Notes on a sabbatical from lichenology
For anyone who has visited my site before, you’ve probably noticed a big change. I’ve revamped it to reflect a bit of what I’ve been learning and exploring these past 2 years: that lichenology is not just a practice of taxonomy and observation of the outer world, but is also an exploration of the inner world, a practice in creating symbioses with our mind, and body, and emotions and more than human world, which can radically shift how we engage with the outer world.
Lichen Yoga in the California Alpine: Yoking the creative and scientific parts of self
Lichen taxonomy is really exciting to some people. And I’ll be honest, I’m not one of them. I prefer the meta-stories — ones about how land and climate barriers have propelled speciation into many divergent paths, how species assemblages shift along different environmental gradients, and ways in which the lichen symbiosis can inform a more […]
Trip Report: White Mountains or Bust! (California /Nevada, USA) Day 5
Our last day. In the morning there are a few brief sprinkles, and dark clouds everywhere. I hear two thunderclaps, and Marvin is shaking with nerves. We reluctantly decide to bail on the route.
Trip Report: White Mountains or Bust! (California /Nevada, USA) Day 4
Longest day, distance-wise. Wander up, following creek part of the way. Find some Claytonia. Top off our water at a snow pack near the top of the slope. It is late enough that we can divert enough flow to fill our bottles relatively quickly.
Trip Report: White Mountains or Bust! (California /Nevada, USA) Day 3
Off early again, trying to ensure we saw no people today. This early stretch up to White Mountain summit is the only place we are likely to see anyone on the entire trip. We rely on a snow patch visible at top of the ridge to get water.
Trip Report: White Mountains or Bust! (California /Nevada, USA) Day 2
Started uphill early through lovely bristlecone forests, following an old road briefly. Found some wood crusts under a huge old bristlecone, then some Caloplaca atroalba-like thing on pebbles under another big bristlecone at edge of meadow;