It seems so logical, doesn’t it. That “Spring” is the time in which life returns to the Earth and “springs” forth on a great cycle between birth, maturation, ripeness and death. And […]
Easter Joys
Winter is Life not Death
Really. Really. These are effects created by winter heating, freezing and melting. In other words, the nutrients released by lichens in late winter are created by stones heating in the winter cold, […]
After the Fire, A Little Global Cooling
Far from the fires of summer and fed by the torrential rains of November, the lichens are in their full glory right now. Worldwide, lichens take as much carbon out of the […]
Talking Water
Isn’t this the turtle of the world, carrying a pearl? Isn’t this a drop of rain speaking a drop of rain? Here’s a turtle without a pearl. Sometimes drops flock. Saskatoons are […]
Balancing the Atmosphere With Algae
So, on the grasslands, blue green algae (part of this healthy soil crust in the Cariboo) pulls nitrogen from the sky and makes it available to plants. So does the lichen on […]
In the Grasslands, Tiny Effects Aren’t Tiny at All
When I was working on the Spirit in the Grass book with photographer Chris Harris, one of the ecologists on the project told me that the effects of sun and shadow at […]
Whole Worlds Hidden from the Settler Gaze
Under the snow, it’s spring. Under stone, it’s the same. Where the sun intensifies and molten water collects, it’s spring. This is when the rock is mined for nutrients that feed the […]
Taking Your Time
To succeed as a lichen, you don’t need a rock. Sure, lots of lichens are found on rocks, but it’s not a hard-and-fast requirement. What you really need is a place no-one […]
Falling Helps
An old fir turns to the red of fire. It is dry as dust in the spring sun. But if you think it’s dead, well… … just add water. Shade helps. Without […]
Want to Have a Close Look at Your Brain?
Here you go. Not just a lump of basalt, eh. To look in, look out. No need to cut into your skull. Until you judge it, you are what you see. […]
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