Month: August 2025

I met the founder of Rocky Mountain National Park’s Weed Warrior volunteer group 8 years ago. To be honest, I thought she was a little goofy–she was obsessed with weeds! (Not WEED, but weeds)!  The first time I interacted with her socially, she noticed weeds everywhere we went. I did not understand the compulsion.

Fast forward to today and I have become addicted to weed eradication. I am not passing a judgment on myself but making an observation. I am fixated on weeds. I see them everywhere. The good news is that I have committed to doing something about them.

I enjoy being a part of the RMNP Weed Warriors. The work is hard as we manually rid the park of weeds such as musk thistle, mullein, hounds tongue, and Russian thistle. At the same time, the opportunity has social overtones as we chat and work together. We always have a “treat” break in the mornings and we have a resident baker, Judy, who provides tasty baked goods.

I also have become a resident weed expert at my HOA. Every 2-3 weeks I patrol our grounds to remove invasives I see. As current research shows, native plans enhance fire mitigation by naturally creating defensible space through deep roots, high moisture content, and slower ignition. They also provide ecological benefits like soil stabilization and supporting local wildlife. To nurture those natives requires eradicating the invasive non-native species.

For three years I been monitoring adjacent public areas including the public space east of our condos as well as the Knoll-Willows Open Space that I can see from my upstairs windows. Since I walk by these areas every day, I do not want to dampen my enjoyment by obsessing about weeds.

I have learned things about being a weed nerd both in the park and in my neighborhood. First, it is possible to make a difference by removing the weeds. The change is limited for a year or two or three, but it will happen. Patience is a virtue.

Second, the feeling is satisfying when I turn around and see what we have accomplished with the slain weeds. Many things I do in my life do not have that immediate gratification.

Third, virtuous deeds done do not have to be overtly visible or acknowledged. Few people coming into the park recognize the efforts undertaken by the weed warriors. Yet, we can see the difference and can revel in the native grasses and wildflowers that now anchor the landscape.

Finally, slaying weeds is a marathon and not a sprint. We get rid of one patch at a time. I have a dream that someday all invasive plants will desist if we persevere. In the meantime, I cherish the opportunity to be outdoors, to work collegially, to take minute vacations to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, and to contribute to a worthwhile endeavor.

I am a neat person. I do not mean “cool,” I mean tidy. I do not like to have things out of place in my home. I keep things visually orderly. On the other hand, I sometimes shove stuff in drawers and closets so I don’t have to look at them. “Out of sight, out of mind,” however, only has band aid effects for a desired minimalist existence.

When I moved to Colorado 11 years ago, I downsized my possessions as I thought I would move to a smaller space. As happened, I bought a condo with 50% more square footage than my home in North Caroliina. I had many closets for storage. I am not much of a shopper but over time, I have accumulated “stuff.” I want to get rid of belongings that I no longer use, or that will mean nothing to anyone coming after me.

I am thinking about what becomes of my things once my physical body transforms from this earth. I want to begin planning for that eventuality sooner rather than later. Therefore, I have been reading about de-cluttering. It is one thing to read about it and another to institute a plan.

The first step is to convince myself that I need to de-clutter sooner rather than later and then have a plan. I am gathering tips that will motivate me. Perhaps this is the year that implementation will begin.

Decluttering is a physical task focused on organizing and tidying up spaces. The literature suggests decluttering can have profound psychological and lifestyle impact that will contribute to overall well-being. I am always in search of additional well-being.

Clutter is a source of stress and anxiety and that is why I choose to “hide” the clutter in drawers and closets. Disorganized space is not relaxing to me. These days I cannot forget about the clutter that lies behind those doors and drawers.

A big challenge in de-cluttering is letting go of the past. I have scrapbooks from high school that I have not looked at for decades. Will I ever? Certainly, no one else I know cares. Letting go will require making choices confidently and quickly. I suspect that letting go of some of my past will free me to appreciate my present.

I used to tell my students that poor writing indicated poor thinking. Similarly, for me anyway, unorganized spaces lead me to an unorganized life. With less clutter, I might be less distracted and will concentrate better especially when working on these blogs.

Now I just need to quit writing about it and get started!

Rocky Mountain National Park was once home to wolves, grizzly bears, wolverines, and lynx. With the re-introduction of wolves in Colorado in 2023, a wolf or two has roamed, but not yet stayed, in the west side of the park.

The possibility of wolves in the park is an example of how wilding or rewilding might occur. Wilding is defined as a form of ecological restoration aimed at increasing biodiversity and restoring natural processes. The idea of rewilding aims to reduce human influence on ecosystems.

Although 95% of the park is considered wilderness area, we are more like an urban park since we are so close to major population areas to the East of us (i.e., Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins). Rewilding Rocky Mountain National Park is an aspirational idea. The possibility of wilding requires numerous considerations.

Bringing back keystone species (like wolves or beavers) can play a critical role in ecosystem health. A cool concept of rewilding is the possibility of allowing nature to manage itself without human intervention. Unfortunately, that approach is almost impossible given the way that people (and their relationship to wildlife) need to be educated within the park. Wildlife do not see human-imposed geographic boundaries. Rewilding, nevertheless, would enable the creation of wildlife corridors to link fragmented habitats, allowing animals to migrate and adapt.

I have appreciated coming to understand why rewilding is important. A wide variety of plant and animal life is essential for helping ecosystems flourish. Having keystone species like wolves help regulate the food web (e.g., wolves can be the managers of deer and elk populations). Unfortunately, the wolves introduced to Colorado should be the predators of wild animals and not the domestic ones.

I applaud the philosophy of (re)wilding even though it has many challenges. It invites a shift in perspective from controlling nature to partnering with it. It promotes the possibility of healing the natural world and people’s connection to it. It is a big idea worth considering.

This morning my Fitbit sleep app registered a score of 81, which is considered “good.” I use Fitbit to keep track of steps each day. Having the sleep information is bonus (maybe). I am not sure how much I trust it, but I look at the scores frequently and have learned about sleep patterns.

Most of my life I have been a good sleeper. I fall asleep easily and only occasionally, when something is giving me stress, do I wake for longer than for a bathroom break. I suspect that decades of regular exercise are helpful. I also lessen my caffeine intake later in the day, although coffee used to never bother my ability to nap or sleep.

According to the app, I am consistent in having 90-minute sleep cycles. Two sleep cycles exist. One cycle refers to light and deep sleep indicating less brain activity. Deep sleep commonly occurs longer early in the night, and my profile suggests that case for me. A second cycle, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) is associated with vivid dreams and becomes longer as the night goes on.

I am one of those people who can never remember my dreams. Sometimes I wake up after a dream and think to myself that I will remember it. By morning, the thoughts are gone. Once in awhile I have nightmares that relate to trying to get somewhere and being horribly late.

I often wake up feeling groggy but quickly recover. I understand that waking up feeling refreshed in the morning is a sign of solid periods of deep sleep. Deep sleep is associated with promoting physical recovery as well as a healthy immune system. My deep sleep varies in length, so I am doing OK.

I do not enjoy sleeping and would be happy never to have to sleep again. When I was a child, my parents had to force me to go to bed unless I was totally exhausted from a long day of play. My dad told me I would be a better basketball player if I got enough sleep. That advice motivated me to go to bed if I could sleep with my basketball.

I aim for eight hours of sleep a night. Given that I am frequently awake on and off for 20-45 minutes each night (according to my Fitbit), I rarely get 8 hours. I have learned from my kitties over the years that a short cat nap in the afternoon helps refresh me for the rest of the day. Therefore, overall sleep totals 8 hours a day. I am grateful for the goodness of sleep.