With family and friends giving . . . thanks!

Blessings To Acclaim

A time past with parents and siblings

Perhaps at friends when they do the same

A time present to gather together

To Give Thanks . . . for Blessings To Acclaim

© Forrest W. Heaton October 2024

Blessings To Acclaim. According to Webster, to acclaim is to “praise enthusiastically and publicly.” That’s something to think about at Thanksgiving. For what do we give thanks? This is worth pondering. Perhaps for some time. Maybe write it out. Some is taken for granted . . . but should not be. Some is forgotten. It’s important to acclaim blessings!

The First Thanksgiving. Google advises Thanksgiving is: “A Harvest Celebration. During the autumn of 1621, at least 90 Wampanoag joined 52 English people at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, to mark a successful harvest. It is remembered today as the “First Thanksgiving,” although no one back then used that term.”

Historical Roots Wikipedia advises: “Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well.”

What Do We Need To Remember? What do we remember from our own early Thanksgivings? Our guess is much is similar for many . . . while much is quite different for many. The one item mentioned by most is a bountiful table.

What Do We Need To Forget? Probably all of us have a Thanksgiving memory we wish would go away. For me, it is turning on the TV and watching the Washington Redskins lose in 1974 to the Dallas Cowboys after a lovely Thanksgiving dinner. Clint Longley of the Cowboys, “then a rookie, came into the game for an injured Roger Staubach with the Cowboys trailing 16–3 in the third quarter, and facing elimination from the playoffs.”`` We now leave the TV off at Thanksgiving.

For Granted. Some of us have taken for granted having been born of our parents, having been born in our country, having freedoms many do not share, having opportunities some do not have. These are BIG and often taken for granted. But they should not be taken that way. They need to be celebrated and protected and acclaimed at Thanksgiving!

New Traditions? Here are 20 of the 50 Thanksgiving tradition ideas prepared by Sarah Lemire, life-style writer. On her website, she describes what you might consider for each: Play Thanksgiving games.

Host a cookie swap.

Celebrate special occasions.

Tell turkey jokes.

Hold a Turkey Day scavenger hunt.

Sing karaoke.

Make matching t-shirts

Contribute to a cause.

Make a family tree.

Fill a gratitude jar.

Put a puzzle together.

Host an Open House.

Assemble care packages.

Share Thanksgiving memories.

Take a walk.

Make a Thanksgiving craft.

Deliver baked goods to friends and neighbors.

Hold an ugly sweater contest.

Get started on your holiday playlist.

Draw names for holiday gifts.

We love the above list. We do have our own considerations for new traditions at Thanksgiving. Consider acclaiming as described above Consider volunteering at your local food pantry. Perhaps donate food or money so that others may have a Thanksgiving they would not have otherwise celebrated.

Thanks For You Dear Readers. We give thanks for you Dear Readers without whom we would have no blog post which we celebrate each month! Thank You! Enjoy your Celebration!

Can you hear....the sounds of nature?

Can You Hear the Sounds of Nature

Can you hear the sounds of nature?

Listening takes effort--clearing our minds

Sounds  almost  unheard when you were concentrating on someone’s word

Ask them to join you in focused listening

Fewer sounds you and they will be missing

A woodpecker’s peck-peck-peck, the hopeful expectation of a songbird’s call

Wendell Berry wrote: “For a time, I rest in the grace of the world and am free.”

Perhaps we can be like Berry—you and me

It takes patience to take this time

Our habit is to rush 

Can we make a habit of being in nature 

And truly hearing its sounds?

Forrest W. Heaton  September 2024

Quotations. In my Oxford Dictionary of Quotations there are many appropriate quotations but they are often too hard to find thus the internet from which the following come: 

“The clearest way to a forest universe is through a wilderness.” John Muir

“If you personify elements of nature you suddenly don’t feel alone. The sun, the wind the other living things all accompany us.” Mary Oliver

“Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

How important is a constant intercourse with nature and the contemplation of natural phenomena to the preservation of moral and intellectual health.” 

Henry David Thoreau

Forest Bathing. Are you familiar with “forest bathing”?  I was not. My wife, Mary, forwarded a recent NPR article on “forest bathing” We encourage you to check this out. Doing this is known to decrease blood pressure and reduce the stress of every day life .The article points out “The idea that spending time in nature is not new. Most of human evolutionary history was spent in environments that lack buildings and walls. But today most of us spend most of our life indoors, or at least tethered to devices. Perhaps the new forest bathing trend is a recognition that many of us need a little nudge to get back out there.”

Please consider this post your “little nudge.”

Topic. Having asked two friends about the topic for our opening post for the year 2025, one recommended “Freedom” re the upcoming Nov24 election. We appreciated our friend’s suggestion of “Freedom” but discarded the the idea as we have strictly avoided politics as a topic. There is no question we all need to do some repair work on our relationships and need to become closer as “Americans” (a topic about which we will write in the new year. It will not be our lead for the year but we will include it.) Our second friend recommended: we “challenge readers to get out into nature” and let it wash over them. We decided to accept that recommendation as it was closer to our thinking about the blog originally. 

Mary Oliver. One person who got out into nature very well was America’s best selling poet before her untimely 2019 death, Mary Oliver. Early in her poetic career she elected to go out into nature and and write. Her topics were what she experienced. We’ve included below Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese in case you’ve not read it before.

Wild Geese

 You do not have to be good

You do not have to walk on your knees

For a hundred miles through the desert repenting

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

Love what it loves

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

Are moving across the landscapes,

Over the prairies and the deep trees, 

The mountains and the rivers,

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

Are heading home again

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

The world offers itself to your imagination

Calls to you like the wild geese—harsh and exciting –

Over and over announcing your place

In the family of things.

Mary Oliver

Poetry. I have listened to the call of the wild geese during their migration but never considered writing a poem such as the above. This highlights the strength of poetry--We hear things differently and choose different words to write what we mean to write. The differences are to be celebrated. This was an important experience for Mary Oliver as they have been for me. Getting out into nature was a joy for both of us.

“In Balance with Nature”. For those of you who are unable to go into the wilderness but wish to hear the sounds of nature we recommend viewing the recently released movie, Songs Of Earth. Last night the CCRC where Mary & I live played the movie in the Cinema. We ran into friends going to the movie having read its reviews (all outstanding). Thus, by chance, we went. An internet “synopsis” says: “Experiencing Norway’s adventurous valley, Oldedalen in Nordford, with Olin and his 85 year old father, this is where he grew up and where generations before him have lived in balance with nature. Viewing this movie almost takes you there, sounds and all.

I can’t recall the name of the book . . . something to do with memory?

Memory

Memory is hard to strengthen, hard to hold on to

Particularly as we age

We’d like to improve as the years go by

When we go . . . be known as a sage

© Forrest W. Heaton  June 2024

The Fourth P.  Mary & I have promised our readers we will write about Poetry, Parks, and Planet. Within that framework, we try to select topics we feel have broad appeal realizing that some readers prefer say, parks, some prefer planet, and some may prefer poetry Where, then, does memory fit in? It doesn’t. Thus, we’ve decided to add a fourth “P” topic—People. Poetry, Parks, Planet, and People. We’ve been doing this all along. We’ve just not written about it . This seems to be a good time.

 Improve? Memory is something most if not all covet, want to keep, and try to improve (some more than others.)

Restak. Dr. Richard Restak, George Washington Hospital University School of Medicine & Health, has written a book on improving your memory as you age. It is entitled “The Complete Guide To Memory: The Science of Strengthening Your Mind.” Restak has published more than twenty books on the topic of boosting memory and avoiding dementia.

Anxiety. Restak urges the patient/reader to cast off anxiety about the issue, achieve a level of calmness.

Dementia. Regarding the potential of our succumbing to a form of dementia as we age (a worry shared by more than a few), Restak advises: “I have never encountered in my many years of neurologic practice a patient with highly tuned memory skills who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or any other degenerative brain disease.”

Evolution. Regarding evolution, around 500 B.C., it was understood that the key principle of good memory was the “formation of mental images coupled with their orderly management . . . thinking in pictures.” This is still true today. Those in the past and Restak advise: “In order for the images to be remembered they should be as dramatic and exaggerated as possible.” And, Restak reminds us that “the brain operates using associative memory, where things are linked with one another via associations.”

Loci. One of the methods often used by ancient and current mnemonists is the method of “loci.” Restak helps the reader in how to perform this task.

Diet. Feed a “healthy brain” with a “good diet.” Avoid “sugary drinks, most pizzas, fruit juices, sweetened breakfast cereals, fried food, pastries, cookies, cakes, French fries, and potato chips.”

Beverages. Coffee and tea are OK. Restak advises his patients: “Abstain completely from alcohol at age 70 at the latest.”

Exercise. “Exercise.”

Sleep. “Good sleep improves the quantity and quality of all of the different types of memory.”

Sustained Practice. “A superior memory requires (sustained) practice.”

Harry Lorayne & Jerry Lucas. Yes, the Jerry Lucas basketball star of the NY Knicks! In 1974, Lorayne & Lucas wrote a book entitled “The Memory Book.” Although it includes some difficult tasks, overall you’ll find it perhaps the best book you can use to practice memory improving skills.

Lucas. “Believe me, if you read about these systems and actually apply them as you go, there is no limit to how great your memory can be.”

Lorayne. “I envy you the discoveries you’re about to make, the new areas you’re about to explore, the pleasure of learning and enjoying at the same time. I wish I were in your place right now.”

History of the Art. Yes, this is an art!

Association. “All memory, whether trained or untrained, is based on association.”

The link. “. . . what you’re doing when you apply it is linking one item to another, forming the links of a memory chain.”

Chapters. The three items above refer to the first three chapters in the book. There are 27 chapters in the book. Each of these chapters is an idea. You can apply each idea to the things you need to remember. Enjoy!

