Fascinating! I admit I have been to Silver Falls State Park many times and love walking the trail behind the falls but I never knew all of this. I was simply in awe of and in love with all of the beauty. I can hardly wait to go again and be even more in awe - thank you!
Very interesting! You excel at simplifying geology so the rest of us can understand. The second half of this story sounds like it could possibly be a book?!? Please! I love your historical novels!
Wow! Love this a lot and now would like to visit this marvel of a park--and read your next installment. There are some geology-besotted folks in my family and even a professional geologist! They have rocks on the brain--in a good way! You make it all fascinating and almost comprehensible!
First of all, the map of lava had me rolling. It's like, state, state, state, LAAAVVVAAA!
This fascinated me mostly because I've recently started watching Life on Our Planet on Netflix. It goes all the way back to the beginning of time and talks about all the ways Earth has been destroyed and reborn since 500 million years ago. I also don't know how people think in terms of hundreds of millions. I don't even know what I did last week.
Yes, same here, it's tricky to get your head around the numbers, but posts like this, and the Netflix programmes, really help. I think it's important to try and understand our planet and then we can appreciate its wonders all the more.
I don't know this area of the US, Amy, but I love to hear about it. All that lava is just incredible to try and understand. Thanks for doing the research and for sharing it in such a powerful and accessible way. And your sketches just add to the excitement of reading!
Well, I am a geologist and I loved seeing your sketches of rocks, lava and volcanoes. For us, each road trip or airplane flight is a trip through time, thinking about how the landscapes evolved. Ray Troll captured this well in his painting "Every Roadcut Asks a Question." (how can I share a photo?)
There's actually a book about how geologists think:
Earth and Mind: How Geologists Think and Learn about the Earth
Author(s) Cathryn A. Manduca; David W. Mogk, 2006.
Portland is a wonderful place to appreciate volcanoes, because (besides the big ones like Mt. Hood) you have the Boring Volcanic Field within the metropolitan area, consisting of more than 80 cinder cones and small shield volcanoes (don't worry, they're dormant though, but not boring).
Finally, you have a wonderful local resource, Dr. Scott Burns, who recently retired from Portland State. He gives entertaining talks to the public on Oregon geology, so try to catch him sometime.
Love this subject! I went into biology, then became a vet, while my best buddy was a geology major, and our cross pollination was always a gas for both of us.
Well, I'll never think about Silver Falls the same way again! Love these stories. I can't wait for the next one. I suspect that after reading the conclusion, I'm going to have to say in my best Paul Harvey voice, "And now you know...the REST of the story."
I've also heard about the Deccan Traps in India, but don't know anything more detailed.
Biologists are pretty good at thinking on long time scales, but we miss out on the specifics of the landscape. I missed out on basic geology during undergrad and have always regretted it.
One of the talking heads in that series is Robert Hazen, whose theory of mineral evolution I wrote about here.
Everytime I pick up a cool rock and start to contemplate how many million of years old it must be, my brain can hardly comprehend it. Thanks for bringing the story of Silver Falls to life!
Hi Amy, I am behind on reading your newsletters. After reading this one, I wondered if someone has told you about a book titled, ' Timefulness: how thinking like a geologist can help save the world' ? If mot take a look at your libraries blurb about the book. I heard the author interviewed on NPR and added her book to my ever expanding library list.
I would like to see lessons in drawing people at some point in the future. I have very much enjoyed my subscription thus far! ☺️ Nancy Jane
This was fascinating! I love any type of history and I’m a curious person. Thank you Amy!!!!!
Thanks so much! Yeah, I love digging into stuff like this.
Fascinating! I admit I have been to Silver Falls State Park many times and love walking the trail behind the falls but I never knew all of this. I was simply in awe of and in love with all of the beauty. I can hardly wait to go again and be even more in awe - thank you!
Yes! You can look at the lava!
I really love grooving with your exploration here - your enthusiasm is quite infectious (in a good way).
Much appreciated!
Very interesting! You excel at simplifying geology so the rest of us can understand. The second half of this story sounds like it could possibly be a book?!? Please! I love your historical novels!
