I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.
–Rosalia de Castro (1837-1885)
Hi, I’m Julie Gomez—writer, illustrator, and photographer who enjoys hiking, fly fishing, and reading paperbacks. I live with my husband Chris in the Northwest Cascade foothills of Oregon’s Mount Hood Territory. An outstanding place with diverse habitat and wildlife, jagged mountains, and cool canyons, temperate rain forests, pristine meadows, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, and springs. A divine wilderness richly steeped in natural history, historic sites, villages, and legends. All precious gifts for which we are grateful.
✎ About this blog . . .
Nature Chronicles—interactions with the wild things in the Pacific Northwest, is for all who enjoy the outdoors. I believe that in nature, there are lessons to be learned, and stories to be shared. It’s about curiosity, seeing like a child again—a wildflower along a forest trail, or turning a rock to watch an ant colony. It is about encounters with angry yellow jackets, and hungry, mischievous black bears, and dragonflies that bite! It’s the thrill of standing knee-deep in a cold river when the salmon return to spawn, or finding a handful of garter snakes coiled in the hollow of an alder tree. It’s the renewal of warm summer breezes, frantic spring thunderstorms, horrific windstorms, chilling winter ice, and feet of snow. It is these interactions and more that draws me in, and I invite you to join me, and become nature inspired!
Live life outdoors! And thanks for stopping by!
Books by Julie Gomez are available at Amazon: Guide to Collecting Wild Herbs, Guide to Medicinal Wild Fruits & Berries and a Guide to Deadly Herbs
To view or purchase photos visit my SmugMug
Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Chronicles, photographs and artwork are the sole property of the author (unless otherwise noted). Use by any means is prohibited without prior written permission from the author.
Nature Chronicles 
I loved “A Mouse In the House”. I learned a couple of things from it. 1) I didn’t know about the hantavirus thing. I’m going to have to look into that some more. 2) I didn’t know mice could growl, either. Lol. Although, I’ve heard that here in Southwest we have grasshopper mice that will throw their heads back and howl like tiny, shrill wolves. Man, I wish I could witness that!
That is fascinating. I didn’t know mice could howl. Thanks so much for sharing. It seems we both learned something new. 😉
Thanks for dropping by friendlyfairytales. Your world looks amazing.
You’re welcome, Brenda, and likewise! 🙂
Hugely kind of you to drop by my largely uncultivated secondary blog and ‘like’ my bee house thing. Now I can’t get ‘Guide to Deadly Herbs’ out of my head. I’d assumed all herbs were benign. Better watch out… RH
My pleasure, RH. Love that bee house of yours. We saw our first swarm of California mason bees this year. They took up an old, abandoned bee house, so am going to add a new one for next spring. Hope you enjoy “A Guide to Deadly Herbs.” Stay safe, and thank you for visiting my blog.
Another good read about a young woman hiking the Appalachia in four months on her own is Becoming Odyessa by Jennifer Davis. Her style of writing takes you on the journey with her.
Sounds wonderful! I will look that one up. Thank you!
Thank you for creating your wonderful blog. All souls need the touch, feel, smells and sights of nature.
Thank you so much. They sure do, and for those that don’t, they are truly missing out.
Glad I found your blog. I used to live in the Portland area, since then I’ve moved to Russia. I’m now exploring Russia and having a ball doing it. But I must admit I miss the northwest. Here on your blog I’ll get a chance to get filled up with the beauty that I spent so much time in. Thanks.
Hi there!
Thank you so much! Glad I can help out by sharing a slice of Oregon with you.
Getting a glimpse now and then is like a fix. I miss it but glad I’m here.
Glad you popped in on me. We certainly are kindred spirits regarding the outdoors. I’m just taking a new tact with the Antlantic Coast of Maine via a kayak I co-designed and co-built. There is a plan in the works to build another one without help of the Aleutian style. Shh, don’t tell yet.
I too live above 1200 ft with Mt. Madison and the Twin Peaks of Adams in my front yard.
I look forward to reading your blog, including older posts. I can’t read every day but will stop in several times a week.
