I’ve heard it’s possible to balance an egg, or even a broom, on its end on the date of the equinox. There’s a good chance you’ve heard the same thing. It sounds incredible, but it’s true.There’s...
Articles & Stories
Attack!
A kite’s call sounded overhead. My family and I were walking in our neighborhood in early summer, near a tall old pine. I felt a rush of wind, and something tugged at my braid. I looked up to see a...
The Brave Honey Badger
Honey badger—does his name make you think of a cute and cuddly animal? A honey badger may be cute, but he is certainly not cuddly! This aggressive little animal (20-30 lb) is not afraid of anything!...
My Red-headed Woodpecker
I sat in the room with the door closed, the lights off, and the window open. It was 11:00 a.m., and we had been seeing the Red-headed Woodpecker at our feeders all morning. I had decided to try for...
Living Lights
My eyes were glued to the western sky as I searched the darkness for incoming lights. Although it was the fourth of July, 2021, I wasn’t watching a fireworks display, nor was I looking for an...
Announcing Nature Friend’s Birding w/Friends Contest, 2021
The month of September is a great month to go birding. Many songbirds, shorebirds, and raptors are migrating. Even early waterfowl migrants can be found at times. Our family does not normally have...
Treasures of the Forest
Treasure hunts are lots of fun, aren’t they? The suspense of knowing that something special is hidden, prolonged by the fact that it takes effort to find! It was with that sort of feeling that we...
Exploring Nature, Summer
Children in Iceland rescue young puffins at night that are attracted to town lights, and release them at coast in the morning.Watch for noctilucent clouds through August.Salmon are running in Alaska...
Our Wildflower Walk
On the first Sunday in May, Dad announced, “Let’s go to Rexmont for a drive on such a nice day.” “We could take our wildflower guide and a notebook,” I decided. “And let’s see how many wildflowers...
Comet-dust Streaks
I turned over from my back to my side. My husband was soundly asleep beside me, and yet I couldn’t drop off. Suddenly, a thought awakened me even farther. This was August 11, and I had read earlier...
Treasure-trove in the Woods
The day was perfect for my annual wildflower hunt. On a day like this, it was hard to decide—should I look up for birds or down for flowers? With my trusty Alpen binoculars slung around my neck, I...
Don’t Forget the Peppers!
What fruit is often harvested and eaten before it is ripe? Why, peppers, of course. Green peppers are used in many recipes and eaten raw as well. Personally, I prefer mine ripe. But with peppers...
Exploring Nature, Summer
Photo © Kevin Shank. The Great Migration of Wildebeests are at the banks of the Grumeti River. Here they pass through crocodile-infested water.Black-light for moths.Sugar for moths. Add yeast to...
Spring Peeper
Somewhere in the darkness just ahead was what I was searching for. I had not seen it, but I was hearing it—a high-pitched, shrill, peep, peep, peep. Actually there were hundreds of peeps all around...
Our Long Wait
“You wouldn’t believe how yucky the holly bushes are!” Sheila breezed into our office, bringing with her the silken presence of fresh air. It was still March and the air was chilly, but alive with...