Are there ways to age?

Graceful Aging

What will we write at the top of this page

We have decided  . . . we’ll write about age

To be more specific, our topic’s . . . Graceful Aging

Something each day . . . that most all are gauging

It’s not a choice. . . . It’s just something we do

To do it better? . . . That’s for more than a few

Thus this blog post. . . . some tips . . . thoughts to chew

Habits to undo. . . Habits to do

© Forrest W. Heaton  22Jul24

Aging Gracefully. What do we have in mind. Some define aging as the process of growing old. The question is . . . how? Aging is something we all are doing. But not all of us have seriously thought it through. Granted, some of us no longer can think it through due to timing, a diagnosis, and other considerations. It is for those who have choices to make that can extend their length of life and enhance their quality of life that this piece is researched and written. We wish all good things to each as you consider this.

Purpose. The purpose here is to summarize the recommendations made by others and then you choose what you want to do.

Health Event. I previously advised I experienced a health event that slowed my reading/research. I  had written this post prior to the event and found nothing in the post I felt needed changing except one preventative item—stroke.

Stroke. I had not included stroke in the original draft. A stroke can be a particularly damaging medical event. But a few precautions can be helpful. One: regularly check your blood pressure. You can usually lower your systolic (the first number listed) by lowering your stress, regularly taking doctor prescribed blood pressure medications, perhaps increasing exercise, or daily walking.                                                                                                        

Eat. Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times advises “loosing just 5 percent of your body weight has been shown to reduce your risk for diabetes and heart disease and improve metabolic function in liver, fat and muscle tissue.” Avoid processed meat, salt, sugar, supplements. Eat: blueberries (wash them well,) fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, whole grains.

Exercise. Exercise regularly, if not daily. Immerse yourself in “high-intensity interval training.” If you don’t know what constitutes that, ask a qualified trainer to teach you. Typical high-intensity workouts last fifteen to twenty minutes including warm-ups and cool-downs. Benefits are the same or greater than an hour of moderate exercise.

Weights. Lift weights; how often and how heavy are key. Find the heaviest weight you can lift. Then lift 30 to 50 percent of that weight approximately twenty-five times “until the muscles are exhausted.” Focus on all muscles including calves and ankles. Include it regularly with your exercise.

Intricate Dance. Whereas walking, stretching and balancing help everyone, activities such as intricate dancing that involve moving and socializing best improve aging brains.

Sense of Well-Being. Activities such as music, singing, reading and writing poetry, creative writing, art appreciation, painting, quilting, pottery, photography, knitting, yoga, meditation, breathing, and other activities that strengthen cognitive capability, “provide a sense of joy, a sense of well-being.”

Friendships. Friendships help navigate through health issues. They also help with the joyful times. The issue with friendships is it’s often harder to develop friendships as we age. We are reminded, therefore, to work harder at keeping “old” friends and making new ones. We’re reminded to . . . “have strong relationships with family, have a sense of purpose, volunteer, join clubs, stay connected.” People with close relationships “live the longest.”

Work. “Eventually, not working can take a toll on mental health.” One can select the kind of work that feeds one’s cognitive needs, their sense of purpose, their well-being without detracting from the benefits of “retirement.” One needs to strengthen their “social network.”

Graceful Aging. Many authors recommend you consider the qualities of “graceful aging.” Regardless of your current age, please think this through. We’ll chose one author, Dr. Andrew Weil. Weil writes: “. . . . ongoing physical activity and strong social and communal ties are most important.” He emphasizes: “. . . be happy.” He instructs: “. . . forget about antiaging and obsession with life extension. Instead, let’s focus on preventing or minimizing the impact of age-related disease, on separating longevity and senescence, on learning how to live long and well, on how to age gracefully.” Thus, he reminds: “Growing old should increase, not decrease, the value of human life. . . . It has the potential to smooth out roughness, add agreeable qualities, and improve character.”

Recommendation We recommend Weil”s book: “How To Age Gracefully.”

What is . . . a Poet Laureate?

Poet Laureate

Can a Poet Laureate provide the inspiration

for the public’s participation

Writing a poem in celebration

Of the nature surrounding them?

Forrest W. Heaton   June 2024

Rick Smith. Good friend and college (1956-1960) roommate, Rick Smith, thought of us as he read the below outlined article in a newspaper. He sent it to us and we readily agreed we might advise our readers of this. I must admit I didn’t visit a national park to write the above poem. It came to me as I began thinking of this as a blog post. Your surroundings in a national park can be inspiration causing you to write about what you see and feel. 

Inspiration. I  recall our first feelings when visiting Independence National Park in Philadelphia including the actual Liberty Bell and the room where the documents were debated then signed or the five different national parks where each summer we took two of our granddaughters when they were young to learn what a national park was or Grand Teton where we gathered our family to celebrate my 80th birthday and on another visit with family, my wife, Mary’s, 80th birthday!

Article.”Why is there a poem on a picnic table in Beech Forest? Cape Cod display first of 7 in U.S.( the bold was in their article) —A nature walk at Beech Forest and a poem by Mary Oliver unveiled on a picnic table started a national project Friday at the Cape Cod National Seashore with U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limoen recalling her first visit when she arrived in Provincetown for the first time Oct 1 2001, two weeks after Sept. 11. She was living in Brooklyn at the time, Limoen said to a group of about 75 gathered at the trail head.  She was driven out by her friend headed to the Fine Arts Work Center. ‘It’s just really a beautiful moment to be here at a place that for me really taught me the power of poetry and nature combined.’ 

Poet Laureate. One might ask “What is a Poet Laureate?” Wikipedia advises: “a Poet Laureate is officially appointed by a government or conferring institution “(such as the Poetry Foundation) “typically is expected to compose a poem for special events or occasions.” In this case, the Poet Laureate is bringing poetry to the people and people to the Parks. All good! All good!

“What is Poetry in Parks? Limoen selected seven national parks , including the Cape Cod National Seashore, for her signature project ‘You Are Here: Poetry In Parks’ The project is a partnership of the Library Of Congress, the National Park Service and the Poetry Society of America that features site-specific poetry installations in the parks.  Each one will transform a picnic table into a work of public art by featuring a historic American poem that relates to the park in a meaningful way.” (When you visit nps.gov/poetry in parks you are provided with much information on this project.)

Admission. I must admit I was confused in reading the article to this point. I felt the public would not be asked to participate but reading further, I found I was wrong.  Ordinary people like me ARE encouraged to write a “site-specific” poem about the nature they are in. I was thinking of traveling up to the Cape and writing a poem and including it in this post. Considering current health issues, that’s not a good idea. But there’s some extraordinary poetry involved here. Mary Oliver’s “Can You Imagine” is a joy! We love the idea of the “power of poetry and nature combined.” We were completely unaware of this. We appreciate America’s Poet Laureate bringing more poetry to the people!  More awareness of the value of National Parks all good! All good! And we ARE encouraged to write and read some good poetry too, such as “Can You Imagine.” So good. So special!

Rest of the article. “Does Limoen’s project have other parts? As part of the project Limoen challenges everyone of all ages –poets and nonpoets to write their own response to the ‘you are Here:’ prompt (no matter where they are) and share those responses with the hashtag # you are here poetry. It’s simple: What would you write in response to the landscape around you.’ Limoen asks on the Library of Congress’ poet laureate page.“

“Who is Ada Limoen? Limoen is the 24th U.S. Poet Laureate, who is in her second two year term. She compiled an anthology entitled ‘You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World’ in April through the Library of Congress. The anthology features over fifty American poets including former U,S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo; Pulitzer Prize winners Jericho Brown, Carl Phillips and Diane Seuss; and PEN/Voelcker award winners Victoria Chang and Roberto Gonzaelez.”

“Who is Mary Oliver? One of America’s most beloved poets, known for her accessible poems on nature’s smallest moments. Mary Oliver was a wash-ashore who felt at home on the Cape, living in Provincetown for more than four decades. She died  in 2019 in Florida at 83. The Cause of death was lymphoma.”

“Wash-ashore”. Some may ask: What is a “wash-ashore”? Generally this term is used to describe a dead marine animal washed upon a beach. In this case, the author of the article used the term “wash-ashore” describing Mary Oliver as a “wash-ashore” a New England term describing someone who is not from there.

“What poem is on the picnic table at Beech Forest in Provincetown?” ‘‘Can You Imagine’ (Mary Oliver)

“Where are the next parks in the project? Cape Cod National Seashore is the first stop of Limon’s ‘Poetry in Parks’ tour. She will also visit Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. Redwood National and State Parks in California. Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio, Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Tennessee, Everglades National Park in Florida, and Saguaro National Park in Arizona. At every park there will be an installation of a public art picnic table.“

Thank you/Enjoy. Thank you Rick! Enjoy the poetry all!

Can we return we return to a “sustainable existence?”

A Sustainable Existence

Can we return to “a sustainable existence”?

We must. . . in order to continue . . . our existence.

© Forrest W. Heaton May 2024

Global Warming Measurements Ask: “How can current Earth Global Warming measurements continue? Answer: They can’t.”

Global Legacy. We have done a poor job of leaving a global legacy for our children and grand children.

         - We have acidified the oceans.

         - We have over-fished the oceans.

         - We have killed most of the whales and big fish.

         - We have encircled the planet in green house gasses such as carbon dioxide which keep the planet at higher than normal temperature.

         - We have filled our bodies and fish and sea-birds with micro plastics.

         -We have littered the ocean floor and remote island beaches with cans, plastics and netting.

         - I could go on. Attenborough goes on.

Life On This Planet by David Attenborough.

