Nature

Duke’s Beautiful Campus, Academic Excellence and Mixed Legacy
Duke University's Gothic architecture and academic excellence alongside its mixed historical legacy makes it a microcosm of the American South's historical dilemmas.

Japan’s Poignant Cherry Blossom Season
Japan's annual cherry blossom season conveys a timely message of renewal, transience and death in a year of global tragedy.

Peace Village
We take a look back at a remote Chinese village that is now a crowded tourist destination.

Apocalyptic Outing
We take a (semi)-humorous look at what a Saturday afternoon outing is like in the fall of 2020.

Nature Trails
Urban nature trails are more important than ever as other exercise and recreation venues have been closed.

Inside a Chinese Painting
Take a quick break and enjoy spectacular scenery on a boat trip down the Li River near Guilin, China.

Springtime in the Rockies
It's springtime in Utah's Rockies. Photographer Forrest Anderson captured the stunning scenery.

Private Paradises Amid Adversity
Sheltering at home has been accompanied by an outpouring of creativity that can help us cope with adversity and shape our future.

Return of the Victory Garden
A resurgence of gardening has accompanied sheltering at home during the pandemic, invoking victory gardens of the two world wars.

Home is a Destination, Too
Need a five-minute stress reliever while sheltering at home? See these photos of my beautiful mountain village of Mapleton, Utah.

Green Thumbometer
Gardening can be a good way to relieve stress and get fresh air during the coronavirus shutdown. Here are a new tool and tips.

Lighthouse, Tide Pools and Seals
Yaquina Head, Ore., has one of the Pacific Coast’s premier tide pool observation sites, a lighthouse and seal and seabird colonies.

Meditation and Japan’s Rock Garden
Meditation is the theme of the Ryoanji dry rock garden. Find out why the garden inspires meditation and how to meditate.

Utah’s Rock Stars
Utah's spectacular scenery harbors one of the world's most complete and diverse dinosaur fossil records.

Eating Food in Season
Eating locally grown food in season is a great strategy for weight loss, good health, saving money and protecting the environment.

Giant Buddha, Giant Hall
An emperor built a giant Buddha to unify his struggling country, as the center of a network of Buddhist temples throughout Japan.

The River That Keeps on Giving
The mammoth Colorado River is the lifeblood of the southwest United States, supplying water and power for cities and agriculture.

Japanese Design Past and Present
Architect Kengo Kuma's village at the Portland Japanese Garden blends modern architecture with traditional Japanese design.

Dolls with Souls
Japan's magnificent tradition of fine doll making is a miniature window into the nation's culture and history.

The Elephant Needs the Room
Despite tough bans on ivory trade, Africa's elephants are declining in numbers because of poaching and trafficking of illegal ivory.

Visit Utah’s National Parks
Utah state and local governments and organizations are chipping in to keep national parks operating during the government shutdown.

How is Utah Changing?
The Utah population boom, fueled by economic growth and an image of a healthy, family-friendly state, is expected to be long-term.

Katsura Villa’s Enigmatic Design
Modernist architects admired Katsura Villa as the pinnacle of Japanese architecture and design. It is more complex than they thought.

Green thumb challenged? Grow rocks
Okay, so you don’t have green thumbs. We don't either. Not to worry. Rock gardens are the next best option.

Fire! Is this the new norm?
Are record wildfires the new norm in the West? As fires threaten homes and communities, here are answers to questions about them.

Making a Japanese Gate
We were charmed by the beautiful gates that are the entrance to homes in Kyoto and Nara, Japan, so we decided to make our own.

Retreat by Design
What makes a retreat restful and soul restoring? A former imperial retreat in Kyoto, Japan, gets retreat design just right.

Garden in the Desert
One of the Intermountain West’s most beautiful gardens is at the Point of the Mountain between Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah.

Feathers of a Bird
Of all creatures, only birds have feathers. These delicate, sophisticated, beautiful structures perfectly combine form and function.

Elements of a Japanese Garden
Imagine you're sitting in Los Angeles traffic on a hot day. Take a break and head for a cool green oasis - Suihoen Japanese Garden

The Wasatch Back
The Wasatch Back is the chief year-round playground for residents of the booming Wasatch Front in Utah.

Timpanogos Cave
A wierd and wonderful cave system holds the heart of Mt. Timpanogos, near Provo, Utah.

The Chesapeake’s Shrinking Isle
Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay is rich in history but shrinking in land and population.

Salt Water Cure, Change of Scene
Changes in the air, the light and the sounds all add up to a new perspective.