More geeky Darwin delectables

In my preparation for my journey to the Galapagos I did quite a bit of reading. I read about Henry Walter Bates.

Naturally, I was delighted to find him, and Darwin, in the most recent Tuesday's Science times. I think you'll enjoy this article too.

a little white envelope

My mother clipped NYTimes articles. She clipped them and sent them off to friends and relatives. Once my sister bought her a special coupon cutting tool to use on the coupon-free NYTimes.

I received hundreds of white envelopes stuffed with articles she'd discover. The envelopes were stuffed with articles and surprisingly nothing else. No note. No letter. No sticky note, or ink marks at the top of the headlined paper. I rarely knew why she chose to send me this article over hundreds of others that week.

I craved to know why. It appears that researchers at the University of Pennsylvania also want to know why people send articles to each other.

So, in the spirit of my mother, I "forward" this article to you.

"And if you want to share that feeling with anyone, you know what to do next."

Galapagos: Fearless

Olivia Judson may be one of my favorite science writers.
Here she talks about my recent destination.
My photos of the "imps of darkness" and the "antediluvian" tortoises coming soon.

Avitar: Biology and the Amazon

I recently visited the Cofan village of Zabalo in the heart of the Ecuadorian jungle. I was visiting Hugo Lucitante, a former Evergreen school student of mine, who has returned from Seattle to his people.

Just days after I returned from Ecuador, I saw the jungle again on the screen, in 3-D! James Cameron's Avitar was stunning. This article describes some of my awe for the movie.

I was was curious about the connections to indigenous cultures, like the one I'd just visited. This movie shows some of their feelings about the film.

Spring Street Skiing

We've got snow in Seattle! Lots of it.
Enough to close school for three days, (and now we're out for the legitimate break)
Enough to sled on.
Enough to ski in.

Thursday I spent hours outside, sledding with the neighbor kids and then skiing a few miles in borrowed x-c skis, only to finish the afternoon ripping it up on Spring Street.

Check out the jump turns in the turn-about glade!

To be sealed

Discovery Park reminded me of how beautiful
it is where I live, where I walk
my face in the wind along the glassy stones
smoothed by lapping waves
and wondrous children

beneath the mountains we see it leap
and dive slick-backed into the blue
again and again and again
like a Asian New Year's dragon dance

it is nearly my New Year
behind me a tumbling week of birth, death, wedding celebration.
This is the largest seal
I've ever seen.

from shore I can see the salmon
large and long and limp
in the grip of teeth
and time.

the seal thrashes the fish
so that the water bleeds
red, as I mention it aloud
it is echoed by the children
who build forts at my feet.

we all search
hand over eyebrows
shielding sun, squinting
for a look into this life.

it is
before us
here
now
about to be sealed.

Music to my eyes

I love Bumbershoot.
I love riding my bike to the music and arts fest. I love bumping into friends and former students. I love singing and swaying along to favorite songs by great performers. I love learning of new music as I walk on by. I love packing a rain jacket and squinting in the sun. I love Mike Doughty. I love photography. I love local music.

What a good day.
Check out the eye candy.
Listen to KEXP.org
Support local art and music!