I have just finished reading David Attenborough‘s book, Life On This Planet, Most of you know of him due to his many television specials on animals and the natural world. He and his team are highly qualified on the natural world. YOU can see many of his TV specials on PBS, AppleTV and Netflix

Granddaughter. We need to listen more to our grand children. My first born, Matthew, has two daughters one of whom is Christine Rogan a smart adult, a nurse by occupation (no surprise, as she cares for people and our planet) She was reading David Attenborough’s book, Life on Our Planet, when she remarked “this is a Grandpa book!”  Christine recommended the book to me. The topic is: mankind and our planet are at risk of extinction. It could be depressing but it’s not. Attenborough and his team are science-based and offer good recommendations for what we can do to repair our mistakes. They feel it is not too late, although it will take time and the people of every country. It is well - researched and well-presented.

Recommendation. We recommend your purchasing and reading this book and your doing what you can do to correct our mistakes.

“What Can We Do” As Attenborough reminds us: there are actions each of us can take to help us avoid a “sixth mass extinction.” Those actions include:  

Vote. Vote into political office only those who believe in climate change. DO not vote into office people who promote the burning of fossil fuels for energy.  

Plant Based Food “Eat plant based food, less red meat.” (The eating of red meat requires more land and more fresh water.)

“A New Set of Rules” Work with business persons to promote “a new set of rules”: less focus on near-term profit and “more focus on the three Ps: profit, people and planet.”

Hope Maintain hope for this approach to living our lives.

Balance With Nature.  Promote a “balance with nature”. Promote a “stable natural world”.

Biodiversity. “Promote biodiversity.” We need to abandon the killing of species.

         -Promote a “Sustainability Revolution.”

         -Excel at “Low human impact” on the natural world.

         - Promote “the Rewilding” of the Earth. “The wild is finite.”

Sustainability “Promote sustainability. Sustainability - life that can last forever.”

Rainforests. Promote the health of rainforests.

Sea-Ice. Promote Arctic and AntArctic sea-ice The food chain of the oceans depends on the algae that grows on the bottom of the ice. The ice also maintains the lower temperatures of the oceans.The ice also provides the platform from which polar bears hun. The sea-ice melt has huge negative implications for us and the Earth. The below polar bear photo by British photographer, Nina Sarikhani published in NationalGeographic is the best image I’ve seen that depicts the result of global warming/melting sea-ice. (She felt the same.) She received an award for the photo (rightly so.)

See the Earth As Apollo8 Saw It “Spaceship Earth. “The blue marble“ “our only home. Small, vulnerable.”

Guest Author...

Guest Author. As you know we write about national parks often . We won’t disappoint in this post. My undergrad college (1956-1960) roommate, Rick Smith, and I have maintained a close relationship over the years. I don’t believe we’ve ever shared a bad word. Rick learned from me that my reading recently has slowed, was concerned for us and our blog and offered to be a Guest Author as we’ve done in the past. I accepted his good words and kind offer. As you’ll learn from his below post, Rick credits his time learning  good Spanish as a Peace Corps volunteer for being able to form friendships with Latin American Park Rangers during his thirty-one years with the U.S. National Park Service. His  friendships with the Park Rangers in South America helped the Rangers be better at their jobs thus    improving their own parks protecting (as does ours) culture, history and the natural world. As of August 2023, there were 493 national parks in South America. The photo below is of Rick & me (May 1997) on the Yampa River flowing northwest in Colorado through Dinosaur National Monument. I’m unsure whose or what’s remains we’re holding. Below is Smith’s Guest Author post:  

Paraguay?  The invitation to join the Peace Corps said “Paraguay”. Out came the World Atlas as I had no idea where the country was.  And then I read the invitation a little more closely.  Unlike most volunteers, I would be working in Asunción in the capitol city and teaching at the National University in the Department of Philosophy.  It seems as if they offered a course in translation of Anglo-American literature.  In addition to this course, I would be teaching Paraguayans who hoped to become English teachers.

We gathered first in Texas where we underwent 2 days of medical and dental exams and were given two days of “survival Spanish”.  This was critical as they put us two at a time on a bus to Mexico City where we had to change buses to arrive in Toluca where we would undergo language training. Finding the right bus and a rest room with two days of Spanish wasn’t easy.

We then began 7 weeks, 6 days a week of Spanish training with no English allowed.  Little by little, you could feel yourself becoming more comfortable with what at you said and heard during the day.  It only took listening to the instructors talking among themselves to realize how far you were from fluency.        

Luckily for me, we arrived when the University was on summer break.  The Peace Corps hired an instructor for me and it was 4 more weeks of intensive Spanish 

All the classes were in the evening, yet the first one now is clear as day.  After the class, one of the students approached me and said something I will never forget.  “Señor professor, continuing in Spanish, “it is clear you have the mind of a professor, but you have the vocabulary of a 4th grader.”  Looked like more Spanish was in order.

About 4 months later, as I became more comfortable with the language, I received a note that terrified me.  The Dean of the Department wanted to see me.  In the Paraguayan university system, the Dean is something like the Dictator of a small country.  I entered his office, sat down, and he said to me, “Señor professor, you are causing me problems.”

“How can that be, Dean?   Unlike many of your professors, I meet all my classes.  I am using notes that I prepared two weeks ago, not 20 years ago, and I let my students ask  questions.”

“That’s the problem,” he said.  “You have to understand that in our university, the professor is a well from which the students drink deeply.”  I was sure that I misunderstood him and asked him to repeat what he had just said.  That’s what he said.

Realizing that I was not going to revolutionize the university system in 2 years and since I liked my job, and the students, I made a deal with them.  They could continue to ask me questions but they had to stop bothering the other professors.  Surprisingly enough, the deal held for two years.  The Dean even came to my going-away party.

Little did I realize the enormous benefits of those two years that would come my way when I began my professional career with the National Park Service.  In the early 70’s, the NPS was still pretty much an Anglo organization.  The number of Spanish speakers was small.  When consulting opportunities arose in Latin America, I was almost always among those considered.  In my working years and later in retirement, I worked  in every Spanish-speaking country except Venezuela and in every country in Central America.  I worked for agencies such as the World Bank, the United Nations, AID and others.   Most of my work was designed to help rangers in other countries be more professional.

Alas, a lot of my Spanish has died from lack of use.  I’m too old  to run around Latin America now.  The old saying, “use it or lose it” certainly applies to languages.  But my two years in Paraguay changed my life.  I don’t regret a minute of it except my meeting with the Dean.

Rick Smith

Are you thinking about . . . traveling a bit more?

National Parks Travel

Have you been but spouse/friend has not?

There are sixty-three! That’s a lot!

What, you ask, are we talking about?

National Parks travel! That’s what we’re talking about!

© Forrest W. Heaton  April 2024

Can you get “off the grid”? Most people have the feeling life has become too complicated, too turbulent. For most, an “escape” sounds like an interesting idea. The question, then, could be: just how turbulent do we want that “escape” to be? If you are inclined to select nature or culture, national parks might be a perfect choice.

Where are our national parks located? It will be helpful to know how many national parks there are, where they are, and how best to get to them. As of this writing, we have sixty-three national parks in the U.S. They are located in 30 states and 2 territories.

When might we consider going? Less visited parks can be scheduled fairly quickly. More visited parks might require reservations considerably in advance, some as much as a year. It’s always helpful to leave the summer (mid-May thru mid-September) to kids, parents, and foreign visitors. Snow and difficult weather can also be a consideration.

Reservations. Many parks have more visitors than ever before and have now installed reservation systems. Those reservations can be snapped up quickly. If you intend to visit a park, call and check.

Why do people choose to visit national parks? Some of the reasons people visit national parks include: life in national parks is unplugged, is loaded with small pleasures, is slower, is simpler, offers seeing wildlife up close, offers better cultural and historical understanding, offers unparalleled scenic beauty, and offers a brief but important return to nature.

Does visiting national parks change your life? It can. Much depends on how much time you give each park. Much also depends on how many park rangers you listen to and how much of yourself you invest in each adventure. And, visiting parks encourages making a difference long after your visit—helping defend America’s natural and cultural resources.

Are these lands your lands? Absolutely! And, there is possibly more protection than you felt existed. It helps if you become more aware of  Congress’ passing, in 1906, the Antiquities Act. Since then, Republican and Democratic presidents have designated public lands and historic places as national monuments. A national monument designation does NOT require Congress’ approval. On the other hand, a national park designation DOES require Congress’ approval. Currently, there are 133 national monuments in the U.S. Many may eventually become national parks. For extra credit, you might sing Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” while you’re visiting.

National Monuments. According to Nightborn Travel, the “top five reasons people love national monuments” are: 1) they keep our culture alive, 2) they provide economic growth, 3) they provide a source of pride, 4) they protect history, and 5) they provide services/resources. And, there are usually fewer people.

National Parks That Were National Monuments. Many national parks were once a national monument. Included among them are Olympic, Acadia, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, and others.

nps.gov. Here’s a website to memorize: nps.gov.

“Plan Like A Ranger.” When you visit nps.gov and read their “Trip Planning Guide,” you will find all kinds of helpful trip planning tips. In their words, you’ll be planning your adventure(s) “like a Ranger.”

Visitors Center/Park Ranger. Be sure to visit the Visitors Center first. Ask a Park Ranger: 1) What should we be sure to see? 2) What should we be sure to do?

Water/Layers. Bring more water than you think you’ll need. Bring sufficient layers of clothing.

Does our environment stay wild on its own? No. Developers, city halls, timbermen, road builders, etc. are always at wilderness’ door with equipment and manpower at the ready to alter the environment forever. Our environment needs us. Every one of us.

What’s one experience you’ve had in a national park you’d like to share with us? For my wife, Mary’s, eightieth birthday, we gathered her family in Grand Teton and Yellowstone for a week in 2022. We hiked every day. Late one afternoon in Grand Teton, we came across a moose eating/drinking from a river. It took me an hour to crawl on my belly to get the photograph just right without spooking the moose. The result is included in the below box. Traveling/hiking/photography doesn’t get much better than this!

