We pulled off of route 84. “Mosier, isn’t this where Arlene Burns lives?” A phone call later and we were in Arlene’s house amid a pile of gear being compiled for an expedition to ANWR – the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve – to photograph an expedition of a man and his 12 year old daughter scaling a mountain peak. I’ve known Arlene since 1988 when she wrote me a letter from Nepal where she was living and then came as part of a team of 8 women to compete at the International Peace Rally on the banks of the still frozen Chuya River in central Siberia on May Day 1989. From then on, she became a fairly core part of a young team of idealists who guided a small non-profit cultural/sport exchange program called Project RAFT (Russians and Americans For Teamwork) kept it afloat for the next 5 years. It was an intense time, but suffice to say we haven’t spoken for years as both our lives – like so many old friendships – have drifted into different channels. I’m realizing that in addition to searching out pockets of positive deviance, adventure and new learning, that our year will also be a time for reflection, reconnection and refining relationships and experiences that like footprints in the sand have a way of washing away.
I am enjoying your writing Immensely. Thank you Jib. Profound, to the point and a sly humor make me smile when I read your words. We can not "plan" life.....but can sure enjoy the journey! On a Star Thistle Note....we have been managing this invasive sticker/thistle by grazing twice a year at the exact moment just after the "rossette" stage...it holds high nutritional value (mineral content) without the toxic build up in the brain, which can be damaging at ceratin growth/ingestion stages. In Africa, folks are prmomitted to graze/utilize grass and weeds around roadsides and highways in order to utilize grass/weed animal intake prodcution. Here in The USA this practice is prohibited. Hopefully, we as sustainable farmers can change these practices towards the more progressive styles of Africa/Europe and other countries for the future of our grass fed livestock vs. our current methods of labor intensive use of non-renewable resources utilizing toxic sprays to keep keep road side foliage down. I am very happy you noticed our Star Thistle issue. Thank You Jib!. As a farmer, this makes me happy that others are aware of our native and invasive flora. Happy Travels. You three are SO loved! xoxo Kel
ReplyDeleteHis findings and literary papers started a stir in the botanical quarters of Europe and many young students came to the University of Uppsala to study under his tutelage. He was instrumental in arranging to have his students sent out on trade and exploration voyages to all parts of the world. Nineteen of Linnaeus’ students set out to discover new horizons in the plant and animal kingdom.
ReplyDeleteShips traveled the seas, bringing back curiosities that had never been seen before. From a few hundred known species, there were now several thousand. Zoologists, botanists and mineralogists were ecstatic with these findings from around the world.
So it became apparent that a global common identification system should be established and Carl Linnaeus was the person who started it, with help from others, and began putting one of nature’s giant puzzles together in an orderly manner.
And so, as you 3 travel the world, you’ll see different plants in different countries, but all of them will be classified thanks to the system Linnaeus invented.
Looking forward to following what you find!
love,
Rick
whoops-- the first part of my post didn't come through.
ReplyDeleteHere it is:
Jib, Marci, Skye—belated bon voyage!
Your Star Thistle post has inspired me to volunteer to do the botany unit for Skye’s 6th grade education. When your posts mention a plant, I’ll provide a little story.
Maybe others can join-in the action so Skye gets enrichment on dozens of subjects!
I’ll start with a little history on the father of modern botany, Carl Linnaeus (len-A-us), since his work inspired many, many worldwide explorations.
Linnaeus was born 300 years ago in a tiny village in Sweden.
By the time Carl was 5, it was clear he loved to spend his time out in nature, wandering the fields in the countryside. Even as a little boy, it was clear he loved plants.
Since he wasn’t very successful in school his teachers counseled his parents to let him follow his passions; that perhaps the medical world, with all the new medicinal plants of that time, might be a future path for him.
His training in botany was part of the medical curriculum that every doctor had in order to prepare and prescribe drugs derived from medicinal plants found in nature.
At around 20 years old, Linnaeus mounted an adventurous botanical and ethnographical expedition to the northern part of Sweden in Lapland, below the Arctic Circle. There he studied his flora findings and documented these botanical treasures in the famous “Flora Lapponica.”
He continued his explorations and studies all over Sweden. Before turning 30, he published the first edition of his classification of living things in “Systema Naturae.” It was this avant-garde system and the classifying of plants that he became famous for and that is still used today!
Before his organization of the Linnaeus species, naming practices varied wildly. Many biologists of the time gave the species they described long, unwieldy Latin names, which could be altered at will, so that a scientist comparing two descriptions of species might not be able to tell which organisms were being referred to.
Linnaeus’ binomial taxonomy and organizing of plants into class, genus, species and family gave order to all that confusion.
And the previous post takes up the story from here.
fantastic! Thank you. We made it over Teton Pass day before yesterday and are happily sequestered in Wilson Wyoming. more to come.
ReplyDeleteI will most certainly share your offer and botanical insights with Skye. Great idea.
I am working to have both of them post; this will be forthcoming.
Jib