Author: jpallen

Afternoon in the garden, #29

jpallen Nature Life 5 Comments

I am spending time working in the garden digging holes and planting. I dig a hole, plant seeds or seedlings, dig another, plant another. I look at the plants and seeds I’ve already planted. As they begin to grow they all look the same, tiny and green. But as they grow their uniqueness will become more apparent, firstly in their leaves. As we move from spring to summer and into fall, some will share flowers, some fruits and others vegetables. All the while they maintain a sameness in their interactions with bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, the sun, wind, rain…

Hovering above,
Obscured by wings of a gnat,
A hawk in the sky

Palouse prairie, #27

jpallen Nature Life 1 Comment

I walk up the north side of Palouse Ridge through mud and puddles. Spring makes itself evident on side of the road. I pass Wild Cherry, Nineleaf Biscuitroot, and Common Cowparsnips. At the top of the ridge, the road dries out. I come out of the trees and am greeted by a blanket of purple Larkspur spotted with golden Arrowleaf Balsamroot. After a time, I begin my walk back to the trailhead where I find an old fallen tree bent over a rock, it reminds me of broken bones. In its shade grows Angular Solomon’s Seal. I am not sure if this plant is native or not. 

Lying over stone
Old tree trunk bent and fractured
Nourished spring flowers

Note: Paradise Ridge is one of the few remnants of original Palouse prairie. Most of these locations are preserved through land trusts, for which I am grateful. These remnants make up 1% of the Palouse. Most of the remaining 99% is dry farmland. Because there are places where native Palouse prairie exists gives me faith the natural landscape can return; that we can share this land with the native plants and peoples in harmony with our need to grow food.

River’s edge, #25

jpallen City Life, Nature Life , 6 Comments

I am waking up after a morning nap. Cradled in my arms is my grandson, Rudy. I am holding him for the first time. The doctor gave the okay for close family visits with restrictions. I am freshly showered, in clean clothes and wearing a mask. Now Rudy wants Mom so I get up and begin work fixing a dishwasher. I go to the hardware store to purchase a part. I enter wearing a mask and receive help from a maskless sales clerk. Finishing my purchase I go to the hotel to shower again and put on clean clothes. Clean, I return to see my grandson with my mask in place. Idaho begins stage one reopening today. The traffic and crowds are proof, but on my travels home I see only one person wearing a protective mask. I wonder how stage one will finish and how stages two, three, and four will play out. I am grateful to experience the joy of visiting my grandson and would like to visit again, even if I need to shower and wear a mask. This reminds me, the mask is to protect others, not myself.

Mountain spring snowmelt
The river’s edge erodes, where
Bulbous Bluegrass sway


Magnolias, #23

jpallen City Life, Nature Life , 3 Comments
Image-Fragrance rings at dawn

While jogging on a sidewalk a young person approached me. As we got closer to each other the person stepped far to the side. I immediately recoiled before switching to a relaxed feeling of gratitude. The person nodded and I nodded in respect for each other’s safety, practicing social distancing.

There was a lot of data to intake about social distancing this week. Both in the world and decisions that need made about my job. I wondered what side of the fence I should be on. Stay at home or go out and keep the economy going? Both sides say the other lives in fear. I wonder if both sides fear the same thing? I ask myself, what is the best way to be while respecting the lives of all involved?

A hair in the tea
Showing and hiding itself
Tea cup in my hands

On my second visit to the arboretum in Moscow in two weeks, I find myself there on a cloudy day. Both times I started off my walk with the thought asking, “Why couldn’t it be sunny?” Maybe this is the photographer in me thinking there is always something that could be better. Or, maybe it is my capacity to want to be somewhere other than where I am. Today I was able to let that go and take in a few good photographs.

Fragrance sings at dawn
Birds among the tree blossoms
The clouds settle in

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