April is what . . . . ?

National Poetry Month

Celebrating the joy for thirty-days

Of reading and writing poetry

The expressiveness. The pure delight

Days set aside for you and me

© Forrest W. Heaton  March 2024

What is this post about? Your reading and writing . . . yes, writing . . . of poetry!

For 30 days, we celebrate poetry (more if you like!) In the U.S., we set aside each April (the whole month,) to celebrate poetry! Although you have the opportunity all year, this is a great time to read other’s poetry and write a few poems yourself.

Gift. We realize some of you already write poetry; however, most will read this but hang on to their habit of not writing poetry. That’s OK. We all have much to do and one more thing might get in the way. But we encourage you to think about it. Perhaps even give it a try. I’m not sure who wrote this but, although not me, I wish it were: “Is it a talent to write poetry? Poetry is not only a talent, it is very much an Art form. Think of the Poet who's writing in one of the more unconventional forms as an Impressionist Painter.” This piece is inviting you to add “impressionist writing” to your talents.

Research/Heart. When you follow the rule: “Write about things you know well,” it is easier. When you write about topics you know less well, you will spend more time in research, but keeping the research fun will help your poem writing be more fun. And, write from your heart, not your head. Choose your words carefully. Know your goal—how you wish your readers to feel when they finish reading the poem.

How do you decide what you want your poem to be about? It was easy for the above poem: we wanted to tell the reader about April being National Poetry Month each year in the U.S. and we wanted to lead with a simple poem. The more poetry you write, the more you will “feel a poem coming on.” The better you understand the reason for the poem, the easier it will be to write it. If it is a major consideration in your mind at that moment . . . it may be a topic for a poem.

Are there some fundamentals to learn that would make poetry-writing easier? Yes. My book, The Sixty-Minute Poet, Kindle edition, available from Amazon for U.S. $9.95, spells out the fundamentals clearly. Practice makes the fundamentals even easier. Promise: In sixty-minutes, one-short-hour, you’ll be writing poetry!

Is there another book that would help? Yes, it’s the Scholastic Rhyming Dictionary ($21 new, $4 used.) It’s not necessary to rhyme when writing a poem, but this book makes it easy when you want to.

Will reading the poetry of others help? Yes. And you’ll find it much more rewarding than watching the news.

What if I write a bad poem? In our minds, there are few to none “bad poems.” And, it doesn’t matter. Just throw it away. And, when you feel like it, try again.

Is it OK to revise? It is always OK to revise.

How might I benefit? In our minds, one almost always benefits from either trying to write a poem, or writing a poem. There is something cathartic about it. Making something out of nothing is almost always a cathartic experience. Poetry writing strengthens your writing skills. It also strengthens your language skills. Poetry writing can be therapeutic. Poetry writing improves emotional and intellectual growth. Topic is key. Word selection is key. Writing it out gets it out of your head. Then you can decide on whether or not you wish to share it with someone else.

Yes, motivation we try to employ

For your poetry writing to enjoy

Perhaps you might find

A poem writing in your mind

That others might find pure joy!

Is this a follow-up to last month’s AI blog post . . .? Yes!

Like It Or Not

AI is with us . . . whether we like it or not!

Main thing is protect . . . while enjoy benefits a lot!

© Forrest W. Heaton  February 2024

Does this post have two purposes? Yes. 1) First is to illustrate how much AI is becoming a part of our life whether we like it or not. 2) Second is to to remind you to seek ever-more secure protection from non-AI-assisted and AI-assisted identity and financial fraud.

Did the Nasher Museum in Durham NC USA use artificial intelligence (AI) to curate an exhibit for the public to see? Yes. It ran from Sep23 to Jan24. It was a well-done, one-room display of 21 selections from their almost 14,000 piece art-work collection, contained both sculpture and different styles of paintings, contained an AI explanation of each, and contained the museum’s curator’s explanation of each. It took the AI exactly four seconds to make the twenty-one piece selection out of the almost fourteen-thousand possibilities. Did the curators have to intervene and make a change? Yes. Out of the 21, 4 were Salvador Dali’s. Although such a selection matched the guidelines instructed to the computer, the curators felt the public would feel something was amiss.

Was this an experiment? Yes. With artificial intelligence increasingly available to the world, Duke University Art Department professors and students theorized: Since AI can interpret vast data (text and image), previously human decisions could now be the domain of computers. To test this theory, they conducted an experiment: Transforming the dataset of their collection into machine-readable data, they asked it to act like a curator and select artworks for the exhibition. Instructions were: “Using your data set, select works of art related to the themes of dystopia, utopia, dreams, and the subconscious.”

What were some of the artworks selected? Shown below are a few of the 21 artworks AI selected from their collection.

Was the exhibition successful? When done, the show received excellent reviews.  As recently stated in the New York Times: AI will need to be “parented” to help it understand human values, expectations, doubts, anxieties, performance, etc. It is this that worries so many experts on the matter.

Did their ChatGPT review the new show? The Nasher Museum’s curator staff asked their ChatGPT to review the show it had curated. Its evaluation: “The show embraces the playfulness of its conceit but A.I. anxieties still poke through.”

Like It Or Not. The forgoing was to illustrate that, like it or not, AI will be a major part of our daily lives.

Might AI offer both chaos and opportunity? Absolutely! University of North Carolina Professor Mark McNeilly, Co-Chair UNC Generative AI Committee, reports: “Included in the chaos will be fairness, cyberattacks and ‘hallucination.’ Included in the opportunity will be productivity, creativity, and knowledge.”

Is AI-assisted financial fraud increasing? James Ledbetter, writing for The Financial Brand, advises: “Deepfakes, spearfishing, FraudGPT: AI is accelerating the world of financial fraud at a dizzying pace.”

Is AI-assisted identity theft increasing? One identity protection service reports: In 2023, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) “received 1.4 million reports of identity theft.” “Americans can end up loosing billions each year to fraudsters.”

Students Teaching Professors. An Oct23 study determined over half of students use generative AI; however, over 75% of faculty have no involvement with it.

Fear? We are not trying to scare anyone. AI can offer ever-more swift resolution for many tasks. However, at the same time, this is not something you can ignore.

Fraud Protection? Much of the protection from AI-assisted fraud will be the same or similar to the protection from non-AI-assisted fraud. Its just that both will come faster and bigger. You don’t have to use AI, but you will need to seek qualified help re banks, credit cards, investment firms and Social Security to assure you have adequate protection from people who choose to use AI fraudulently.

How will Artificial Intelligence (AI) impact . . . your life?

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) . . .  is moving so fast

you can’t afford . . . to wait and see”

“Can you harness the power of generative AI

without risking” what’s important to you and me?

© Forrest W. Heaton  January 2024

Are we experts on AI? No. But we are working at swiftly learning. And, whereas some may be ahead of us, we’re hoping this summary will be helpful for most.

Why the italics in the above poem? This is to avoid claims of plagiarism. Italicized in the above poem is a quote from a Jan24 report from MIT on AI. The non-italicized words are ours to make the poem rhyme. (You do not need to rhyme to make a poem; we simply desired to do so in this case.)

Is this post a summary? This is a summary. However, AI moves so fast and so internationally, we may be in need of multiple summaries to help us keep pace. We will provide same from time-to-time. At the moment, AI is in transition. Swift transition. As David Brooks of the New York Times puts it: “Can one organization, or one person, maintain the brain of a scientist, the drive of a capitalist and the cautious heart of a regulatory agency?” Many see AI as having unheard of potential. Others see AI as having (often ignored) potential dangers.

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Quoting IBM’s Kurt Scheetz: “Ego, fear, and money lit the AI fuse.” AI is a big, fast growing technological revolution in job performance, writing, explaining, forecasting, doing—larger than current developers dream about. Summarizing a Jan24 IBM report, AI dates by some accounts to 1950, has had it’s ups/downs, is rapidly gaining momentum, and is defined as: “the science/engineering of making intelligent machines” (computer programs.) It is “using computers to understand human intelligence . . . .”

What is Generative AI? Through the years, artificial intelligence has evolved to the point where a company, OpenAI, introduced in Nov22 it’s ChatGPT (standing for Generative Pre-trained Transformer.) Generative AI can learn “the grammar of software code . . . and a variety of other data types.” The software allows the user to ask the ChatGPT questions “using conversational, or natural language.”

What is “Narrow AI”? Sometimes called “weak AI,” “narrow AI” involves a limited part of the brain focusing on one task. Examples include most of today’s AI such as IBM’s Watson, Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, etc.

What is “Strong AI”? “Strong AI” is a theoretical AI form where a machine’s intelligence is equal to or surpassing human intelligence. For those of you old enough to remember the 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, you will be pleased to learn IBM’s report refers to the movie and HAL, the “rogue computer assistant.” What might AI become is the question. Whereas AI can ever more swiftly accomplish writing/thinking/explaining types of tasks, it could eventually superimpose itself on mankind. It may be an existential question for mankind.

Will the power of AI increase or decrease internet freedom? We don’t know yet. Much will depend on how governments and people use AI.

What company is leading right now? Most leading companies in AI are worldwide tech companies. Founded in late 2015, OpenAI, valued over $80 billion, may currently be in the lead.

Where do company boards stand on this? Most companies in the race will be eclipsed to be first, biggest, most money making. Company boards will have to answer: Who is in the race? How fast are they and their competitors willing to go? What limits might they put on themselves? What limits might be put on them by governments? The New York Times reports: since OpenAI’s ChatGPT launch: “Turning AI into actual products . . . became the priority. Worries about safety and whether machines would turn on their creators . . . were shunted aside.”

