A Letter to Otis

My Sweet Otis (Odie), Thank you for spending thirteen years of your life with me. I don't know how to fully express the loss I feel for you, so I am going to thank you and let you know the things I am going to miss about you. Thank you for showing me that every …

My Garden Style

My garden style is based upon two general philosophies; "plant it and forget it" and "if you build it, they will come". At the backbone of these philosophies are drought tolerant, pollinator plants that are predominately perennial. Overall, they are tenacious plants that would grow and even thrive in poor soil conditions and once established …

The Monarch Butterfly- Momentous Migration

The most recognizable butterfly species has been declared endangered by the International Union of Conservation and Nature (IUCN). The monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, with its iconic black and orange coloring with white dotted patterning and its impressive annual migration, are endangered due to the impacts of habitat destruction and climate change. Additional impacts to their …

Armillaria ostoyae – Limitless

The largest known organism on Earth is a mycelial mat of a honey mushroom (Armillaria ostoyae) in eastern Oregon—890 hectares and more than 2000 years old. National Library of Medicine The honey mushroom, particularly Armillaria ostoyae, sweep through acres of hardwood and conifer forests primarily in the United States and in Canada. Appearing at the …

Monthly Muse – Mushrooms

Muse n.) a source of inspiration. To think about something carefully and thoroughly. As I was searching through my photos, I realized that throughout the years I have amassed a peculiar and random collection of mushroom photographs. There are approximately 14,000 known species of mushrooms. What interests me about mushrooms are how they contribute to …

A Watercolor Sketchbook : Volume 1

Painting has always been a calming outlet for me. All stress momentarily falls away as I am engaged with the process of creating something. A few months ago, I rediscovered my interest in watercolor painting and have completed my first watercolor sketchbook. My preferred media in the past was either oil or acrylic but I …