When the fires of late winter and spring are lighted, they awaken old memories. All through my childhood, my brothers and I, alongside our parents, would rake and burn for […]
On the Landscape
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Perennial Surprise of the Crocuses
Pushing up from under mounds of snow, these flowers believe in spring
In the early days of February, little shoots of yellow-green began emerging from the soil in my gardens, pushing up along pathways and around the roots of trees in the […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Stepping Into the Moonlight
On winter nights, when all that exists is shape and form
When I was 12 years old, I moved into a cabin in my parents’ Wellfleet yard. It was down by the chicken coop, 10 feet by 12, made of pine […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Ode to a Nor’easter
In the aftermath of a proper storm, its formative power is felt
A sou’easter blew the tide into Provincetown in December. Then, this past Saturday, a piece of the polar vortex swept by, stunningly cold. These strange storms have me remembering our […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
In Winter Buds, an Offering
Swaddled on sleeping branches, the gift of next season’s green
Imagine for a moment the view outside your window a few months from now. The sun moves higher across the sky. The trees are waking up. Delicate creased forms break […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Remarkable Life of One Dead Tree
In a cascade of decay, a churning, living system is awakened
On a walk in the Wellfleet woods a few days back I came upon a sort of ghost forest. At the trail’s edge and as far out into the underbrush […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
A Painter’s Eyes on Nature’s Winter Palette
Against the gray are rare hues best seen up close
Driving north on Route 6 toward Provincetown on a midwinter day some years ago with my radio tuned in to an interview, I heard a painter talking about how she […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Hour of the Pearl
In the moments before nightfall, there is magic in the air
John Steinbeck described it as “the hour of the pearl.” For him it was a magical interlude just before dawn: “The interval between day and night when time stops and […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Puddles of Winter Sunshine
Candles, ornaments, sparkling sugar, and other reminders of Earth’s new tilt
There are few things more glorious than a puddle of winter sunlight. On many afternoons I have gone from being active and productive to melting into soft butter in one […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Leaning Into the Wind and Rain
The air is raw and the mind protests, but the soul wants to go for a walk
I don’t want to leave the house. My mind says no. It insists on comfort, makes claims about self-preservation, and rejects the idea of going for a walk in the […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Simple Joy of Watching the Birds
After hanging a feeder, a nerdiness ensues with new rituals
Five years ago, I walked out into the yard of the house I was renting and hung a bird feeder. “I like birds,” I thought. “Perhaps I’ll enjoy watching them […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Winter Forest Has Its Sounds
Listening to the wind, waves, and the calls and silences of the great horned owl
The cold season has its own aesthetics. Bare. Subtle tones. Grays, browns, tans, blacks, the dormant green of pines. Blue air at dawn and dusk. The sky and ocean wearing […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Leaning In for a Closer Look at Spiders’ Worlds
Orbs, funnels, and tangles made by nature’s master weavers
This is the season of misty mornings. The air is heavy with moisture that settles into the fields and forests as the sun rises. As this veil of dew comes […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
The Fort Hill Cottonwood Speaks
Resting on her side, a tree downed by a storm still has a story to tell
EASTHAM — The road to Fort Hill winds through low, rolling fields. Just before it climbs the last hill to the parking area overlooking the inlet, it passes something that […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
In the Province Lands Dunes, Listening
On being where the wind gives voice to the world
I began the day with the intention to be silent. There was no one to speak to other than myself. The kettle on the black cast-iron burner whispered a low […]
