An Angry Sky

Last evening, the cold front that had stalled across the Plains for the past week finally pushed into central Missouri. Ahead of this front, a massive black fin stretched across the western sky, its clean, rounded edge pointed to the south. Branched lightening flashed across this ominous cloud, which was backlit by the setting sun; needless to say, it was a striking and spooky scenario.

I witnessed this spectacle as I travelled to the grocery store and noticed that other drivers were peering at the sky as well. Though our region is used to severe thunderstorms, this event was bringing people from their homes, their cameras trained on the other-worldly sky. Fortunately, for Columbia, the storm passed to our south and we only received showers that developed in its wake.

Such natural spectacles help us understand how early human societies, devoid of scientific knowledge, imagined that angry gods were responsible for these fear-inducing storms. Though we can now explain the natural phenomena that trigger such turbulent skies, the fear persists and many are reluctant to dismiss the notion of a vindictive God.

Distant Mountains

A distant range of mountains, rising above flat terrain, is, for me, the most stirring landscape on our planet. While, as a naturalist, I realize that the majestic peaks may have once been a featureless seabed or plain, since crumpled skyward and sculpted by natural forces, they command admiration and respect during my brief lifespan.

To the traveler, the distant range may represent a destination or a milepost. It may promise adventure or warn of difficult passage. Depending on one's perspective, the towering mountains may offer an opportunity for exploration or trigger a sense of danger. Consulting maps, one may choose to head for the highest summits or plan a detour to avoid their treacherous slopes.

I suppose our reaction to distant mountains says a good deal about our approach to life. When obstacles loom in our path we can choose to face them directly or attempt to evade their difficult terrain. Those who refuse to veer from the course may either carelessly crash into their immovable wall or take the time to explore and understand their varied mysteries. Ramparts will always appear on the horizon and the course of our life is determined by how we choose to cross them.

Stepping Out

As an outdoors person with an indoor career, I make an effort to get outside at some time during the day. While my walks to and from work are vital to my mental and physical health, they are too purposeful to meet my need for a daily dose of nature.

Of course, my mid-day ventures are only so productive when it comes to wildlife; a group of sparrows in the parking lot, a flock of starlings on a college lawn or a couple vultures soaring overhead may be the limit of my encounter. Natural sounds might consist solely of the crunch beneath my feet, whether from fallen leaves or slushy snow, perhaps pierced by the calls of an arrogant jay. And the smells, sometimes mixed with the aroma of cafeteria food, may arise from fresh-cut grass, putrid mulch or a hedgerow of fragrant lilacs.

Not exactly a chance to immerse myself in wilderness, these brief journeys are, nevertheless, food for my soul. Just the warm sunshine, damp air or frigid wind is a welcome change from the stale, temperature-controlled, infection-laden, antiseptic-tainted environment of the hospital.... to say nothing of nature's role in stress reduction.

American Badgers

Other than those that cluster near Madison, Wisconsin, badgers are seldom encountered by the casual naturalist. Though they inhabit most of central and western North America, from southern Canada to northern Mexico, American badgers are primarily nocturnal and are solitary for most of the year. These mustelids, cousins of weasels, otters and wolverines, favor open grasslands and desert scrub; they are thus most common in semiarid prairie regions but may inhabit foothill meadows, glades and oak savannas.

Built low to the ground, badgers are powerful diggers, using their large foreclaws to excavate dens and to reach their prey; the latter consist primarily of ground squirrels, prairie dogs, gophers and other small mammals but may also include lizards, snakes, burrowing owls and large insects. Mating occurs in late summer or early autumn and, following a period of delayed implantation, a litter of 2-5 kits are born in early spring.

Young badgers may be taken by golden eagles, fox or coyotes but tough-minded adults are generally left alone (wolves or mountain lions may kill a few); of course, American badgers are also common victims along our concrete ribbons of death. Nevertheless, those that survive the first year of life often live for a decade or more.

From Drought to Deluge

After enduring a prolonged, severe drought, central Texas is under a flood watch as heavy rains have swept across the region for the past two days and are likely to continue for at least the next 24 hours. A stationary front bisects the country, from north to south, as the jet stream has taken a broad dip across the western U.S.; meanwhile, the eastern half of the country basks in summer-like weather under a ridge of high pressure.

This high pressure, centered over the northeast, is sweeping moisture from the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico up against the cold front and areas just east of the front, from Texas to Nebraska, are receiving the copious cargo. While rain is welcome in the drought areas, this heavy precipitation is unfortunately arriving during the fall harvest, a time when dry weather is vital. In addition, the heavy rain is falling at a rate that cannot be absorbed by the hard, sun-baked earth, producing rapid run-off and subsequent flooding along stream channels.

Both the drought and the deluge have been produced by stationary weather patterns and it is not unusual that extreme weather events occur in sequence, one setting the stage for the other. Seasonal norms are merely averages based on long-term observations; a fickle jet stream or a stagnant zone of high pressure can, and often do, defy our expectations.

Return of the Hunter

For the past week, Orion the Hunter and his faithful dog Sirius have returned to the southern sky during the predawn hours. Their appearance heralds the culling season, when a deepening chill engulfs the landscape and predators gain the advantage. By mid winter, Orion and his companion will dominate the long, frigid nights and our survival skills will be tested.

For now, Orion shines from the mild morning darkness, lying in wait above the colorful fields and woodlands. We still have at least six weeks of glorious weather before winter takes control; the painted forest has yet to peak, waterfowl are just beginning to fill our wetlands and a new generation of wildlife has yet to experience the frost of autumn.

But the tide has turned and summer is slowly retreating to the south. The days are noticeably shorter, the evening chill comes earlier and hunters sense that their season is at hand. Nature's cycle is nearly complete.

The American Theocracy

As the presidential candidates battle for position over the coming year, they will be free to express their views on a wide range of issues; their opinions on medical care, bank regulation, environmental laws, unions, gay rights and a host of other topics will be considered by the public and, for the most part, respected. But when it comes to their religious faith, there is only one choice that is acceptable to most Americans and the candidates aim to please.

Despite the fact that, throughout human history, Christian factions have attempted to derail science and have been associated with a wide range of atrocities, from the Inquisition to child abuse, professing one's Christian faith is essential to attaining the highest office in America. Though Kennedy broke the Catholic barrier in 1960 and Obama erased the color line in 2008, Romney's Mormon roots are clearly compromising his position within the Republican field. Meanwhile, all candidates are falling over one another to declare their commitment to Christian values.

Most Americans despise Communist dictatorships and Muslim Theocracies in which personal freedoms are limited by the beliefs and philosophy of a small but powerful group of individuals. But, while we extole the freedoms of American society and claim to support the separation of Church and State, we are not free from the tyranny of organized religion. If one is not openly Christian or, worse yet, openly religious, the American presidency is but a pipe dream.