Wildfires

Florence Bernard asked:


just came to my mind recently observing the cats I have in my house. It really struck me how relevant this would be to kids and parents, and how much it can impact people. Earl Nightingale has a chapter in one of his recordings called “Attitude”. I played it to my class a couple of years ago and was very interested hearing the comments it raised amongst a group of 13-year-olds. But let’s start with my cat story. There are three cats now in my house. First there was mine, Coconut, and then two little strays were rescued and added to the pack! Now I’ll spare you the details of them getting to know each other, the love-hate relationship finally turned love-love! All is well now and we are a happy family, with everybody getting along very well. Now, here’s the interesting thing. One of the new little kittens, Wildfire, is very friendly and the other one, Caroline, is very shy. Caroline is actually more than shy. She gets very scared at everything and tends to hide a lot. I don’t know what happened to her while she was out there, but some people must have been very mean to her. In the past few weeks, I have seen her gain a lot of confidence and it is much easier for us to approach her. But in reality, she gets a lot less attention than Wildfire. I always try to make a point to go and find her and say hello to Caroline when I come home and good night when I go to bed. Wildfire however, comes to me when I open the door, usually accompanied by Coconut and both will get a hug straight away. If I have been shopping and I have things to put away I will usually do that first and I may forget to go and say hi to little Caroline. At night, Coconut and Wildfire are usually on the bed or near it, in the same room at least and Caroline stays in another room in her own bed. Poor Caroline misses out on so much! I feel a bit guilty, but isn’t this what happens in life? By being stuck in her fears and the idea that she has created in her cute little cat mind that, maybe, people will hurt her, Caroline misses out on the people who love her. It is difficult to translate this to her in cat language and all I can do right now and keep loving her more until she really trusts me 100%. People, and more importantly, children, tend to react the same way. Kids who get in trouble with a teacher may develop an apprehension with that teacher and clam up. This attitude will cause them to miss out on a good experience in class. With parents, the same can happen. They might once misinterpret something a parent says and change their attitude. I can’t explain all this to little Caroline, but you can do it with your kids. Going towards people is what makes a difference. Your attitude is everything. What you give is what you get! If you smile at people, they’ll smile back. If you show willingness, you can get whatever you want. Don’t let one event affect you for the rest of your life. Turn the page, move on and rise above! Don’t let other people dictate the person you want to be. If people are unpleasant to you, don’t fall for it and keep being nice. You’ll always come out of it stronger!

LUTHER

Joel Teo asked:


Las Vegas real estate for sale seems to be appearing with a SOLD sign at an alarming rate. So what is it others know about Las Vegas real estate for sale that you don’t? There are many reasons for the fast turn over but there are three reasons for the boom.

Las Vegas Real Estate For Sale At Low Prices

Now you might think that housing prices have gone through the roof in Vegas and they certainly have increased but one of the reasons for the boom is because compared to other markets the Las Vegas real estate for sale is much more affordable. And lower prices generate interest and of course sales and then the increased demand creates a boom like Vegas hasn’t seen before.

Las Vegas Real Estate For Sale Has Been Manhattanized

We’ve all heard of super sized but what about manhattanized? Did you know that Las Vegas real estate for sale has been Manhattanized?

Sitting in the middle of the dessert is Las Vegas with all that dessert land surrounding it. You might be surprised to discover that there isn’t as much land available for sale as you might think. That’s because so much of it has been purchased previously and is set aside for future developments. And BLM is only released yearly in small amounts leaving little available in the Las Vegas real estate for sale pool. So what to do?

Well just like the hotels such as figured out years ago that up was the answer more and more impressive high rise casino hotels began adorning the strip and with more demand for high rise condos Las Vegas real estate for sale suddenly saw high rise opportunities popping up all over.

And it seemed the more Las Vegas real estate for sale went up on and around the strip the more demand arouse which caused a snow ball effect that lead to the boom that is currently being seen through out Vegas.