Where do world governments stand on this? The pace of AI change will likely outpace governments desire to limit AI’s growth. Almost every nation worries: 1) the technology may be mankind’s eventual undoing, 2) “overly aggressive regulations could become an economic disadvantage.”

Where is AI currently being used most? A friend who has ChatGBT on his computer and uses it regularly asked of his ChatGBT: Where is AI currently being used most? It answered: “As of my knowledge cut off date of January 2022 (the date of its last training session): 1 healthcare, 2 finance, 3 technology & IT, 4 e-commerce, 5 manufacturing, 6 automotive, 7 education, 8 entertainment, 9 telecommunications, 10 marketing & advertising.”

What kind of fraud might fraudsters using AI conduct? AI is being used to “create fake identities, send convincing phishing emails and even clone voices to steal user data and money. Fighting it starts with awareness.” We’ll address this in coming AI posts. But make no mistake: this will be ever increasing cyber/photo/voice “warfare” with you and other institutions and you’d better be aware/prepared.

Do you need a break from the news? . . . Most of us do.

Positive, Brief, Relief

Positive, brief, relief . . . we desire

Avoid depression . . . perhaps inspire

© Forrest W. Heaton  December 2023

Negatives currently affecting our lives? Mary & I feel most of you count the following in the negatives currently affecting your life: aging, economic futures, global pandemic, climate change/global warming, war in Russia-Ukraine, war in Gaza-Israel, threat to our and other democracies. You can probably add a few more. Each contributes to potential depression. We feel the same. Thus, we decided our blog posts in 2024, although still focusing on poetry, parks, and planet, need to aim for positive, brief, and relief. We hope it works. Please tell us if it doesn’t and what we need to do to correct.

Feb24 Post. We had our Jan24 post on artificial intelligence (AI) fully written in Sep23. Due to swift AI changes, we’re re-writing for a Feb24 publication. Further, it was neither brief nor positive. We feel AI will be a big part of our children’s and their children’s lives. There will be more posts on this topic. We’ll keep them brief, to the point summaries.

Jan24 Post. For our opening post of 2024, we have decided to describe a project we’ve recently taken on—a collection that may turn into a book--working title: “Heaton’s Poems, Histories & Sketches: Twenty-Five Years.” We’re looking back over the poems I’ve written over the last twenty-five years and the history of each. We’re also looking back over my sketches completed during that time. I’m writing new poems and drawing new sketches as well. The overall objective of this project is doing something positive vs. watching the news. Our thought is to put together possibly a book, each page a poem, related history and related sketch. We’ve attached a draft of one page. We would love to know: 1) What do you think of this project? 2) How might a poem/history/sketch page fit into the blog every so often?

Seeing another human being . . . with respect and reverence?

Respect and Reverence

Seeing another human being

With respect and reverence is redeeming

To cast your gaze with questions you raise

Values soul, dignity, and being.

© Forrest W. Heaton December 2023

Credit to David Brooks in his 2023 book “How To Know A Person” for thought expressed in this poem.

Dear Readers—This blog post is not the one we had planned. First, many months ago, we asked our kids and friends to tell us their favorite Christmas memories. We completed our draft as a compilation of fond memories, hopeful expectations, faithful traditions. Later in this year, we realized we needed more expansionist thinking, more respect of other peoples, other cultures, other faiths and re-wrote the post. Then, even more recently, we woke up to the death and kidnapping of Israelis and now wake up each morning to the deaths of more Palestinian babies, children, women, men and Israelis, not to mention Ukrainians and Russians.

In the spirit of respect for each human life, we decided to delete the draft and completely re-write this post to this one page, focusing on people of all faiths and asking ourselves and readers to pray for a wider care for human life. We feel this is witnessing the faith of our grandparents and parents. We feel this is what we were taught when we were young. This is what we taught our kids. This respect is also behind all of our posts which deal with “leave it better than you found it.”

Thank you, dear readers, for being partners in this effort.

Happy Holidays! We Love You! Mary & Forrest

Living things are loosing their lives . . . and we’re giving thanks?

Our Plea

Animals loose their lives . . . we never again see,

Plants loose their lives . . . become history,

Living things die . . . end to biodiversity.

Reverse this trend . . . that’s our plea.

© Forrest W. Heaton  July Two Thousand Twenty-Three

The end to biodiversity Is definitely negative. It is among the number one issues facing us today, worldwide, and it is definitely negative. We’ll have more to say on this this coming January and February. We have chosen to publish this blog post at Thanksgiving as a statement of giving thanks.

This July, we read The Nature Conservancy’s email about Attwater’s Prairie Chickens. It is a wonderful story illustrating that animals heading for extinction can be saved and the species can be turned around to continue to live. That may be the case with Attwater’s Prairie Chickens. We, therefore, have included the full article for you to read. While you’re reading, think of how magnificent this bird is! The article is long. We apologize for that. But we need much more of saving species! Know that Thanksgiving is important to us and that, among many other things, we:

Give Thanks

Thanks for family and friends

Thanks for biodiversity

Thanks for Nature Conservancy

and THANKS for all you dear readers!

© Forrest W. Heaton  August 2023

A Brighter Future for Attwater’s Prairie Chickens

Attwater's prairie chicken on the Texas City Preserve on the Gulf Coast, Texas. © Lynn McBride

The truck bounces along the ranch road in the pre-dawn light when a football-sized bird rockets past the headlights. “Prairie chicken,” says Kirk Feuerbacher, as he continues down the road. “Don’t worry, we’ll see them better soon. You’ll have them right at your feet.”

I’m here with Feuerbacher, the Working Lands Director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas, to learn about conservation efforts for the Attwater’s prairie chicken. He’s taking me and Lauren Lombardo, a Conservancy communications staffer, to see an area on the Texas coastal plain where male prairie chickens display in the spring, commonly called a lek.

A few minutes later, he makes good on his promise. We pull up to a grassy area around a water tank. As the sun rises, we see a male Attwater’s prairie chicken standing on a fence post. Soon, others appear: 8 in total.

“You can quietly get out of the truck,” Feuerbacher says. “They won’t mind.”

I do, and they don’t. Within minutes one male is within ten feet of me. And I am able to enjoy what I consider one of the greatest wildlife shows on earth.

Attwater's prairie chicken on the Texas City Preserve on the Gulf Coast, Texas. © Lynn McBride

Like other open-country grouse, male Attwater’s prairie chickens gather at these leks in the spring, performing a display for the females. Each male has a territory it defends as it performs this “dance.”

Feathers on its neck stand erect, giving the appearance of horns. But most noticeable are the large, orange air sacs that inflate on its neck. These sacs are then used to make a loud booming sound, one that reportedly can be heard 3 miles away. Standing there with these grouse, it is a sound you almost feel in your chest as much as you hear with your ears.

The grouse pat their feet, giving the appearance of a wind-up toy. Periodically, one male will stray into another’s territory, and they’ll spar, a flurry of wings, feet and feathers.

The Attwater’s prairie chicken, a subspecies of the greater prairie chicken, is one of the rarest birds in North America. For a naturalist, there’s admittedly a thrill to spending time with a rare creature. But it’s leavened by inevitable sadness, of realizing you’re looking at birds clinging to a precarious existence.

But I’m not here for the sadness. On these ranchlands of the Texas coastal plain, a partnership is working so that this story has a happy ending.

Prairie Chickens Lost

I grew up reading stories of another subspecies of prairie chicken, this one known as the heath hen. The heath hen’s tale was a mainstay in the wildlife books and magazines I devoured as a kid. It was a prairie chicken subspecies found in the eastern United States.

By the late 1800s, a variety of the usual factors eliminated the heath hen from all but Cape Cod. There disaster upon disaster befell the remnant birds. In 1929, only one male showed up on the lek, a bird dubbed by locals as “Booming Ben.” Ben didn’t boom that year because there were no birds to boom for. I always found this story heartbreaking, imagining Ben with no others of his kind left on the planet, alone on a fragment of habitat. Booming Ben showed up again for a couple of seasons, but in 1932 he didn’t return. The heath hen was extinct.

I did not know it then, but at the time I was reading about Ben, the Attwater’s prairie chicken appeared to be following a similar plotline.

Attwater’s prairie chicken feathers. © Kenny Braun

The Attwater’s prairie chicken is native to the coastal plain of Texas and Louisiana, with an estimated 1 million birds found over 6 million acres at the turn of the 20th century. But the bird’s fortunes would soon change.

“This wasn’t a one-shot deal; there were many factors that added together led to the population collapse of Attwater’s prairie chickens,” says Feuerbacher.

The first was overhunting, with prairie chickens shot for commercial markets and in shooting contests. By 1936, Texas prohibited hunting for the birds. But the decline continued as the area around Houston developed for industrial and agricultural use.

Today, only about 1 percent of coastal prairie habitat remains intact.

In the 1950s, invasive fire ants became established, impacting many ground-nesting birds in the region. In 1967, with the population estimated at 1,070 birds in isolated populations, the Attwater’s prairie chicken was placed on the first federal endangered species listing.  

Refugio-Goliad Prairie is one of the largest and highest-quality expanses of coastal tallgrass prairie remaining in Texas. © Kenny Braun

You could think about a small, isolated population of wildlife as similar to a human with a compromised immune system. If a healthy person falls or gets a nasty cut, it hurts but is likely not fatal. But for someone with a severely compromised immune system, a cut could be life ending.

For Attwater’s praririe chicken, when the population was healthy – with 1 million birds – they could withstand normal occurrences like droughts, floods and hurricanes. The bird population might take a hit, but it could bounce back. With an isolated, small population, any loss of birds posed a severe risk.

Which is exactly what happened. The decline of the birds spiraled. “By the 1990s, the Attwater’s prairie chicken pretty much blinked out,” says Feuerbacher.

