Recovery!

     Recently I read an article in the Syracuse Post Standard that a lake in the Adirondacks Park was discovered to have native species of trout that apparently had survived the acidification from rain in the 1960's and 1970's.   As coal fired generating plants have reduced emissions the lakes of the Adirondacks have recovered enough to support both native and stocked trout.  This article prompted me to remember a Cornell academic associate E. Stanley Shepardson who passed on several years ago well into his 90's.   I have a special connection to him since he was my undergraduate advisor at Cornell. 
    In relation to acid rain effects on ponds and lakes of the Adirondacks the destruction of fishing was especially painful to my advisor.   He was as avid a fly fisherman that I ever knew.  His passion for that activity mirrors the passion that many of us have for skiing!   And just imagine if our ski venues were to suffer that same devastation as the ponds and lakes.   Global warming seems to be a threat for our southerly ski areas and maybe we have a responsibility to work toward mitigating the sources this change in our environment.   If we work hard enough we might be able to see recovery of glaciers that have disappeared.
      Back to the issued of the acid rain and recovery.  The good news that recovery seems to be happening is encouraging.   So what did E. Stanley Shepardson do about the acid rain issues in the 1960's and ;1970's?   Shepardson and colleagues who were members of the Adirondack League Club attempted to neutralize the effects of acid rain.   The base lime was injected into the bottom of some of the ponds as a means of neutralizing the acid with the hope of restoring some of the favorite fishing ponds.   I don't know if their efforts actually were sufficient to overcome the the continuing acid rains, but at least they tried.
    Recovery seems to be on the horizon these 40 to 50 years later.   Is that the time table for combating global warming?   Shepardson did not live long enough to see native trout recover.    Will my children and grandchildren live long enough to see us recover from global warming ?  I hope so!  As avid skiers they surely will want to have great snowfalls on their favorite slopes.

What Kind of Body?

    I participate in a book study at our church that is a free wheeling discussion of our faith journeys.   The current book is Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis.   The author is a provocative thinker and sort of lay theologian.  However, that is not where I am going with this commentary.  I am prompted to do this blog based on remark arising out of a question about Christian belief of resurrection of the body.
Our pastors comment was, " If there is such a thing, what kind of body should I expect; one of a 17 year old?"   As I mused on that comment I couldn't help but relate it to my geezer skier friends commentaries about the nature of their demise.    Many will comment that they would prefer to go out of this world on the ski slope, enjoying a great run down the mountain or at least after a great day on  the slopes.   In the lore of our ski area there are stories of folks who did just that.
     Most of us in our senior years would prefer to pack it in while still active and somewhat hale and hearty rather than lingering on.   However, getting back to the potential for after life it is nice to think of some kind of restoration of a body or existence that would allow us to experience some of thrills and pleasures of our earthly life..  So I am not sure where I stand on this matter of the kind of body I would like to have.   For the moment, I am just concentrating on maintaining what I have.
      Recently  at our Geezer Skiers monthly lunch we had a physical therapist promote to us a 10 week conditioning program for the senior skier.   I guess that is a process for resurrecting the body.   Regardless of where we are on the spectrum of mobility or health, enjoying and being thankful for each day is plenty for me.