Hollis
MY BLOGS
-
In the Company of Plants and Rocks
http://plantsandrocks.blogspot.com/
Natural history blog focusing on botany, ecology and geology ... from the field as much as possible!
LATEST ARTICLES ( 431 )
-
May Ice Art
We had plenty of cold weather this winter, with several visiting arctic air masses and a decent amount of snow. But somehow I let winter pass without any posts... Read more
Posted on 14 May 2014 OUTDOORS -
My Tree is Just a Late-Bloomer
Trees are uncommon in the Laramie Basin; our native vegetation is mostly grass and shrubs. But all along the Laramie River are gallery forests of cottonwoods, s... Read more
Posted on 08 May 2014 OUTDOORS -
Are You an Alder Or a Birch?
We were hiking in Curt Gowdy State Park a few weeks ago when we met two leafless trees standing by a creek. “Are you an alder or a birch?” I asked the first... Read more
Posted on 27 April 2014 OUTDOORS -
How Aspen Use Green ... Or Do They?
Our aspen are starting to flower but are still leafless. Doesn’t matter, they can photosynthesize anyway.New Under the Sun is hosting April’s Berry-Go-Round; th... Read more
Posted on 24 April 2014 OUTDOORS -
I Can Only Beg ... Suspend Judgment Until the Whole Case Shall Have Been...
“Hillers trachyte is a pale gray paste with large white crystals of feldspar and crystals large and small of hornblende. This describes the variety at hand.”Thi... Read more
Posted on 19 April 2014 OUTDOORS -
Tree-measuring -- an Alternative to Spring
"Man is the measure of all things ... of things that are, how they are ... and of things that are not, how they are not.” (Protagoras)This tree measures 58.4... Read more
Posted on 12 April 2014 OUTDOORS -
Scenery & Slides Along the Big Sur Coast
Driving on charnockitic tonalite -- massive, very hard, and super scenic ...... especially when the fog clears.A sunny day along the Big Sur coast brings out... Read more
Posted on 06 April 2014 OUTDOORS -
Dreaming of Online Plants
This lupine in Santa Barbara County has been immortalized as iNat Observation 569966.What if you were a nature geek planning a vacation, and you found a... Read more
Posted on 30 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
Going Home (WOE? 2)
WOE? 2-1Two weeks ago I posted a geo-challenge with photos from my flight to California -- Where on Earth? I didn’t recognize any of those locations from the... Read more
Posted on 26 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
Acorn Atole -- Not a Convenience Food
Coast live oak near San Luis Obispo, California. Photo by Giovanni LoCascio, used with permission.The theme for March’s Berry Go Round is unusual edible... Read more
Posted on 23 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
Photography Lessons 1, 2, 3 and 7
Textures, Lines, Color and Frames are elements of photography, and are among the “easiest to learn” and can have “the biggest impact”. Thus started my most... Read more
Posted on 19 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
"Never So Ghosted Or Small as When Alone ..."
"Never so ghosted or small as when aloneon the fragile truce of this strand where skyand sea stretch what you can hold in the shellof your ear, your film of... Read more
Posted on 16 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
Where on Earth?
Where on Earth (WOE) are we?Open with care.I hate flying. It’s a stress scene. As always, I couldn't take everything I wanted to. My e-passes didn’t arrive, sno... Read more
Posted on 12 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
My Tree Goes Live! & Other News
Cottonwood just west of the Laramie River, Wyoming, USA.My tree on Google Earth (click image to view). The Laramie River flows north through Laramie and... Read more
Posted on 08 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
Cottonwood Movie Preview
This post is just a test to see if I can make and include a video of my tree for Lucy's Tree-following Project. It won't be up for long.It worked! Hooray!!... Read more
Posted on 08 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
Vedauwoo in Black and White
Much about Vedauwoo is mysterious, including its name. Vee-dah-vú is said to be an Indian word meaning earthborne spirit, but no one knows which tribe called... Read more
Posted on 02 March 2014 OUTDOORS -
Plant Revenge -- Or is It?
So-called “fragile” prickly pear (Opuntia fragilis) takes revenge on an unsuspecting botanist.As part of my work, I routinely dig up plants and press them flat. Read more
Posted on 25 February 2014 OUTDOORS -
Some Days There's Beauty Everywhere
Cattails on right, dogtail on left.Why did I take photos this morning? Because I could. There was no wind beyond a slight breeze, and it was possible to... Read more
Posted on 22 February 2014 OUTDOORS -
Getting to Know a New Friend(s?)
Lucy of Loose and Leafy has stepped up her efforts to organize and encourage tree-followers. This is very kind, as tree-following is always interesting and... Read more
Posted on 15 February 2014 OUTDOORS -
Your African Fold -- Sojourn in the Namib Desert
Quiver tree on Cambrian/Precambrian dolomite overlooking dunes of the Namib Sand Sea.Guest post by astronomer, geologist, poet and good friend Danny Rosen. Read more
Posted on 09 February 2014 OUTDOORS