Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving to all. I thought I’d try an acrostic to celebrate the holiday and share a few highlights of my year.
Hiking - I was fortunate this year to get out on many wonderful hikes: Yellow Aster Butte, Summerland, and Marmot Pass in the Cascades; Jack’s Peak near Carmel, CA, and the Michinoku Coastal Trail in Japan. I feel blessed and privileged and lucky to have enjoyed these lovely places.
Agelaius phoeniceus - In case you wondered, this is the scientific name of the Red-winged Blackbird. Agelaius comes from the Greek for flocking, in reference to large gatherings of this species. We don’t get huge flocks in Seattle but their gregarious and splendid calls make Red-winged Blackbirds a delight to see and to hear. For more info, here’s a link to my Twelve Ways of Seeing Blackbirds newsletter.
Peanut Butter - I think that I have eaten peanut butter for well more than half the days of my life. Heck, I might go so far as to write that I am pushing 75% of the days, usually on toast in the morning but also simply by the spoon and on bazillions of PBJs (squished, squashed, fresh, days old, or otherwise).
Peace - May peace prevail near and far, within families, between religions, between species, in our hearts and souls, deeply and truly, honestly and thoroughly. Please take some take for yourself, to slow down and reflect. Each of us can make a difference.
Yellow - The fall foliage has been wonderful this year, rich in color, dense in abundance, and pleasurable to ride across up on the Centennial Trail. One of the great surprises of autumn is color; I thought it wasn’t going to be good this year and it was….yay.
Tides - Few aspects of the natural world are as incredible and dynamic and world changing as tides. As I have written several times, most recently in September, the twice daily pulsing of planetary waters is also one of the easiest natural history events to see (at least for those who live near a coast) and to overlook. I know that I am always happy when I am reminded of that tidal exchange, whether at a beach or on river. So here’s a big thanks to the earth, sun, and moon for conspiring to produce this magical event.
Hope – Let’s hope that 2026 brings more compassion, laughter, humility, respect, responsibility, integrity, and honesty to all.
Authors - I had the great privilege, honor, and joy to share the stage with two of my favorite authors—Rob McFarlane and John Valliant. Both are thoughtful, generous, and amazing writers, whose books inspire me every time I read them. Plus, they are really nice fellows. If you haven’t read Fire Weather or Underland or Is a River Alive?, now you know what to ask for as a gift this holiday season.
Nutcrackers - Smart, resourceful, inquisitive, and good looking, Clark’s Nutcracker star in one of the most enduring and important ecological relationships in the Cascades. Because the birds relish the nuts, or seeds of whitebark pines, every whitebark you encounter owes its origin to Clark’s nutcrackers, which is a pretty darned cool thing to think about.
Kennebunkport - In June, we had the pleasure to go to Kennebunkport, Maine, for the wedding of my nephew Charlie and Hannah. I was very honored by being asked to read a poem (not my own, fortunately) during the ceremony. It was a wonderful and joyous celebration, a special moment of which was the torrential downpour during the outside wedding. The bride and groom responded with aplomb and laughter, gracing us with their joy.
Shinkansen - On our trip to Japan, I traveled faster on the ground than I think I ever had. Riding a Shinkansen, also known as a Bullet Train, we hit about 200 mph though it didn’t feel like it, the ride was so smooth. In contrast, we were standing in a train station on the platform, chitchatting, when a Shinkansen rocketed through the station. Golly ned, it was stunning; I think my heart finally calmed down about ten minutes later.
Geogeek - I am self-avowed geogeek, a rock nerd, a stone rhapsodist. My website: geologywriter.com. I have written two books about rocks: Stories in Stone and Cairns. When I watch movies, I regularly comment on the building stone in the background. In fact, one of my favorite movies is about rocks: Breaking Away. You can send sympathy comments to my wife.
Ice and Fire - In October, I turned the final round (post copy-editing) of my book, In the Range of Fire and Ice - Searching for History and Nature in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, into Mountaineers Books. I am rather proud and excited by the manuscript, which weaves interview with experts, deep dives into the history, and personal experiences to tell a biography of place. Publication date will be September 2026
Vancouver - Just a few weeks ago, we had the great pleasure and honor to be the witnesses at the wedding of Marjorie’s niece, Anna and Emily. We were down in Vancouver, WA, where once again it rained during the ceremony though this time all of us were inside. Again, it was wonderful and joyous to see the next generation of our families in love and in a beautiful relationship.
Indigenous Longhouses - Earlier this year, Seattle had a grand opening for its new waterfront park. Among my favorite parts is a three block long structure consisting of 22 pairs of Douglas fir post-and-beam structures adorned at either end with carvings. Created by Oscar Tuazon, it is an homage to the longhouses that once dotted the waterfront of the whulge, the Lushootseed name for Puget Sound. If you are looking for something to do on this holiday weekend, I highly recommend a trip down to see the new, inspired, and inspiring waterfront.
New Books - Certainly two of my year’s highlights centered on new books, specifically the two of mine that came out this year. I am truly grateful for the beautiful design, thoughtful editing, and engaged promotion by my publishers, the University of Washington Press and Mountaineers Books. It has been an honor and pleasure to work with them on Seattle Walks (2nd Edition) and Wild in Seattle. And, one more shoutout to Elizabeth Person for her wonderful and whimsical drawings that grace Wild in Seattle.
Gratitude - My wife and I were chatting the other day, discussing how gratitude is about paying attention, noticing and taking pleasure in the world (friends, family, nature) around you, connecting to others, being part of a community, acknowledging what you appreciate and treasure. As I have written before, I am so grateful to be able to write this newsletter and to share my observations, primarily because it has allowed me to be part of a community of readers. So, once again, thank you kindly to all who read the Street Smart Naturalist newsletter and who have helped form and inform this community through your likes and comments.
December 4, 2025 – Homewaters – 6:00 P.M. – Port Townsend Public Library – I’ll be in PT talking about my book Homewaters.
December 6, 2025 – Wild in Seattle/Seattle Walks – 4:00 P.M. – Port Townsend First Baptist Church -I’ll be talking about my books Wild in Seattle and Seattle Walks for one of my favorite groups, the Quimper Geological Society up in PT.
Books for Sale: This will be the last week that I am selling books in 2025, including Wild in Seattle, Seattle Walks, Homewaters, Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales, and Too High and Too Steep, through my website. Otherwise, as it gets closer to the mailing chaos of late December, the lines at the post office get too long. Rumor has it my books make great holiday gifts.
By the way, another splendid holiday thought, if you feel so inclined, is a gift subscription to my newsletter.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. May your day be filled with family and friends and good food and conversation, and perhaps some explorations of the urban kind.
