nature

Hey bear!

/ Tracy Abell / 10 Comments

Zippy and I are visiting my sister at her home in the Poconos. I was in the kitchen earlier today when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. A quite large black bear!

When I shouted in surprise, the bear stopped and looked at me with absolute nonchalance and then continued strolling along.

This is only my second black bear sighting, the first was when we lived in Alaska and were on a hike up to the Harding IceField. That one was smaller and younger, and much more eager to get out of sight.

Not gonna lie, I’m very glad I was inside when this black bear paid a visit.

Garden magic

/ Tracy Abell / 7 Comments

Yesterday while out working in the magical garden we inherited, I came across this:

July 14, 2025

As is the case with many plants in this new-to-me garden planted by someone else, I have no idea what it’s called. Until I make a formal identification, I’m calling it the “Fruit Hat.”

Who am I kidding? I’ll probably call it Fruit Hat no matter it’s proper name.

Thankful Thursday: buffet of gifts

/ Tracy Abell / 13 Comments

Here’s a shout-out to this week’s highlight reel of awesomeness:

⭐  On Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani–33-year-old Muslim/democratic socialist/New York State Assemblyperson–won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor! Mamdani crushed the money-soaked and scandal-ridden Andrew Cuomo, and now has the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel money machine in an absolute panic. I’m still riding that high!

⭐  Zippy and I finally unpacked enough boxes and moved/donated enough furniture to be able to fit our car in the garage! The end of this moving process is in sight (if I squint and tilt my head just so).

⭐  Today there was a pretty substantial low tide (-3.4′) at Freshwater Bay so we put on our boots (hiking for Zippy, waders for me) and went exploring. The first thing we saw upon arrival was this:

When we got closer, I took another photo as I asked Zippy what he thought the story was with the boat. A voice came out of nowhere: “I fell asleep during high tide.” I hadn’t realized anyone was on the severely-tipped boat! The man went on to say he just had to wait for high tide and then could leave. A pretty relaxed outlook considering he was most definitely not able to wait/sit in an upright position.

Zippy and I continued our explorations where we saw all sorts of cool stuff (crab; very large sea anenome; sea slug known as “clown nudibranch”; vivid orange sea star [click to enlarge]:

 

                 

⭐  Two other generous explorers also shared their discoveries with us, sightings that made them absolutely giddy with excitement since those creatures are somewhat rare in that area: a California Sea Cucumber and a Sunflower Sea Star. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in position for good photos but very much appreciated the sightings!

⭐  After a couple hours, Zippy and I headed back across the slippery, kelp-strewn rocks toward the parking area. One last gift? The rising tide righted that man’s boat.

Happy day!

Thankful Thursday: wild morning

/ Tracy Abell / 19 Comments

At a little after 7:00 this morning, we headed out for our walk. After a couple blocks of sunshine and birdsong, Emma decided it was time to relieve herself on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection lawn (shucks, no poop sack 🤷 ). As Zippy and I waited, a crow that’d been on the CBP roof flew down and dropped something furry a few feet from Emma. The crow hopped around as Zippy moved in for a closer look and announced, “It’s a mole.”

For whatever reason, the crow had gifted Emma/us with a dead mole! When we declined the gift (well, Zippy and I declined it without giving Emma a vote) and walked away, the crow picked up the mole and flew back to the CBP roof. That was a first for us. In Colorado, magpies regularly gifted us with pretty stones which we always thought were thanks for the peanut feeders and bird bath we provided. This dead rodent? A gift out of the blue.

Our second gift came later in the walk as we explored a street that was new to us. Suddenly, we were in dense forest where the air was clean and cool.

But it wasn’t only us in the forest. I looked down to see Gift #3 crossing the road:

I have no idea what kind of beetle this is (paging Mara at The Dirty Sneaker!) except that it was at least an inch long.

Later, after a stop at the local bakery for some muffins, we arrived back home where I cut some chard from our garden to add to my smoothie. When I went to wash out my blender, there was Wild Gift #4:

I know, I know. Most people aren’t fans of snails and their slime trails, especially not when they land on their dish cloths as a result of washing garden greens. But snails fascinate me. After watching it move about, I gently carried this one back outside to the flower portion of the garden. Slime away, funny snail!

