While in Ecuador this February, we ventured up to Cotopaxi base camp, which sits at 16,000 feet. Having seen the tops of some of the world’s most famous mountains, I already knew about the importance of proper acclimation to high elevations, but it was still a record for us. I also learned some lessons about how the thinner atmosphere can affect camera equipment.
Hollywood has done us a great disservice by perpetuating the idea that once the big boss battle is done, all is right with the world. That trope is so common that we can easily start to believe that the real world works that way too. J.R.R. Tolkien gave us a much better sense of the challenges that can remain even when you think the worst is over.
The suburban landscaping aesthetic includes a lot of lawn and not a lot of trees. I’m bucking that trend by replacing my one dead ornamental plum tree with three uncommon native trees that will support more biodiversity, soil health, and climate resilience. In order to do that, I needed a crash course on how and where to plant, plus how and where to prune.