Black-Eyed Susan
As some of you know, I lost my dad to cancer last month.
Lying on the living room sofa, hours from death, he tried to say something. But my father could not speak his wish — the illness had taken his voice — so he extended his arm and simply pointed upwards.
After various failed attempts at interpreting this gesture, it was my brother who said:
He wants to go upstairs.
So my mom, sister, and brother (I couldn't make the journey from NY to OK in time), along with the nurses and pastor, all helped to maneuver my frail and fading father up a steep flight of stairs. It must have taken all his strength.
Upon making it to his bed, he relaxed, turned to face a sunlit window, and stared out onto the front yard. Down below, flowers were in bloom; the forest beyond was awakening. With his eyes taking in the splendor of the early spring and surrounded by loved ones, my father was content.
Field Pansy
Dad loved wildflowers. He spent many afternoons out hunting with my mom or brother in roadside fields and parks or along the shore of our local reservoir. A well-used guidebook in hand and a camera dangling from his shoulder, he searched for any flower he had yet to identify and meticulously photograph.
Pale Smartweed
Small or large, lovely or plain, it did not matter. He was driven to find any species previously undocumented in the state, take better photographs than were in his guidebooks, and synthesize information from various sources for his blog. It was an expression of love for the color and beauty that nature bestows upon us, if only we take the time to look.
Indian Paintbrush
Sadly, some native wildflowers are disappearing. Importation of invasive species, destruction of habitat, and climate change threaten our indigenous flora.
Slender Ladies'-tresses
I stumbled across a recent study performed in part using data collected by the great conservationist, Henry David Thoreau. The paper investigated one of the reasons why invasive plants are, well, so invasive:
Our results demonstrate that non-native species, and invasive species in particular, have been far better able to respond to recent climate change by adjusting their flowering time. This demonstrates that climate change has likely played, and may continue to play, an important role in facilitating non-native species naturalization and invasion at the community level.
Canada Lettuce
Anthropogenic global warming is opening up a Pandora's box of environmental problems, many of which are not clearly understood. In mere decades we are fundamentally altering sensitive ecological systems that took millions of years to develop. The world from which civilization emerged is fading fast.
Spring Beauties
A new Senate compromise of the American Clean Energy and Security Act will be released next week, maybe even before Earth Day. Now is the time to let our voices be heard in order to get the best climate legislation we possibly can. I am posting the contact information for Democratic Senators who may oppose the bill. Please let them know that you support a clean energy future:
Evan Bayh
Address: 131 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5623
Web Form
Blanche Lincoln
Address: 355 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4843
Web Form
Byron Dorgan
Address: 322 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2551
Web Form
John D. Rockefeller, IV (stuck on 'clean' coal)
Address: 531 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6472
Web Form
Kent Conrad
Address: 530 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2043
Web Form
Mary Landrieu
Address: 328 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5824
Web Form
Ben Nelson
Address: 720 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6551
Web Form
Blue-Eyed Grass
Update: This community is filled with beautiful, caring people. Thank you all so much for your kind words.