The natural world, life, and dogs.
At daybreak this morning the temperature is nine degrees Fahrenheit. Fog - common most mornings from autumn through spring - drapes the pastures on the valley floor, hiding roads, homes, trees, fences, and cattle under a fluffy light gray blanket. Fog lingering on the valley floor. Some days I watch the fog creep slowly up… Continue reading Frost: Nature’s Flocking
A drop in temperature, into the zone well below freezing, brought frost, highlighting bits of the natural world that would otherwise remain obscure. Spider webs. I started this recent morning walk with my dogs thinking my phone camera would remain in my pocket, that there wouldn't be anything new or interesting to photograph. I was… Continue reading Webs
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
Winter is slowly easing toward spring in my valley. The red-winged blackbirds have returned, early harbingers of changing seasons. I heard Canada geese honking as they flew above the forest yesterday. Soon the sandhill cranes will arrive. The snow, while still thick on the ground, is ever-so-slowly melting, reducing, disappearing. I always miss the snow… Continue reading Fences VI
February is my favorite winter month in these mountains. Fresh snow carpets the landscape, making everything clean and bright. The skies clear and temperatures drop, often below zero at night before rising along with the sun through the day. Stars blanket the night sky, easily seen, so close it seems you can reach up and… Continue reading Fences V
A bit at a loss for words lately. As a placeholder, here are more fences and gates, in winter. A short break in a series of recent snow storms leaving 2.5 feet of new snow on the ground. The birds have flown south for the winter. January 11, 2020. Because of snow, many gates are… Continue reading Fences IV
Late December in Idaho's Salmon River Mountains means snow, some years more than others. This year, so far, is a little below average, although I'm not sure there is such a thing as "average" anymore. With climate change, I've noticed that the snow arrives later in the fall - December rather than November - and… Continue reading Fences III
As I warned in my recent post Fences, I have tons of photos of rural fences and gates, most taken while walking my dogs in the valley. Since it's 2F this morning, rather than venture outside, here's a group of photos from last year, December 21-25, 2018. Except the last two photos, which I just… Continue reading Fences II
I don't run every day. Usually my dogs and I run a couple of days in a row, then take a day off. Rarely I'll run three days in a row but leaving Finn home one of those days, which breaks my heart, seeing his sad eyes as Conall and I head out without him.… Continue reading Always Something to See
Wild Sensibility 