Category Archives: Winter
“Red and green, together be seen, in the dark times of the year. Red and green, together be seen, to bring us hope and cheer.” Even though the deciduous trees have shed their leaves and the herbaceous plants have died back to their roots and/or sent out their hopes and dreams for future generations in…
Weasels, otter, and mink, oh my! The Mustelidae is a family that includes living slinkys and sliders: the long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata), ermine or short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea), least weasel (Mustela nivalis), mink (Mustela vison), and river otter (Lutra canadensis). These slender, long-bodied, short-legged mammals have a distinct bounding track pattern, which can be punctuated,…
The first Saturday in March has proven to be perfect tracking weather. The snow is firm enough so that lighter animals (i.e., non-humans) are not punching through too deeply, but just enough to leave clear prints. One can see the clear X in the four-digit print of the red fox and the five-digit prints of…
Autumn is about letting go; being present in the release. You don’t forget the past; you let go of its hold on you, and it becomes mulch for your growth. The Law of Return You can learn quite a bit about your own processes by looking at Nature’s processes. Flora consume nutrients throughout the growing…
Sunday There was a crispness that you could walk right into – and I did. The cold air caught in my throat and I swallowed winter. The ice glistened in a sunny day that couldn’t quite touch the chill. As I walked my ears were met with the tales chickadees tell one another in the…
“Dee-dee-dee” I call. My chickadee neighbors respond, “Dee-dee-dee.” They flitter in as they chatter in happy call and response. I can only imagine they are saying something to the effect of: “The Seed Lady is back; breakfast is served.” I feel like Giselle from that film Enchanted. She calls out “ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah” and from all…
Last summer I was noticing quite a few rabbits around our home. They seemed to be breeding, well, like bunnies. And they ate all our strawberries and then our Brussels sprouts! There has got to be checks and balances. Who would balance this equation? Meet Bobbi. Bobbi is a bobcat (Felis rufus) who moved in…
How the Otter Half Lives (in Winter) The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), a member of the subfamily Lutrinae, in the weasel family (Mustelidae), is an equal opportunity player on both land and water. This mustelid LOVES to have a good time! And in winter you can find their slides along the forest floor,…
Hearken to Avalon 