Thanks again for choosing to follow me. I would have nevr found your blog.
Hi Jude, (kindred spirit)!
Thank you also for following! I post once a month so you will have plenty of time to catch up. Congrats with your kayak, it sounds very interesting. Looking forward to reading all about it. Wishing you safe travels! 😊
Great. Glad have time to catch up a bit. Thanks again.
Hi Julie
My book about soil with your picture of Frankia nodules will be published in English by Springer. I will also make the Swedish version downloadable on my webpage. Is that OK with you?
Håkan
Hi Hakan,
Yes, that is fine. I would love to have a signed copy of the English version, and am looking forward to reading it. It is good hearing from you, and thanks for keeping in touch. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Best to you,
Julie
Great quote, Julie! I very much enjoy your blog.
Cheers! Karen
Thank you, Karen. Good to have you along! It’s always nice to hear from readers. And thank you for reading Nature Chronicles. 🙂
I see you cited Rosalia de Castro. I quoted part of a poem of hers on my language blog a few years ago. Even if you don’t read Galician or Spanish, there’s a link in that post to an English translation. Coincidentally, the poem starts out by mentioning plants in spring:
http://wordconnections.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/tu/
Thanks, Steve, for your comment, and the link ~ appreciate it!
Wow! Your sketches are amazing!
Thank you so much, Rene, and it’s nice to meet you!
I hope you have a great holiday season. Thanks for the best wishes.
Have read a couple of your essays, and thoroughly enjoyed the visit… A great neck of the woods. I look forward to reading more.
Thank you for visiting, and for the wonderful comment. It’s an amazing world out there!
Hi, I found you through a Google search for images of evergreen needles. I LOVE your douglas fir sketch and am wondering if I could use or buy it? We are in the middle of nature study for science and I am creating a handout for my kids and our homeschool group on identifying evergreen trees. I would love to use your image (I also need a pine and spruce sketch if you have any) on our handout. I have a little blog on the side and am hoping to share the handout with other parents when it is done. (Hopefully to inspire families to get outside and engage in nature!) I’m wondering if you would be willing to email me to discuss the possibility of using or purchasing your images: Thank you!
Thank you Anne, for your interest. Your program sounds wonderful! I have sent you the information, and look forward to hearing from you.
Everyone seems to live near Mt Hood! Sounds a fantastic place to be..and look forward to hearing of your travels…
Hi Landy, Mount Hood is a beautiful and popular place for sure. Just 50 miles from the big city of Portland, it’s an easy day trip for most. All the best . . . and hope you get your mountain(s)!
Thanks!! My geography of AMerica has improved immensely
in recent times!! Take care…
I love that side of the continent (though i’ve yet to visit your part of it, south of the border with Canada…), so this blog is wonderful. And I’ve copied down your Rosalia de Castro quote, because I am beginning to collect and think about quotes re paths, and making our own path.
Hi Iceland Penny, and thank you for your gracious comment. I do feel very blessed to live in such a beautiful place as the Pacific Northwest. I do hope that you are able to visit the Northwest someday for you will not be disappointed. All the best along life’s path.
Hi Amalia—
Thank you for your comment. It’s one of my favorite quotes! : )
Inspiring quote from Rosalia de castro.
The blog was absolutely fantastic! Lots of great information and inspiration, both of which we all need!
Thank you.
Hi Julie
I liked your photo of a frankia nodule on an Alnus root. I wonder if I could use that photo in a book I am writing about soil. Unfortunately it will be in Swedish, otherwise I could have sent you a copy.
Best regards
Håkan Wallander
Sweden
Thank you Hakan for visiting, and your interest in the Frankia photo. Best of luck with your new book.
Keep up the good work.i will return often.
Nice, I’ve bookmarked the page in Digg.com under “Nature Chronicles”. Thanks.
Thank you for your comment, and for visiting.
I’m still learning from you, as I’m improving myself. I certainly enjoy reading everything that is posted on your website.Keep the posts coming. I loved it!
Thank you for your comments. It is always good to hear from readers.