sprung

Photo copyright 2008 Gazelle

Ash Tree, my house.

warm spring evening

Photo copyright 2008 Gazelle

North Portland waterfront along the Willamette, underneath the St. John's Bridge.

cloud's rest

Photo copyright 1996 Gazelle

Naked bouldering, high above Tenaya Canyon, Yosemite.

onshore afternoons

Photo copyright Gazelle 1992

Will Rogers State Beach, CA

killing bugs

Photo copyright Gazelle 1992

Palisades Park, Santa Monica

In honor of the release of Foulweather #2, I offer some beauty from the filth:

"Nothing in the shelter makes more sense to me, makes me understand my purpose more, than to kill bugs on a homeless man's flesh, to dress him well in donated, cast-off clothes, to see him the next day, laughing beside a burning barrel."

- another bullshit night in suck city, Nick Flynn

down south

Photo copyright 2000 Gazelle

Redneck mini-mall, rural South Carolina

flutter bye

I am not ashamed to admit I like butterflies. Sure, they're not the most masculine of creatures but in my book they've got a lot going for them. First off, they're really cool looking - in flight, or migration, or just hanging out on a rock or a flower. They also pollinate a lot of plants. And how about the way some will rhythmically fan their wings while stationary? Or the fact that they start off life as a caterpillar (a very cool creature in itself)? Face it, butterflies are bitchin' and you know it. You're probably thinking you'd like to be reincarnated as one right now.

I remember as a little kid living in Laguna Beach in the early 70's, seeing Monarch butterflies everywhere. They used to camp out in eucalyptus trees in my neighborhood. It was a migratory pattern for them to travel through on their way to Mexico or points north. They fluttered by everywhere. It was awesome. There were other butterflies around, too, and I dug all of them. Little did I know then I would live to see a rapid decline in their numbers. Butterflies worldwide have been hit hard by deforestation, development, pesticides, air pollution, and infections. In Britain, Sir David Attenborough is backing a project to help save butterflies and educate people of their intrinsic value and importance to ecosystems: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/13/conservation.wildlife1. These creatures are indicators, very sensitive to changes in the environment, similar to amphibians in that regard (don't get me started on salamanders - they're disappearing too and it pisses me off). Anyway, when indicator species start disappearing, it's time to pay attention and do something.