I spent some time in Steamboat Springs, Colorado last summer. I visited the Yampa River Botanic Park three times while I was there. The park is compact and features trees, shrubs and flowering perennials, both native and exotics from around the world. I went there because I thought there was a good chance that I… Continue reading Two Form Bumble Bee
Morrison Bumble Bee
The historic range of the Morrison Bumble Bee includes most of the western United States from south to north and into British Columbia, Canada. Biologists who specialize in bumble bee conservation assessed the species’ population status in 2014 as vulnerable, which means that in its historic range, the species’ abundance and persistence have declined significantly.… Continue reading Morrison Bumble Bee
Grazing Buck
A male Mule Deer stops to graze as he walks through the brush. Two large Coast Live oak trees and some low growing shrubs separate the buck from me. The presence of the trees in particular helped me to stay hidden. He passes from shadow cast by the first tree to an opening of sunlight,… Continue reading Grazing Buck
Gratitude
Yesterday, on the last day of 2024, one of my favorite authors, Jeff VanderMeer, posted a question on the social media platform Bluesky. His question was: What are you grateful for from the past year? (Yes, there are lots of terrible things to be un-thankful for, but that’s not this thread.) I am a grumpy… Continue reading Gratitude