Plankton are abundant here. “It smells very biological,” said one man I met in the sparsely filled parking lot. One area in particular did smell like the brew of a million creatures. The South Slough Reserve is so understated, I think it goes unnoticed by the crowds. It was America’s first estuarine research reserve, established… Continue reading transformation betwixt land and sea
Category: environment
Lichen sanctuary
Some of my best ideas start out as jokes. Such as, the lichen sanctuary. The lichen sanctuary would rescue wayward lichen. There would be ample space to relocate displaced lichen. This place would be a safety net for lichen that has been pushed out of its habitat, fallen out of a tree, and unable to… Continue reading Lichen sanctuary
Notes from January
We gathered on my living room floor near the flickering stove to start our group meditation. The orange tabby loitered in front of me. The small dog jumped in her round bed, 2 feet away. “So, tell me what brings you here to meditate? “ The cat started to chase a bug. The dog stared… Continue reading Notes from January
Comfrey
Once comfrey puts down roots, it’s there to stay. It’s an invasive healer, my term. You see a lot of this plant in the Willamette valley. It prefers to grow in damp fields; meadows and ditches; and along the banks of streams and ponds. Symphytum officinalis is known commonly as comfrey. Comfrey is from… Continue reading Comfrey
Walk slowly and look closely
Dave could read coyote scat like tea leaves. “See this hair? That’s nutria.” Others contained grain, a mouse, grass. “That’s a thigh bone,” he pointed down to the ground to what looked like a mess inside of a mess. We saw no possums but were told that no one enjoys eating them, not even vultures.… Continue reading Walk slowly and look closely
A walk through backwater sloughs in a riparian forest
It’s like the place where Winnie the Pooh lives. It’s not the grounds to prove physical accomplishments, victories, or achievements. About 11 miles south of Corvallis, off Peoria road, Snag Boat Bend is a simple walk in a quiet place. It offers grass, blackberries, willows, water, leaves and trees. There is a bog. Beavers live… Continue reading A walk through backwater sloughs in a riparian forest