Seeing the Miracles At Home in Our Valley

I just recently finished the book Gathering Moss – A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Rob- in Wall Kimmerer, a bryologist — a botanist who specializes in mosses. She writes a beautifully interwoven narrative of her own experience as a Native American woman and as a scientist, as she describes the mosses that she loves so deeply.

I read this book for a nature writing book group that meets every three months. Our first book was Eager – The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb, which I recommend. Mosses are our second subject.

As a lifelong environmentalist and someone who worked professionally in sustainability, I struggle to keep a hopeful outlook. I discovered that having this book group was just what I needed to deal with this struggle. Consisting of women both young and old, the group convivially spent three hours on a Saturday afternoon last November sharing what we learned about the beavers. I realized I need to spend more time on the delights of the world as well as time on its concerns. I re- turned home feeling buoyant in a way I had not felt before our gathering. I look forward to our exploration of the mosses.

I am excited to find a book on moss identification

and pull out my dissecting scope to help me name the mosses which proliferate in my garden. Like wildflowers, I know it will help me to become more observant.

This reading reminds me that we do not need to travel to exotic places to see the unusual and the miraculous. We only need to slow down and be- come more observant in our own bioregion. That is a good start to a more sustainable planet.

Another uplifting experience is trying out a field trip by the Neighborhood Naturalist folks. Don Boucher and Lisa Milbank lead Neighborhood Naturalist “expeditions” in the Willamette Val- ley. They do this for free and they delight in shar- ing their prolific knowledge. A walk with them on a Sunday morning is a journey of explora- tion. Check the Neighborhood Naturalist website for trip descriptions and schedule. They are the third Sunday of the month, beginning at 9:00am, and lasting about three hours.

Engaging in our local natural life encourages you to value it even more deeply and to do what you can to keep all of us — people, plants, animals and other organisms — thriving. Whether it is joining us for letter writing to our Congress peo- ple, changing your consumer choice, traveling less, or walking more, you may find more joy and hope in protecting our one and only home — Earth.

By Maureen