Author: Michael Stevens

Residing in Central Oregon for 45 years, I have observed the population growth with a bit of dismay. When I moved here, only about 16,000 folks called Bend home and now the estimates hover...

It spends most of the year hidden to our eyes. The tuberous underground root does not appear as anything on the surface until Spring sun warms the sandy soil of its subterranean womb. Tiny...

I hold a memory of a time when I was three years old, sitting on the grass in our back yard, pondering the green blades jutting up from the soil. I always hoped to...

Each April, Tarn and I make a pilgrimage to the Painted Hills to witness something of a miracle on top of Carol Rim, a promontory jutting up from the ‘painted’ floor of the national...

Rimrock Springs Natural Area is one of those hidden gems located in the middle of nowhere that offers the hiker a little island of unexpected beauty. I am walking the short trail in the...

The flower is quite striking as it rises from heart-shaped basal leaves to exhibit beautiful clusters of purple bells. Snow Queen (Veronica regina-nivalis) is one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the year....

The Dalai Lama arrives to offer teachings in Bend. He is staying with me and we soon discuss the best day for him to teach. I suggest April 1, April Fool’s Day, would be...

The horse I am riding, an older Appaloosa named Denver, has a mind of his own—and a voracious appetite. He is happy to be a partner on the trail until tasty bit of grass...

Some folks keep time by the sun, others by the moon. Still others follow the seasons and qualities of each day. I think Buddhists may not worry so much about time as it is...

Sometimes beginners on the Dharma path forget to take care of basic food, shelter, clothing, relationships, etc. because the teachings suggest we not become preoccupied by them. However, if we do not take care...