Springtime in the Swamp! New shoots coming up, the duckweed and lilies are greening, and the beavers are busy!
Wildlife
New Neighbors
Cutting to the chase - we have coyotes in the neighborhood. Truth be told, these days there are coyotes in most neighborhoods, but this is a new thing for me. I remember as a kid, maybe 15 years old, we heard one deep in the mountains of western Virginia on a backpacking trip - and…Read more New Neighbors
Iceland, 2019 – Part 2, Snæfellsnes Peninsula
We awoke to clearing skies. Not crystal blue, yet, but the clouds had risen enough to give us a clear view of Kirkjufell, across the harbor, and a better look at the mountains that surrounded Grundarfjörður. Our first night with no true darkness had gone reasonably well, aided by thick blackout shades and our undeniable…Read more Iceland, 2019 – Part 2, Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Cold, Heartless Beauty
I have to take a break from reminiscing about Iceland to share what's going on right now. We've been accumulating freezing rain and drizzle for the past few days. This morning the sun is out, and turning every ice-coated branch into a crystal chandelier. It's beautiful - but these trees are carrying a lot of…Read more Cold, Heartless Beauty
Puffins!
As I'm reminiscing on last summer's trip to Iceland (and working up videos, etc), I'm uncovering some photos that just make me smile. On the cliffs above Reynisfjara, a black sand beach with impressive caves and balsatic columns outside Vik, on Iceland's southern shore, dozens of puffins were nesting. These pudgy little birds were impressively…Read more Puffins!
Maui’s “Flame of the Forest” is an Out-of-Control Wildfire
During our 2018 trip to Hawai'i (see other posts for touristy and mostly outdoor adventures on the islands), we wound up taking a drive along the famous Road to Hana, on Maui. If you're unfamiliar, this route is a narrow (often single-lane) route that winds in and out of the canyons on the north shore…Read more Maui’s “Flame of the Forest” is an Out-of-Control Wildfire
Hawai’i 2018: Day 3 – Swimming with Mantas!
Way back in the summer of 2018, in the "before time", we could travel, and hang out in large groups. Remember those days? Ah, innocence. Little did we know... https://youtu.be/mlgaZRprj3A Day 3 on the Big Island started with that most fleeting of opportunities - sleeping in. We had an evening appointment requiring several hours in…Read more Hawai’i 2018: Day 3 – Swimming with Mantas!
Arctic Tern
Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisaea) have one of the longest migrations in the world, annually flying from the Arctic to the Antarctic, a distance of over 12,000 miles (19,000 km), AND BACK. As we were told in Iceland, this exertion leaves them perpetually ticked off. At one point during our Iceland summer (2019), we pulled off…Read more Arctic Tern
Last Snake of 2020
Out backpacking in mid-October, we saw two Timber Rattlesnakes cuddled up together for warmth, and then this friendlier Garter Snake on what was probably one of the year's last hunts. After this weekend, it started getting cold, quick. I'm sure he's underground somewhere now. Get Out There! http://www.flying-squirrel.org
COVID Camp
Times are strange. Even though a lot of what I like to do is, by its nature, remote - backpacking, canoeing/kayaking, sailing, etc - all these activities became extremely popular as soon as we started getting guidance not to congregate. The bars closed down and the trailheads clogged up. Add to that the challenges of…Read more COVID Camp
Earth Takes a Break
I'm about a week late in writing about Earth Day, but this subject seems to fit, so consider it my offering. Recently, someone challenged me to consider the COVID-19 outbreak from a non-human-centric point of view. The basic nature of the argument was this - if nothing else, the human tragedy associated with a global…Read more Earth Takes a Break
Red-Belly Nest
Signs of spring are everywhere right now. Fruit trees are starting to bloom, and the larger hardwoods are budding. Robins are everywhere (though in truth I've seen them all winter - they never really left), and the high school sailing team is back on the water. We've had no snow this winter, and very few…Read more Red-Belly Nest
Canine Wake-up Call
I have what is, mostly, a desk job. And so, recently, I got a FitBit. It's a little cliche, maybe, but this little robotic overlord on my wrist has served a purpose in that part of my life where I represent the target audience of sedentary office worker - and so it dutifully reminds me…Read more Canine Wake-up Call
It’s Too Warm!
It topped 70 degF at home this weekend (in the mid-Atlantic). Second week of January, and I'm in a T-shirt. It's not that this doesn't ever happen. Brief warm spells are a thing here - but we still haven't really gotten cold. The leaves are off the trees and it feels like April, with thunderstorms…Read more It’s Too Warm!
Night Music, Revisited
Last summer I introduced the idea of Night Music, that special cacophony of animals, insects, wind and whatever else that is unique to the night, and makes many an outdoor evening or camping trip that much more memorable. I was intrigued to find that many people hear almost nothing in their respective wild lands. Silence. …Read more Night Music, Revisited
