The secret to staying safe while hiking is preparation

“You set?”

Noah took another bite of his tractor wheel. “Yeah.”

“Let’s see.” She stood back, skimmed her measuring glance up, then down, then up

again. “How long have those boots been out of the box, ace?”

Less than an hour, Noah thought, as he’d bought them in San Francisco. “So I

haven’t been hiking in a few years. Unless we’re planning on climbing the

Matterhorn, I’m up for it. I’m in shape.”

“Health-club shape.” She pressed a finger against his flat belly. “Fancy health club,

too. This won’t be like your Stair-Master. Where’s your water bottle?”

Already irritated with her, he held out a hand, cupped it and let rain pool in his palm.

Olivia only shook her head. “Hold on a minute.” She turned on her heel and headed

back into the lodge.

“Is it just me,” Noah asked Shirley, “or does she browbeat everyone?” When the

dog merely sat, shot the doughnut a hopeful look, Noah broke what was left in half,

tossed it. Shirley caught it on the fly, gulped it whole, then belched cheerfully.

Noah was still grinning when Olivia jogged back out with a plastic water bottle and

belt loop. “You always take your own water,” Olivia began and to Noah’s surprise

began to nimbly hook the bottle to his belt.

River's End

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Whenever you head outdoors for an adventure, preparation is the key. Make sure you pack more than a water bottle and a snack. Whether you're planning a short nature walk or a major overnight camping trip, it's important to pack properly for outdoor excursions of any length.

Mother Nature Network

________________

Cal was waiting for her when she drove up.

He stepped out, started down the steps, the dog

wandering behind him, as she got out of the car. 

He took a scan, starting with her feet.

Good, sturdy hiking boots that showed some scars and wear, f

aded jeans, tough jacket in I’m-Not-a-Deer red, and a multistriped scarf 

that matched the cloche-style cap on her

head. Silly hat, he mused, that was unaccountably appealing on her.

In any case, he decided she knew what to wear on a hike through the winter woods.

“Do I pass muster, Sergeant?”

Blood Brothers

Stop Killing All Your Plants

"You're killing that plant," he murmured.

"I know. I always do." She had to swallow, and that surprised her. Something in the way 

he'd been looking at her just now. Something in the tone of his voice, the set of his body. 

She could always be mistaken about a face, but not about a body. His was tensed, and so 

was hers. "I keep buying them, and keep killing them."

"Too much sun." He hadn't meant to, but brushed the back of her hand with his 

fingers. "And too much water. It's as easy to overlove as underlove."

"I hadn't thought of that."

Dance to the Piper 

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Don't despair, here's how to become a green thumb

House plants are a great way of making your living space feel more alive. At least when you can manage to keep them alive. If you have a penchant for killing anything green, don't worry. Just follow these tips and you'll feel like a green thumb in no time.

Popular Mechanics

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“You’ve got a nice hand with flowers.” She flicked a finger over the

soap-wort, johnny-jump-ups and artesia sharing space artistically in a stone tub.

“It shows my sensitive side.”

“It shows you know what looks good and how to keep it that way.”

“Actually, I learned out of compassion and annoyance. My mother was always

planting something, then killing it. She’d go to the nursery, and the plants would

scream and tremble. Once, I swear, I heard this coreopsis shrieking, ‘No, no, not

me! Take the Shasta daisies.’ I couldn’t stand it,” he continued when she laughed. “I

started having nightmares where all the plants she killed came back to life, brown,

withered, broken, trailing dry dirt that crumbled from their roots as they formed an

army of revenge.”

“Zombie zinnias.”

“Exactly.” He beamed, delighted with her, fascinated by the way her face warmed

when she was amused and relaxed. “Vampire violas, monster marigolds and

gardenia ghouls. Let me tell you, it was pretty terrifying. In fact, I’m scaring myself

just thinking about it.”

“As a naturalist, I can certify you’re safe. As long as you keep them alive.”

River's End

“I want to do some hiking and camping in the backcountry.”

Her laugh came fast and was none too flattering. “The hell you do.”

“Three days. You and me.” He held up a finger before she could laugh again. “We get away for a while. You do what you do best. And so do I. You’d agreed to interviews, so we’ll talk. This place is something you love, and I want you to show it to me. I want to see what you see when you look at it.”

River's End

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By Jason Pratt from Pittsburgh, PA - Trees and light, CC BY 2.0, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34597

America's Best National Parks for Camping

The United States has dozens of gorgeous national parks spread around this big country. Most of them are incredible places to camp out, and here are our favorites.

Popular Mechanics

Spring Awakening

She gestured to a tree where the bark had been stripped and the trunk scored with deep grooves. “Bear. Those are bear scratching.”

