Golden Farmlands

Heading for my wife's family cottage in northeast Ohio, we drove across the farmlands of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana today.  The overall scenery did not change much but golden hues painted the rural landscape.

In this early phase of meteorologic autumn, the soybean fields have turned yellow, the cornfields have dried out to a golden brown and the roadside vegetation was dominated by swaths of goldenrod.  Of course, all of this color brightened the countryside which was otherwise festooned with the fading greens of heat-stressed trees and shrubs.

Indeed, the golden highlights spoke of fall but the afternoon highs remained in the nineties F as this summer's heat dome retains a grip on the Heartland.  Of interest, the larger rivers, such as the Missouri, the Mississippi and the Wabash were bank full, fed by northern streams beyond the reach of the dome while regional creeks were nearly dry. 

Perfect Viewing, Little to See

On our return to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area early this morning, a friend and I were greeted by overcast skies, mild air and a calm wind, perfect for birdwatching.  Once again, water was limited to the central channel and a few shallow pools; to make matters worse, teal hunters had staked out positions along these limited waterways and their decoys far outnumbered live waterfowl.

Despite the ideal viewing conditions, birds were few and far between.  The highlight of the morning proved to be eleven pied-billed grebes; other sightings included a handful of great egrets, a green heron, four wood ducks, a couple of belted kingfishers and a sharp-shinned hawk.  In the end, we only encountered twelve avian species (though we did see a young skunk and a few deer).

As always, it was a pleasant drive across the Missouri River floodplain and we will return regularly to document any "wetland restoration."  Unfortunately, half of the refuge will be closed down for hunting (and as a wintering waterfowl refuge) in another two weeks. 

Weeds & Wildflowers

What is the difference between a "weed" and a wildflower?  I suspect it depends on the natural philosophy of the observer.

"Weeds" are generally described as noxious, invasive, alien plants that may be toxic and must be removed from our pristine lawns (most often with herbicides).  Then again, many of our beloved wildflowers are non-native, can be quite invasive and might be toxic if ingested.  Furthermore, both "weeds" and wildflowers are utilized by pollinators, are eaten by a wide variety of animals, from insects to humans (e.g. dandelions), and serve as carbon sinks, like all green plants.  Of course, the presence of attractive flowers tends to impact our classification.

I am inclined to avoid the use of the word "weed" (just ask my wife).  If it's green, let it live!

 

Energized by the Chill

Following a long, extremely hot and exhausting summer, the longer nights and local elevation are finally bringing an overnight chill to the Front Range.  It dropped to 49 degrees F in Littleton this morning.

Refreshing for us humans, the cooler air also energized our avian residents and visitors.  Seemingly more abundant but surely just more active, they were in celebration mode, moving rapidly among the trees and shrubs.  In addition to our more common residents, I encountered a Say's phoebe and a pair of red-breasted nuthatches; though they are now permanent residents along the Front Range urban corridor, the distinctive yanks of the latter birds will always be associated with autumn in my mind.  A lone broad-tailed hummingbird was also zooming about the property but I suspect he'll head south within another week or so.

Finally, just before returning to the house, a squadron of Canada geese flew low over the farm, honking loudly in the morning chill.  Though common here in all seasons, they never fail to awaken my boyhood memories of massive flocks, moving high above our Cincinnati home in the cold, clear, autumn sky.  

On Medical Privacy

Throughout our training, physicians are repeatedly reminded that we may not inform anyone of a patient's diagnosis, prognosis or treatment plan without their consent.  Of course, in emergency situations, especially when the patient is unable to communicate, immediate family members are generally an exception to that rule.  But even when informed by non-patients (e.g. friends or neighbors) of their medical problems, physicians are understandably reluctant to pass along such information to others.

Patients, on the other hand, vary widely in protecting their own confidentiality.  Some like to discuss their medical diagnoses with friends, family members and anyone who will listen.  We often encounter them in waiting rooms, relating their varied problems over the phone (sometimes in speaker mode) or to the person sitting next to them.

Unfortunately, these individuals are also inclined to ask others about the reason for their visit.  This is when patients need to understand their personal right to privacy and may choose to withhold that information.  Indeed, this may pertain to communication with friends and family members as well.  Medical confidentiality is a personal choice that must be respected. 

