For 10 days, my quince was the beloved haunt of both a Rufus and a Calliope hummingbird. Rockscaping will not keep the planet alive. Saving water? Funny, the words we use. Nor […]
Let the Life Go On
The Wind in the Grass
When you are born to a world, in which the old growth forests are bunchgrasses less than a metre high… … and live in these forests for close to half the time […]
37. A Land of Gifts
A vital part of the history of the Pacific Northwest is the concept of how your body relates to it culturally as a body among other bodies. This is not the same […]
Two Views of the Heart
Well, you can take an old ranch and make a state park. That’s one thing you can wear your heart on your sleeve. Columbia Hills, Washington That’s Oregon in the distance. Or […]
Don’t Young People Deserve More Than This?
Fishing on the Q’awsitkw in Okanogan, Washington They sure do,
29. Weaponizing the West: Part 1
Yesterday, I spoke about how the mobility provided by horses allowed the Cayuse to translate their lush grasslands into dominance over the Central Columbia and to exact tribute in the form of […]
11. Why I Do Not Call This a Canadian Story
You have probably noticed that I live in what is usually called “Canada”, a country claiming the northern half of North America. You’ve probably guessed that I travel on a Canadian passport. […]
8. Calling Things By Their Right Names
Blind Creek, “the place of yellow flowers”, might indicate “rabbit brush…” …the bright, feathered sage that catches the sun in October and draws in jewelled bee flies, with their dense, brightly-coloured fur […]
Climate Change in the North Okanagan
Human induced climate change is real, and its hurting humans, societies and the Earth. A lot of it is the result of atmospheric carbon. That’s the story that my city, Vernon, is […]
Kelowna is Funny
Here’s Kelowna’s explanation of their success at mitigating climate change. See that? 20% of sensitive ecosystem land is protected. Given that sensitive ecosystems make up 28% of Kelowna, and Kelowna covers 214 […]
Okanagan Okanogan 