Category: Ecology

Arizona Memories Redux

Bridge over the little Colorado. I was looking back at the weeks we spent in Arizona and remembering the sky ... that huge blue dome of a sky, like no sky I've ever seen, and wishing we could go back again to the west. There are few places I've been that I really want to … Continue reading Arizona Memories Redux

WHAT’S A WATERSHED?

It's a good question because, unless you live in or near one, the expression doesn't mean much except "Hey, there's a lot of water around here!" Obviously, that's true, but there's a bit more to it than that. This is my valley As you can see, it's not just one river or lake. It's a … Continue reading WHAT’S A WATERSHED?

Golden Sunrise

Ogunquit beach, very early. Marilyn Armstrong originally posted this picture on February 4, 2013.

AN OPEN LETTER TO HUMANITY FROM PLANET EARTH, A LOOK BACK – BY TOM CURLEY

I noticed that Earth Day was a few days ago. It reminded me of a letter I got in 2019. It is unusual for two reasons. One, it was an actual letter, not an email, and two, it was sent to me from the planet Earth.  Yeah, that Earth. The one we all live on.  … Continue reading AN OPEN LETTER TO HUMANITY FROM PLANET EARTH, A LOOK BACK – BY TOM CURLEY

Serendipity – The Swans Are Back

So today, I took serendipitous photographs of swans on an unnamed pond on the road whose name I don't know. The road runs between Uxbridge, through Northbridge and Whitinsville, past the old mill and the High School, through Webster. I've never taken it to its end, which may be somewhere in Connecticut. Along the way, there … Continue reading Serendipity – The Swans Are Back

SKETCHBOOK 12 – MORE BIRDS

Encouraged by your encouragement, I did a few more birds, including a pair of Cardinals. They aren't as fat this year, probably because they have to compete with a giant flock of starving Grackles. I don't know if the Grackles are really starving, but they act like they haven't eaten in years. They act like … Continue reading SKETCHBOOK 12 – MORE BIRDS

HATRED LURKS

Married as I am to a Brown Man, potential threats are always near. When we went to New Orleans for my 50th birthday, I had to call the hotel and ask if our mixed races would be a problem. I told her to please be honest. I wanted a vacation, not an "incident." She finally … Continue reading HATRED LURKS

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS

Birds of the Week Invitation CII These are not birds everyone can see in their backyard and are becoming scarce as are so many others. We are lucky. A few pairs nest nearby. I'm sure it is because we try to be sure there is always food available. These days, I also try to keep water … Continue reading ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS

WATER BELONGS TO EVERYONE

THIS WATER BELONGS TO YOU AND ME -- AND EVERYONE ELSE! This seemed a good time to rerun this message: no matter where you get your water, whether it is from a well or "city water" -- all the water belongs to everyone. Your well is on your land, but it pipes underground water that … Continue reading WATER BELONGS TO EVERYONE

HOLA IN A WORLD GONE TO THE DOGS

Welcome to HOLA, the Hominid Overview of Lost Arts. The horrors of the late 21st century were -- as we all know -- the root of the collapse of hominids as Earth's dominant species. It is a cautionary tale for every species -- two, four, six, or eight-legged. Insults to Earth had accumulated over many … Continue reading HOLA IN A WORLD GONE TO THE DOGS