Oh, I know! There are many crazy characters--stay tuned!
Please write a new book! I really enjoyed the Kopp Sisters series and would love it if you’d write more, about them or anyone else.
Thanks so much! You can read all about my next book here, and I'll have more details to share soon.
https://amystewart.substack.com/p/5076417_september-2021?utm_source=%2Fsearch%2Ftree%2520collectors&utm_medium=reader2
Wow! Love this a lot and now would like to visit this marvel of a park--and read your next installment. There are some geology-besotted folks in my family and even a professional geologist! They have rocks on the brain--in a good way! You make it all fascinating and almost comprehensible!
It is definitely worth a visit!
First of all, the map of lava had me rolling. It's like, state, state, state, LAAAVVVAAA!
This fascinated me mostly because I've recently started watching Life on Our Planet on Netflix. It goes all the way back to the beginning of time and talks about all the ways Earth has been destroyed and reborn since 500 million years ago. I also don't know how people think in terms of hundreds of millions. I don't even know what I did last week.
The sketches are brilliant as usual!
Yikes, I might have to watch that, but it also might keep me up at night! So much to think about!
Yes, same here, it's tricky to get your head around the numbers, but posts like this, and the Netflix programmes, really help. I think it's important to try and understand our planet and then we can appreciate its wonders all the more.
I don't know this area of the US, Amy, but I love to hear about it. All that lava is just incredible to try and understand. Thanks for doing the research and for sharing it in such a powerful and accessible way. And your sketches just add to the excitement of reading!
Well, I am a geologist and I loved seeing your sketches of rocks, lava and volcanoes. For us, each road trip or airplane flight is a trip through time, thinking about how the landscapes evolved. Ray Troll captured this well in his painting "Every Roadcut Asks a Question." (how can I share a photo?)
There's actually a book about how geologists think:
Earth and Mind: How Geologists Think and Learn about the Earth
Author(s) Cathryn A. Manduca; David W. Mogk, 2006.
Portland is a wonderful place to appreciate volcanoes, because (besides the big ones like Mt. Hood) you have the Boring Volcanic Field within the metropolitan area, consisting of more than 80 cinder cones and small shield volcanoes (don't worry, they're dormant though, but not boring).
Finally, you have a wonderful local resource, Dr. Scott Burns, who recently retired from Portland State. He gives entertaining talks to the public on Oregon geology, so try to catch him sometime.
burnss@pdx.edu
Love this subject! I went into biology, then became a vet, while my best buddy was a geology major, and our cross pollination was always a gas for both of us.
Well, I'll never think about Silver Falls the same way again! Love these stories. I can't wait for the next one. I suspect that after reading the conclusion, I'm going to have to say in my best Paul Harvey voice, "And now you know...the REST of the story."
Fantastic story. Can't wait for next chapter.
Gorgeous plein air art!
This PBS series has an episode about the Siberian Traps, lava flows that sounded much bigger than your Yellowstone ones.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/series/ancient-earth/
I've also heard about the Deccan Traps in India, but don't know anything more detailed.
Biologists are pretty good at thinking on long time scales, but we miss out on the specifics of the landscape. I missed out on basic geology during undergrad and have always regretted it.
One of the talking heads in that series is Robert Hazen, whose theory of mineral evolution I wrote about here.
http://www.intergalacticmedicineshow.com/cgi-bin/mag.cgi?do=columns&vol=randall_hayes&article=008
Love the watercolors, by the way.
I’ll check it out!
Everytime I pick up a cool rock and start to contemplate how many million of years old it must be, my brain can hardly comprehend it. Thanks for bringing the story of Silver Falls to life!
Hi Amy, I am behind on reading your newsletters. After reading this one, I wondered if someone has told you about a book titled, ' Timefulness: how thinking like a geologist can help save the world' ? If mot take a look at your libraries blurb about the book. I heard the author interviewed on NPR and added her book to my ever expanding library list.
I would like to see lessons in drawing people at some point in the future. I have very much enjoyed my subscription thus far! ☺️ Nancy Jane