Remember horsetail, from the Ice Age hike, that prehistoric plant, one of the oldest ancestors still living on Earth? … Read More…
Calypso orchids are only one of many delights along the Ceran St. Vrain Trail west of Jamestown. When we hiked the first mile or so of this trail on the solstice, the creek was running high and noisy, a roar … Read More…
A few years ago an author called me. Would I edit his book? It was a special book, he said with fire in his voice. It was a parable. Everything stood for something else. I glanced at his manuscript. The … Read More…
I’ve been searching for them for five springs, ever since I moved to Colorado—the calypso orchid (Calypso bulbosa or Calypso borealis), also known as fairy slipper orchid. I know where to look: shaded, moist ground under pine trees. Mossy surroundings. … Read More…
The morning was sunny and warm as we rendezvoused at Realization Point for the hike up Long Canyon with naturalist Dave Sutherland. “Ready for some time travel?” he asked. “We’re headed 11,000 years back to a time when the climate … Read More…
Bindweed is thick and happy right now—at its seasonal height—and gardeners are scrambling to keep it under control. A year ago at this time I wondered: If every being serves some positive purpose, what might bindweed be contributing? The post … Read More…
I’m volunteering again this spring at the native plant garden at Chautauqua Park. In front of the ranger cottage at the trailhead to Chautauqua Meadow, the garden provides a rich, blooming snapshot of the wildflowers found throughout the park. For … Read More…