So that’s my odd gratitude list. In this moment, I’m grateful for all the wildness in my life, big and small. These are very difficult days but as organizer Kelly Hayes says, there’s still so much left to fight for. Wishing everyone a day graced by the natural world. Solidarity!

Thankful Thursday: Olympic National Park

/ Tracy Abell / 10 Comments

It’s almost two weeks since we reached the Olympic Peninsula and because we’ve been busy with all sorts of tasks related to moving and relocation, we hadn’t yet visited the Olympic National Park. This morning, Zippy suggested a walk in the sunshine (!) to the Visitor’s Center to check it out. Kind of a recon mission. Well, before reaching the Visitor’s Center, we came upon a trail just off the street.

We stepped into the forest.

Oh my goodness. It was immediately like being in a whole different world. The sounds and smells of traffic disappeared, along with the stress I carried. Below you can see my spouse and our dog Emma, seemingly tiny beings against the backdrop of magnificent trees.

I’ve already developed a bit of a crick in my neck/shoulders from constantly tilting my head back in an attempt to see the tops of trees here and I’m not sure I’ll ever get tired of admiring moss-covered trunks and limbs.

Here’s Zippy working on his own neck crick while checking out these two trees growing from a cedar stump.

We had plans to hike another few miles but when the trail got so slick it took down Zippy, we decided to turn around for the day.

Today I give thanks for the Olympic National Park, its proximity to our rental home, and the rejuvenating properties of time spent in the natural world.

I receive these gifts.

 

Wordful Wednesday: travel edition

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

Common Merganser in Umatilla River. Echo, Oregon. March 7, 2025

On our drive from Colorado to Washington, our second night’s stay was at a campground in Echo, Oregon. We arrived in the dark so it wasn’t until morning that I realized we were next to the Umatilla River. There was lots of bird song and movement, and I first grabbed the binoculars then the camera. The above photo was the first I took. I also saw a Belted Kingfisher, Greater Yellowlegs, California Scrub Jay, Mallards, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Eurasian-collared Doves. Zippy had to gently remind me that we had a full day’s drive ahead of us and so should leave.

I reluctantly said goodbye to everyone and everything there, thanking them for the gift of their presence. Echo was a lovely place to begin the day.

Friday Haiku

/ Tracy Abell / 1 Comment

look closely
who-who do you see
one great horned owl

Bear Creek Greenbelt Park. February 28, 2025

Thank you, Amy Law, for showing me the owl nest. While we didn’t see American Dippers, it was still a lovely walk and talk.

Sunday Confessional: dance drought

/ Tracy Abell / 13 Comments

The past year was incredibly difficult on a personal and global level and, unfortunately, it continues into this new year. I’ve unintentionally dropped many good habits–running, hoop dancing, posting here–as a result of the grief and sheer exhaustion of bearing witness to the suffering of so many. Today, however, I finally summoned the energy to do something I’ve dearly missed: hoop-dancing. For twenty minutes, I danced and spun in my hoop, singing along with the music. Emma was happy to see my dancing again and we howled together for several minutes, me grinning as her tail wagged and wagged.

A dancing Sandhill Crane at Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. March 12, 2024

Today I reclaimed my joy. My intention is to dance again tomorrow . . . and to continue dancing in the days and months to come.  Dance as a revolutionary act!

Climate Movement Monday: in support of Native Village of Hooper Bay

/ Tracy Abell / 10 Comments

Welcome back to Movement Mondays in which we discuss all things climate and then typically take action on behalf of a frontline community facing immediate effects of the climate crisis. Today’s information and TAKE ACTION come from Earthjustice, the nonprofit environmental law organization representing Native Village of Hooper Bay in southwest Alaska.

The federal government is proposing a land swap and road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge despite the fact that, as the name says, it’s supposed to be a refuge. Per the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website, this refuge located between the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska,  is [emphasis mine] “home to one of the world’s largest eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds. Hundreds of thousands of waterfowl, including virtually the entire population of Pacific black brant, visit the lagoon to feed on eelgrass and rest during migration. From brown bears to Pacific salmon, more than 200 species call this refuge home.” Call me alarmist, but it seems really stupid to negatively interfere with the feeding ground and resting place for an entire species.

