At Home in Nature

Previous Columns

• An open mind brings out the spirituality of place - 12/31/2009

  "If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere."

  
• Color contrasts fuel the vibrancy of autumn - 11/26/2009

  As long as I've been conscious of four seasons, autumn has been my favorite.

  
• Along Oregon's eastern border, a hellishly beautiful canyon - 10/22/2009

  It's a rare thing to go into the depths of hell and return uplifted, but if you enter Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America, with respect and an open mind, that's what you'll experience.

  
• Brokeoff Mountain brings solace in time of grief - 10/8/2009

  I've never been one to climb mountains just to say I've been there. For me, mountains are powerful metaphors, so I always approach them with forethought and intent.

  
• Tumalo Falls offers relief for the body and soul - 9/3/2009

  What is it about water that lifts the human spirit?

  
• Mount Elijah, the top side of Oregon Caves - 7/30/2009

  The story has been told many times.

  
• Hobart Bluff, a centered and varied world - 6/25/2009

  Standing atop Hobart Bluff, I'm reminded of the four sacred mountains of the Navajo — Mount Taylor, the San Francisco Peaks, Mount Hesperus and Blanca Peak — marking the traditional...

  
• Coast Trail is a tribute to Oregon's vision - 5/28/2009

  From the bluffs, filled with grasses, Douglas irises and seashore lupines, the horizon stretches to a panorama of headlands, sand, offshore rocks and ocean.

  
• Table Rocks aren't the only wildflower haven - 5/7/2009

  I stand in a cluster of wildflowers — shooting stars, scarlet fritillaries and larkspurs — their violets, reds and purples dappling the gray-tan ground in a forest of Oregon white oaks.

  
• On Tunnel Ridge, nature's adaptability shines - 4/2/2009

  I am out of breath from the climb, a cold breeze whipping across my face.

  
• Local hiking guides: imperfect, but valuable - 3/5/2009

  There is no perfect hiking guide. I've looked long and hard, and have yet to find one that isn't flawed in some way.