The Nature of Ghosts

On this Halloween, its seems appropriate to consider the nature of ghosts.  During our childhood, as will be evident this evening, ghosts ar...

Spring in October

The southerly flow ahead of an approaching cold front has brought the feel of spring to the October landscape of central Missouri.  Were it ...

October in the Country

Faced with a free afternoon, I am inclined to escape to the country; if I happen to be in Missouri, I head for the rolling farmlands and woo...

Formation of the Philippines

The Philippine archipelagos represent one of the most complex geologic regions of our planet.  Composed of numerous microplates and terranes...

Narcotic Addiction & Abuse

The excessive prescription of narcotics has led to an epidemic of abuse and addiction in America, leading the FDA to, belatedly, place limit...

A Gray-Cheeked Thrush

Earlier this week, as I watched a mixed flock of chickadees, titmice and nuthatches attack our backyard feeder, a spotted thrush dropped int...

Prairie & Sinkholes

Following the first overnight freeze of the season, I opted for a hike at Rockbridge Memorial State Park (south of Columbia) yesterday after...

A Life of Memories

We humans are, in effect, the product of our genes and our memories; genes determine our physical structure and biochemical function while m...

A Sluggish Fall at Eagle Bluffs

On my visit to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area this morning, it was clear that the summer residents, including great egrets and green herons,...

The Autumn of Life

Now in the autumn of my life, I recognize that our lives parallel the natural seasons.  Having survived the vigor of spring and the intense ...

Clifty Creek Natural Area

Clifty and Little Clifty Creeks rise on the west wall of the Gasconade River Valley in south-central Missouri.  Flowing eastward, the creeks...

The Tea Party Agenda

Having closed the U.S. government with the expressed purpose of dismantling the Affordable Care Act, Tea Party Republicans lost that battle ...

Hiking through a Sea Bed

Yesterday, my wife and I visited Three Creeks Conservation Area, south of Columbia, where three streams converge, carving scenic gorges thro...

The Giant Oarfish

The 18-foot specimen that washed up in Southern California this week was, by past accounts, of modest size for an adult giant oarfish; these...

The Cuyahoga River

The Cuyahoga River of northeastern Ohio rises as East and West Branches in the northeast corner of Geauga County, flows southwestward to Cuy...

Wild Turkeys in Ohio

On our recent trips to Ohio, I observed a fair number of wild turkeys, most often feeding in fields at the edge of woodlands.  Their history...

Human Kindness

During periods of human conflict, whether between individuals, within governments or across the international landscape, man has looked for ...

October Fog at Eagle Bluffs

Arriving at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area just after dawn, I was greeted by a dense fog that enveloped the Missouri River floodplain.  On m...

Death on the Journey

Walking through downtown Columbia this morning, I came across a dead Nashville warbler, lying on the sidewalk at the base of a building.  Af...

Autumn Chill invades the Heartland

On the back side of a potent storm system that brought heavy snow to the Central Rockies and tornadic thunderstorms to the Northern Plains, ...

Fish Pond for Vultures

The seasonal lake at our local nature preserve has retreated to a shallow pool and dead fish now break its surface, decaying in the autumn s...

Basin & Range Atmosphere

Yesterday, the rolling farmlands of Ohio's Glaciated Plain were bathed in sunshine.  As we approached the Indiana line, however, a range...

Autumn on a Kettle Lake

Sitting above the north shore of Sandy Lake, in northeast Ohio, there was a mix of summer and autumn yesterday afternoon.  The calm lake wat...

In Memory of Helen

Like many (if not most) men, I was not overly close to my mother-in-law.  Nevertheless, she had a profound impact on my life, well beyond ou...

The Milestones of Life

The recent hiatus in my blog was due to two significant events in my life: the marriage of my oldest daughter and the death of my mother-in-...

Flocks of Franklins

Driving back to Missouri, yesterday, I saw several large flocks of Franklin's gulls feeding above the fields of central Kansas.  These s...