Aerial view of black brant in flight over Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.  Photo by Kristine Sowl/USFWS

What does all this have to do with Native Village of Hooper Bay?  The proposed road would cut through the refuge which provides, you know, refuge for migratory bird species that Native Village of Hooper Bay tribal members rely on for food and cultural practices.

“Any loss of these species in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta could have devastating impacts on communities already stressed by climate change, the salmon crisis, and by significant socio-economic and health challenges, including high rates of poverty and the highest suicide rates in the nation. Western science and Indigenous knowledge agree that preserving subsistence and traditional practices is key to combating these impacts in Alaska Native communities.”

A 45-day comment period is now open that allows the public to weigh in on the draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS). The federal government needs your input. PLEASE request the federal government withdraw the project OR at least choose the “no action alternative” which is the compromise proposed by Native Village of Hooper Bay and other tribes.

As always, a personalized message carries more weight. However, I realize this issue can seem complicated as you read about it (due, in part, to the use of “alternative” in its many permutations), so it’s completely fine to briefly express your support for the tribal people and the migratory birds, and then request that the federal government withdraw the project entirely OR choose the “no action alternative.” Your message doesn’t need to be long.  All the background information is included here where you also take action via your brief personalized message.

Thank you for reading this far. Thank you for speaking up on behalf of Native Village of Hooper Bay and other tribes in that frontline community, along with the 200 species that call the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge home. Solidarity! ✊🏾

Elk for a Free Palestine

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

Popping in quickly to share this image Zippy captured from our deck yesterday.

Elk! While we’ve seen them in the open space several times over the years we’ve lived here, this was our first sighting from our home. A neighbor said she recently saw about 30 in the open space.

I also wanted to share links to articles from The Intercept that I read today, detailing the increasingly oppressive crackdown on those standing up for Palestinian rights.

The Intercept also wrote about the release of Amnesty International’s new 300-page report that adds the human rights organization to a growing chorus of legal scholars and activists describing Israel’s assault on Palestinians as genocide.

The United States is funding and enabling genocide as they increase police forces around the country and build Cop Cities to train police in how best to bash in our heads. We’re all we’ve got, and it’s imperative we hold onto our shared humanity.

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free! 

Wild gift

/ Tracy Abell / 13 Comments

I’ve been scarce around here, largely due to overwhelm on a global and personal level. Today got off to a good start and then quickly went south with the news that my son was in a (heightened) health crisis. A while later, I was on the phone with my spouse for the umpteenth time, updating him on our son’s condition, when I glanced out the window.

Such a gorgeous fox, possibly the same one who visited my neighbor in June? Either way, I was delighted by the sighting. I quickly grabbed the nearby camera and captured this one image through the deck railing before it jumped on the back fence and went to the other side. Foxes must have incredibly keen senses because this one immediately knew my camera and I were at the closed window.

A brief interaction, but that fox lifted my spirits immensely. For that, I’m grateful.

Take good care, everyone.

Twofer Tuesday: Clear Creek edition

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

As mentioned, I celebrated yesterday’s birthday at Clear Creek. It was a good choice: lots of sunshine plus the peace of moving water. As we walked in search of a sunny place to picnic, we saw a man running behind his dog carrying a frisbee. I was disappointed that I didn’t have my camera ready to snap a pic. Well, a few minutes later, they ran past again and this time I was prepared. Such a happy doggie!

Then we found our spot in the sun.

After selecting flat-ish boulders near the water’s edge to sit on, Zippy and I ate lunch while watching leaves gently sway beneath the water’s surface and bubbles move along on top as they cast star-shaped shadows below. Despite people crossing on the nearby bridge, it felt like we had the creek to ourselves. Too soon, the sun dropped below the canyon cliff, and our sun-filled location was shady and cold. Time to head back home.

Though our outing was brief, it soothed my soul. I highly recommend sunshine and water for late November birthday celebrations.

Coming in for a landing

/ Tracy Abell / 8 Comments

I’ve been losing myself in revisions of my middle grade novel–grateful for the distraction from this brutal reality–and am close to being finished.

Sandhill Crane at Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. March 12, 2024

While I’m still a day or two away from being done, I believe in celebrating every step along the way. So, today I celebrate myself and this project as I prepare for the final landing. Yay!