Living with our Past

We humans must live with choices that we make throughout our lives.  In a more collective sense, we must also deal with the consequences of decisions made by our families and our country.

Wanting to better understand the ongoing conflicts throughout the Middle East, I have been reading the Fifth Edition of A History of the Middle East by Peter Mansfield and Nicolas Pelham.  By doing so, it has become clear that European Colonialism and American opportunism have been the primary triggers for regional unrest.  However well-intentioned, especially with regard to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, their meddling has only exacerbated distrust.

Today, as the Trump Administration cuts ties with longtime allies and engages in military adventurism, we Americans must live with the consequences.  In like manner, the Administration's anti-science approach to medical care, environmentalism, education and research will have lasting negative effects. 

Lowell heads North

After churning westward south of the Hawaiian Islands over the past week, Hurricane Lowell has made its predicted turn to the north, drawn by a sagging cold front.  Having reached Category 5 strength a few days ago, it has weakened to a Category 3 storm but remains large and powerful.

Though it will likely miss the heavily populated eastern islands of Hawaii, Lowell may have a significant impact on Kauai and Niihau.  Indeed, its current heading is NNE, almost assuring that strong winds and high waves will lash those western islands.

Meteorology remains an inexact science and the "cone of uncertainty" for hurricanes is often too narrow.  Fortunately, officials in Hawaii have been proactive in this case, declaring a hurricane warning for most of the archipelago.  

Up the Platte River Valley

West of Omaha, Nebraska, Interstate 80 crosses the Platte River, a tributary of the Missouri.  From that crossing westward, the highway runs up and through the Platte Valley, paralleling the river and, at times, fording its braided channels.  At North Platte, the primary river forms from the merging of its North and South forks; the former heads in the mountains that surround North Park, in Colorado, while the South Platte rises from tributaries along the north rim of Colorado's South Park; the South Platte's North Fork rises along the Continental Divide and the Platte River Mountains near Kenosha Pass (on U.S. 285).

Crossing Nebraska on I-80 yesterday, I found that the landscape of eastern and central Nebraska is dominated by its famous cornfields while cattle ranches characterize its drier, more western reaches; of course, the Platte and its riparian woodlands wind along and through these landscapes and southern extensions of the Nebraska Sandhills rise along the north edge of the valley in central and western Nebraska.  Renowned for its waterfowl and spectacular sandhill crane congregations in October and March, the river and its floodplain lakes harbored only small flocks of Canada geese and American white pelicans on that hot summer day.

West of North Platte, I headed southwest on Interstate 76, which parallels the South Platte River.  By the time I reached our farm, in Littleton, Colorado, I had traveled 550 miles from Omaha and gained 4340 feet in elevation (a very gradual climb indeed).

Flashback Post LXXIX

The rescue of two living victims of the disastrous Nepal mudslide, after 10 days within the rubble, has led broadcasters and other commentators to refer to their survival as miraculous.  I am more inclined to attribute this wonderful news to luck and to the courageous, persistent efforts of rescuers, a sentiment I expressed back in March of 2011.

See: Disasters & Miracles 

Corruption & Cruelty

The Trump Administration is built on corruption and cruelty.  The overriding principle is to honor the President's needs and demands while condoning his abhorrent behavior.  Unable to contradict or even question Trump's deranged opinions and ideas, his Cabinet members cannot provide guidance, even if they were qualified to do so (and most are not).

The primary focus of the Administration is to deport immigrants and to attack Trump's perceived enemies.  Both goals are met via cruel and often illegal tactics.  Unfortunately, the Republican Congress and the Supreme Court are complicit, ignoring the corruption that has brought exorbitant wealth to Trump and his family.

Meanwhile, Americans must deal with inflation, an unwise war, a lack of affordable healthcare, rising mortgage rates and reduced funding for medical research and vital social services.  Vote Democratic in November! 

A Supercharged Monsoon

The tragic flash flooding in Grand Canyon National Park this past weekend was related to an energized Southwest Monsoon, producing torrential downpours throughout the Four Corners region.  A normal, annual weather pattern, generally stretching from July into September, the Monsoon sweeps moisture in from the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Cortez and the Gulf of Mexico.