Las Vegas Real Estate For Sale Has A Whole New Image

Wealth, relaxation, and of course the weather all combine together to provide Las Vegas real estate for sale with an increasingly high demand. It seems for years Las Vegas had a tarnished image. Many believed that Vegas was only a place where you might gamble, and party a lot. We’ve all hear that saying “what goes on in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.”

But that image is diminishing. Yes certainly there is certainly still an awful lot of partying and gambling but there is an entirely different side to Las Vegas that’s actually been there all along.

That’s why Las Vegas real estate for sale is turning over so quickly. Especially single family dwellings after all that’s what families want which is who’s moving to town.

In conclusion, Las Vegas real estate for sale is moving at a rate faster than ever before and that demand has created increasing prices no matter where that Las Vegas real estate for sale is located.

Copyright

BEAU

Roger Munns asked:


Vail Resorts in Vail Colorado operates one of the largest recycling programs of any ski resort in North America and their on-mountain recycling program is the largest of its kind in North America.

Vail Resorts consists of five mountain resorts. Each resort receives monetary contributions of $1 from each skier per season pass, online lift ticket transaction and night spent at the resort in the Colorado and California locations.

Since the program began, Vail has received more than $550,000 in guest contributions. The National Forest Foundation (NFF) has matched the contributions by more than $275,000. All funds are used for projects that aim to restore, improve and protect Vail’s neighboring National Forests.

The effort put forth by Vail Resorts owners, employees and skiers alike gives a glimpse into the number of skiers who are concerned about the environment. The preservation of National Forests is a major factor in the success of not only Vail Resorts but other ski resorts worldwide. The environment skiers are helping protect is the same environment that attracts them to Vail Resorts to begin with.

Vail’s five major resorts are some of the most visited and most family friendly resorts in North America.

Families can learn very valuable lessons about wildlife preservation, recycling and environmental issues. Currently, Vail’s recycling program recycles about 70 percent of on-mountain waste. The amount of waste recycled equals nearly one pound per guest, and about 100 tons of material per month are recycled during an average ski season.

Some of the most notably environment friendly parts of the resorts are:

* Beaver Creek’s Spruce Saddle Lodge. The lodge is the first ski resort restaurant to become a Certified Green Restaurant by the Green Restaurant Association. The GRA is a national non-profit organization that dedicates its time to setting sustainable environmental standards within the restaurant industry.

Spruce Saddle Lodge is one of the first resort restaurants to be recognized by the GRA for multiple environmental breakthroughs. The restaurant uses recycled, tree-free, biodegradable and organic products throughout the lodge. It also maintains impressive water efficiency, energy and conservation levels and recycling and composting programs.

* Keystone Composting at Keystone Ranch Restaurant. Keystone’s composting program began in 2002 and has grown immensely over the years. More than 500 pounds of kitchen waste per week is being diverted from the landfill.

Combined with efforts from the Keystone Conference Center, food scraps and wood shavings create the soil used in landscaping throughout the resort. Similar composting programs are being established by other resorts.

* Heavenly Waste Reduction, in partnership with California’s El Dorado County, diverts about 482 tons of recyclable waste from landfills each year.

Surrounding communities are also encouraged to keep yard wastes out of local landfills. An annual event, Compost Your Combustibles, educates and encourages citizens to participate in recycling and composting efforts.

* Vail Resorts and RockResorts. Recycling programs are in place for all employees and guests of any Vail Resorts or RockResorts.

They promote water conservation to guests by promoting the reuse of towels and linens for multi-night stays.

Restaurants on the resorts use biodegradable, compostable and recycled food and beverage containers and flatware. The resorts recycle beverage and food containers and paper items used in all resort operations.

All areas of the resorts use environment-friendly cleaning products that are not only safer for the environment, but for guests and employees as well.

Resorts worldwide are becoming more environmentally aware and passing their knowledge on to their guests. With the help of their guests, they are able to conserve more water and recycle and compost more waste in a broader range of areas of resort operations.

