OUT IN NATURE

New Age Naturalist

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."

Henry David Thoreau

WEB THREADS

Was out roaming a natural habitat area on this past Christmas day with my camera and my son. He also had his camera and we parted ways when we arrived. He was headed toward a large wetland area to take photos while I just wanted to roam haphazardly to find photos to take. We both ended up at our meeting place after about four hours. Just as he was wrapping up his photo session he dropped his camera accidentally and broke his view finder. Now he has to deal with a minor repair which usually is not so minor when you see the price quote from the camera repair company. But aside from that unfortunate incident he felt lucky that his lens did not break. 

Above is one of the photos I captured that day. The thread between the pickets were web threads made by some spider. The threads marched from picket to picket for at least twenty feet. 

The web threads reminded me of a William Stafford poem I found in a book titled  Nature and the Human Soul, by Bill Plotkin. I have borrowed it placing it below.



The Way It Is

There’s a thread you follow. It goes among


things that change. But it doesn’t change.


People wonder about what you are pursuing.


You have to explain about the thread.


But it is hard for others to see.


While you hold it you can’t get lost.


Tragedies happen; people get hurt


or die; and you suffer and get old.


Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.


You don’t ever let go of the thread.

NATURE IN A PARKING LOT

Walking through a wet Fred Meyer's parking lot today I spotted these long brown scaly leaves belonging to a Coastal Redwood. They are rather unique in shape and grow in Redwood canopies (the upper leaves of the Redwood).  

We had a very windy day yesterday and these leaves were blown out of their trees to do their duty for nature.

Immediately, I thought what purpose can fallen leaves have in a parking lot. Leaves in all their shapes and colors certainly have a reason for falling to the ground. They serve as homes for insects and other small critters plus they add mulch and fertilize the soil -- plus more. 

Why do we need so many parking lots all paved over with non-porous materials?  Not only are we erecting more buildings but then we surround these buildings with huge parking lots.

From Joni Mitchell lyrics, "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot."  I will now bow out and let Joni's words tell the story I am trying to tell. Here is her two minute song on Your Tube -----

ESCAPE TO NATURE

Yesterday, my son and I decided it was time to escape from the city. I raised my kids to appreciate nature and to hang out with it as much as possible. They spent part of their childhood years around the lakes and woods of northern Michigan.

Lost Lake near Hood River, Oregon was our destination, about two hours northeast of Portland, Oregon. A fantastically beautiful place where we used a canoe to paddle around its perimeter. My arms are sore today from three and a half hours of paddling. We did make a few stops along the shore to sit and observe nature. Above is what the shore lines were like -- stony and full of bleached tree roots as well as gigantic trees with water so clear you could see the bottom. I only fell in once while trying to exit the canoe to the shoreline. Oh well, it was a warm day and my clothes and tennis shoes dried quickly.

As we rounded one of the many curves -- we got a wonderful surprise. A great close-up look of Mount Hood. 

Few folks were out on the lake and at one section, as the above photo shows, there were no folks at all. So quiet, with soft fragrant breezes blowing from the many fir trees. Lots of dragonflies along with butterflies checked us out at shore stops. It was a fine day to enjoy nature.

KENTUCKY TO WASHINGTON -- ADJUSTING MY PERCEPTIONS

Here is my new abode for now -- an apartment in a fairly new apartment complex. I do like it as it contains lots of trees, shrubs and other natural plantings. I took this photo from my bedroom window.

Since this area is all rather newly built I feel my search for old traditions is going to be a challenge. While previously living in Kentucky I concentrated on the old folkways for my blog. But now I know I will have to make some compensations while living here on the eastern fringe of Vancouver, Washington. Only time will tell what I can discover  -- but I am up to the challenge. 

As far as nature's material -- I don't perceive that it will be difficult to find as there is an abundance of it in this beautiful natural area. I expect to learn some new things from nature.

Whatever the area can offer in the world of art, nature and folkways will be my focus here. I have already spotted some nice public art work. 

Yes, I will have to adjust my perceptions but isn't that always a refreshing trail to follow. 

NATURE, JUNG, FABRE, BEAR MOUNTIAN

Toad in my garden

Living on Bear Mountain  for six years has enlightened me six-fold about the world of nature. My mountainous woods and textured fields are packed with life in all forms that provide amazement beyond my expectations. I hope the next owner of this property respects Bear Mountain's natural world.

Pregnant Wolf spider in my garden

Two books have greatly influenced me while I have lived here.  One is the book, The Insect World of J. Henri Fabre, who was a brilliant researcher of nature especially of insects and spiders.

