The four elements, highly visible in this region, continue to shape the land. Fire, in the form of volcanoes, continues to rumble, hiss and spew. Water, defines the region for food, trade and recreation. Air, in the form of wind, brings in moisture to nourish...
Read MoreThe gorge of the Columbia River was formed by fire and ice. Past and present have no distinction. Fire and ice still dominate this land; we are experiencing a mere blip of calm in the geological cycle. In this land is some of the oldest...
Read MoreI traveled northwest from Tulsa to the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve. Covering 39,000 acres, the preserve is the largest contiguous area of untilled tall grass prairie on Earth. Surrounded by the Osage Reservation, it is part of the southern Flint Hills, a rocky limestone prairie...
Read MoreWhen you tell people you’re going to Oklahoma for vacation, they blankly stare and just say “Oh”. You can see in their eyes the unanswered question, “But why?” I’ve spent a lot of time in Oklahoma. My honeymoon was there – actually both of them...
Read MoreI am fascinated by the decisions our ancestors made to leave their homeland and come here without a clue. At this point, it’s hard for me to imagine going anywhere without researching it on the internet, or at least using a map and ordering a...
Read MoreOne point most of us fail to account for in our understanding of landscape is the weather - except as it impacts us on the day we're visiting our long-awaited destination. Will our beach vacation be ruined by rain? Will we get stuck in the...
Read MorePeople sigh when you say you’re going to the Texas Hill Country for a long weekend. The laid-back funkiness of Austin or the vibrancy of San Antonio’s heritage are the images that come to mind. And the music! It’s always a treat. But truly, Austin and...
Read MoreSouthern Louisiana feels like another country. The Acadian’s rich culture is deeply entrenched here; many Cajuns and their ancestors have spent their entire lives living, working, and farming, fishing and, of course, creating music here. A federally recognized ethnic group, Cajuns number over 2 million...
Read MoreIt all started in the Wallowas. From here, Chief Joseph led 750 people into and across Idaho to Montana to escape the army. The town of Joseph is where he ultimately came to rest. I arrived in time for Joseph Days, its annual Rodeo and...
Read MoreI am driving from Missoula through Idaho on Highway 12, which loosely follows both the Lewis and Clark trail of 1805 and 1806, and the Nez Perce trail of 1877.[1] Both are listed as un-navigable today. While the research pinpoints the trail of the Corps...
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