Interesting post and nice homage to your late friend. For at least 2 Summers we have seen kites in our southwest Austin neighborhood (including this morning). And my brother has had them nest in a nearby tree in his Waco yard for the past couple of years.
Great pièce, as usual, thanks. I watched the kids' doc and read the McPhee Euell Gibbons essay. Guy was far out! I see more clearly why he was so popular in the late 60s and 70s. He was not only churning around in the back to the land melieu (which I kind of knew), he was also an unabashed peace and love kind of guy in his views of the natural world (which I didn't).
In case you missed this story in the NY Times yesterday, here's the link to it. It's an essay on the diversity of pigeons and how they have taken advantage of our creation of urban areas. From wood pigeons to the ubiquitous "city pigeon," they have adapted to our whims and visions of "city" to create new habitats for themselves. Writer Ben Crair says, "they seem less like parasites than pioneers who’ve taken up the challenge of rewilding the grossest corners of humanity." I like that interpretation of the ways of pigeons.
Interesting post and nice homage to your late friend. For at least 2 Summers we have seen kites in our southwest Austin neighborhood (including this morning). And my brother has had them nest in a nearby tree in his Waco yard for the past couple of years.
excellent deep dive into this, our little corridor of the Colorado.
I saw a cicada killer, flying awkwardly but enthusiastically carrying its prey the other day, and laughed out loud.
Thanks, Amy! Those cicada killers are amazing
Love Euell Gibbons! And there he is, climbing a persimmon tree! Great documentary, complete with that background music. Another great piece; thanks!
Great pièce, as usual, thanks. I watched the kids' doc and read the McPhee Euell Gibbons essay. Guy was far out! I see more clearly why he was so popular in the late 60s and 70s. He was not only churning around in the back to the land melieu (which I kind of knew), he was also an unabashed peace and love kind of guy in his views of the natural world (which I didn't).
In case you missed this story in the NY Times yesterday, here's the link to it. It's an essay on the diversity of pigeons and how they have taken advantage of our creation of urban areas. From wood pigeons to the ubiquitous "city pigeon," they have adapted to our whims and visions of "city" to create new habitats for themselves. Writer Ben Crair says, "they seem less like parasites than pioneers who’ve taken up the challenge of rewilding the grossest corners of humanity." I like that interpretation of the ways of pigeons.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/24/magazine/pigeons-city-nature.html