Nectar frenzy

Henry Fabre, would have loved my place. His influence on me was to develop an interest in insect and spider behavior. I found that webs of spiders are like pieces of art, no two seemingly alike,which provides beauty to our environment as well as catching traps for spiders. 

Bumble bee flying through wildflowers

Another of  my favorite nature related books is The Earth Has A Soul edited by Meredith Sabini. It is filled with the thoughts of Carl G. Jung, a man that believes that observations lead to discoveries in natural life connections. He was a Swiss scientist working in many fields -- especially studied Eastern and Western philosophies.  Let Jung speak to you directly from his book: 

". . . there is so much that fills me: plants, animals, clouds, day and night . . . the more uncertain I have felt about myself,  the more there has grown up in me a feeling of kinship with all things."

Orb garden spider waiting for its catch

Jung uses soul, psyche, and spirit as one and the same. He believes that technology has brought us further from our mythic past -- that we have lost its cosmological meaning. -- that technology does not always bring advances.

Blue tail dragonfly resting on my garden boardwalk 

In the waning days of living here I thought I would post these nature shots  from Bear Mountain. Hope you enjoy.

Praying Mantis -- terrorist to other insects.

SIMPLE PLEASURES

My dog Sal and I have taken the day off from the busyness of life today. My schedule today has been simple meals, lots of coffee and tea, reading and watching nature from my small private back porch.

Nature parades down my hill in back, almost to my back door. Early this morning as I sat inside reading I heard the cries of a Red-tail hawk close by. I crept up to my back screen door, looked outside, and saw two Red-tails in my Grandmother Oak tree. Within minutes they sensed me, one took off majestically in one direction and the other in the opposite direction. 

Grandmother Oak's Arms

Right then and there I decided this was going to be my day off from the busyness of life - errands, shopping, talking on the phone, paying bills, etc. I sensed that my spirit needed to be with nature. So, I have spent the better part of my day relaxing in a chair on my back porch watching nature in action. I have drank coffee and tea -- more than I should. I have read parts of a Zen book, and read some of Animal Farm. Now at 5 pm I am on my computer writing this blog. I feel fortunate that I could spend this lovely fall day in this way. With all that goes on around the globe our country is fortunate - although, I feel there is a lot of room, on many levels, for civility. 

My surrounding woods

SUMMER READING AND NATURE

My Mother curled up on her lawn in Birmingham, Michigan

 when she was about 18 years old.She loved to read. 

Having a place to curl up and read a book has become one of the treasures of summer

When I think of summer activities the first one to pop in my mind is reading. Probably this idea was born during an unusually hot summer like the one we have been experiencing lately.


Non-fiction books are my favorite. Within this category my interests run high is many directions. I thought I would recommend a few good summer reads. The following three nature books are diverse starting with the life of an environmentalist, secondly, living with nature, and lastly, gardening with nature. Hopefully you might pencil one on your "to read" list.

A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir
by Donald Worster, copyright 2008, 544 pages

• His thousand mile walk
• Author noted environmentalist writer
• John Muir, pioneer of environmental movement
• Environmental battles

A Country Year

by Sue Hubbell, copyright 1983, 240 pages.

• Bee keeper
• Living alone in Missouri Ozarks
• Self taught naturalist
• Ex-librarian -- fifty year old woman

Gardening at the Dragon's Gate

by Wendy Johnson, copyright 2008, 464 pages

• Wild and cultivated world
• Green Gulch Farm and Zen
• Lasting terms of agriculture are on nature's terms
• Garden practices

Enjoy!

LOVE OF LIFE: A SPECTACULAR CINEMATIC VIDEO

My friend Vivian sent me this awe inspiring TED video of Louie Schwartzberg and his fantastic cinematography. I found it profound in its message. Actually it brought tears to my eyes as I watched it. It is nine minutes long and worth every second of viewing. 

OCCUPY NATURE -- THANKSGIVING TRUCE

Here is the table I wish I was at for Thanksgiving. One that gave thanks to all of nature with its animate spirit (including turkeys) . I found this print at the Library of Congress. Of course you recognize the toast master -- Theodore Roosevelt, our former President and a well-renown conservationist. He was responsible for saving many of our wild lands that we enjoy today -- such as:

Crater Lake, Oregon

Wind Cave, South Dakota

Sullys Hill, North Dakota

Mesa Verde, Colorado

 Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Oklahoma 

Plus other National Park areas like part of the Grand Canyon.