Snowy palette

/ Tracy Abell / 7 Comments

Hallelujah! The snow has stopped falling. Our muscles are sore from all the shoveling over the past several days, and now I can rest in the beauty of this cotoneaster.

By the time I finished my shoveling shift yesterday I was exhausted, but couldn’t resist getting the camera and tromping around the front yard to take photos. The leaves and berries of the various shrubs were so vibrant against the snow, like a gorgeous collision of seasons. In fact, the burning bush was almost blindingly bright.

And now the melting begins . . .

Climate change: we’re the cause but we can also be the solution

/ Tracy Abell / 6 Comments

It’s a Wednesday, but I’m offering what would usually be a Climate Movement Monday post because the synchronicity of the two elements contained here was just too perfect to pass up. Below, I offer information on hurricanes and then a quick action.

As Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida while millions struggle to recover from Helene (mutual aid links here), I received two connected emails. The first, from HEATED which is billed as “a newsletter for people who are pissed off about the climate crisis,” was their latest article titled “How fossil fuels mutated Milton: Climate scientists tell HEATED the historic storm represents “the profound irresponsibility and culpability” of polluters.”

I highly recommend reading the entire piece which begins: For scientists who study the effects of climate change, the scariest thing about Hurricane Milton is not simply its historic strength. It’s the fact that Milton grew so strong so quickly—mutating from a pipsqueak into a monster. 

screen grab from a news broadcast

Milton’s rapid intensification from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane left meteorologists speechless, with one veteran NBC6 Miami scientist tearing up on air. On X, hurricane scientists described Milton’s sudden explosion as “unprecedented,” “terrifying,” and “jaw-dropping,” as the storm’s wind speeds grew from 60 mph to over 180 mph in only 36 hours—one of the fastest intensifications on record.

A similarly rapid hurricane intensification happened just weeks earlier with Hurricane Helene, which transformed from a relatively weak tropical storm into a historic Category 4 hurricane within two days.

The article goes on to quote climate scientist Michael Mann who points the finger at the fossil fuel industry which is responsible for 76 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. “ExxonMobil’s own scientists warned that continued fossil fuel burning would lead to “potentially catastrophic events,” Mann said. That those catastrophes are playing out today represents “the profound irresponsibility and culpability of a fossil fuel industry that knowingly hid evidence of the tremendous danger of their product—not just danger to individuals … but danger to humanity and the planet. A whole higher category of crime.”

The article continues, including an explanation of how warmer sea temperatures contribute to the strength and size of tropical storms. Then the article ends with this quote from hurricane scientist Andra Garner (emphasis mine):

“The bad news here is that we know that human-caused climate change is driving these kinds of extremes to be more deadly,” said Garner. “But the good news is that we are the cause, and so we can also be the solution.”

That bears repeating: We are the cause of climate change which means we can also be the solution.

Right after reading that HEATED article, I returned to my inbox to find an email from Stand.earth. That email opened with: “Exciting news! Late last month, Philadelphia, PA, became the latest city to join the growing chorus of municipal and sub-national governments to officially call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Not only is Philadelphia one of the largest cities in North America, it’s also located in Pennsylvania, a state dominated by fracking. It’s proof that our movement is even reaching areas where the fossil fuel industry is most powerful.”

The email then offers a link to send a message to your local city council, asking for them to call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. What are the principles of such a treaty?

  1. Non-proliferation: Stop building out the problem by ending the expansion of coal, oil and gas production
  2. A fair phase-out: An equitable plan for the wind down of existing fossil fuel production, where nations with the capacity and historical responsibility for emissions transition fastest, providing support to others around the world
  3. Just transition: Fast-track the adoption of renewable energy and economic diversification away from fossil fuels so that no worker, community or country is left behind

Please take a minute to urge your city to join the call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and start working on the just transition in your community.

It was SO easy to send a message to all my city council members and mayor. I personalized (and shortened) the letter to make my point which I must say felt extra personal since one of those council members lives right down the street from me. We’ve seen horrific climate policy on the federal level and the Democrat’s presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, now contradicts her earlier campaign vow to ban fracking, but local communities offer a greater chance for citizens to make an impact. Please take a moment to reach out to your city council to let them know how you feel about the role of fossil fuels in these catastrophic hurricanes which are destroying lives and property.

Thank you for reading this far! I appreciate you being here. Solidarity! ✊🏾