It is an error to think that the world does not feel just because it does not have legs, eyes, and hands.
--Campanella

Antelope Island

Today I visited Antelope Island, in the Great Salt Lake. There are a few interesting animals there, that make the trip worthwhile. It has a fairly bleak, typical Utah look, that is aesthetically appealing. Possibly the best thing about it, it provides a perspective of some of the most populated places in Utah, from a distance that makes humans seem miniscule and unimportant.
I saw Buffalo, Ravens, Goshawks and a Coyote, as well as tracks of Hares and Antelope. (Buffalo hooves leave a delicate mark that seems incongruous with the animal’s bulk.) Also, because the Great Salt Lake is an incredibly important site for migratory water-fowl, there were oodles of ducks. There were many Mallards and Northern Shovellers, of course. Also, there were a few Barrow’s Goldeneyes and Green Winged Teal. Ducks are not something I’m very good at identifying, so I assume there were some rarer ones that I missed.

Pride

Tonight, I am more proud to be American than I have ever been in my life....but the US is still an Imperialist power.

Disarticulated Bestiary

Here is an image from the Disarticulated Bestiary. The piece in general is about the relationship people have with nature, and how fragmented it is (nature and the relationship). People have traditionally had a direct relationship with the place in which they live. Recently, in the 'nature writing' field, there has been a realization that rather than idolizing the distant and less accessible, we need to nurture our connections to the place where we live. Much of mythology and folklore is based on this direct relationship. That is what this specific part of the bestiary is about.

I've been pretty occupied lately, so haven't done much with the blog. Here is a snippet of an illustration I did a while back. It is a starling who is scolding a squirrel...

I've done quite a bit of reading lately: Jeffers, Merwin, and McClure...nature poetry.

The field has eyes, the wood has ears; I will look, be silent, and listen.

-Hieronymous Bosch

The man failed to sense that here was something more than a bird call, that here was a secret message, calling not for rendition in counterfeit syllables, but for translation and understanding.

-Aldo Leopold

Vin de Noix a Success

About this time last year, I bottled my first batch of Vin de Noix. Vin de Noix, or some related beverage, is from France, Spain and Italy. I have to admit, I have never tasted real Vin de Noix, but I stumbled upon a recipe some time ago…and became intrigued. So, I found some walnuts around the beginning of July, and chopped them into quarters. (The shells are not hard at this point. They are months from ripening.) I steeped these, and some cloves, in inexpensive red wine for two or three months. At the end of this time, I mixed the strained wine with a bottle of brandy. Then I put a dollop of honey in each bottle, filled the bottles with the concoction and capped them. At the time, the mixture tasted vile, I have to admit. I suspect, if I ever eat shoe polish it will have a similar flavour. Somewhat discouraged, I boxed the drink up and put it away. The intention had been to give it to friends for the winter holidays. But, I like my friends pretty well, so I decided not to inflict them with this. Today, I braved up…hoping it had mellowed. I was pleasantly surprised. It tastes a bit like Glog, and will be a lovely gift this winter…an after-feast digestif around the fire.