My wish for Thanksgiving is that these areas will continue to be protected from corporate and political greed so that my grandchildren will be able to sit at a table in the wild just like Teddy did with his animal friends above.

Happy Thanksgiving

GRAY TREE FROG -- MEMBER OF MY EVENING CHORUS

Gray Tree Frog -- Hyla versicolor

Since early April I have been serenaded by tree frogs. Their melodic croaks begin as dusk turns to night. For awhile I timed when the Carolina Wrens stopped singing in the evening and when the tree frogs started up their chorus. It was interesting that within minutes of the wrens signing off the frogs started up. It was almost as if they had an agreement to keep nature's songs in the air.


Of course with a good rain shower during the daytime the frogs belt out a few crocks.  


In the above photo you'll notice the small Gray Tree Frog sitting on the ledge of my outdoor electrical outlet box. He sat there yesterday, very still, yet his eyes appeared watchful. 


The tree frog is native to the United States and is only about 1.5 to 2 inches at maturity. The female does not croak -- only the male. (yes, one could get several jokes out of that last statement)


Frogs eat a diverse diet of both beneficials and non-beneficials in our gardens. Some of their favorite foods are algae, amphibians, insects, spiders, mites, plant lice, harvestmen, and snails.  


Frogs depend on bogs, swamps, and lakes for their life cycles. All of nature benefits from healthy streams, bogs, swamps, and lakes. And, as we are nature, so is the Gray Tree Frog. Both depending on healthy water.

RESOURCES:


1) University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Tree Frog


2) eNature.com Gray Tree Frog Croak

BUDDHA WITH STONES

BUDDHA WITH STONES

Sometimes we need a break from the world. With all its tragedies and chaos it can overcome us. My mind can become overly involved with wars, and natural disasters disabling my thoughts to those around me.


Today I am outside on this sunny morning taking in the beauty that surrounds me. The hornets, bluebirds, robins, spring flowers, trees, and unidentified insects poking their noses into the fresh air from their hidden places. The weeds in my fields and woodlands are beginning to grow again. Moths are coming to my back light where I find them on my  house bricks in the morning. 


This morning's practice of waking and walking about my yard, letting nature fill my mind, calms me greatly.


My heart  resonates with compassion for all living things around the world. 


Today, I am fortunate to be able to experience nature's bounty -- it lightens my mind.  

SEA GLASS IN A JAR

Sea Glass in a Jar

Soft light of the declining winter shines on my Long Island Sound collection of sea glass. Washed on shore by the mighty Atlantic -- picked up by my oldest daughter as she wondered along the beach. Now, they're pieces of history in my squat jar shining with white rays. The glass shards silently sing a cosmos song. 


She brought it to me this past summer to catch my light of seasons. It did just that. It has continued to reflect light of all the dimensional turns of the earth -- its past a secret.

WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND -- SUNDAY SIMPLICITIES

MY OLD BARN BEING SHOWERED WITH SNOW FLAKES

SAL INVESTIGATING SMELLS AT THE PASTURE GATE 

OLD LIL WALKING WITH ME SLOWLY -- LOVING THE SNOW

OAK LEAVES WITH A PATCHWORK OF SNOW

NATURE'S DRINKING CUPS FOR THE LITTLE WILD CRITTERS

The stub of a decaying tree limb has become a basin for catching rain water

Nature always provides surprises to a walker along a trail. Recently, a few days after a rain, I moseyed down a  trail close to my home and observed something I felt was a bit different. This was what could be considered miniature watering holes or as I call them -- nature's drinking cups. 

Above is a decayed limb that has a basin-like cavity at the top of its stub. When we have rain it fills and remains for several days. 

Close up of the decayed limb's drinking cup

Here is a close up photo of the tree's drinking cup. As you can observe, clear fresh water is caught in the decayed basin. I imagine that birds and insects love these small places.

Boulder with a natural basin providing a drinking cup that fills after a rain

Another basin like drinking cup. This one is in the hollow of a large boulder. I thought that the two examples of drinking cups displays the ingenious way that nature takes care of its little wild critters. 

IS IT WINTER YET?

BARE BRANCHES AS WINTER STEPS TOWARDS US

This last Friday, while outdoors doing some yard work, I glanced at the sky and thought that it looked like one that signaled the impending approach of winter. The trees were half bare and a heavy cold feeling was in the air. 

Officially winter does not begin until  December 21 with the winter solstice. Yet, in the UK and Ireland winter begins November 1st. They consider the winter solstice as midwinter. The shortest days and weakest solar radiation  are during November, December and January therefore, it seems reasonable to use the November date.

