Mark’s journal of photographic projects, thoughts, and commentary.
It is strange how little has been written about the Upper Mississippi. The river below St. Louis has been described time and again, and it is the least interesting part. One can sit on the pilot-house for a few hours and watch the low shores, the ungainly trees and the democratic buzzards, and then one … Read more
Every old river town along the Mississippi has a rich history…many were involved in trading and transport of goods (and still are). And this goes back as far as the late 1700’s when Julien Dubuque arrived in Northeast Iowa. Lumber was big back in the late 1800’s. For Muscatine (where I live), the harvesting of … Read more
The Earth, and especially the plants, lost a friend today. Word came that Stephen Buhner had passed away. Personally, I don’t know anyone who has taught me more about the interconnectedness of all the things found in nature. Being an herbalist, his focus was often on the plants…but his wisdom and commentary went far wider … Read more
It’s been a mild start to the winter around here. We had a quick cold snap, but then things warmed up again…which a lot of people seem quite happy about. As my bird interests go, warm weather is usually not good for eagle congregations, but it does open up the marshes to swans. Conversely, if … Read more
Every couple of years, the Canadian Pacific Railways Holiday Train makes a stop in Muscatine. It’s a neat event in early December that supports local food banks where ever it goes. As you can see, it’s quite a light spectacle when it rolls into town. It also blends well with the lighted bridge in the … Read more
Swans have massive, paddle-like feet. They come in handy when powering the bird into a takeoff, for swimming, and even during the landing, where they help with air braking and then skiing for a bit as the swan touches the surface of the water.