I have worked here since 2011 telling stories of the Earth as preparation for a history of the Intermontane Grasslands of Central Cascadia and the rainswept coast that keeps them windy and dry. Now I am presenting this history, step by step, as I have learned it, often from the land itself. The history of this region includes the Canadian colonial space “The Okanagan Valley”, which lies over the land I live in above Canim Bay. The story stretches deep into the American West, into the US Civil War, the War of 1812, and the Louisiana Purchase, as well into the history of the Columbia District of the Hudson’s Bay Company. In all, the story spans the Chilcotin and Columbia volcanic plateaus and the basins that surround them. In this vast watershed lie homelands as old as 13,200 years (Sequim) and 16,200 years (Salmon River.) That’s how far we are walking together here, who are all the land speaking.
Okanagan Okanogan 
Once I was on the side of the guardians, always alert for shouting out “Neophyt” even in cases where somthing was growing, when animals where disappearing because of the human farmwork deserts – stupendously operating with plants, coming from elsewhere or, wort case, directly from the bioenginieering laboratories.
I changed my point of view as the climate changes, and new conditions of living in many areas will be the reason for thinking this over..
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What changed it for me was realizing that in this place “invasive species” are generally considered those detrimental to the cattle industry… whose record of caring for the land and people in this region is very poor. In fact, the worst weeds are, in many cases, all that the cattle are grazing on, and all that are preventing total environmental collapse. Now I love them. For carrying on the old ecological niches, or at least some, and making new relationships. What’s amazing is that I took many pictures today to illustrate these new ecosystems… and here you are talking about them, too. Cool.
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🙂
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A totally different wasp was interested in the peppermint. How wondrous!
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I am not sure if it was some blood bee (Sphecodes), as around here it was.
In that case, this cuckoo bee prooves, some wild bee species as Lasioglossum, Halictus and Andrena were around, too. A good thing.
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Thanks for the species tips.
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That’s a colorful character visiting your chocolate mint…I don’t think I’ve seen one of those over here. I hope all’s well with you, as well it can be with the fires. I’ve been absent, but will try to catch up.
Wish I could chew on a leaf right now!
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Today I’m canning peaches with mint and basil. I have to ask the wasps for the leaves, though!
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