When we’re at the cabin, we sit around for hours, reading or just looking at nature. Booger Hollow is that kind of place. Sitting still, outside, gives me the chance to observe lots of insects. So I saw this guy. He was moving along the railing and I got closer to watch. Then I noticed he was … read more The one-legged grasshopper
Author: Lisa
Between heaven and hell
Their branches curve thick and muscled as the arms of thugs on the waterfront. Their leaves sprout glossy and tough, built to survive temperatures 20 degrees below zero. Their roots defy attacks, continuing to grow even when everything else on the tree has been chopped off. This plant is not just a survivor, but a warrior. The pollen is violent: … read more Between heaven and hell
Vanity view
At the end of a hard day like this one, I love to paddle my kayak on the lake. Drifting, looking at water and trees and green …. so soothing. Sometimes, though, the lakeshore greenline is shattered. I see a group of trees that look like they’ve been hit with a terrible disease. One that is … read more Vanity view
Little plastic things
Today I had to do the chore I hate: cleaning before the cleaners. You know, where you go around and pick up all the crap that is lying around your house, before the cleaners come in, so that they can get to the surfaces that need to be cleaned. In between putting clothes away and breaking … read more Little plastic things
Heavy metal
When we first went to Afghanistan, we stayed in a guesthouse called Chez Ana on Passport Lane. It was a quiet street that began at the passport office on Salang Wat, and Ana’s was at a little crook in the dirt road. Ana was from Croatia, and she did what she could to deal with the hodge … read more Heavy metal
To get to the other side
Why were all the cars stopping? I was on my third lap of 12 at the playfield, just hitting my stride. I’d been half an hour late for most of the day, kept trying to make up for it, kept failing. On the road next to the playfield, cars were slowing down and stopping at a certain … read more To get to the other side
Small and simple
It seems the more I concentrate, the smaller and simpler my glass pieces become. They are trying to tell me a story. In just a couple of inches, or less. Hands praying, asking. A spirit flying above. A worker waving goodbye at the border. And a face. Just a face. Smiling a little, maybe. Something else, maybe. … read more Small and simple
The urban naturalist
Chi-i-i-i-rp! About a month ago, I was walking through Dunwoody at the perimeter of Atlanta, and over the din of cars and the MARTA train I heard a lone cricket. Chi-i-i-i-rp! In the middle of an April day, I really didn’t expect to hear a cricket within view of the gigantic King and Queen office buildings. I was passing a field, … read more The urban naturalist
How do they find the trellis?
Yesterday, I noticed that I had eight passionflower sprouts up in the yard. This is cause for great celebration, as passionflower not only has a splendid flower, but is the most reliable herbal remedy for insomnia. Passionflower loves to climb, and gets thick and fruitful if it has something to climb on. So I have three round … read more How do they find the trellis?
The stealthy view
My neighbors were getting the coolest nighttime photos – bobcats, bears, foxes, and even a mountain lion! OK, the alleged mountain lion was ultimately determined to be a house cat, but still. It was pretty exciting for awhile there. So I bought a Stealth Cam, and set it up on the front porch with great anticipation. … read more The stealthy view