LOOK CLOSELY TO SEE SEE THE "LIFT-OFF" OF THE BLACKBIRDS IN MY YARD

About a week ago the yearly flocking of blackbirds paid their late autumn visit -- hanging around for about two days.  I stepped outside to take a photo of their hundreds and hundreds --  to capture the density of their population.  My appearance outside created a dynamic "whoosh" of nature -- synchronized instant take off and flight. They were beauty in motion with the sound of hundreds of wings flapping. It was a mixed flock and I believe there were even some flickers in the numbers.

GATHERED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Friday, I gathered the last harvest from my garden -- butternut squash. There were seven large ones that had hidden themselves in the weeds of my garden. They were beautiful and will surely be delicious, hopefully. I realize that they had been sitting on the vine for sometime. 

PROLIFIC GOLDEN COSMOS -- STILL GOING STRONG

The only other plants in the garden that were still producing were my golden cosmos. They had outperformed this year with stalks six feet tall and laden with glorious gold blooms.

BUTTERNUTS WAITING TO BE CLEANED UP
 FROM LYING IN THE GARDEN SOIL

Saturday brought a light frost. No snow flurries as had been predicted. Really, I thought, why do we wait until the winter solstice to declare the official entrance of winter? I am going on the Irish winter schedule -- it just seems more in tune with nature. Happy winter everyone.

NATURE'S INALIENABLE RIGHTS

ROAD TO MY PLACE IN THE FALL

Where I live -- is on a ridge surrounded by woods and fields that provides some of nature at its best. That is best using today's standards. During Audubon's time -- who knows how we compare. I imagine the time that he spent in Kentucky was one of a prolific constant maze of nature. I can only imagine this by his writings and work as photography was not developed then.

Today we have surveys and tagging and modern technology to record nature -- all kept in articles and journals for us to peruse. We are aware of nature's decline because of these documented records. We can't compare Audubon's time to today's time but we now can compare the changes of nature over the last few decades. And what do we see? Degradation, that is what we see -- to our oceans, mountains, land and air and more. And, what is being done about it? Not much government wise. Small organizations, located within various countries around the world, are working diligently, attempting to stop this march toward a natural Armageddon.

OVERCAST WINTER DAY AT MY PLACE

Now we can maintain hopelessness in our psyche and tell ourselves it is inevitable that we are a world scheduled for natural disaster down the road or... we can look at a wonderful concept that has taken hold in Ecuador. It is  brilliant and is wedged into a legal document. That being Ecuador's constitution -- where the citizens of Ecuador overwhelming voted to include inalienable rights to nature.

Ecuador is the first nation in the world to make such a monumental move toward saving Mother Earth. 

The group that helped Ecuador formulate the language to insert into their constitution was the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund located in Pennsylvania. 

REBIRTH OF SPRING ON BEAR MOUNTAIN

Now some of you might wonder why I am just writing about this now when the Ecuadorian constitution was passed by its voters about a year ago. Well, we just had a national election and to me that election fortifies my belief that we as a country are becoming the "vessel" of give-aways. 

We are giving away  our natural resources to corporations. How? By buying off our elected officials with corporate money. Buying them off so the newly elected, corporate funded, congressional members will support scraping off every bit of mother nature to place money in the corporate funders pockets. All short term thinking. 

As an example the gas and oil industry put 19.5  million dollars into the coffers of some candidates (of this past election) who will probably repay them back by voting for such projects as drilling in the Artic National Refuge in Alaska.

SWIRL OF SUMMER LIFE IN MY GARDEN

The Ecuadorian constitution would not permit such a corporate holocaust to happen. But, we are up for grabs as we do not have a tight legal defense. Our laws have so many loop holes. We need an all encompassing statement in our constitution that will stop this wholesale robbery of our resources.

That statement could read like the Ecuadorian constitution: 

The new constitution gives nature the "right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution" and mandates that the government take "precaution and restriction measures in all the activities that can lead to the extinction of species, the destruction of the ecosystems or the permanent alteration of the natural cycles." 

I live on a ridge with clean air and water and almost non-existent  introduced chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides. I consider myself fortunate. However, every form of life should have this opportunity to live safely, thoroughly and lively.  No ifs, ands, or buts, about it as my father would say.