By 1994, fewer than 100 birds remained in the wild.

I know what you’re thinking. This was supposed to be a story of hope. Fortunately, unlike for the heath hen, conservationists had better information and better science to begin a rescue operation.

A captive breeding program helped save the Attwater’s prairie chicken © Kenny Braun

Prairie Chickens Found

In 1992, captive breeding efforts began in an effort to resuscitate the Attwater’s prairie chicken population. It was a learning process. Feuerbacher tells me of birds initially released that were all found dead two weeks later. The birds had crops filled with food but were emaciated.

“They had been fed game bird crumble [a commercially manufactured food] in captivity,” he says. “When they were released, they couldn’t digest grass.”

The released prairie chickens are now first released into holding pens to make the transition to life in the wild. They’re brought a diet of vegetation to get used to a natural-foods diet. And survival increased.

Still, there were setbacks. The population would rise a little, then drop precipitously due to floods or drought. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 wiped out nearly 90 percent of the wild population.

One of the challenges is finding suitable habitat to sustain populations. These birds are not large but they need a significant amount of space to maintain a population. And there are basically two areas on the coastal plain that fit that bill. One is the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, located 50 miles west of Houston. A federally protected area specifically devoted to this species is important, but one locale isn’t enough to sustain this bird.

The other is a 500,000-acre swath of private ranchlands south of the town of Goliad, Texas, an area known as Refugio Goliad. It’s the site of a public-private partnership involving conservation organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, state and federal agencies and private landowners.  This is where I enjoy the lekking Attwater’s prairie chickens in the early morning’s light.

Kirk Feuerbacher, Coastal Prairies Project Director on Refugio Goliad Preserve. © Kenny Braun

A Future for Attwater’s Prairie Chickens

After the prairie chickens begin to slow down in their booming, Feuerbacher continues driving me around the ranch. We visit the “holding pen” for the prairie chicken releases. Each year, 250-300 birds captive-bred birds are released between the national wildlife refuge and Refugio Goliad.

But releasing birds is not enough. Always, always, it comes down to habitat.

Feuerbacher loves to look at habitat. He’s had a long career in habitat restoration, not only for The Nature Conservancy but also as a wildlife manager for private ranches. He tells me about invasive species control. He talks about rotational grazing and cost-share programs that help ranchers improve habitat. Mainly, he talks about fire.

As in nearly any grassland ecosystem, fire is an ecological force, removing dead vegetation and regenerating growth of grasses. Grassland wildlife depends on fire for survival. Prescribed burning has been a significant activity at Refugio Goliad, with ranchers working with agencies and conservationists on annual burns.

Some of the ranches here have been in the same family since the mid-1800s. They value the wildlife but also want ranching to remain an economically viable activity.

Bouncing around in a pickup with Feuerbacher, I’m reminded why I have worked for The Nature Conservancy for 22 years. Every curve in the road, he points out some natural feature. Here’s where there was a burn last year, here’s fire ant activity.

As we spend the day together, the conversation strays to his kids’ 4-H livestock projects, hunting and fishing, sauerkraut making, local history, sumptuous meals. I hear Feuerbacher’s passion for this region and its traditions loud and clear.

As such, he understands not only the Attwater’s prairie chickens needs but also the landowners’. And he knows that what he and others hold dear – the viable ranching operations, quality outdoor recreation – also benefit from prescribed fire.

Attwater’s prairie chicken on the Texas City Preserve on the Gulf Coast, Texas.

The same is true for other wildlife. The Texas coastal plain is home to two other extremely rare birds, the whooping crane and aplomado falcon – both of which we’d get to see before the day was done. Huge numbers and varieties of other birds rest here during migrations.

“If the Attwater’s prairie chicken is truly the canary in the coal mine, then other species are going to be in trouble too,” he says. “The prairie chicken is the most endangered, but its fate is tied to a bigger story, one involving an ecosystem, other wildlife and people.”

The Attwater’s prairie chicken still faces significant challenges. The wild population is higher than it’s been, now estimated at nearly 250 birds. But I leave convinced this is not a repeat of the heath hen story, not by a long shot.

Refugio Goliad has a significant area of habitat to sustain birds, so that they can boom and breed and rear young and thrive. There’s the commitment from conservationists and ranchers to use prescribe burning and invasive species control to improve habitat.

“This is one of the only areas that is large enough to have a sustainable population,” says Feuerbacher. “This is the last best hope for the Attwater’s prairie chicken.”

What story might lie behind . . . a masterpiece?

Hands Almost Touching

Hands almost touching . . . but they never touch,

Clay and bronze forever . . . forever revealing such.

Can a relationship be revealed . . . in a piece so fine?

Its message and its treasure . . . forever yours and mine.

© Forrest W. Heaton September 2023

This is an experiment. We have not previously attempted to write a blog post on a personal relationship. But we’ve decided to try. One reason is that relationships often are central to major events affecting people and planet. Second, it is often relationships that provide the richness of life we all enjoy. Lying in bed thinking of this particular relationship, we got up at 3:00am 17Sep23 to write the poem and opening paragraphs. We’ll see later how this post turns out.

For our 10th Anniversary trip, Mary & I traveled to Paris Oct/Nov 2010 to study some of their treasures, one of which were the masterpieces of Rodin. We took a hotel nearby the Rodin museum, formerly a small hotel with some pieces displayed outside. We spent a few days studying Rodin and his works. In the process, we also began learning about Camille Claudel, a sculptor in her own right with whom we were unfortunately unfamiliar. It turns out Claudel was his student. Many consider Claudel to have been Rodin’s inspiration. Many feel Claudel’s work superior to Rodin’s. We shall see how you interpret the story as we progress.

Auguste Rodin, 12Nov1840-17Nov1917, born and lived in Paris, became one of the world’s most famous sculptors. When pronouncing his name, change the spelling of his last name to Rodan, and then pronounce the “an” as the word “an,” making sure to swallow the “n.”

Camille Claudel, 8Dec1864-19Oct1943, was born in northern France and moved to Paris around 1881. When they met, Claudel was 19 and Rodin was 42. Claudel was recognized for her sculpting talent and her beauty. In addition to strongly influencing Rodin’s work, she became Rodin’s muse. Their relationship lasted from 1883 until 1892. After their separation, they developed a rivalry, followed by Claudel, feeling alienated, becoming a recluse. She was committed by her family to a mental asylum and then a psychiatric hospital where she remained for 29 years until her death.

Rather than wait until the end of this post to display a photograph, we’re going to put one here. It is Claudel’s sculpture “Mature.” The bronze piece is 45” x 64” x 28” and weighs 770 lb. Look at the hands, reaching out for each other. But, at the same time, the man is turning away . . . while she is imploring.

THIS . . . is the story . . . behind a masterpiece!

After our visit, Mary returned to the museum to purchase the book “Camille Claudel & Rodin, Time Will Heal Everything’” by Antoinette Le Normand-Romain. The book has been so helpful in recalling events researched thirteen years ago.

One needs to take time with this kind of research. Surprises abound. It was not one piece but many that caught our attention, not to mention catching Claudel’s attention for ten years. Many bronze sculptures by both await your attention. Drawings of Claudel by Rodin, plaster casts by both, letters between the two are of interest. The language is passionate, uncompromising. And back to the sculpture, Rodin’s The Eternal Idol, reveals Rodin’s passion as much as “Mature” reveals Claudel’s. Sculpted in 1889, redone in bronze in 1891, revised in marble in 1893, this is 11” high of sheer beauty. Regardless of your prior knowledge of this relationship, spending time among these various kinds of art is a marvelous visit.

Thank you, dear readers, for joining us on this thirteen-year old (and yet brightly new) trip. We appreciate you!

What do you mean . . . . What Can We Do?

“What Can We Do?”

Planning travel while avoiding crowds and heat?

Planning national parks? Natural/cultural treat!

Asking ourselves: “What Can We Do?”

To help protect parks? Select a few!

Protect at-risk species, in the parks and at home.

Track carbon footprint. Reduce your roam.

Leave no trace. Leave cleaner than found.

Leave souvenirs where they were in the ground.

Choose less crowded parks. And the best time of year.

Attend Park Ranger programs. Understanding you’ll hear.

Spectacular scenery and greenery, wildlife on the go,

Ageless . . . wilderness . . . nature/culture . . . helps us grow.

© Forrest W. Heaton  July 2023

A long-time friend having spent thirty-one years in the National Park Service (NPS) prepares a daily list-serve program for former Park Service employees to highlight matters important to the parks. The following was in one of the recent articles: “Our beloved national parks are at risk. Our national parks need more than visitors - they need protectors, too.” We felt you might enjoy a look at what the National Park Service is doing to defend our national parks, and what you might do to help.

First, a brief caution. A colleague looked at this post when in draft form and felt it was “preachy.” My National Park Service friend advised: “. . . that may be, but when you say no fires, you mean no fires! It may be preachy, but it is also common sense. In my opinion, it is OK to be preachy on this. We need to do everything we can to protect the parks.” And, regarding the quotes you’re about to read, almost all quotes in this post are CNN, National Park Service (NPS), National Parks Conservation Assn. (NPCA) or my NPS friend’s quotes, italicized and in quote marks.

So, dear ones, off to the post:

Most of us curtailed our travel during two or three years of Covid. We still are cautious. Most also have heard/seen/experienced horror stories involving travel on the airlines. But the itch is returning to many to resume travel. The question is to where, and how, and for how long?

This blog post offers an option: national parks and their affiliates! For the U.S., it is a domestic option that may or may not involve airlines. Most can drive to our NPS locations. We currently have 63 national parks, and, if you include national historic sites, national seashores, national monuments, national recreation areas, and others, you currently have 423 designated locations under the management of the National Park Service!

This paragraph is for our international readers: We LOVE having you here! We hope you can find time to fit in a National Park Service location or two.

