A Surprisingly Chill Hang Around a (Prescribed) Fire
Community spirit—and serious safety precautions—made my first prescribed burn feel like a friendly gathering.
Category: Perspective
Opinion pieces and perspective from people connected to nature in Northern California.
Summer Slog
Why oh why do the lowest of each day’s tides only happen around my favorite swim hour?
How the Landscape Does Its Quiet Work
Landscapes are not just scenery. They are places where people learn skills, traditions, and a kind of hospitality that can last across generations.
AI Is a Place
Artificial intelligence is not magic, or placeless, or limitless. It is nature: wind, water, coal.
The Magic of Small, Outdoor Spaces
You do not need much to be transported, to become aware of what a city can be, in between its apartment buildings and sidewalks and storefronts.
Swimming with the Fish
When I plunge into San Francisco Bay in spring, I’m swimming through a cool green fish stew.
A Particular Here, Now
It is a human impulse to wonder at the limits of what we know through experience alone.
Swimming in the Bay: Winter Clean
Even in winter, Bay water is mostly safe to swim in. It smells good. It tastes fine.
Swimming in the Bay: Salty Autumn
Autumn in San Francisco Bay is a halcyon moment between the punishing winds of summer and the frigid swells of winter.