This flow is driven by high pressure over the Southern Plains and by low pressure over the Desert Southwest.  When these atmospheric "pumps" are especially strong, the moisture is enhanced; in addition, storm systems in the Pacific and/or the Gulf of Mexico may inject excessive moisture into the Monsoon "river," increasing the risk of flooding.

As a tropical storm comes ashore near Houston and a tropical system moves up the west coast of Mexico, they may supercharge the Monsoon, augmenting the risk of flash floods from Southern California to Colorado.

A Morning for Wood Ducks

Returning to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area this morning, a friend and I found even less water than was present early this month.  But the shallows that remain appealed to wood duck families and we encountered 32 of those attractive waterfowl, primarily along the central channel.

Other sightings of note included a Mississippi kite, a Cooper's hawk, a northern harrier, a pileated woodpecker and a mid-sized falcon (likely a merlin but too distant to identify).  A fair number of great egrets, a handful of great blue herons, a pair of red-tailed hawks and a mix of songbirds rounded out the sighting of 21 species.  As is almost always the case, red-winged blackbirds were most numerous.

Despite the dramatic loss of wetlands, it was a pleasant and somewhat productive visit from a birding point of view.  Though no construction or farming activities were underway, this once fabulous floodplain refuge is in desperate need of a prolonged recovery. 

A Better View of the Past

This morning, the Roman Space Telescope was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  Named for Nancy Grace Roman, the first Chief Astronomer at NASA, it will provide a broader and sharper view of the Universe than the Hubble Space Telescope, launched in 1990; it will also send back data at a much faster rate.

Whenever we look at the night sky we are looking into the past, when the light we see left the stars or was reflected by planets.  Roman will be capable of viewing the Universe back to a couple of hundred million years after its birth (currently calculated to have been 13.8 billion years ago).  It is also expected to unveil far more planets than previously documented and will significantly expand our understanding of dark matter and dark energy.

All of this data will improve our understanding of the formation and evolution of the Universe, a welcome development for scientists but yet another threat to those who rely on mysticism to explain our existence. 

The Glorious Fifties

During these difficult times, one often hears reference to the 1950s, the decade of my childhood, when our faith-based lives were simpler.

Back then, most women were housewives, families were larger, the "coloreds" knew their place and homosexuals were forced to stay in the closet.  Environmentalism had not yet threatened the profits of industry, we were blissfully unaware of child sexual abuse in the Church, Joseph McCarthy was ridding the country of "Commies" and the tragic events of Vietnam and the Middle East Wars lie in the future.  Finally, man-induced climate change would not become evident for several decades.

Over time, Progressives enlightened America and have been able to partly correct the injustices and misguided policies of the Fifties.  Conservatives, on the other hand, want us to return to that era.  Vote Democratic in November! 

Nepal's Tragic Mudslide

Yesterday, a massive mudslide, caught on video, swept through towns in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot Districts of Nepal.  It is believed that a mountain glacial collapse and subsequent flash flooding along the Trishuli River are responsible for the tragedy; at least 1000 persons were killed or are missing.

As the last Continental Ice Sheets of the Pleistocene began to retreat, about 15,000 years ago, Earth's climate has been gradually warming.  Eventually, permanent ice cover became limited to the Poles and to the highest mountain ranges on the planet.

Today, as global warming accelerates following the Industrial Revolution, the melting of polar and mountain glaciers has increased dramatically, setting the stage for flash floods, landslides, rising seas, stronger storms and many other challenging consequences.  No doubt, tragic events, such as occurred yesterday, will become a major risk for communities near the base of Earth's tallest peaks.

Kites in the Trees

A flock of Mississippi kites settled in the canopy of shade trees in our neighborhood this morning, whistling to one another.  As their "fall migration" approaches, they seem to be more interested in communicating than hunting.

Though it was a hot, humid day, their musical banter continued into the afternoon, once again demonstrating that they are unfazed by tropical heat.

Indeed, they will depart for South America before the first hint of autumn pushes into the Heartland.  I wish them a safe journey but, unlike them, I can't wait for the cool, crisp weather of fall.  Of course, that relief is now coming later every year.  

A Fascinating Disaster

Evidence of our warming climate unfolds every day from locations across the globe.  Severe storms, flooding rains, prolonged droughts, destructive winds and, of course, warming seas, grab the headlines.  This environmental disaster, the product of our Industrial Revolution, will only get worse over the coming decades.