Up to this point, this post has been encouraging you to think about traveling to one or more of these NPS locations. We hope you have said “yes” or “maybe.” The rest of the post deals with some of the things you might want to think about before your travel.

Crowds. The first item we encourage you to consider is crowds. You can avoid crowds by location selection and time of year selection. Less-frequently visited locations offer smaller or no crowds.

Climate. The second item is climate. Global warming/climate change is manifesting itself across most all NPS locations. CNN recently reported: “The consequences of the climate crisis are more wildfires, devastating drought, sea level rise, flooding, ecological disease.” We’re tempted to say: Go now. Plan well.

Exploring Nature. The NPS advises: “National parks contain many of our nation’s most treasured landscapes, from the majestic mountain ranges of Alaska to the vast prairies of the Everglades. Learn about the natural resources in parks, from the rocks under our feet to the sky overhead and everything in between. Discover the issues that affect our parks and how we join with neighbors and partners to address them. Meet the people who protect our parks and learn how you can help preserve these treasures for generations to come.”

Your Voice. When you are not visiting parks, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) encourages you to: “Use your voice to advocate on their behalf.” Write your congress person and two senators. Tell them the NPS needs adequate funding. These treasures should not be taken for granted. Without support, they could be gone.

What Can (Does) The Park Service Do?

Species & Plants. “Provides habitat protection for 421 species of threatened or endangered animals and plants.”

Archeological Sites. “Ensures the preservation of more than 1.5 million archeological sites.”

Historic & Prehistoric Structures. “Ensures the preservation of more than 27,000 historic and prehistoric structures.”

Natural & Cultural Resources. “Preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.”

What Can We Do?

Visit. Visit a national park, a national historic site, a national seashore, a national monument, a national recreation area. Just keep in mind the less-frequently visited recommendation.

Plans. “Let people at home know where you are going and when you plan to return.”

Waste. “Plan ahead to minimize waste.”

Plants and Animals. “Take care not to disturb plants and animals.”

Bears. “In parks where there are bears, always use bear-proof garbage cans, store food in bear-proof containers at your site and always carry bear spray when hiking. Learn to tell the difference between a black bear and a grizzly. It could save your life and the lives of those with you.”

Hiking and Camping. Hike and camp in appropriate areas. “If you choose hiking, choose one that is within your capabilities.”

Leave No Trace. “Encourage kids to practice Leave No Trace.”

Natural Spaces. “Encourage kids to minimize their impact on natural spaces.”

Ranger. “Don’t be hesitant to ask a ranger. He/she would rather answer than have to search for you.”

Fires. Put ‘em out. Keep ‘em out. The forests are a tinderbox. Don’t set ‘em aflame.

Be Entertained. “Be entertained by the display of nature and our nation’s history contained within our parks. Some 140 nations have national park systems. It all started with Yellowstone, the world’s first national park.”

Carbon Footprint. “Calculate your Carbon Footprint.”

NPCA. Join the NPCA. They know some stuff.

Spread Word. Tell family/friends what you’re doing and what they can do.

Vote. Vote advocates for the parks into local, state and federal offices.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.”

Donate. Donations go to the park(s) of your choice. If the park’s website does not have donation information on the website, phone and inquire.

Educate. Read up on John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, Theodore Roosevelt, and others.

Support. Support one, a few, or all of: Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Nature Conservancy, the Wilderness Society.

Volunteer. The NPS protects over 85 million acres. The many projects need many volunteers. Opportunities abound. To explore these: “visit volunteer.gov or Find a Park to look for opportunities at a specific park” or simply google to find the URL of a park and call.

Thanks for reading, dear readers. We and the National Park Service appreciate you! The photo below was taken June 2022 to celebrate my wife, Mary’s, 80th birthday, gathering family to enjoy Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks! Wonderful!

Do you know what was visible from Greece to Brazil Tuesday 1Aug23 . . .?

Supermoon

It’s been asked before . . . what’s a supermoon?

Isn’t it where . . . some lovers swoon?

In anticipation, placing chair . . . in the afternoon?

All of those, . . . particularly August supermoons!

© Forrest W. Heaton August 2023

It turns out there were large crowds in Europe, the America’s and Asia who witnessed Tuesday 1Aug23 what has been called a supermoon in the night sky. Some call it a Sturgeon Moon due to it’s time of year relative to the best time for catching sturgeon. Here is an image of a supermoon.

Is it not magnificent?!? This post is to alert you that another is coming Wednesday 30 August. Because it will be the second full moon this month, it is known as a Blue Moon. It will be the closest, biggest and brightest of the supermoons this year. We can only hope for clear skies, no light pollution, and a good viewing place. The first supermoon occurred this year Monday 3Jul23. The fourth and final supermoon of the year will occur Friday 29Sep23. It is often called a Harvest Moon.

Our moon is called a supermoon (word coined in 1979) when it is closest to the Earth in its orbit—approximately 222,100 miles from Earth—making it appear approximately 14 to 16 percent larger and approximately 8 to 30 percent brighter. As for how often two supermoons appear in the same month, the next time two supermoons will occur in the same month will be January 2037, fourteen years from now. You’re about to witness a celestial rarity.

Speaking of rarities, the term Blue Moon is most commonly used when there are two full Moons in a single month—again something of a rarity. But, despite it’s name, the Blue Moon doesn’t appear blue. The name actually refers to a 16th century expression referring to something that rarely or never happens. The Moon on 30 August will be BOTH a supermoon and a blue moon—a blue supermoon! The last time there was a blue supermoon was Dec. 2009 and the next one will occur August 2032.

It may require some planning to prepare for this upcoming stunning display.

First is some reading up. Not all Blue Moons are supermoons. This makes the 30 August full Moon all the more exceptional. Second, the closeness of the Moon to the Earth impacts the Earth. If you are close to water, check the levels and tides. Third, try to maximize your viewing point (least light pollution, least obstruction, most comfort, since the rising Moon appears larger (it’s not), see the rising Moon on the horizon if possible.) Fourth, if you are a photographer, get your equipment ready.

Although there are many outstanding photos of supermoons, we’ll offer, as our arrivederci, one more. This was taken 12Aug22 behind the Basilica of San Bernardino in L’Aquila in Italy’s Abruzzo region.

Is it helpful if we learn more about . . . wolves?

Wolves

Dogs come from wolves.

Love your dog. Love the wolves.

There’s much to learn. There’s much to unlearn.

Be happy when they are around.

© Forrest W. Heaton March 2023

 
This is an unusual blog post. Usually, we (my wife, Mary, & me) write the post. Often we include quotes from others to support what we are writing. In this case, we read a report by Kirk Robinson, Ph.D. (founder and Executive Director of Western Wildlife Conservancy, based in Colorado), that we felt was so timely and needed that we wanted to share it with our readers. It starts with “The impending “. . . and flows to the end . . . “resource: water.” Enjoy whatever learning that comes to you . . . including the possibility of completely changing your mind on wolves and their place in various habitats! Here is Robinson’s piece:

“The impending reintroduction of wolves to western Colorado will surely result in wolves soon returning to Utah after nearly a century of absence. Whether they will still be protected under the Endangered Species Act is less certain. If not, there is little doubt that the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, with the blessing of the Utah Legislature, will make plans for "lethal control" in the form of wolf hunts, ostensibly to reduce losses of big game and livestock animals.
 
The public deserves to know that there is no solid scientific evidence that wolf hunts will benefit prey animals or livestock. None! In fact, there is substantial evidence that killing of the more knowledgeable and capable pack leaders will lead to more predation on livestock by the remaining wolves. Skillful hunting takes skilled hunters.
 
Utah's chief anti-wolf crusader is Don Peay, founder of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife. The article quotes Peay as saying wolves will be "a billion-dollar problem knocking on Utah's door," and alleging that wolves have already laid waste to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming big game herds; also "Three thousand wolves are about 75,000 dead elk ... Wolves of that number would kill every elk in Utah."' In more than 25 years, I have never heard Peay back up his outrageous fear mongering with references to peer-reviewed scientific publications; nor have I ever heard anyone from DWR challenge his assertions. Why do he and his enablers, like Dracula, fear the light of day? It's time to face the facts.
 
There will never be 3,000 wolves in Utah - a few hundred at most. Colorado has a larger prey base than Utah and can support far more wolves. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, there are about 300,000 elk in Colorado. Assuming a population of 500 wolves, we know from data collected in Yellowstone that approximately 12,500 elk will be killed by wolves each year. By contrast, hunters will kill about 40,000. 
 
A significant difference is that hunters take elk (and deer) in their reproductive prime, while wolves minimize risk to themselves by focusing on diseased and old animals. Consequently, predation by wolves has little or no impact on the size and demographics of ungulate herds. In fact, wolves benefit prey species, as anyone with even a minimal understanding of evolution and ecology knows.
 
The Spring 2022 publication of "International Wolf," by the International Wolf Center in Minnesota, lists the estimated number of elk in each of Montana's seven hunting regions along with the population objectives set by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. All but one of the regions is over objective, with the two that border Yellowstone National Park significantly over. Based on the most recent counts, Region 3 is 31% over objective and Region 5 is 183% over objective. 
 
Data from Idaho and Wyoming also indicate more elk since wolf reintroduction. In fact, the most recent counts indicate that there are now some 50,000 more elk in the three states.
 
Also, wolves have not hurt hunter success rates in any of the three states. No doubt it takes more knowledge, commitment and skill to successfully hunt elk and deer now that they are no longer standing about in the open like cows - but this is something that real hunters welcome.
 
