Recently a few friends asked me why I became a wildlife rehabilitator, so I thought I would share my story for anyone who is interested. I have always had a deep affinity for the natural world. This was not nurtured; it was just something I was born with. In fact, as a child I had little understanding of the natural world, but I saw the damage that mankind was inflicting on it very clearly. As I became older, my understanding…
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…
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 had two flocks of turkeys pass through my yard today. I stopped to watch them, and in those moments, there was nothing else happening in the world. The sky rumbled, grey and pouty, as it began to spit like a child having a temper tantrum. I stood at my window, watching the golden maple leaves sway carelessly to the ground, feeling aware of the comfort of my home. Memories of my lifetime of autumns passed in an instant, as…
I woke up this morning feeling depleted and bereft after pushing too hard against my natural rhythm all week. The burning question in my mind was, “What’s the point?” I honestly couldn’t say. I went out into the garden, knowing that connecting with living, growing things is usually balm for my soul. I picked raspberries, gently plucking the sweet thimble-like fruit into a well worn paper pint container – a simple and kindly reassuring task. I harvested beans and tomatoes,…
The following is a guest post by Rob Fletcher, originally written for his blog At Your Best. It is about our experience rescuing a stranded skunk, and I couldn’t have written anything more perfect about this beautiful and poignant moment. I’ve also included a video of some of the skunks I have been caring for at the wildlife rehabilitation facility that I volunteer at. Please enjoy. Another 90 degree summer day, another work day done, another evening summer swim in the…
I have a confession to make. I have been dreading winter since the last dreamy, verdant weeks of summer. But as summer turned to autumn and then autumn to winter, I have found myself befriending the cold, quiet days and the long, dark nights. The air feels crisp and invigorating on my face during my contemplative wanderings through the woods. There is a stillness that fills the forest, which I find peaceful and soothing, and the early nightfall gives me…
Nearly every afternoon, a flock of turkeys comes through my yard. Today, they arrived around 3:40, emerging from the woods in a tidy single file line, like a group of school children. There are 9 of them now, down from the original 14 that I counted over the summer. But they are a healthy and robust crew, and it’s always a pleasure to watch them scrape and scramble eastward through the yard. Turkeys travel one to two miles a day,…
It’s been a challenging week. I’ve been struggling to go at a pace that my body doesn’t like. Meanwhile, life around me is slowing down. The leaves are starting to fall, the garden is winding down, and even the weeds seem to have stopped growing. The days are getting shorter, animals are preparing for winter, and there is less energy all around. Mother Nature is getting ready for the long winter’s rest ahead. So why shouldn’t I? Autumn is perhaps…