We believe we spotted a river otter afloat on its back in the Delta Ponds before it dove into the water and then swam out of sight among exposed tree roots and brambles that draped the opposite bank. In the many times we have walked in the Delta Ponds park this is the first time we saw an otter. (There might be that rare person who frequently sees otters here.) This merits a closer look by us. Clouds reflected in Delta Ponds on Goodpasture Island The field between us and the pond’s edge is fraught with footwear danger. It’s a minefield of geese droppings. We are mindful of our every forward st ..read more

I found this magical place in the forest a few years ago, and this image remains one of my favorite photographs from my time living in Portland, Oregon. I imagine several things might live here amid the assemblage of ferns, trees, and branches–elves, woodland fairies, a hidden mushroom city, and daydreams. Magical places are abundant in nature, metaphorically speaking. Magical places in the forest by Ken Mooney These trees are a part of the Tryon Creek watershed. I had my first forest-bathing experience with a group of people in the Tryon Creek woods. No soap & water required for forest ba ..read more

What the trees reflect might be what I project on the calm water Ken Mooney Coast Fork Willamette River reflection Minutes versus Moments The words minute and moment are used interchangeably in English language without a minute or a moment’s hesitation. The dictionary meaning is nearly the same in denoting a small passage of time. There is a moment in physics when we express distance and physical quantity. There is a minute in time when I put on footwear. When Is the Moment? I feel the shade of difference between minute and moment. When I have present time awareness to an extent than I am obs ..read more

In my support of environmentally minded businesses and my fondness of giraffes I draw readers’ attention to Celeste Watch Company in Springfield, Oregon. Business owner Celeste Wong and dial artist Rebecca Montgomery are running a fundraiser for giraffe conservation. Each purchase of their beautifully crafted giraffe watches donates $40 to Wild Nature Institute. Giraffe populations in the wild are falling rapidly and need our help. Shop online or visit Celeste Watch Company in historic downtown Springfield, Oregon. The post Watch This Run: Giraffe Conservation Fundraiser appeared first on Kenn ..read more

Shoot with Your Feet If you have taken a beginning photography class you might have been given the common “times of day” assignment. You photograph the same subject at different times of day and learn about the changing qualities and quantities of natural light. This also teaches you to “work the shot” and not be satisfied with a single snapshot. Beyond photographing the subject from the same angle of view at different times is the concept of working the shot by shooting with the feet. In the latter pursuit the time of day is not as critical as is finding the right angle and the right frame fo ..read more

Regardless of the state of your life at any moment, rainbows are beautiful. Untouchable by our hands when in their celestial form, they don’t fail to touch us. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who honestly detests rainbows. Whether the rainbow is in the sky, in a child’s drawing, or in a spoonful of rainbow sherbet, we like rainbows. The Myths The Greek goddess of the rainbow was Iris. Her principal occupation was messenger of the gods. She lends her name to the colorful part of our eyeball. For the Vikings, the rainbow was Bifrost, the bridge between Midgard, the land of humans, and A ..read more

Female Reticulated Giraffe As far back as I can remember, I have held a special place in my heart for giraffes. Like me, they are tall. Beyond that, I see positive aspects of my personality in them. Giraffes are seemingly ambiverts–content to be social, content to be alone. That is me too. I love people and all living things. However, I enjoy solitude to think deeply or make art. Gentle spirits by nature, giraffes are willing to fight the lions of the jungle to defend themselves and their family. That’s also me. Sentinels of Wildlife In the wild, giraffes are the sentinels of wildlife. Their o ..read more

Maps don’t tell the full story of a place. We have to physically go there to experience the location. Quest for the Source I pinpointed the source of the Coast Fork confluence with its source tributaries, Big River and Little River. The Default, Satellite, and Terrain views on Google Maps showed me the rivers met along London Road, south of Cottage Grove, Oregon and north of Black Butte. The rural nature of the confluence was without question as I planned my day trip to that spot on the map. But what would I experience with my five senses and how far could I explore? Government Land A map on P ..read more

What is the wood wide web? The first internet of sorts came long before the electrical and electronic version with which we are now familiar. When you have a few free minutes, set down your mobile devices and then walk outside until you are in the shade of a tree. The networked communication is beneath where you stand. This is the wood wide web. If you are expecting to see a network of cables, servers, workstations, and routers, look instead for roots and fungi behaving like nodes and routers, and be cognizant of wireless transmissions via chemical signals. Ecologist Suzanne Simard was a pion ..read more

When I was 16 or 17 my family visited Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square near Philadelphia. At over 1,000 acres of gardens, trees, and grasses, it is a botanical paradise. Being a typical teen, I was bored. Where was the action, the excitement? What fun could be had in just strolling among flowers? How much longer would it be until we headed for home? I am happy to say I no longer think in that manner. Like the flowers, I lived through changing conditions. In metaphorical terms, my years since then contained the sun and rain, the clouds and clear skies. I learned to appreciate newly forming bu ..read more