Here in the central mountains of Idaho, Sandhill cranes are a regular feature. In spring and fall large flocks travel through on their migrations, but a few stay for the summer.
Sandhill Cranes
Boldly Bouldering
I have a dog who delights in bouldering. Oxford Dictionary: bouldering (noun) - climbing on large boulders, either for practice or as a sport in its own right. I noticed Conall’s affinity for climbing downed trees and boulders soon after bringing him home as a puppy. I chose Conall and his breeder when she shared… Continue reading Boldly Bouldering
Uninvited House Guests
This afternoon I find a cricket on the floor in my kitchen. I retrieve the glass and folded magazine page I keep handy on the dining table for removing the occasional bee or stink bug that finds a way inside. I’m allergic to bees, and my dogs hate them, so much so that they come… Continue reading Uninvited House Guests
Beggar’s Lice
Prepare to follow me down a naturalist’s rabbit hole. Not long after moving to Idaho’s mountains in 2005, I became acquainted with an odd burr that kept attaching to my shoes and socks and to the coats of my two Malamutes when we explored the forest. Local friends told me they were called beggar’s lice.… Continue reading Beggar’s Lice
Life Skills: Dealing with the Unexpected
The plan, starting out, was to run what I call the grand loop, going up one side of the mountain to the summit, dropping off the back side to cruise a sweet three mile stretch of brand-new trail to the other side, then meandering one of two ways back down to the start. Eleven-ish miles… Continue reading Life Skills: Dealing with the Unexpected
Bird Encounters, Part II – July 3-4, 2018
I’m in the yard with the dogs, moving a sprinkler and shoveling dog shit over the fence into the field, typical evening chores. Suddenly both boys rush toward the fence at the edge of the yard near the front door, noses to the ground, pouncing. Conall pulls back with that look on his face I’ve… Continue reading Bird Encounters, Part II – July 3-4, 2018
Bird Encounters, Part I – July 11, 2016
After a weekend of rain and storms, the summer sun returns and I’m enjoying a glass of wine on the deck. Toward sunset, as the boys gnaw on bones in the yard, there's a scuffle between the tree swallows nesting in the box on the fence and a larger bird. Shielding my eyes against the… Continue reading Bird Encounters, Part I – July 11, 2016
Stephen King Deer
“It’s opener there in the wide, open air.” ~Dr. Seuss July 11, 2016 was an odd and oddly fantastic day for wildlife encounters. The boys and I find fresh snow awaiting us as we start our run on Brundage mountain. Not just a dusting of hail that hasn't melted yet, but snow. Slippery and slushy,… Continue reading Stephen King Deer
An Old Man and His Dog
The old man walks every day, averaging five or more miles, every season, except when the weather is really bad. He doesn’t walk in the rain. The old man walks in winter of 2017-18, faithful dog at his heels. A little dog – a mini-Aussie – is his steadfast companion. She stays at his heels.… Continue reading An Old Man and His Dog
Bored? Hardly.
I spend a lot of time in the forest with just my dogs for companionship. We're out there most mornings, all seasons, for at least an hour, sometimes up to three hours. It's how we begin each day. Sometimes a human friend joins us, but that's rare. A true introvert, I enjoy my solitude and… Continue reading Bored? Hardly.
Wild Sensibility 