The efforts put forth by these resorts and others around the world help protect the environment and wildlife that attracts their visitors.



TYRONE

peterhutch asked:


Bloom’s syndrome is characterized by severe prenatal and postnatal growth retardation and a sun-sensitive erythematous skin lesion that occurs most commonly on the face. Recurrent infections (otitis media and pneumonia), chronic pulmonary disease, and diabetes mellitus are common. Many have learning disabilities. Males are infertile; females enter menopause prematurely.

Characteristics commonly seen in Bloom’s syndrome are small stature (average adult male height of 151 cm, average adult female height of 144 cm), skin photosensitivity, and a high-pitched voice. A typical ****** appearance has also been described consisting of a narrow face with prominent nose and prominent ears. Immunodeficiency has been seen, which results in an increased number of respiratory tract and ear infections.

Mutations in the Bloom syndrome , which is a member of the DNA helicas family. DNA helicases are enzymes that unwind the two spiral strands of a DNA molecule so that they can be copied. When a cell prepares to divide to form two cells, the chromosomes are duplicated so that each new cell will get a complete set of chromosomes; this replication process involves unwinding the DNA so that it can be copied. The BLM protein is important in maintaining the stability of the DNA during this process.

This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.

Causes

Bloom syndrome is apparent from birth with affected newborns being unusually small. Most parents seek medical help when the infant does not grow normally. Over 50% of children are significantly underdeveloped in physical stature until age 8 years, and most fail to reach 1.5 metres (5 feet) in adulthood.

Bloom’s Syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means two copies of the gene must be altered for a person to be affected by the disorder. The gene for Bloom’s syndrome is located on chromosome 15; one particular mutation in the gene has been identified as the cause of Bloom’s syndrome in the vast majority of Ashkenazi Jews.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Bloom’s syndrome can be confirmed or ruled out by a laboratory test known as a chromosome study, as blood and skin cells show a characteristic pattern of chromosome breakage and rearrangement. Recently, the gene for Bloom’s syndrome was isolated. The gene is located on chromosome 15, and one particular mutation in the gene has been identified as the cause of Bloom’s syndrome in the vast majority of Ashkenazi Jews. Because of these recent findings, both carrier testing and prenatal diagnosis for Bloom’s syndrome are now available.

Treatment

There is no treatment for the underlying cause of Bloom’s syndrome, and therefore medical intervention is primarily preventative. Adults with Bloom’s syndrome should be more attentive and cautious than others in their surveillance for cancer. It is recommended that people afflicted by this disease maintain close contact with a physician familiar with Bloom’s.



JEFFREY

Jonas Smith asked:


Like all four Asian tea types sold in the market, black tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. But unlike other tea varieties, black tea undergoes full oxidation after it is withered, dried, and rolled. The fermentation of the leaves gives black tea a distinctively strong taste, body, and flavor.

Black tea is a favorite ingredient in making gourmet type teas or flavored teas. One of the most popular favored teas is black forest tea. Below are our top picks for black forest tea:

HonestTea - Black Forest Berry

Black Forest Berry is an herbal fruit infusion containing natural black tea. Sweet and succulent, whoever thought something as delicious as this could also be healthy? This black forest tea contains some of the best sources of antioxidants in the world - organic cane sugar, organic hibiscus, organic blackberry leaves, organic blueberries, organic raspberries, and natural berry flavoring.

EnglishTeaStore - Black Forest Naturally Flavored Black Tea Loose Leaf

The English Tea Store’s black forest tea hints at a piquant and astringent chocolate flavor with cherry undertones and creamy notes. Their black tea is a naturally flavored black tea, using natural high grown Ceylon tea from estates at more than 5500 feet above sea level. To give a clean true taste with no chemical aftertaste to their black forest tea, a natural flavor is added.

