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  • Belonging

    Assorted Thoughts on Citizenship and Migration, and the Language Thereof

    ~

    Ecologists often talk about species that are ‘native’ vs those that are ‘non-native’, ‘exotic’, ‘introduced’, or ‘alien’. The distinction ecologists are trying to make is between those species that occur in a place ‘naturally’ vs those that only occur in a place due to human action (accidental or intentional). Ecologists often talk about non-native species in a negative way – as if they don’t belong, need to be eradicated, etc – especially when paired with terms like ‘invasive’ and ‘weedy’.… Read the rest

  • Let’s Talk About Poop!

    Let’s do a deep dive into dung!

    Dung Beetles

    My favorite beetles. Different species have different strategies:

    Rollers – perhaps the most familiar strategy. They form some dung into a ball, roll it away from the the dung pile, then bury it for later (or to lay eggs into).

    Tunnelers – these don’t bother rolling dung, they just bury it right there at the scene of the crime.… Read the rest

  • Mugshot

    Me as Known From My Mugs

    I got this mug from my in-laws for Christmas once and I believe the theme was chosen as they know I’m naturalist type. While my naturely interests are mainly plants and insects, I do appreciate a good mushroom. This mug is hefty and great for a good-sized cup of coffee in the morning.

    A blue mug with mushrooms of various types on it.
    Blue mug with mushrooms on it.
    Blue mug with red-caped mushrooms on it.

    I’ll readily admit to knowing very little about the fungal life, but I do know that fungi play many important ecological roles.… Read the rest

  • Moth Monday*

    *Yes, I know it’s Tuesday, but you can’t keep a good moth down.

    This is a Primrose Moth*. During the day, they can often be found hunkered down in flowers, especially these White-stemmed Evening Primrose** flowers. These day-time naps are no doubt due to late nights of excess and debauchery. This one is expressing its displeasure at being disturbed by giving the photographer the side-eye.… Read the rest

  • Christmas Carol Reflection #2

    The earnest innocence with which an entirely impractical gift was offered has long made The Little Drummer Boy a favorite of mine. I can imagine it going something like this:

    He had the look of every boy who’s been roused from play and made ‘presentable’, his hair hastily tamed with limited success. He carried with him a small drum – a scrap of sheepskin on a simple wooden frame.… Read the rest

  • Christmas Carol Reflection #1

    I’m told that one of my paternal grandmother’s favorite Christmas carols was O Beautiful Star of Bethlehem. It was also a favorite of my mom. Why did they like it so much? That’s a question I’ve added to my file of things it’s too late to ask since both have passed.

    In any case, it’s become somewhat customary to sing it at family Christmas gatherings, and has become one of my favorite carols, but not only for sentimental reasons.… Read the rest

  • 2024 Book List

    Within the fiction and non-fiction categories, the books are listed in the order I finished them.

    Fiction:
    The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
    Prodigal Summer – Barbara Kingsolver
    Kamchatka – Marcelo Figueras
    The Known World – Edward P. Jones
    Red Team Blues – Cory Doctorow
    Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut
    Undermajordomo Minor – Patrick DeWitt
    Bagombo Snuffbox – Kurt Vonnegut
    French Exit – Patrick DeWitt
    Ablutions – Patrick DeWitt
    The Lies of Locke Lamora – Scott Lynch
    The Fellowship of the Ring – JRR Tolkien
    The Two Towers – JRR Tolkien
    The Return of the King – JRR Tolkien
    The Enchantress of Florence – Salman Rushdie
    The Color of Magic – Terry Pratchett
    A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – George RR Martin
    The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Neil Gaiman

    Non-fiction:
    Radical Roots – Gareth Brandt
    Defining Love: A Philosophical, Scientific, and Theological Engagement – Thomas Jay Oord
    Hearing and Knowing: Theological Reflections on Christianity in Africa – Mercy A.… Read the rest

  • So it begins…

    I have the urge to write things (questions, observations, speculations, and such) and hopefully converse with the likes of you, dear reader, about these things. Thus I’ve done gone and started a blog (because the world needs more blogs).

    Posting schedule will likely be stochastic – when I find myself at the centre of the Venn diagram of energy, time, and inspiration.… Read the rest