In the Summer 2008 issue of Granta--theme: the new nature writing--Seattle adoptee Jonathan Raban has an Columbia-River-sized essay titled "Second Nature." He's comparing the wilderness of the American West (the Northwest, most specifically) with the more domesticated natural landscape of England--and subsequently, the frame of mind where you inhabit a spot, or are just passing through. In the Northwest, he says:The real thing–-the pricelessly antique antique–-is deep forest, the river running wild, the open......

Congratulations are in order today for Patty Murray and Rick Larson, as a federal bill they both sponsored, aiming to declare Wild Sky Wilderness near Seattle a protected area is getting signed by our fearless leader, George W. Bush. So says the Times: The House gave final approval to the bill last month. It designates 167 square miles in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest north of Sultan, Wash., as federal wilderness, the government's highest level......