Tag: wilderness

A Summer Tail

On By Mike and Christy16 Comments

Until just a few weeks ago Swallowtails filled the air floating by often gliding up into the canopy and out of sight just as quickly as they appeared making photographs initially hard to come by.

However as days went on and with the butterfly bush calling the swallowtails in we got ample time to sit and observe at least three species of swallowtails in depth.

One one afternoons drive on a dusty old dirt road our path was even block by a congregation of Swallowtails which looked to include several species including the Pale Swallowtail, Western Tiger Swallowtail, Canadian Tiger Swallowtail and the Old-World Swallowtail.

Swallowtails block the way along an old dirt road.

A Western Tiger and Pale Swallowtail getting acquainted.

Forest Bathing

On By Mike and Christy20 Comments

Some say there is healing power in a long forest experience, a practice called shirn-yoku in Japan. There certainly are days when you leave a nice walk in the woods with a feeling you can equate with healing. It need not be walking as a long sit on that quiet bench or rock also seems to do the trick.

Although scientific evidence is currently sparse as to the specific mechanism by which a forest walk promotes positive health we can all agree it does no harm at all.

On some days it is what we see and others what we smell. Many days it is what we do not see or smell as we walk away from the hustle and bustle and into the woods.

Whatever it is about a forest bath I sure wish Doctors would prescribe it more.