Rob’s writing a song. He sits on the bow, bent over the small nylon-string guitar we bought in Panama City, humming softly to himself: “Duh duh duh, dum dee dum dum, ba-daaaaaa.” I smile as he ends with a flourish. Rob’s only been playing guitar for two months, but the […]
Ka-chook, ka-chook. Sshhhh. Sshhhh. Ka-chook, ka-chook. The sound of the paddleboard on the flat, calm surface of the water seems too loud in the so-still night air. I paddle farther from the dark sailboats anchored behind me, looking for more quiet. More alone. More space. More uninterrupted moonlight to glide […]
Many people envision sailing as a romantic and relaxing hobby. I still do, too, even knowing from experience that the romance and relaxation account for about 10% of the actual time on a sailboat. It’s easier — and more fun — to talk about the sunsets and stars, or even […]
A gyrating merry-go-round, we teeter-totter across the sea. 60,000 pounds of steel turned tiny rubber duckie at the whim of wandering waves. The American flag whips in tatters, the stripes stripped into ragged ribbons. Persevering. Presiding. Present. Like the rest of us. Each day a repeat of the next or […]
Some people never take notice of the Earth; some have to have it pointed out to them. But most, I think, are simply uncurious. You take notice. The whole point in going on this adventure is to take notice. You will experience so many amazing things. But you don’t have […]
We’re leaving shore today. No more docks, stores, or easy access to electricity and freshwater. No more walks or laundry or internet for at least a month. People asked me all the time before we left home if I was scared. I wasn’t then. Today, I’m definitely nervous. But, personally, […]
We just got back from a lovely meal with fellow Montanans who live here in La Paz. (I know: our recent posts make it like Montanans are rapidly colonizing Baja California). Josh Schroeder and his wife, Nieves, welcomed us into their home., and made us prawns, pasta and plenty of […]
My whole body feels a like the inside of a shellfish. My skin is like an oyster, tender and supple, elastic and thin. My feet are as soft and smooshy as a snail, while my hands are as delicate and smooth as a scallop. My shell has been pulled off, […]
The first five days of our trip were magical. Easy. Simple. Relaxing. Good people in a gorgeous spot, with few hassles and lots of laughter. We felt blessed. So, on the fourth night with our current tribe of saltwater-loving friends on the beach in Pescadero, Baja California, we made a […]
9 years. 5 legislative sessions. 100s of grant proposals. 28,000 miles of streams and rivers to speak up for. Dozens of floats, monitoring days, and presentations. Thousands of meetings, laughs, successes, snafus, late nights, and learning moments. That’s just a sliver of what working for clean water means to me. Today […]
Ok, I’m going to pause for a moment to be a bit vain. I don’t usually succumb to girly habits, but occasionally I obsess about something somewhat silly like a dress or shoes or jewelry. Today, it’s my hair. I’m scheduled for my thrice-annual haircut tomorrow morning, and can’t decide if I […]
What I’m most looking forward to when we get there (and by “there,” I mean latitudes south of Montana and places more salty than not). Remembering my dreams again. Mangos and avocados. Watching the stars and sun move across the sky. Counting birds and dolphins. Bioluminescence. Time to meditate. Humidity. […]
The tears just keep on rolling. I could blame it on the full moon or hormones, both of which are certainly affecting my mood. But I’d be lying if I didn’t give credit to the fact I’m just plain sad to say goodbye to my loved ones. I cry when […]
We’re flying home from Philly tonight. As this dark and quiet plane starts to settle down toward Montana, my thoughts are full of family left behind. It struck me during this visit how different we seem to the rest of Rob’s family (and maybe to lots of other friends and family, […]
I don’t run, usually. Occasionally, though, tension builds up in my body and pushes toward my throat. Right about when it’s starting to choke me, I put on some shoes and start running. It’s rare. Maybe 3-4 times a year. Today was one of those occasions. About 2pm at the […]
It’s 2013 today. Christmas came and went, and so did the Winter Solstice. The days are already getting longer and lighter, pulling Montana toward spring. But the icicles on our back patio are still growing longer every day. This juxtaposition of more light alongside more ice complements how I feel […]
Last night, while eating deer burritos, Rob and I had a spirited discussion (argument, some might say) about budgets while we’re sailing and traveling. Right after I loudly announced there was no way I was “spending my whole savings, period!” I suddenly teared up. I left my burrito, and fled […]
A man spoke tonight about darkness. He spoke of ancient creatures that chew on trees. He spoke of crystalline-fragile ecosystems, and the waters that move and change. He spoke of people who damage these waters and change the crystalline ecosystems. He spoke of being a rancher’s son, a transient’s best […]
I was in rare cleaning form this Sunday morning. The grey Montana sky inspired me to make a sparkling house. And then, putting the vacuum away, I started looking deeper into the dark recessed storage area under our stairs. Whoooaa, Nelly, do we have a LOT of random stuff. Rob […]
One of the best parts about living in Missoula is that you get the best of the “urban” and the “rural” worlds. It’s Montana’s second largest city–and the biggest city for several hours driving in any direction–so we get our share of culture and music, as well as a hip […]
Everyone always asks what I do for work, and it’s always a little tricky to try and explain it in words. So, I took our new Go Pro to work this week to make a video of a typical day in the field, where I get to rebuild streams as […]
Fall in Montana is pure magic…probably because it comes and goes faster than you can say “abracadabra.” But while it’s here, it frames everything in pure golden hues and pink-cheeked smiles. Here are just a few of the many reasons I love this mountain-studded, river-dappled state in October. Will you […]
As you might notice, Rob and I don’t really like routines. We avoid them, actually. But there’s one thing we don’t mind scheduling: our favorite athletic hobbies. For Bob-ito, that means volleyball, basketball, and martial arts. For me, that means dance classes of any kind, usually at the Downtown Dance […]
A couple of weeks ago, Rob bought us a red, wide-ruled notebook (picture what you get for an 8-year-old as back-to-school gear). It’s replaced my 3-page “Wedding To-Do List” in a place of honor, right next to the Field Guide to North American Birds and the big pile of bills. […]
Tom Roy is the reason I moved to Missoula, Montana. When I visited in 2002, he was the Director of the University of Montana’s Environmental Studies program, which I was considering attending. It was a big stretch for a California girl to even consider moving to winter-laced Montana, and I figured I better […]