“Yeah?” Rather than being alarmed as she expected, he stepped closer, examining the scar with apparent fascination. “Are they still hibernating now, or could we run into one?”

“Oh, they’re up and about now. And hungry,” she added, just for the hell of it.

“Well.” He ran his fingers down one deep groove. “As long as one doesn’t come along for a midday snack and mistake me for a tree, it’d be interesting.”

  

River's End

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By Wing-Chi Poon - self-made; along Going-to-the-Sun Road 

between Jackson Glacier Overlook  and Sunrift Gorge, 

Glacier National Park, Montana, USA., CC BY-SA 2.5, 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=437376

Camera catches bear waking from hibernation in Glacier National Park

Imagine trying to get alert after sleeping for over seven months.

That's what this bear in Montana is doing - very slowly.

YAHOO!

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“They’re just out of hibernation, usually go into torpor in September and don’t surface until May.”

River's End

Home in the Woods Turns Nature Into Art

“Good. The house should be stone and wood, don’t you think?”

His hand was in her hair, just toying with the ends. “This is hardly the spot for vinyl siding.”

“We’ll plant the garden together.”

River's End

______________________

Photo by SALA Architects - More exterior home photos

A new house near Lake Michigan has pavilions that frame lush views of the surrounding forest

HOUZZ

Surviving a Mountain Lion Encounter

He broke off as a movement behind her caught his eye. He shifted his gaze, focused and felt the blood drain out of his head. “Jesus Christ. Don’t move.”
She smelled it now—the wild and dangerous scent. Her heart slammed once against her ribs, and before she could get to her feet, Noah was springing up to put himself between her and the cougar.
It was a full-grown male, perched on the rocks just above with his eyes glinting in the sunlight. Now he shifted, let out a low, guttural growl and flashed teeth.
“Keep your eyes on his,” Olivia instructed as she rose. “Don’t run.”
Noah already had his hand on the hilt of his knife. He had no intention of running. “Go.” He bared his own teeth and shifted when Olivia tried to step out from behind him. “Start moving back down the trail.”
“That’s exactly right.” She kept her voice calm. “No sudden moves, no fleeing motions. We just ease back, give him room. He’s got the advantage. Higher ground. And he’s showing aggressive behavior. Don’t take your eyes off him, don’t turn your back.”
“I said, ‘Go.’ “ It took every ounce of willpower not to turn around and shove her down the trail. One thin stream of sweat trickled down his back.
“He must have a kill near here. He’s just trying to protect it.” She bent, keeping her eyes on the cat’s, and scooped up two rocks. “Back away, we just back away.”
The cat hissed again, and his ears went back flat. “Yell!” Olivia ordered, continuing the backward motion even as she winged the first rock. It struck the cougar sharply on the side.
She continued to shout, heaved the second rock. The cat spat furiously, swiped at the air. And as Noah drew the knife from his belt, the cat slunk away.

River's End

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By Olivia Danielle Ruiz - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35452417

Stumbling upon a mountain lion is pretty rare, but if you happen to do a lot of stuff outdoors, it’s good to be prepared just in case. Here’s what you should do if you encounter a mountain lion in the wild.

This infographic from The Art Manliness explains what you should do if you come across a mountain lion, cougar, Florida panther, or puma while you’re out hiking. It might seem counter-intuitive, but resist the urge to run. 

LIFEHACKER

'Hold Back the River'

“Olivia, the first time I saw you, you were a baby. Something about you reached right out, so much more than that sad image on the television screen, and grabbed me. It’s never let go. I didn't see you again until you were twelve, gangly and brave and all haunted eyes. There was a connection. There was nothing sexual about it.”

He started back toward her, watched her shift slightly, as if to brace. “I never forgot you. You were in and out of my head. Then you were eighteen. You opened the door of your apartment, and there you were, tall and slender and lovely. A little distracted, a little impatient. Then your eyes cleared. God, I've had your eyes in my head as long as I can remember. And you smiled at me and cut me off at the knees. I've never been the same.”

River's End

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"Hold Back The River"

Tried to keep you close to me,

But life got in between

Tried to square not being there

But think that I should have been

Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes

Hold back the river, so I

Can stop for a minute and see where you hide

...

________________

 “I was in love with you. I fell in love with you when you sat down beside me on the riverbank, near the beaver dam, and you listened to me. It wasn't a crush.”

She gathered the courage to turn then, to face him. 

“I was only twelve, but I fell in love with you. When I saw you again, it was as if everything inside me had just been waiting. Just waiting, Noah. After you left, I closed all that off again. You were right, what you said about my turning my feelings on and off. I could. I did.”

River's End