On a recent August evening, my writing friend Carol and I hurried into Paulina Springs Books in Sisters, Oregon. We were there to attend a writing workshop by author and poet Joe Wilkins. Earlier that day I had looked through his website and noticed he had grown up in Montana. Then, I was even more eager to go to the workshop, just to be in proximity of a fellow Montanan. The workshop was titled “Layers of Landscape: Harnessing the Power of Place.” To say we were intrigued by the title was an understatement. I’ve been scribbling away about the landscape…

Sagebrush: A 100 Word Story
Most of us have heard the phrase that “a picture tells a 1000 words.” Here is a picture that tells a story in 100 words. 100 words exactly, counting the title. I appreciate hearing your thoughts. Sagebrush I might have been born under a sagebrush. New eyes open to an overhead sapphire haze. Closer, furry elongated gilt grey-green leaves on shrubby, woody stems form a mosaic of vision. My tiny hand brushes the gently rounded tri-tipped leaves. Sharp scent rains down. Piquant. Pristine. Sage-y. Of the vast, moody lands in the American West I adore. I roll side to side…

Foals, Birds, Cats, Balloons and the Third Law of Motion
At long last, I have returned to Earthwise and the Alabaster Horse and to the third law of motion. Regular readers of my irregular posts may recall that almost a year ago, in the spring of 2022, I wrote a post regarding how Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion and second law of motion appeared in my life. As life goes, there was an interruption(s), and I am now return. For those of my readers who are curious, or would like a reminder, here is information about Sir Isaac Newton. The interruptions were the arrival of two foals last…

Blogkeeping III
This is a quick post to update you on recent activity at EarthWise and the Alabaster Horse. A couple of days ago I published a new post, but due to a glitch, notification of it was not sent out to my readers. Fingers crossed, I hopefully have it rectified. The post can be seen here. Thank you for your patience, and I appreciate every one of my readers.

My Shadow & the Second Law of Motion
Earlier I wrote about Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion and how it related to my dog, Rowdy, here. This inspired me to think of how I could present ways the second law of motion appeared in moments in my life. As a quick recap, Sir Isaac Newton (1643 – 1727) was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, author, alchemist and theologian. Most of us can identify Newton as the person who first discovered or described the law of gravity. A concise history of his life can be read here. Translated from Newton’s book, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, or The Mathematical Principles…

My Dog Rowdy & the First Law of Motion
The white schoolhouse with the sage green roof stands on a rise above the almost non-existent town of Cleveland, Montana. Cleveland is my hometown and shelters in the northeastern foothills of the Bear Paw Mountains of north central Montana. It used to have a saloon, dance hall, a few residents and a school house. Today it has the school house, a part time saloon, hunting lodge and the shop building and corrals of a local rancher. The original saloon and dance hall are gone. This is ranch country, and where I grew up. I attended the one roomed Cleveland School…