Missouri Welcomes Isaac

As I walked to work, at 6 AM, the leading cloud bank from Isaac's massive pinwheel was drifting northward above Columbia.  Ahead of that...

The Meteorologist's Disclaimer

Meteorologists do not want human injuries or structural damage to result from the weather; after all, their job is primarily devoted to warn...

Delta Blues

Molded by the glaciers and meltwater torrents of the Pleistocene, the broad Mississippi River watershed stretches from the Rockies to the Ap...

The Sea of Cortez

During the Miocene Period, some 25 million years ago, rift volcanism began to develop in the region now occupied by extreme southeastern Cal...

Never Mind!

For a week or more, many Americans, especially those in Florida, have been glued to the Weather Channel, anxiously awaiting every update on ...

Hurricane Anxiety

On this 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew's landfall in Greater Miami, all eyes are on Tropical Storm Isaac as it spins in the Caribb...

Watching Al Jazeera

Like most Americans, I first became aware of Al Jazeera during the months following the September 11 terrorist attacks.  Based on reports fr...

A Message from Birds

Birdwatchers take up their hobby for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost, birds are colorful and interesting creatures that are repres...

The Conservation Business

I assume that readers of this blog share my passion for habitat protection and wildlife conservation and, therefore, regularly donate to org...

A Dry Wetland

On our first visit to the Forum Nature Area in two months, we found that our local wetland preserve is completely dry.  Thanks to the prolon...

Castle Rock Escarpment

From Quinter, Kansas, Castle Rock Road leads southward, toward the Smoky Hill River Valley.  Yesterday afternoon, I followed that even, dirt...

Sea Floor Spreading

Sea floor spreading is the engine of Continental Drift, the heat-driven process that causes the geography of Earth's surface to undergo ...

Evolution on Mars

Now that Curiosity has safely landed on the surface of Mars, its future discoveries are greatly anticipated though, it seems to me, fairly p...

To Bury a Fox

Heading out to work on our Colorado farm this morning, I found a dead fox in the side yard.  It was the juvenile male that took up residence...

A Hummingbird Shower

Birdwatchers use a variety of means to attract hummingbirds; they are, after all, among our most attractive and fascinating birds.  Some of ...

Year of the Crabapple

Despite the heat and drought, this has been a good year for fruit production on our Littleton, Colorado, farm.  A mild spring, devoid of a l...

Basalt: Rock of the Ages

As the primordial Earth began to cool, almost 4.6 billion years ago, the magma across its surface was subjected to the planet's gravity ...

The Nature of Rocks & Minerals

Rocks, whether pebble or mountain sized, are composed of one or more minerals. Minerals are naturally occurring elements or chemical compoun...

Hunting Rocks

Having become enthused with agate collecting during our recent trips to Lake Superior, my wife and I have taken up the broader hobby of rock...

Crossing Parched Terrain

Traveling across the Great Plains of North America can be monotonous at times but yesterday's journey was both depressing and worrisome....

Send in the Clouds

We humans generally prefer mild, sunny weather but, after endless weeks of blazing sunshine, those of us in the Heartland appreciated the cl...

Cave Men: Then & Now

Often depicted as hirsute, dim-witted creatures who lived in caves and survived by brute force, our ancestors deserve more respect.  As they...

Flushing Out a Killer

Watering a flower bed last evening, I flushed out a praying mantis that was lounging in the black-eyed susans.  Crawling to the top of those...

Alaska's Collage of Terranes

As the Mesozoic Era dawned, 225 million years ago, only northern and northeastern Alaska were part of North America.  Since that time, numer...