites, as are streams, foliage, frost, cairns, and sunlight through trees. I love taking photos of my dogs on… Continue reading Dog Photobombs
Nature is in a dramatic mood lately! Can't say that I blame her. Sometimes you just have to let those feelings out. Here's one of several minute-long videos I took of a lightning and thunder storm that hovered overhead for quite a while last night. It started just before sunset and featured both sheet and… Continue reading More Wildflowers and Wild Weather
In a 24-hour period over April 27-28 the weather gods overseeing Idaho's central mountains served up a smorgasbord of offerings for our enjoyment. Rain, sun, wind, thunder and lightning, and after the storm passed and the clouds parted, a stunning sunset ushering in clear skies and night stars followed by a new day of birdsong… Continue reading Wildflowers and Weather
I’m watching my valley go from the white of winter’s snow to the vibrant green of spring. It's amazing how quickly the transition happens. I'm grateful – this year, every year – to be a witness. A Little Madness in the Spring, by Emily Dickinson A little Madness in the Spring Is wholesome even for… Continue reading Nature’s Spring Greening – Quotes and Photos
I was born and raised in a suburb of Seattle, where the climate is "temperate." That's a kind way of saying it rains (or drizzles) a lot and the temperature variation throughout the seasons is small. It rarely falls below freezing or rises above 90F. It's cloudy most of the time, even when it isn't… Continue reading Signs of Spring in the Mountains
Wild Sensibility 