One of the most often-repeated lessons I have with students learning how to build fire is: It takes patience. Too many times, we just want to pile up fuel and strike a match, and it never works that way. Fire is often compared to a living thing, and like so many things in life, it…Read more To Build A Fire
COVID-19
COVID Camp
Times are strange. Even though a lot of what I like to do is, by its nature, remote - backpacking, canoeing/kayaking, sailing, etc - all these activities became extremely popular as soon as we started getting guidance not to congregate. The bars closed down and the trailheads clogged up. Add to that the challenges of…Read more COVID Camp
Earth Takes a Break
I'm about a week late in writing about Earth Day, but this subject seems to fit, so consider it my offering. Recently, someone challenged me to consider the COVID-19 outbreak from a non-human-centric point of view. The basic nature of the argument was this - if nothing else, the human tragedy associated with a global…Read more Earth Takes a Break
There’s Something Wrong With Us
(Warning: This is NOT a post about COVID-19, not really. It's more about an observation on what COVID reveals. I know we're tired of talking about the pandemic, and I apologize for contributing to it!) It's spring, the weather is suddenly warm, and because the country is deep in "social isolation" as a result of…Read more There’s Something Wrong With Us