Yet, for those of us interested in the natural sciences, it is a fascinating process to observe.  While the climate's effects on weather patterns are most obvious, it also alters natural food sources, migration patterns, water resources and vegetation cycles, among less evident factors.  Indeed, it's what we don't yet understand that is the most worrisome aspect of global warming.

The prospect that humans will unite to reverse climate change seems unlikely, especially on this politically fractured planet.  Whether we can adapt and survive as a species is also in question.  No doubt, many species will outlast our own.

A Greening of the High Plains

Thanks to recurrent clusters of thunderstorms and flooding rains from the Southwest Monsoon, the High Plains east of Denver are now relatively lush.  Herds of cattle and pronghorn appeared to be pleased with the development and, no doubt, so are the farmers and ranchers.

Compared with the dry terrain that greeted us two weeks ago, it looked like spring.  Adding to that impression, we traveled through relatively mild air, not the stifling heat of our westward journey.

Farther east, the High Plains of Kansas had not yet benefitted from a significant influx of rain.  Indeed, the grasslands retained the parched, yellowed appearance that bordered the highway in early August.  By the time we reached Hays, the temperature was in the mid nineties F, exacerbated by a steady south wind. 

Poisoned Forests

Mention National Forests and most of us think of large, pristine ecosystems, composed of ground cover, shrubs and trees and harboring a diverse population of animal life.  But in areas reforested following wildfire and clear-cutting, that image is invalid.

As reported on PBS News last evening, private and public forest "managers" of those areas have been using glyphosate, better known as Roundup, to clear all undergrowth that will shade-out young trees and stifle their growth.  While studies by Monsanto, the company that produces Roundup have "failed to demonstrate any harm to the environment or toxic effects on humans," many toxicologists believe that this herbicide is likely carcinogenic.

As the Trump Administration opens up more of our National Forests to logging, the use of this agent will only increase.  Indeed, per the PBS report, traces of the chemical are currently found in all rivers and streams of Northern California. 

Biden's Fault

King Trump, his adoring Court and his do-nothing Republican Congress have ballooned our National Debt to 40 trillion dollars in just 19 months.  Of course, they insist it's Biden's Fault.

Never mind the tariffs, the massive tax cuts for the wealthy, Trump's grift and vanity projects, the deportation of trained, reliable workers, the exorbitant cost of the cruel Ice Program, the Federal Government's investment in private companies and Our Dear Leader's failed gamble in Iran.

Fortunately, our once-respected Treasury Secretary promises to tweak a few financial levers and solve our disastrous debt crisis.  If that doesn't work, he can always blame Biden.  The unwillingness to take responsibility for the consequences of one's actions (or inaction) is, in my opinion, among the most disturbing of human traits.  

The Joy of Mulching

Our tree service recently cut down some large, dead limbs on our Littleton farm and left a huge pile of chipped wood per our request.  It saved both of us a significant amount of money.

Having used bagged mulch when we owned smaller properties, I know that it can be a hassle and, even worse, yields a large number of plastic bags.  Able to shovel fresh mulch into a wheelbarrow is a luxury and we now have more than we'll likely use this year.

Of course, the recycling of home-grown wood and its use to retain soil moisture and release nutrients in this semi-arid climate is rewarding, not to mention the exercise that comes with the task.  In the end, we are simply speeding up nature's cycle of death and renewal. 

Facing our Demise

By the time we humans reach our sixties, we begin to focus on our longevity and our likely cause of death.  For those who are already dealing with one or more chronic medical conditions, the answers seem more evident while others are inclined to glean probabilities from their family history.  Of course, neither assumption may prove to be valid.

Facing their mortality, many choose to slow or obscure their aging through the use of supplements, cosmetics and plastic surgery but the underlying truth is impossible to hide or deny.  A healthy diet and regular aerobic exercise help to maintain good function but, of course, aging brings an increasing risk of serious and potentially fatal disease.

Those who live into their seventies or eighties in relatively good health are fortunate indeed; too many succumb to illness or injury at a young age.  Nevertheless, the various side effects of aging cannot be ignored and preparations for the inevitable demise are often on our mind.  Enjoying life in the face of these challenges should be our primary goal.