A Lot of Wildlife

When I was young, there never seemed to be much wildlife in my home state. Aside from gray squirrels and white-tailed deer, wildlife was something that either belonged to the past or to other places with more undisturbed land, such Ontario or Wyoming. I think it's because this area was much more agricultural then, and the activities of agriculture are arranging nature for the benefit of a monoculture, or for a few species.

An environmental news story I heard a lot about growing up was how suburban development was permitting the return of the eastern forest. This is quite evident when you look at pictures taken at end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century and compare them with what the landscape looks like now. The old pictures show a lot of space and fields. There were open vistas then that are now obscured by trees and forests. 

The return of the forest has also, it seems, permitted the return of larger animals. Yesterday, I discovered a three-foot long milk snake by the backdoor step. My mom has named him, "Yogurt". This morning, as I went down the road, I was stopped by a middle-aged couple directing traffic around a snapping turtle with a shell that was around one and a half feet in diameter. 

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vernal: Of or relating to spring. The vernal equinox.

unctuous: Physically greasy in appearance, or, interpersonally, smug or ingratiating.

turgid: Distended, swollen. 

Poem to Isis (the goddess)

This beautiful poem was posted on the Goddess Isis Facebook page, which has 17,000(!) followers. If it's not permissible to re-publish it here, I will certainly take it down. It's attributed to A.G. Muilenberg:

In the deep silence before dawn
Only the priestess stirs
Incense swaying behind her
Testament to her silent passage
No thought of self enters here
Only the offering remains
To commune a moment in time with Isis

Herons

If I look out the train window when we pass by the marshes with the tall grasses between Newark and Jersey City, I'm sure to see a perfectly white heron or egret standing at the edge of an area of water. Sometimes I've seen ducks there, as well. 

I also saw what our family thinks is a 'great blue heron' much farther up the train line, as we passed by a brook. 

The railroad slices through the countryside in a different way than the roads do. 

When I was little, there was a bad gypsy moth problem for several years. When you'd go in the woods, it would sound like it was raining lightly, but that was actually a sound related to the gypsy moths (falling excrement?) One year, they sprayed the forested mountain across the road by helicopter. 

When I went to the nature reserve a couple of weeks ago, I heard that same sound. This past weekend, on my walk to the state park, I saw a gypsy moth along the road. Perhaps they're making a comeback of sorts. 

My first instinct was to step on it, as I was taught when I was little. Fortunately, I didn't follow my instinct. 

I don't want that they would destroy the leaves in the forest, but I'm in no position to judge their place and merit in the ecosystem. They are also living beings who need to eat. Destruction of life shouldn't be undertaken lightly. Many of the great religions and philosophies tell us this. 

Bedtime Prayer

Prayer to Pax, Salus, and Concordia, that peace may prevail on earth, that all people may have good health, especially my father and sister, who are suffering from illnesses they don't deserve, and that people may get along with each other between and among countries, among peoples within countries, within companies, within families, and wherever and however people interact with one another. 

Good night, precious world. 

Fourth Amendment

I was arguing on Disqus about the NSA's phone program. In school, I hadn't taken criminal procedure, the class in which they study fourth amendment law. Not having any specific knowledge, I ended up arguing based on sheer principle and what to me is good sense given the real-world circumstances. 

But I do have a book on criminal procedure, and I was looking over the fourth amendment chapter last night--it's much more reasonable, balanced, and holistic than the libertarians would have you believe. The gap between libertarian belief and fourth amendment law isn't as wide as that between the gospels and conservative Christianity, but there is a gap nonetheless. 

I shouldn't give in to the temptation to argue based on sheer principle. Knowledge is power, especially when combined with sensible argumentation. Knowledge means not arguing on your opponent's terms. 

Spring Pictures

One World Trade Center:

My mom's crocuses:

Praiseworthy Minerva with bell ringers in Herald Square:

Barns down the road from me:

I'm told this is a sycamore tree (on my road):

Meditations, Book IV, Section 21

Meditations, Book IV, Section 21 (emphasis mine):

Try also how a good man's life; (of one, who is well pleased with those things whatsoever, which among the common changes and chances of this world fall to his own lot and share; and can live well contented and fully satisfied in the justice of his own proper present action, and in the goodness of his disposition for the future:) will agree with thee. Thou hast had experience of that other kind of life: make now trial of this also. Trouble not thyself any more henceforth, reduce thyself unto perfect simplicity. Doth any man offend? It is against himself that he doth offend: why should it trouble thee? Hath anything happened unto thee? It is well, whatsoever it be, it is that which of all the common chances of the world from the very beginning in the series of all other things that have, or shall happen, was destinated and appointed unto thee. To comprehend all in a few words, our life is short; we must endeavour to gain the present time with best discretion and justice. Use recreation with sobriety.