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  • The Imposition of Ashes

    Yesterday was Ash Wednesday – a day that, for Christians in the west, marks the first day of Lent. The period of Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter and echos the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fasting and enduring temptations (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 3:1-13). For those who observe it, Lent is period of reflection, repentance, confession, and sacrifice.… Read the rest

  • Weird Wasp Wednesday

    As of today, I am the parent of an adult. This is weird. Everything about it is weird.

    Me being old enough to have an adult child? Weird.

    Me having been a parent for 18 years? Weird.

    Just weird.

    Also in the category of weird is the feature organism for a Wasp Wednesday: the Pelecinid Wasp.

    A large black wasp with an inordinately long ovipositor.

    Friends, I’ve been lucky enough to meet this lovely lady on several occasions, including once on the sidewalk near my house.… Read the rest

  • Mugshot

    A white mug with a red handle. In fancy red script is written Friesen, with a coat of arms beneath.

    I got this mug as a gift from my brother, who picked it up at the Mennonite Heritage Village. The fancy script and heraldry suggest a regal Friesen lineage. A search of the internet finds several different versions of a Friesen coat of arms, though most have the knight helmet and include a good amount of red.

    Speaking of family lineage, I made bread this morning using the recipe passed down to me from my mom, who in turn received it from my dad’s mom.… Read the rest

  • Parks & Protected Areas – Band-aids on a Failing System

    I’m certainly not an cultural anthropologist, but I imagine the concept of ‘park’ or ‘protected area’ – an area deliberately set aside to be free of human ‘interference’ for its own safety – would have been completely foreign and nonsensical to the majority of human societies that have existed to date.

    It seems the need for protected areas is the result of at least two things:

    1. A worldview that has a concept of ‘nature’ and sees humans as somehow distinct from it, and
    2. An economic system that can’t sustainably co-exist with ‘nature’

    Regarding #1, I’m sure there has been much ink spilled to examine and explain how this worldview came about – I recall reading something by Alfred North Whitehead many years ago that placed the blame, and not without merit, at the feet of a certain understanding of Christian theology.… Read the rest

  • Mugshot

    A mug with a desert scene of cacti and other plants.

    My parents brought me this mug from one of their excursions to the American southwest. Unfortunately, the dishwasher has worn away the image (this is the less damaged side).

    They went a few times to New Mexico and Arizona in their retirement. Whenever I use this mug I think of them. They went in winter – Mom enjoyed the break from the cold as she was definitely not a winter person.… Read the rest

  • I’m Not Lost, I’m Looking for Bugs

    The Edge of Meaning and the Freedom of Insignificance

    This post is a sermon I preached at Jubilee Mennonite Church on 15 August 2024. Thanks to the people of JMC for letting me work out my faith (faith issues?) in their company.

    Both the book of Ecclesiastes and this sermon are more about experience than theology (though the degree to which one’s experience shapes one’s theology would be interesting to explore) .… Read the rest

  • 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