I am a nature nerd and one of the things that I long to see more than anything when I am out exploring the woods are woodland turtles. Woodland turtles have become scarce over the last few decades due to habitat loss, collisions with automobiles, and the pet trade. The two main woodland turtles found in the northeast are the eastern box turtle and the wood turtle, both of which are listed as species of concern on the MA endangered…
It’s mid morning on the beach and the ocean is unbelievably calm. A gentle breeze tousles my hair while I sit listening to the ocean breathe. The soft waves spill onto the satin sand with a sigh. Then a deep inhale sweeps the water back homeward. The light shimmering on the surface shines like a thousand gleaming fish. An osprey slices the surf, plucking its prey with turquoise-tinged talons and then disappears over the dunes. This morning I saw four…
Cape Cod in autumn is a magical place. Perfect weather, gorgeous beaches, glimpses of wild nature, and best of all, no crowds! I spent the weekend camping in Nickerson State Park with my three aunts, and needless to say, we had a wonderful time. I decided to stay an extra night on my own, and the park is nearly deserted. My company this evening was a precious cottontail rabbit who chose to forage near me as I ate my dinner. …
This past weekend, I travelled to my home state of New York to attend the DEC sponsored Becoming an Outdoors Woman program in the Adirondacks. The program offers dozens of classes in outdoor skills such as hunting and fishing, map and compass, how to preserve food, reading the landscape, and much, much more. There are four sessions (so you pick four classes) throughout the weekend. I took classes in Adirondack ecology, field dressing, taxidermy, and tree identification. It was incredible…
I’ve been camping and doing nothing in particular in northern Minnesota for the last week. It’s been a long time since I’ve travelled without a plan or itinerary and it feels really refreshing. I have a pretty low key life in general, but it often feels clenched and tight like a balled fist. What a relief it is to let everything go. I love the sense of freedom on the road. An alternate reality presents itself. I quickly forget about…
The desert is sparkling with bouquets of wildflowers in shades of salmon and sunshine, striking violet, soft white, and rich velvety red. Each day I notice a different kind of flower stretching toward the vast open sky, flourishing in the warmth of the sun with a flash of ephemeral beauty. It’s miraculous to witness these blooms springing out of the dusty, dry soil. I’ve been in southern UT for the past week, camping in and near Capitol Reef National Park. …
I’ve seen a lot of amazing places over the last week or so. I drove from the Columbia River Gorge through the rippling brown grasslands of eastern Oregon and Washington, through the sweeping evergreen mountains of Idaho, and into the big sky country of Montana. Each place I visited captured my imagination, but none so much as Glacier National Park, where I have been for the last several days. There are no words to describe it and pictures cannot begin…
It’s my birthday! And that means it’s time for my annual birthday blog post. This year, I’m spending it in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where we are camping and hiking for several days. Our campsite is right on the Little River at Elkmont Campground, and apparently, we lucked out by getting what veteran campers here refer to as “the primo site” (Site F8, if you happen to be going there). And I can see why! It’s private, quiet,…
It’s peak foliage season here in Western Mass. The weather has been spectacular, with striking blue skies and streams of sunlight pouring through the fiery foliage. Leaves appear to glow, They rattle and rustle as if in a shamanic trance. And then they rain down, like gold coins, spreading a wealth of riches on the forest floor. I’ve always thought that fall foliage is nature’s fireworks display. It starts slowly – a burst of orange and red here and there,…
April 21, 2017 Today, I am honoring myself. It is my 40th birthday and I am spending it outdoors in the wilderness of Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas. I can think of no better way to celebrate than by reveling in the wonders of the natural world. I cannot think of anywhere else that I would feel such a sense of peace and connection with the grand web of life – a connection which particularly bears reflecting on as…