The article states that "Utahns are not so enthusiastic about the return of the apex predator," which is at odds with public opinion surveys. A 2002 Utah State University survey found that more than three times as many Utahans "like" or "strongly like" wolves than "dislike" or "strongly dislike" them. Another USU survey from 2004 found that, with the notable exception of big game hunters, most Utahans believe wolves "are a necessary component of healthy ecosystems."
 
There is no evidence that wolves will negatively impact any sector of the economy, particularly with a generous livestock predation compensation program in place. On the contrary, not only will wolves attract nature tourism to benefit rural economies, as has happened near Yellowstone, they will promote biodiversity to help combat the extinction crisis, in turn creating more functional watersheds that soak up and retain that most precious natural resource: water!”

By Kirk Robinson, Opinion piece, Special to The Salt Lake Tribune, Dec22. 

I (Forrest) have a special place in my heart for wolves. We hope some of that will come through in this writing. If the blog readership distribution is similar to the general population, not all readers will feel the same. We are in hopes, however, this post will cause a few of you to learn more, and then to do more to protect these amazing animals. A place to start could be reading Barry Lopez’s “Of Wolves and Men”. Originally published in 1978, this book explores “humanity’s complex relationship and understanding of wolves.” This relationship runs the gamut from “fear to adoration”.

Years ago, July 1981 to be exact, son, Matthew, then finishing work in Yosemite National Park before college, returned to Washington National airport with a “half German shepherd/half wolf” in the cargo hold. Matthew left for college and we raised the wolf. It was (although at times difficult) a wonderful experience. We learned so much about wolves and this half-wolf in particular. Matthew had named him Cody. A few years later, when we moved out of state, we placed Cody on a farm near our home and it all worked out very well.

We’ve checked to find Colorado intends to reintroduce 10 to 15 wolves per year starting in 2024 until reaching a maximum of 50 wolves as approved by Colorado voters.

We hope you read Lopez’s book. We hope you become a wolf protector. And, we hope you found this blog post of interest. We’ll close with a photo of Cody with Matthew. I still miss Cody!

From where and how did we come . . . ?

Human Origin

From where and how did we come?

Oft asked question, thousands of years, and then some.

Five million years?

Sixty-five million years?

Human origin? A conundrum.

Now new photos, JWST.

Of new worlds, new galaxies.

Give astronomers hope,

planet/human origins in their scope,

nasa.gov? nasa.gov/jwst?

© Forrest W. Heaton February 2023

What is the human body made up of? From internet research: “In adult men, about 60% of their bodies are water. However, fat tissue does not have as much water as lean tissue. In adult women, fat makes up more of the body than men, so they have about 55% of their bodies made of water.” Further: “The human body is approximately 99% comprised of just six elements: Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, calcium, and phosphorus. Another five elements make up about 0.85% of the remaining mass: sulfur, potassium, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium. All of these 11 elements are essential elements.”

Nearly 100 percent of our bodies came from the gas and dust of the universe. More internet research: “Nearly all the elements in the human body were made in a star and many have come through several supernovas.” “Humans and their galaxy have about 97 percent of the same kind of atoms, and the elements of life appear to be more prevalent toward the galaxy's center.” The above quotes are researched quotes on the internet. They could be wrong but it is doubtful. Science has progressed to learning these things. And, we’re about to learn a lot more.

We need to put in a statement here that we are not challenging the positions of religions or statements of what one should or should not believe. It is our feeling that as we learn new information from scientific evidence as explained by scientists that religions and statements of beliefs will have to make room for the new information.

The James Webb Space Telescope is looking back thirteen-plus billion years in time, enabling scientists to observe the formation of new galaxies and then speculate on the development of our own galaxy. They are studying both planetand planet inhabitants including plants and animals and the beginning of human beings on earth.

The record of the development (evolution) of humans is both complex and full of debate. There seems to be agreement, however, that the earliest documented representative of the genus Homo (us) evolved approximately 2.8 million years ago. Some believe this period may be more accurate at seven million years ago. But we’ll leave that matter to the paleoanthropologists and for another blog (and/or your continued research.) We will concentrate on humans coming from the gas and dust of the universe.

What we are made of is often studied in medical school and perhaps in a college philosophy class or two but most of us ordinary citizens haven’t given it more than cursory thought except to assure continued hydration or taking meds in which a blood test advises we are deficient.

But what we are made of could become a much more interesting discussion when photographic results begin rolling in from the James Webb (NASA’s 2nd Administrator) Space Telescope as it peers back billions of years in time and allows scientists to more accurately determine our origin.

Just take a look at this JWST photo. It reveals “intricate networks of gas and dust in nearby galaxies.” This gas and dust from the universe could be just the kind of gas and dust which may have been our origin. This is exciting! And, we’re right here observing it as it is being revealed to us! To keep up with new developments, visit nasa.gov/jwst often! Enjoy!

What is a Saguaro . . . ?

The Saguaro

The Native Americans felt it was human.

Then it grew into a plant.

After seventy years an arm or two.

Then a celebration . . . a song . . . a chant.

© Forrest W. Heaton April 2023

Visit. The Sonoran Desert lies in what is now the north of Mexico, Baja California, and the south of Arizona. A small portion of this unique land which has come to define at least part of the American west, approximately 91,300 acres, has been set aside as Saguaro National Park in Tucson Arizona. Mary & I were able to visit this April for four days my undergraduate college roommate and his wife, Rick & Kathy Smith, who live in Tucson. Rick and I have maintained a close relationship all these years. As I’ve told our kids, I don’t think we’ve ever shared a bad word. Smith is a thirty-three year NPS employee, now retired. After retirement, he helped Latin American countries develop their own National Park Services and now runs a list-serve operation keeping Park Service retirees informed on current issues. During our visit, Rick & Kathy took us to, and explained, the Saguaro National Park. Timely is an understated word for this visit.

Geology. Approximately seventy million years ago a volcanic caldera cycle created the Tucson mountain range and most of the other mountain ranges in Arizona. The Rincon range developed via both volcanic activity and fault blocking activity beginning approximately fifty million years ago. A volcanic caldera is essentially the remains of a very large collapsed volcano. Dinosaurs, camels, and saber tooth tigers roamed the area.

Pronunciation. The word Saguaro means giant cactus. In English it is pronounced “swar-ro,” with the accent on the first syllable. Essentially you replace the “g” with a “w.”

“People Of The Sonoran Desert.” (Introducing each paragraph is a word or two in bold. If it doesn’t have quote marks and isn’t in italics, it’s ours. If it has quote marks and is in italics, it’s the Park Service’s in their brochure available in the Visitor’s Center.) It is believed the first people who descended from the humans who migrated across the land bridge from Siberia came to the Sonoran Desert around 10,000 BC. These peoples, like the plants and animals, learned how to adapt to desert extremes for thousands of years. Then, in the 1500’s, Europeans, particularly Spanish explorers, came. Later the peoples changed again as Europeans moved westward from the U.S. east coast, made land claims, built cattle ranches and then consolidated. In 1933, to preserve a portion of the valley between the Rincon range to the east of Tucson and the Tucson range to the west of Tucson, under the Antiquities Act, president F. D. Roosevelt declared 62,000 acres of the valley a national monument. In 1994, the national monument became a national park. This national monument to national park transition has happened more than twenty-four times before in U.S. history. The Saguaro National Park is split into two districts: one on the east side and one on the west side of what since 1775 is/has been Tucson Arizona.

“Desert Floor To Mountain Forest.” The National Park ranges from 2,100 feet to 8,600 feet providing challenges for plants, animals and people to survive. The Park Service describes the landscape as “multicolored.” This was particularly true as our visit was the first week of April and the winter rains had brought Spring blossoms of the wild flowers into glorious bloom. As for winter, it can snow over one hundred inches annually at the high elevations. The Sonoran Desert is home to approximately sixty animal species, three-hundred-fifty bird species, twenty species of amphibians, one hundred species of reptiles, and thirty species of native fish. Most Americans have never seen these species. They are amazing to see. And so close! And predators such as wildcats and mountain lions walk around just to keep you on your toes, particularly if you are on one of the park’s backcountry trails.

“Survival Under The Sun.” The north-to-south running Tucson mountains approximately twenty kilometers west of town create a weather barrier from west-to-east winds from the Pacific ocean. The heat from the sun is captured and remains in the valley formed by the Rincon mountains twenty kilometers to the east of town. This creates the Sonoran Desert in which many plant and animal species thrive. Humans choose to live there as well due to the warmer winter months although the extreme summer heat and less available water can cause some difficulty. As the Park Service advises: Saguaro “seedlings have the best chance of survival when sheltered by ‘nurse trees’ like mesquite, ironwood, or palo verde.” Saguaros initially grow slowly, approximately an inch annually the first eight years. After approximately seventy years they can sprout arms. At one hundred fifty years they achieve full growth of forty to fifty feet. Saguaros collect water via one main root and many almost surface level small roots that go out in all directions approximately the height of the tree. In July, the ruby-red fruit that grows at the top of the tree ripens and is ready for harvesting by humans to make jam, syrup and ceremonial wine. Birds and animals eat them as well. Saguaros often live to one hundred fifty to two hundred years or succumb to lightening, freezing wind or lack of water.

Water. Let’s talk briefly about water. Fresh water, nationwide, is an issue. In the far west of the United States, including Arizona, it is a precious issue. For the most part, seven states get their water from either rain, snow or the Colorado river. Extraordinary twenty year western droughts and extraordinary people usage are causing the Colorado river to dry to the current dramatic shortfall—the river is estimated to be running at 20% lower than usual. Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the final reservoirs, are less than one-third full. The issue of fresh good quality water in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico is a growing emergency. It remains to be seen how well the governments of those states (as well as farmers, homeowners, and homeowners associations) deal with 1) climate change, 2) water usage. There is a lot riding on the outcome.

We wish you safe travels and joyous national park visits!

If you wish to visit the Saguaro National Park website, go here: https://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm