Posts for category ‘nature’s fury’

Apparently my recent posts are scaring a few of you. Am I leaving writing? Am I going to start a band? Become a competitive snowboarder? An African Dwarf Frog herder? A performance artist, like Joaquin Phoenix? (By the way, I totally wanted to see I’m Still Here until I read the little rating summary and it said something like, “Rated R for nudity, language, and excrement.” Excrement?)

Don’t worry. Most likely you won’t even be able to tell I’m doing anything different. I’m just taking stock, a wee breath, and making sure everything I do is intentional rather than, “This is what people do at this point in their careers.”

I do love my froggies, though. (I rescued them at the Avenues Street Fest, from potential ownership by five-year-old boys. I almost similarly rescued a pygmy goat at the state fair, but that posed some logistical challenges.) It’s very relaxing to watch them swim about during the “staring into space” part of my days. Also, they sing. More like a low buzzing, really, but it’s pretty cool how you can hear them through the water.

*If I did start a band, that’s what it would be called. It also happens to be the name of a band featured in my next book…

Otherwise you won’t be able to snap the strange and wonderful creatures you find on the trail, and you’ll be forced to steal pictures from other, better blogs. This morning on a trail in City Creek Canyon (when we were not convinced we were surrounded by rattlesnakes), we spied not one but two of these handsome fellows crossing our path—American Dagger Moth caterpillars. In all my 40 years I’ve never seen such like!

(Totally jacked this photo from wondersmitten. Click on it to see another great pic and commentary.)

Thank you for your wonderful and supportive comments on the last post. You make it all worthwhile.

Eight Washington Post reporters attempt to go offline for a week (Thanks Twitter friend Jasmine for link.)

How our brains are being shaped like so much Silly Putty (via Mike Martin)

Last night’s Radio Active show about Facebook made me paranoid that I quit. While the guests admitted FB’s big privacy issues, they also said that at least having an account helps you control what’s been said about you and what pictures, etc. of you other people put up. But then, I think “image control” is one of the major things I don’t like about web 2.0. My image is between me and God and my close friends and family, right? Does that apply even if you have a job that makes you a somewhat public person? I don’t know. It should. Unless you are, like, the President.

Take the holiday weekend off from screens and enjoy yourself. Go look for a Western Tanager! (I saw one on my walk Wednesday. Blew my mind. It is so bright!) Soak up some vitamin D. Listen to the new collection of Kris Kristofferson demos from the very beginning of his amazing career. And for the love of all that is holy, don’t text while driving! See you back here in one piece on Tuesday.

A month or so ago, I put a roll of film in my old Canon T-70 and started taking a couple of pictures each day while out walking. Even back in the pre-digital area, I never learned how to use the camera properly, and whatever I did know I seem to have completely forgotten. Only 14 of my 24 pictures came out at all, and just a few of those are remotely interesting. In addition to user error, part of the problem is that the camera itself has some issues (I think). (If you are a photography expert, feel free to look at the set on Flickr and diagnose my mistakes.)

This, of course, is my favorite. He was a very patient and willing subject.

Oh, Banff. How I loved you. Your mountains! Your lakes! Your forests! Your colorful money and your lack of Internet access!

(The view about halfway up the hike between Lakes Louise and Agnes. This is Louise.)

Frankly, I am not thrilled to be back home. After this:

(The Devil’s Gap, view from boat on Lake Minnewanka)

Or these:

(Bighorn sheep at Lake Minnewanka)

But I am, and I will deal with it. Meanwhile I want to see your pictures of nature from your summer travels or local adventures, okay? Okay.

*Of course when hiking from Lake Louise to Lake Agnes, I could not get John Prine’s song, “Lake Marie,” out of my head. (And the wind was blowing, especially through my hair.)