Spring feature image

Spring time is tree-cutting time

topdogRural Living 2 Comments

Our five-month winter has finally packed up and moved out. Talk about over-staying your welcome. It started the first week of November. The snow fell, and it still hasn’t completely left. In fact just a couple weeks ago it added another foot and a half. Personally, I think a nice white Christmas is nostalgic and pleasant enough. Heck, even a snowy New Year is fine with me since we usually stay home anyway. And I …

Buzz Rubisco on the moon

One Single-Step for Man, One Cumulative Selection for Mankind

topdogBeliefs, Unpopular Opinions 3 Comments

Last week John Wilder presented a challenging post talking about the protein/enzyme RuBisCo (you can read his post here). It is the remarkable protein in plants that breaks down CO2 and is essential to life on Earth. In the post he argued that the probabilities of RuBisCo folding itself properly to do what it does were astronomically high and therefore signified the intentional actions of a higher power, God. Here is John’s summation: It is …

Chuy feature image

Charming Chuy

topdogPet Portraits 3 Comments

This is smilin’ Chuy. Like most little dogs, he makes up for a lack of physical stature by means of a massive personality. I love this portrait! Let me tell you why. First off, you can’t look at Smilin’ Chuy without smiling back. I think I captured his happy nature with this portrait. Secondly, in terms of technique, I love the sense of depth I created by carefully placing dark areas next to lighter areas. …