Big Bracts

The large Davidia involucrata var. vilmoriniana tree in flower next to my building is an interesting specimen. Interesting because Mabberly assigns the genus to the Nyssaceae, or Tupelo Family, while the signage here (see below) lists it as belonging to the Cornaceae, or Dogwood Family. [NOTE: The Nyssaceae is closely related to and often included in the Dogwood Family.]

This is also an interesting tree because of the striking, large white flowers that hang down and move in the wind like handkerchiefs or doves, both of which are common names for the tree (see above). Even more interesting because the large, up to 30 cm long, floral structures are not petals, but bracts, or specialized leaves. Dogwood flowers are also made of bracts. Finally, Davidia is of interest because of the strong, somewhat foul smelling fragrance that the flowers exude. [NOTE: Actually, I wish the tree had been planted a little further from my office.]  

Purple Haze

I took this photo in July of 1968 at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana. Jimi Hendrix's first album, Are You Experienced, had just been released in the US, and I was a dedicated fan.  Hard to believe this concert even got booked - and that my parents let me go. [NOTE: I took the picture with an old Kodak Instamatic camera, and judging from the angle and the level of detail, it looks like I was standing right in front of the stage. I remember the concert was fantastic. And real loud.]

Seek 2

Go here to see what I used to ride to work.  Thanks to an early - and incredibly generous - birthday present from my wife (thx, Elysa), I rode the beautiful Giant Seek 2 shown above to work today. It's considerably lighter than the Bridgestone, has disk brakes, Shimano shifters, and is a pleasure to ride uphill. I had the fenders added for rainy days. [NOTE: The dorky mirror attached to my helmet is the EVT Safe-Zone.  I know, I know. But it's real sturdy and gives a clear view of what's behind me.]

Jammin'

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Bob Marley. Sigh. His music has certainly played a large part in my life.

Biltmore Stick (From the Archive)

A Biltmore stick is a simple, inexpensive, and very useful tool for measuring tree heights and diameters. It does the job of a diameter tape and clinometer, at a fraction of the cost, and it can also be used to fight off snakes or clear brush during inventory operations. To function properly, the Biltmore Stick must be custom fitted to the user by first measuring his/her arm length. Based on this measurement, the appropriate height and diameter scales are inscribed on the stick. This is what is being done in the picture. The Biltmore sticks are being made by the participants in a workshop on "Sustainable Management of Oaxaca's Dry Forests" that Silvia Purata (see Alebrijes) and I gave in 2004.

Instructions for making your own Biltmore stick can be found here.

Lacandon

Gave the final exam in my indigenous silviculture class (F&ES 741b; Introduction to Indigenous Silviculture: Ecology, Livelihoods, and Policy) yesterday. The students took me out to lunch and gave me some wonderful gifts (thx, guys), one of which was the striking image above of a Lacandon Maya planting his recently burned swidden. The fog, the robe, the charred stump, the planting stick. The cigar. I love this picture. All I have to do now is grade all the exams and papers and post the grades. By next week. [NOTE: Image by Micaela Guirk, 1987.]

Driving to Takhet

Getting to the Kachin village of Takhet in the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Preserve (see Hukaung Logs and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) involves crossing several rivers. During the dry season, you can drive across these. [NOTE: Music by El Ten Eleven].

Kachin Kids

One of the joys of doing fieldwork with rural communities in the tropics is that you are inevitably joined by a gaggle of kids that want to get a look at the strange, new guy in town (see Miao Kids, Dayak Kids, and Dayak Kids II). Image above shows Kachin children in the village of Shinlonga (see Shinlonga and Morning Mist) watching me eat breakfast. It was still early, and several of them came in their pajamas. [NOTE: The kid in the middle with the Game Boy seems decidedly disinterested in the whole thing.] 

What About Me? (From the Archive)

I have always been moved by this 2006 video from Sakyong Jamgön Mipham Rimpoche. Listen carefully to the words. 6.8 billion people chanting this mantra every day. Explains a lot.  

You know what? None of it will make you happy unless you do one simple thing: change "me" for "you".

Re-Stocking the Shelves

Went to the one relatively large grocery store in Esperanza, Vieques to buy some eggs, but couldn't get in because they were using a fork lift to bring in a new shipment of goods (Coca-Cola) through the front door of the store. And this was the only door. And there was very little clearance (both on the sides and the top). And it took over 15 minutes. [NOTE: I hung around taking pictures (see Descontaminacíon, Rescate, Desarollo) and chatting with the locals, and finally got in to buy eggs.]