“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Greek Proverb “In Iroquois society, leaders are encouraged to remember seven generations in the past and consider seven generations in the future when making decisions that affect the people.” Wilma Mankiller “It’s all Al Gore’s fault anyway,” […]
Category Archives: human nature
I think it started when I decided to move the bird feeder. It was tilting, and the corner of the flower bed into which the pole was planted had begun to sag and break up. The nearest branch on the oak had grown long enough that the squirrels could go to the end, bounce the […]
“Mr. Steven. Come now,” the small Arab man ordered. Still half asleep, I climbed into the roofless jeep and we took off at a dizzying speed through the silent construction project, lit mostly by the enormous flare casting deep shadows through the dark site. “What have I gotten myself into?” Years ago, I had a […]
“Water go down the hole.” -Plucky Duck, Tiny Toon Adventures A friend’s four-year old boy was fascinated with the toilet — totally amazed that when you flushed it; water went down the hole. It was a real mystery. In a related way, he was terrified of the toilet plunger. It brought things up from the […]
It is now legal for homeowners in Colorado to capture the runoff from their roofs and store it in up to two 55-gallon barrels. It sounds like a great innovation, but I’m unsure that it will save much on water use. Our annual precipitation is about 16” and about half of that comes as snow. […]
It’s time that I tell you a few facts of life “Cats will be cats, and cats will be cruel Cats can be callous, and cats can be cool Cats will be cats, remember these words Cats will be cats, and cats eat birds” Facts About Cats, Timbuk 3 We had heard the shrill cries […]
“It’s a boondoggle based on bad science and ignores the geologic record,” my friend stated decisively. “It’s bad enough that they’re making us drive electric cars, bankrupting the coal industry, and subsidizing wind farms, but now they’re trying to charge a carbon tax to pay for their outlandish schemes.” He regrouped for his final argument, […]
“An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.” attributed to Thomas Jefferson “Paper or plastic?” the cashier asked. I glanced at my purchases already snugged into a plastic bag, but saw no paper bags on the counter. Seeing my puzzled look, she said, “Cash or credit card?” A few […]
“Wilderness might be reducible, acre by acre, but wildness is something else again.” Michael Pollen, The Botany of Desire There’s a conversation going on about wilderness areas, and whether bicycles should be allowed. Currently, no mechanical devices are allowed, such as bicycles or chainsaws. The wilderness concept is to maintain a condition as close to […]
The couple approached me on the trail, tossing a frisbee for their dog to retrieve. I petted the friendly dog when he approached, and politely informed the guy that he should really keep the dog on a leash. There were lots of people on the trail, some with dogs or kids, and I offered him […]
Writes of Nature 