THE SPRUCE TREE JOURNAL

A place of refuge, a time of peace, a message of hope.

September 2025

Welcome to the September issue of The Spruce Tree Journal.

August was a hot one, including my stay in Arizona. Seems like the hotter it got, the more I thought about the cold, especially the coolness on top of the mountains.

One year I climbed Mt. Washington in January. It was 90 below with the wind chill. And I’ve been up there during a July snowstorm, too. I love the cold. For me, standing on a mountaintop, especially a cold one, has a way of stripping the superfluous away and allowing me to focus on the details. The Canadian Rockies, the Whites, Cascades… I’m in agreement with the psalmist when he wrote: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains…(121),” and with the editors of Mountain Gazette: “When in doubt, go higher.”

Blog

Conquest is not a Gift

Dry, cold air, the kind that feels like tiny, sharp teeth whipped up by the wind, nipped at my nose and cheeks that July day.

The 10,358-foot summit of South Sister in central Oregon terminates at a small rock outcrop at the far rim of this sleeping volcano – only a quarter-mile trudge away across the snow-covered frozen Teardrop Pool, a crater lake on top of this mountain.

Monthly Mantra

I am not what I am called. I am what I answer to.

This is something you need to remind yourself every day.

Word Search

Be aware of this month's word manifestation during your travels over the next few weeks.

Orophile - person who finds peace and serenity, and connects with themselves more deeply in mountainous settings; a lover of mountains.

Behind me is the Illecillewaet Glacier, located high up in the Canadian Rockies.

This Month's Photo

Just Because...

A photo from my files.

Bobcat

Second Helping

Pearl Couscous with Herbs, Vegetables, and Cheese

This dish is a super comfort food, especially during the hot months. It is flavorful, easy to digest and pairs well with a tall glass of lightly lemon-flavored ice water.

Technically, this makes four servings, but who makes up these guidelines? Seems like only two servings to the average mortal. Sometimes this is a whole meal on its own for me.

Calorie Content: It doesn’t make a difference. You can walk it off later.

Click the link below for full recipe.

This dish is a super comfort food, especially during the hot months. It is flavorful, easy to digest and pairs well with a tall glass of lightly lemon-flavored ice water.

Technically, this makes four servings, but who makes up these guidelines? Seems like only two servings to the average mortal. Sometimes this is a whole meal on its own for me.

Calorie Content: It doesn’t make a difference. You can walk it off later.

Click the link below for full recipe.

Full Recipe

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More information, including the past Blogs, Second Helping recipes, and my publication history, are found at www.thespurcetreejournal.com.