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Archive for 'October 2011'

Two Spectacular Surprises in the Sky

It's been a good week for gazing upwards. Earlier this week, a "coronal mass ejection" on the sun created an epic geomagnetic storm that caused an unusually widespread outbreak of Northern Lights. This particular aurora borealis appeared in skies over much of North America, even in relatively southerly latitudes. Check out this skywatcher's video from Michigan for a sampling (don't miss the amazing action around the 0:17 mark). Then, this morning here in the Seattle area, we were treated to a ...

Posted by Steve T on October 31, 2011 5:32 PM & Tagged Mount Rainier, aurora borealis, northern lights and sunrise | permalink | Comments



The Galapagos Islands: Through the Words of One REI Member

I recently came across a travel article from an REI member who went on REI's Galapagos Islands & Otavalo Highlands Multisport tour. The article, written by a reporter for the Minnesota's Star Tribune, Pam Louwagie, is a fun read, perfectly depicting the imagery of that extraordinary place. Reading through it, I felt like I was right there, experiencing these amazing encounters with her. Pam discusses the advantages of seeing the Galapagos by land, which gives guests a more off-the-beaten-path ...

Posted by Liz Bee on October 28, 2011 10:56 AM & Tagged Galapagos Islands, REI Adventures, Travel and wildlife | permalink | Comments



A Little Natural Wonder for Your Weekend: A Pair of Splendid Videos

To embellish your weekend state of mind, we offer a couple of eye-popping outdoor/nature videos that have been getting wide circulation on the web this week. In case you missed either one (which would be a pity), here you go: From Arizona-based photographer/videographer Dustin Farrell, Landscapes: Volume 2… …and an outtake from the brainy TED Talks series (TED = Technology, Entertainment, Design), a visual tale of birds, bees, bats and butterflies titled The Beauty of Pollination… Like, wow. I ...

Posted by T.D. Wood on October 26, 2011 6:22 PM & Tagged Dustin Ferrell, TED, landscapes, pollination and video | permalink | Comments



Now You Know: Why Leaves Change Color

When leaves morph from green to gold, orange and red, is it cooler autumn temperatures that trigger the change? To some degree, yes, but the most influential factor is steadily declining sun exposure as the amount of daylight dwindles with each passing fall day. This and other leaf-changing facts of autumn life are described in Why Leaves Change Colors, a science-based summary published by the U.S. Forest Service (Northeast Area). Some other items of interest: • Chlorophyll is just one of 3 ...

Posted by T.D. Wood on October 25, 2011 6:02 PM & Tagged Autumn, fall colors, forests and leaves | permalink | Comments



Tips on Running with Your Dog

Searching for a running partner? Look no further than your 4-legged companion.  I find that when I take my dog, Teton, on runs with me, my pace, endurance and mood improve. Plus, not only am I keeping myself healthy by exercising, I'm keeping Teton healthy and happy, too. I've been blogging about dogs for more than a year now and have acquired a robust portfolio of knowledge surrounding dog behavior, health and training. Here are my tips for introducing your dog to running: Evaluate Your ...

Posted by Shannon the Dog Lover on October 24, 2011 5:04 PM & Tagged Running, dogs and fitness | permalink | Comments