In Lima, Peru—where spaying and neutering is practically unheard of—street dogs are a real problem. While some dogs in Lima are beloved pets, most are unloved and must fend for themselves on the streets. This is my small tribute to the dogs of Lima, from the pampered to the neglected and everywhere in-between.
As we welcome the new decade I hope for sustainability for the Earth and happiness for its people.
Bon Bini: “Welcome” in Papiamento, the language of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.
I just joined Mississippi Market, a natural foods co-op. The one-time stock investment of $90 seemed steep, but I will recoup it in less than 18 months with member discounts. I’m already a member of a CSA (Foxtail Farm), which delivers fresh vegetables from June to October, but I wanted a good source for organic produce the rest of the year, as well as a source for sustainably-raised meat.
The co-op’s current newsletter expresses the values that help create good food:
If you live in Minnesota and wait for the perfect weather to get some exercise outdoors, you’ll spend a lot of time indoors.
On that note, I’m going to take my dog for a walk in the blustery snow now, and we’re going to enjoy it!
Lost Valley Prairie SNA
This fall I dodged raking leaves at home, but today I spent four hours raking twigs for the Department of Natural Resources. The reward was spending a beautiful autumn day outdoors. After raking down to the bare soil, we spread native grass and flower seeds.
Lost Valley Prairie is designated a Scientific and Natural Area with the purpose of preserving Minnesota’s diversity of plants, animals, and geological features. In this case it is a prairie on top of limestone.
The SNA Program’s goal is to ensure that no single rare feature is lost from any region of the state. This requires protection and management of each feature in sufficient quantity and distribution across the landscape.
Minnesota currently has over 140 SNAs, and wishes to have 500. Although SNAs are open to the public, they are not really parks, as there are no restrooms, trails, or major recreational opportunities. But you can still visit and enjoy the view!
The sky plays an integral part in wide open spaces.
I’m sure there are a million videos of the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone, but here’s mine.
Manchas enjoys a swim in the Chetco River of Alfred Loeb State Park in Oregon. This river is designated a national “Wild & Scenic” river with the intent of keeping it free-flowing. Portions of the St. Croix River in Minnesota/Wisconsin share the same protection.
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dams and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes. (Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, October 2, 1968)
Take a peek at each of our campsites during our roadtrip from Minnesota to the West Coast in June 2009.