Impression Evergreen

A Talk with the Woods “Go sit under a tree and listen and think.” ~ Walt Whitman This week's post is written by my uncle, Jerry Covault. Jerry is a retired United States Forest Service Ranger. During his 33 years spent working on National Forests in Oregon, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, he has learned about the relationships between mountains, forests, soils, weather, fire, animals and people. Jerry shares some of his unique experiences in his new book "About Forests and People". He resolves to stimulate interest and curiosity about trees and forests and how people use them both through the ages and at present time. Jerry also discusses the problems our forests and environment have today and he suggests a few things that can help. The following essay by Jerry Covault is taken from his book "About Forests and People". A Talk with the Woods Fragment: From the Alfoxden Notebook (I) And never for each other shall we feel As we may feel, till we ...

Palm trees on the Pacific Our blue planet is dominated by the five great seas from which the Pacific is the biggest, deepest and most inhabited. The vast ocean fills the gap between the Americas on the east and Asia and Australia on the west. The massive body of salt water is an astonishing 64 million square miles and it's spread across one-third of the earth's surface. In the northwest section there's an incredible chasm known as the Mariana Trench. At 35,797 feet down, it's the deepest point in the world. The ocean's current name was given by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan during the Spanish circumnavigation of the globe in 1521. He called it Mar Pacifico or the Peaceful Sea because after sailing around the treacherous Cape Horn, the expedition entered into much calmer waters. The place is hardly peaceful, though. Enclosing the ocean, the volatile land that forms the Pacific Rim is known as the Ring of Fire because of all the volcanos and earthq...

Snowy peaks from above tree line Most of the summer was spent grounded in Colorado’s graceful foothills, a vibrant ecosystem bursting with activity. The forest was flush with lots of wildlife while the trails were packed with tons of tourists. Things got considerably lower during a visit to the Pacific Ocean where the crowded West Coast descended to the depths of sea level. There, the sizzling California sun scorched the skin but excess oxygen filled the lungs. Back home, along with the cool, autumn breeze came a yearning to climb into thin air. There’s something spiritual about getting above tree line that opens your heart and clears your mind. You’re released from the stifling clutter of the complicated lowlands and gifted priceless time in a wide open space. It’s a simplified landscape composed from the basic ingredients of earth, rock and sky. It’s a special domain with sparse vegetation and few inhabitants where only the most tenacious survive. The sound of silence is...

Dallas Divide, Colorado Rising out of Ridgeway, Colorado, the Dallas Divide is an elevated overlook with remarkable views of the spectacular Sneffels Range. Summer evenings are the best time to visit because the southern light saturates the landscape with gold. The rugged mesa of sage and pine stretches across the vista before uplifting into a chain of staggering peaks. The wilderness scenery is complicated but here the space is defined by dark shadows that follow every contour of the land. I’ve traveled all over the western United States and visited some extraordinary locations. I’ve swam in the Pacific, hiked the Grand Canyon and climbed in the Tetons but I have to say southwest Colorado may be my favorite place on earth.

Elk Meadow twilight “Here comes the rain again. Falling on my head like a memory.” ~ Annie Lennox Since it has rained almost every day, this spring has supplied us with a silent calm before the sunny season explodes with activity. Currently composed from an everlasting arrangement of cool coloration, the meadow is in a melancholy mood. There’s not even a peep from the ruckus normally raised by the usual profusion of feathered friends. Under a watercolor sky, the only sign of life in this interesting landscape is a scattering of mule deer. Marching up the muddy trails in such tranquility is like sleepwalking into an eerie atmosphere. During the storms, dense fog descends from a steel sky and a veil of steamy mist rises out of the soggy earth. This season, being immersed in the dark beauty of low light is like waking from a fading dream. Enjoy it because a sizzling summer will begin soon and the rain will be just a hazy memory recalled by the fragrance of abundant wildflower...