PRAYING MANTIS ON MY SCREEN

CHINESE PRAYING MANTIS
Mantis religiosa

A few days ago I was in  my chair looking out the window when I noticed a shadow of some monstrous insect climbing near my window screen. What the heck is that huge thing, I muttered to myself while grabbing my camera and flying out the door. Well, it was something I hadn't seen in a long time --. a very large praying mantis. 

Now these guys are not the friendliest insects to handle unless you know what you are doing. My daughter was mildly bit by one a couple years ago when she tried to pick one up to show her daughter. So I wasn't in the mood to move the insect around for different photo shots, So, the above is the only position I captured. 

There are three different types of praying mantis that reside in Kentucky all falling under a group called the Matids.I identified mine as a Chinese praying mantis or more correctly -- a Mantid. I will use praying mantis and Chinese Mantid interchangeably.

This Chinese Mantid usually grows 3 to 5 inches long, is an import from about 75 years ago, and is the largest Mantid found in our state. The one I was looking at was about 5 inches! He was brown colored which threw me. I had always thought Matids were green. I got online with a few sources and found that the Chinese praying mantis can be either green or brown. 

Fall is the time when Mantids are mating. Now if I was a male I would hesitate to get mixed up with the female for mating purposes. If during copulation the female gets a notion, she swivels her head (which can rotate 180 degrees as can the males) and decapitate the male. Ouch! So much for good sex. 

The female lays between 12 and 400 eggs in a hard-case shell lined with frothy juice in the fall. In the spring the juveniles emerge and oftentimes their first meal consists of a few of their siblings.  Ouch again. 

Overall. the praying mantis is a deadly predator. 

An interesting fact about the Chinese praying mantis is it has an ear in its abdomen area that picks up ultra-high frequencies that possibly might help in finding a mate or knowing a predator is nearby. They are the only known animal with only one ear. 

A little folklore is known about the Mantids. One, is that the Greeks thought they were prophets and two, the Chinese used them for various medicinal purposes.

A beautiful and intriguing insect but deadly for both beneficial and non-beneficial insects.

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To find out other information about the praying mantis I would suggest the following sites:

Cornell Chronicle

University of Kentucky Entomology

This is a Sunday Simplicities post reflecting my outlook on life. Now in retirement I am observing new horizons -- opportunities have surfaced.  Economies have changed as well as my perspective on what is truly important in my simple life.  Stay tuned. 

BUMBLEBEE, FEMALE EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL AND COMMON MILKWEED

AN EASTERN FEMALE TIGER SWALLOWTAIL LANDS ON THE FLOWER OF THE COMMON MILKWEED

As I drove along the dirt road by my home I spotted this large female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail making a landing on the flower of the Common Milkweed plant, Asclepias syriaca. Milkweed is a wildflower native to North America and is a host plant to the Monarch Butterfly.

I had my camera with me so I jumped out of the car to take a photo of the butterfly, thinking to myself that it might fly away before I could get a shot off. Apparently, it was completely intrigued by its gathering of the flower nectar; it acted and performed as if I was not even there. I got several shots over a few minutes as it searched around the flower for nectar. I could smell the sweet perfumed scent of the flower as I stood by the plant

If you enlarge the above photo by placing your cursor over it and clicking, you will notice a bumblebee flying straight for the flower that the butterfly has landed on.

FEMALE EASTERN SWALLOWTAIL STRETCHES OUT ITS LARGE WINGSPAN

The female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail has two coloration forms. One is similar to the male being yellow and the other is called the dark form which is like the female in these photos.To view the male, a startling beauty of yellow and black stripes, and to also find out more about their stages -- click here.

TIGER SWALLOWTAIL WALKS UPSIDE DOWN ON THE BLOSSOM

CRAWLING AROUND THE BLOSSOM -- NOW WITH A BUMBLEBEE COMING AROUND FROM THE BACK OF THE BLOSSOM AND JOINING THE NECTAR GATHERING PARTY

As of yet I still am learning how to identify bumblebees, there are so many species in North America -- click here. The bumblebee in the photo above can hardly be seen. It is to the right of the butterfly and appears as a black speck. In the next photo below one can see the bumblebee a tad bit better.

SWALLOWTAIL IN AN ODD POSITION WHILE THE BUMBLEBEE HANGS TIGHT TO THE BLOSSOM

A bee, a wildflower, and a butterfly are all wrapped up in one endeavor. One the bearer of nectar and the others receiving the nectar. A symbiotic relationship of sorts. This is a micro- community of nature and portrays the giving and receiving that it involves.

Planting, growing, pollinating, producing, nourishing, dying, decaying. We begin again ... planting ... a cycle of life within the cycles of the cosmos.