A forest can quickly reclaim its own after a disturbance. A decade ago, much of Mt. Lemmon was burned in a fire that destroyed nearly all the understorey and much of the canopy. Today, the scar of the fire remains, but evidence of regrowth is easy to find. Here you can see the broken remains…

This weekend brought a full moon to the desert. I was reminded of a fragment of Sappho (Bergk fr. 3): Ἄστερες μὲν ἀμφὶ κάλαν σελάνναν ἂψ ἀπυκρύπτοισι φάεννον εἶδος, ὄπποτα πλήθοισα μάλιστα λάμπῃ γᾶν [ἐπὶ πᾶσαν] … ἀργυρία … which has been translated by H.T. Wharton as The stars about the fair moon in their…