This must be a mistake. As we look for the rare Kirtland’s Warbler we squeeze through a gap in a broken gate of chain-link fencing, the angled opening constrained by a heavy, brown chain. We are in tropical Eleuthera, a green strip of island stretched amidst the Bahama blue sea. We pass a grey pond … Continue reading Finding the Kirtland’s Warbler, and Hope, in the Bahamas
Democracy and My Place In It
I was invited to to speak at a No Kings rally in Chesaning, Michigan. I declined because I had a conflict that then did not materialize. I am still glad I didn’t speak. But here is what I would have said: “Look around us. We are on the banks of the Shiawassee River. In a … Continue reading Democracy and My Place In It
Warblers and nonprofits
What makes America great? Ingenuity, freedom, and a political-economic system that supports creativity. Committed people take new ideas, combine them with the time and money of others who believe in a novel proposition, and produce something that will change the fortunes of those involved with the effort, if not the lives of the rest of … Continue reading Warblers and nonprofits
Into the Woods
I often go to the woods, for a respite from the travails of work and life, for adventure, to look for birds or wildflowers, to enjoy the changing colors of fall, to recreate, and sometimes to forage wild food. Most often I head to the small stand of red oaks, maples, and hackberries that cover … Continue reading Into the Woods
To Build A Fire, 2025 version
I choose to venture into the outdoors to gain tangible control over my life. Being disconnected from society, even for a bit of time, requires me to make my own choices: what to wear, what path to take, when to stop or push on, what even to enjoy. The longer the trip, the greater the … Continue reading To Build A Fire, 2025 version
Sixty Five in Twenty Five: Four New Year’s Resolutions
After 65 of them, a new year launches for me without much to distinguish it from previous turns around the sun. Still, several significant events in 2024 propel me forward into 2025 and I feel compelled to set out four resolutions to ensure the momentum carries forward: Get Outside Be Purposeful in the Small Things … Continue reading Sixty Five in Twenty Five: Four New Year’s Resolutions
Isle Royale: An Island Wilderness
Isle Royale: Michigan’s superior wilderness. The largest island in the largest lake in the world. Home to wolves, moose, and loons. I have aspired to hike this island for 50 years, since my first year at Y camp, where the older and toughest campers made their mark by circumambulating the island on blistered feet with … Continue reading Isle Royale: An Island Wilderness
The Beech Forest of Valle di Lodano
Residents of Ticino celebrate the recognition of the Valle di Lodano as a UNESCO World Heritage site Beech trees saved Europe 11,000 years ago. Maybe trees can again help humanity secure its future. Forests fill my senses as I climb up the steep sides of the dense woods above the village of Lodano in Ticino, … Continue reading The Beech Forest of Valle di Lodano
Earth Day on the Shiawassee
Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. - Mary Oliver The world is a big place. Its salvation will come from little locations, small acts, and tiny plants. In the niche of the world I live in, along Michigan’s Shiawassee River, winter grudgingly relinquishes control sometime after the vernal equinox. … Continue reading Earth Day on the Shiawassee
Skiing Between Generations: A Letter to my Father
Dear Dad, the last few weeks I have been in several places where I wanted to talk to you. This morning, it was a walk among the trees along the Shiawassee River and I wanted to hear your stories about sycamores, hackberries, and other southern species that continue to thrive in mid-Michigan. A week ago, … Continue reading Skiing Between Generations: A Letter to my Father
Walks with Tom 