ZooScape - Black Forest Tea (Loose)

It’s like a dessert in a cup! Imagine a fine cup of Ceylon tea, naturally high grown, with natural organic flavors to make sure that there’s no chemical aftertaste. The result is black tea with a characteristic chocolate-cherry flavor. Just add a dash of milk, and you’re off to a fantastic start.

Directions - How to Make Black Forest Tea

So you bought yourself a nice bag of black forest tea. Now it’s time for you to get a-brewing. Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil and place 1 teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3/7 minutes according to taste. The longer the steeping time, the stronger the tea. Even though milk and a dash of sugar help enhance the flavor and character of your black forest tea, it is perfectly acceptable to consume this tea “straight up.”

Another method is to make yourself a cup of iced black forest tea. Just place six teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Next, pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea and let steep for about 5 minutes. Afterwards, quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water and pour the tea into it, straining the leaves as you go. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water.

Make your Own Cup

Who said you can only find black forest tea from the tea shop? Hey, if you can make your own black forest cake at home, then there’s no reason why you can’t brew your own cup of this wonderful dessert drink.

Just follow this recipe for a real chocolatey-fruity treat:

* 6 oz. hot black tea

* 2 tbsp. chocolate syrup

* 1 tbsp. maraschino cherry juice

* whipped cream

* chocolate shavings

* maraschino cherries

To prepare, just mix the tea with syrup and juice in a mug. Stir well then top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and cherries.



IVAN

Alisha Singh asked:




Ranthambore National Park

situated in the district of Sawai-Madhopur, Ranthambore National park was set up in 1955, at the function of Aravalis and Vindhyas covering an area of 392sq.km. The nearest town and the railhead from the park is Sawaimadhopur. The nearest airport is Jaipur at a distance of 132km.

The land consists both of steep slopes and gently rolling plateau on the hill top. The forests are dry deciduous dominated by dhok trees interspersed with grasslands. There are scattered pools to provide water to the wild animals. The well forested park harbours diverse fauna which include tiger, leopard, wild boar, caracal, sloth bear, ratel, hyena, civet, jungle cat, sambar, chinkara, nilgai, four-horned antelope, python,  cobra, crocodile, partridge, green pigeon, red spur fowl, peafowl, parakeet, teal etc.

Sariska National Park

Sariska Tiger Reserve is well nestled in the Aravali Hills covering 800 sq km area divided into the grasslands, dry deciduous forests, sheer cliffs and rocky landscape. Nearly 90% of the area in the sanctuary is covered with dhok trees accommodating various wildlife species.

It is located in the contemporary Alwar district and is the legacy of the Maharajas of Alwar. Pavilions and Temples within Sariska are ruins that hint at past riches and glory.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctury

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary/Keoladeo Ghana National Park is located in Rajasthan state of India. It is one of the finest bird sanctuaries/parks in the world. Besides a number of birds, the Bharatpur bird sanctuary/national park offers protection to various animal species as well. The bird sanctuary is home to numerous indigenous water birds as well as migratory birds and also inhabited by Sambar, Chital, Nilgai and Boar.

Read more about famous wildlife parks of India - http://www.travellinginindia.com/rajasthan/



REUBEN

Kris Koonar asked:


Environmental groups and rock climbers are always at loggerheads because of the impact of rock climbing on the environment. There have been numerous instances, wherein rock climbers are accused of venturing into secured natural territories, and mistreated the organisms and rocks that are there. However, with the changing times, rock climbers are conscious and carry out minimal climbing.

Rock climbers hammer bolts on climbing routes and in the process deface the nature of rocks. In addition, climbing activity also has an effect on the animals and plants situated near the climbing area. The plants and small shrubs growing near the base of rocks are trampled on and cut back, lichens and fungi growing on the rock are spoilt, and the animals living in the climbing area are forced to displace, whenever humans are around.

For example, during the summer climbing season, gravid females of an endangered species of rattlesnake dwell in open areas like roadsides, exposed walls, or rocks, where there is less canopy closure compared to areas inhabited by non-gravid females and males. According to climbers, these areas are very pleasant and apt for climbing during summer. However, this gravely affects the habits of the snakes.

