Monday, August 13, 2007

Long hot August

This has been an extremely long hot August--the dog days won't let us go here in the heartland! So watering the garden and flowerbeds and pots is a regular morning thing every day. And refilling the bird bath is also a daily thing. And checking all the fountains and waterfall to make sure mama deer and her babies have enough to drink at night is also becoming a daily chore. I would like to take a moment to thank Thomas Edison and Willis Carrier for the inventions of electricity and air conditioning. Oh and Nikola Tesla, for alternating current, according to my hubby the engineer.

Book pages: Try your hand at The Wild Trees by Richard Preston, author of The Hot Zone. It describes the awesome beauty of the giant redwoods, and the flora and fauna of their canopies. This is a fascinating glimpse of nature, and a breathtaking look at those who climb up 300 feet into the canopy, using ropes to become "spider-men and -women", flinging themselves through the limbs, the deadwood, and the air. A great summer read, and a lesson about the BIG trees of America!

1 comment:

M. D. Vaden of Oregon said...

I tried my hand at more than just the book The Wild Trees:

Atlas Grove and Grove of Titans Redwood Trees

Won't be climbing them, but there is a lot to study from the ground.

Comparing the forest floor, mid-story and writing about the trees, I concluded that most of the ecosystem is soil to canopy.

Then there are a few species exclusive to the top canopy, in a small ecosystem.

But the shrubs and trees that grow on the trees, grow at virtually every height on tree trunks in the redwoods.

Nice place to explore.

Cheers