The odes, oddities, and O Deities of a world traveler

In which I go to the deserted valley

On the way back from Telluride weekend, or rather on the way up, I decided it was finally time to check out what in the world Hovenweep National Monument was. I had been curious about it for a while since it appeared on my radar as trips north to Utah and Colorado became more frequent.…
Did you know: soap

soaps work because they have portions of their molecules that are fat-soluble and portions that are water-soluble?
Ode to Irrigation

Irrigation gives us so much power over our world. It allows you to take land and bring life to it. It is a great responsibility because it is borrowing water that would otherwise go elsewhere, but it gives you the chance to bring life or even paradise to an area. Irrigation brings water to plants,…
Did you know: ivy growth

ivys change growth form from vine to bush depending on their surrounding environment?
In which we chase Kevin the bird around the school

How many adults does it take to catch a bird? During my first year teaching at a local charter school, I was running an ecology club. My three hearty troopers and I would go out on Wednesday mornings and wander around the cactus-infested meadows around the school looking for anything interesting. Every now and then…
Did you know: green bark

Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and Palo Verde (Parkinsonia spp.) trees have photosynthetic bark?
Ode to Tea

Tea is cultured. It is subtle and varied. It can come in a ton of varieties, and it is only possible because we have risen out of nature to be able to both warm water and put non-poisonous plants in that water to make it more delicious. In this way, it has a fusion of…
Did you know: Phoenix area

Phoenix is about the same area as the big island of Hawaii?