Author Archives: rivertoprambles

About rivertoprambles

Welcome to Rivertop Rambles. This is my blog about the headwaters country-far afield or close to home. I've been a fly-fisher, birder, and naturalist for most of my adult life. I've also written poetry and natural history books for thirty years. In Rambles I will mostly reflect on the backcountry of my Allegheny foothills in the northern tier of Pennsylvania and the southern tier of New York State. Sometimes I'll write about the wilderness in distant states, or of the wild places in the human soul. Other times I'll just reflect on the domestic life outdoors. In any case, I hope you enjoy. Let's ramble!

Water Lines

Posted on December 7, 2021 by rivertoprambles

I hadn’t been fishing in a while and felt the need to reconnect. We’ve been working on the house all year, and some of the wettest months on record have produced poor opportunities for being on the water. Still, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged poetry, fishing, Water, dream, writing, animals, trout, work, tracks, water lines, mother nature, play, dialogue, connections | 7 Comments

In Praise of Hemlock

Posted on November 19, 2021 by rivertoprambles

Indeed, the most precious things of life are often close at hand, obtained with little cost, and we give our thanks for what sustains us. A short walk from my home is a grove of hemlock trees. I often enter … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birds, ecology, forests, hemlocks, John Burroughs, nature, poetry, preservation, solitude, spirituality, woolly adelgid, writing | 34 Comments

A Burnin’ Barrel Monologue

Posted on November 9, 2021 by rivertoprambles

“I remember when it wasn’t so easy getting there. We didn’t have a nice road along the crik. Had to come up out of Cross Fork, or else hike down along the Hogback on that path… what’s it called, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autumn, climate change, drinking, fishing, folklore, hiking, monologues, nature, Pennsylvania Wilds, photography, poetry, trout/salmon, writing | 12 Comments

Ten Years On, Still Learning

Posted on October 19, 2021 by rivertoprambles

Rivertop Rambles debuted 29 October 2011 with a short narrative commencing my Slate Run Odyssey series and the quiet start of a 10-year journey with this blog. I was certainly new to the game a decade ago and, frankly, I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged anniversary, blogging, celebration, education, fishing, odyssey, Rivertop Rambles, Slate Run, ten years on, writing | 29 Comments

Fishing the Cold Dew

Posted on October 12, 2021 by rivertoprambles

No, the Cold Dew isn’t some new trout stream I’ve discovered. Rather, it’s a mini-season designated for early October by the ancient Chinese. The ancients, like those of us responding to shorter daylight hours and to longer, cooler nights, took … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autumn, caddis, Cold Dew, fishing, heart, incompleat angler, mortality, nature, place, soul, trout, writing | 20 Comments

Cloud Forest/ Coffee House (Costa Rica #4)

Posted on September 17, 2021 by rivertoprambles

[For this fourth and final post directly relating to a recent trip to Costa Rica, I’m departing from a previous chronological narrative and incorporating a thematic approach including cloud-forest hikes and patio meditations. I hope that you’ve enjoyed the tour….] … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged biodiversity, birding, cloud forest, Costa Rica #4, hiking, hummingbirds, Monteverde, nature, Santa Elena, travel, writing | 22 Comments

Under the Volcano (Costa Rica #3)

Posted on September 10, 2021 by rivertoprambles

It was a long tedious drive north from Corcovado and the Osa Peninsula to Guanacaste Province and volcano country. We broke from the Pacific palm plantations and an endless line of fruit and vegetable vendors at the “Crocodile Bridge,” walking … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Arenal Volcano, birding, conservation, Costa Rica, crocodile, hiking, national parks, rainforest, Rincon de la Viega, Tenario Nat'l Park, travel, volcano, writing | 16 Comments

Corcovado (Costa Rica #2)

Posted on September 2, 2021 by rivertoprambles

National Geographic once referred to Costa Rica’s first established national park as “the most biologically intense place on Earth in terms of biodiversity.” From our previous station at Los Quetzales, we were headed down the Cordillera mountain range toward the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bahia Drake, biodiversity, birding, Corcovado, Costa Rica, hiking, monkeys, national parks, nature, Osa Peninsula, Pacific Ocean, Sierpe, travel, tropical wildlife | 12 Comments

Los Quetzales (Costa Rica #1)

Posted on August 27, 2021 by rivertoprambles

To its everlasting credit, the small nation of Costa Rica constitutionally abolished a standing military force in 1948 and pursued the goals of better education, healthcare and democracy. Progressive social and environmental programs are a hallmark of the current day, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged birding, Costa Rica #1, family, hiking, Los Quetzales, mountains, nature, Quetzal, Rio Savagre, travel | 20 Comments

Slow Sea Rising

Posted on July 20, 2021 by rivertoprambles

Casting for tarpon, paddling bioluminescent bays, adhering to a small boat in a storm-tossed sea, philosophizing in quaint tavernas, and getting lost on remote island trails are just a few of the experiences examined in my latest book– the fruit … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Costa Rica, islands, mountains, nature, poetry, Slow Sea Rising, travel, writing | 15 Comments