Discover nature on a deeper level
Arctic Strawberries
A rare treat above the Arctic Circle–fresh-picked strawberries. After keeping a close eye on a secret patch of wild strawberries, the first red ones appeared earlier this week. They are no bigger than the end of my pinkie finger but they taste delicious. Wild strawberries above the Arctic Circle While the wild strawberries were the…
Blister rust decimated white pine forests
The western white pine was the most abundant forest type in the Inland Northwest 50 years ago. Long, clear trunks skyrocketed to heights of 200 feet which isn’t large compared to other conifers. But their tenacity to grow fast after fires and their resistance to many diseases allows them to be ecologically successful. Fire provides…
Every burl is different
Every so often while hiking I find a tree with a burl. Sometimes the burl is a small globular protrusion on a branch and other times there are multiple burls on one tree. On a hike many years ago I found a burl that looked like a woman’s face with wavy hair around it.…