Many rock climbers have understood the significance of wildlife plant and animal preservation and related issues and therefore make provisions to minimize impact in climbing areas.

Keeping in view the impact of human intervention in natural dwelling, animals of various national parks and wildlife agencies have put forth certain restrictions on climbers. There are Seasonal closures of climbing areas, to avoid illegal entrance of uninformed rock climbers.

Climbers are always expected to support wilderness preservation. Many environmental organizations have been formed to safeguard the environment and in the process put down certain guidelines for rock climbers. Both sides have come to a common understanding on the impact of rock climbers on protected areas. Some of the agencies involved in these issues are the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management(BLM), the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service. Of the mentioned groups, only the National Park Services have put forth certain guidelines with significant inputs from the rock climbers.

Given below are some standard guidelines for rock climbers:

. If rock climbers have been allotted a specific area for parking their vehicles, they should respect the rules and keep their vehicle traffic off the sensitive areas.

. Always follow established trails, as these are established for keeping the impact in these areas to the minimum.

. Always follow the “Leave No Trace” principle. You should be acquainted with these principles, whenever you are practicing rock climbing outdoors. For instance-pack all the trash and leave the area like you found it before.

. Establishing new routes and cleaning the area is good. However, avoid “aggressive” cleaning like creating holds, removing large obstructions in landing areas and chipping, or removing any living vegetation from the climb or its base.

. Respect all ’stay out’ areas- If a certain area has been closed for some reason, entering it stealthily only poses more grave threat. If climbers sneak in and break rules, they are not making any attempts to help the cause.



ROSCOE

Donald Saunders asked:


At nearly one and a half million acres Glacier National Park in Montana is impressive and boasts over 200 lakes and streams, 50 glaciers and more than 700 miles of wonderful hiking trails. These numbers are impressive, but they do not even start to convey the breathtaking beauty of this national park.

They do not begin to describe how the mountains around Lake MacDonald glow pink in the setting sun and almost force you to stand transfixed to this view until darkness falls. Neither do they describe the huge field of tall bear grass stalks with their white flowers which simply shout at you to roll back the years and run through the meadow like a child.

But your first point of call should one of the visitor centers in Apgar, Logan Pass or St. Mary where you can find out all about the area and pick up some excellent hiking guide books.

One of the best ways to get to see many of sights of the park is to drive along the famous 50 mile Going-To-The-Sun Road which was built in 1932 and skirts around Lake MacDonald before crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass some 6,700 feet above sea level. From Logan Pass it then descends down to Saint Mary Lake which is an awe inspiring body of water.

If you want to go hiking then there are plenty of options and the area near Belly River offers some glorious scenery and numerous campsites where you can take a rest. For those people who are looking for a longer trip then you can backpack in from Canada, crossing Brown Pass and ending at Bowman Lake.

Another great site is the Hole in the Wall campground which offers 20 waterfalls and thousands of lovely wildflowers. Look upwards and you will see the water coming from a waterfall which pours out of a natural hole in the rock face which gives the area its name.

If you would like a taste of adventure then how about a whitewater rafting trip? You can either join a group of eight people on a larger boat or brave the water yourself in a kayak. Even beginners find that it an easy trip and there are few rocks to contend with, but it will nevertheless give you plenty of fun as you rush down the Flathead River.

For those who like an easier life there are also the Red Bus tours. Millions of visitors have enjoyed seeing the park from these open-topped buses, but take along lots of sunscreen as the sunshine in Glacier during the summer months is very strong.

If you are driving yourself then a good place to stop off is the Trail of the Cedars boardwalk. This area has been free from fire for more than 500 years because of the high moisture content and the result is some of the biggest cedar and hemlocks to be found anywhere. If you are patient you will also spot a flying squirrel or two and, as night begins to fall, you will hear the owls hooting.



ALEJANDRO

Rachel Yoshida asked:


For many of us, we grew up being taught at school and watching television commercials about Smokey the Bear. He is the role model that we used to learn about fire safety in the forest and other places. We probably did not give as much thought to the importance of what he was saying as we should have then, but you can bet that many people who have had their homes burned down because of out of control forest fires do now.

Homes are only one thing that is destroyed when people are careless with fires in the woods. It can be a simple accident or a lack of taking the proper precautions when they are camping or just cooking out in a park or other outdoor area. There are even certain individuals who enjoy setting forest fires deliberately. There is no understandable reason why anyone would do this other than some emotional disturbance.

The forest fires that are started innocently can usually be avoided if people remember to use certain safety measures before they start a fire:

1. If there is a lot of wind, try not to build a fire if it can be avoided.

2. Be sure the area is cleared so the fire can be contained. There should be no bushes, brush, or any flammable liquid or other materials near the spot.

3. Keep some water nearby to extinguish the fire with. A rake or shovel can also help to get a fire out quickly if it is small enough.

4. Do not leave a fire unattended at any time whether you are in a forest setting or burning brush at home.

5. When there has been extremely dry weather, it is not a good idea to build a fire out doors unless it is absolutely necessary.

6. Always make sure a fire is completely out with no coals or embers still burning before you leave the area.

If you try your best to follow these rules when you build a fire out doors, you should not have any problems. We should realize how destructive an out of control forest fire can become. Forest fires are not always started by humans because Mother Nature plays her part sometimes too, but would you not **** to know that you inadvertently caused a forest fire that caused millions of dollars in damage to the forest and the property of other people.



JARROD

Jos Graf asked:


Reporting on the spiritual ecology of any given arena of nature becomes a fairly daunting ambition.  Consider, for example, the starscape of a boreal night, or the endless conifer forest, or the billions of songbirds celebrating residence through the light-steeped boreal summer.  Any of these aspects, while enticing on a journalistic level, wordlessly fill the soul with an experience that transcends estimation. 

And the depth and intricacy of nature reflects the nature-human interweave.

Boreal terrain typically has acidic, shallow soil over rocky shield, interspersed with rich peat bogs and permafrost  - a landscape that underlies a high level of genetic diversity.  Lichens, labrador tea, fireweed, lupines, mosses, kinnickinnick, cranberry, blueberry, and soapberry are predominant over 90% of the non-arboreal ground cover.  Thus, the rich genetic diversity is counter-pointed by a small array of species. 

Within the human profile, experience of the land reveals co-relations  - counterpoints and minimalism, optimal diversity and verdant subsistence-survivors.

When Winter rules. . .

Creative streaming surges beneath Corona borealis and Polaris and Sirius.  In the far north, one’s soul wakes starkly in the winter, more vividly than in southern locales, to counterpoint the prolonged darkness.  Conversely, through the long sun-steeped summer, the sail of soul retreats deeper into reverie.

During the long winter that compels this inner wakefulness, much of nature’s physical community is in a somatic state  - including plant life, and hibernators like the bear, chipmunk, and ground squirrel.  Some residents  - beaver, muskrat, and fish  - are subdued beneath their icy ceiling.  And subnivean beings eke out a living, with fungi, small plant life, insects, and tiny mammals coexisting under an insulating layer of snow.

Grouse, and even, on occasion, chickadees, during severe temperature declines, burrow into the snow, risking themselves even while seeking safety.  And the doorway of death waits on either side  - either by freezing or predation.

Within lake and river, oxygen arrangements under the ice present an interesting contemplation.  Muskrats, beavers and otters exhale air at strategic spots in the plutonian under-ice realm, maintaining a “breathing account”  - a caching of air bubbles, to provide a backup should they need it, numerous little pockets of oxygen against the icy ceiling (CO2 exits by osmosis due to the water’s draw, as lakeweed creates a CO2 “deficit”).

I watch the raven, lofting with ease over great spans of imposing forest, finding sustenance in diverse sources, defying the wind, playing in the face of its icy gust.  Calling across the frozen lake, it voices both mischief and mystery, in a tone not unlike a place within that proclaims a hold on sky and crown of tree, an un-cage-able force unfolding its own bold pinions.

Back from the lake’s edge, where a steep rocky grade rises, there is a bright tree growing where little else takes hold.  Here, where not even Tolkien’s Ent would choose to prevail, the birch thrives, flourishes, offers up sweet nectar, will not be subdued.  And my own paper-bark rooting takes hold on the stony cliff-edge of an interior reach.

When I was in the jungle adjacent to Tikal, Guatemala  - one could say the anti-thesis of the boreal realm  - I was surprised to see 4 or 5 red squirrels in tandem, running as a pack.  The tropical ecosystem, in contrast to the north, tends to go for larger communities of species.  Here, in the boreal lands, one finds always a lone squirrel.

A solitary woodpecker drills. A solitary chickadee flits over, not stopping to eat, calling from tree to tree, separated from its merry band of cohorts.

I encounter other solitary beings  - snowshoe hare, wolf, moose, marten, owl, grouse, raven, others.

Concurrently, a loneliness begins to pervade my experience.  Within this solitude at every turn, an existential pain wells, and persists its way into the kind of force that can lead many to try anything to escape  - substances, social conformity, or self-denigration  - options chosen prematurely to bypass the silence and stillness in which the pain waits to be met.

In my case, I at first attribute the loneliness to my own issues, but then begin wondering how much of it is about me, and how much about this northern terrain?  The boreal wilderness is certainly one of the key regions on Earth wherein profound solitude can be experienced. And, as the border between subjective and objective worlds gives way, all the solitary animals I’ve been encountering are beginning to feel like an auspicious communication.

 

I find the tracks of a ghostly being who has been nipping birch tips from a fallen tree  - a snowshoe hare trail that winds its way through my underbrush yearning, sampling birch-like sweetness and frozen remnant rosehip.  With the white-coated hare’s traits of near-invisibility and buoyancy across deep snow-pack, even the darkest winter can be endured.

The long-legged step of my winter’s end moose-roving finds me bedding every second mile to catch my ungulate wind. Watched closely by a keen-eyed interior wolf, yet holding strong of limb and antler against all manner of opportunism, I make my way toward newly budding browse.  Powerful digestion forces to assimilate highly lignified browse, such as willow and alder tips, cause my ponderous thought life to re-order its conceptual browsing.

A luxurious-maned marten tracks my squirrel complacency, preying unrelenting upon all my rodent manner, upending the stock-pile of small account, an endless spruce-seed consumption.  And all my clippings of needle and cone, scattered at the base of my conifer conquest, amass as so much backlog, of provision, of warding off existential hunger, of squirreling away an account of sustenance.

Spring wrests away the hold of Winter. . . .

The thrush is early to return from its southern home, ahead of everyone else, even before any overt sign of spring.  On a March morning, its high reedy song  - seeming delicate, but actually quite resolute  - sounds its debut.  A resonation rises within, as though a magical being was always there, biding its time, waiting to thrust its genesis into the midst of cold and oblivion.

Gradually the land thaws, the river opens, the snow becomes patchy.  The sun warms its beam, and the magpie and junco find handier sustenance.  Thick shards of ice lie stranded on gravel banks  - and the slow thaw of a long-held winter-memory tableau within my contemplation is released.  Riverine flow holds converse with the returning loon and merganser, divers familiar with deeper strata, fishers of newly-freed sub-aquatic consciousness.

Here in the north, the Earth opens an energetic flow in her communion with the Sun, as reflected in the light paintings of Aurora borealis. In resonation, through my own gateway, etheric pulsation choreographs itself, and for a few moments the dance of the auroral color seems to quicken, as if the Sun-Earth duo has become a trio.

For the whole version of this article visit the Earth Vision website.



EDDY