The natural world, life, and dogs.
Let me tell you the story of snow in my piece of Vermont, mostly through photos with brief descriptions. January was frigid. Trust me, it was cold. Temperatures dipping close to -30F a couple of nights, well below zero most nights, and some days not making it above zero. Add wind gusts of 15-30 mph… Continue reading A Snow Story
Finn barks when asking to come inside. Conall carefully clicks a toenail on the glass. That fundamental characteristic of Alaskan Malamutes – their quietness – is why I love them. They are sensitive to noise. They're keen listeners, hearing and interpreting the most subtle sounds. I’ve learned to listen through them, paying attention when they… Continue reading Do Nothing but Listen
I've been writing. A lot. I'm working on The Wolf Book, but also... ...a Kindle Vella project. A series of stories. More on that in a future post. For now, I'll let my local landscape - and my dogs - provide the content for this post, illustrating how quickly the scenery changes in this "shoulder… Continue reading Cold Landscapes
It’s a rainy, dark and cold Saturday evening in Vermont. I’ve built a fire in the wood stove and poured myself a glass of wine. I’m in a nostalgic mood. I’ve been thinking about how, in two ways, I manage to bring a little bit of Kansas with me wherever I go: a desk, and… Continue reading Kansas to Vermont
One recent morning, as the boys and I were finishing our two-mile perambulation through the fields and woods across the road, I noticed a Monarch butterfly leave the maple trees alongside our path and begin its effortless dance through the air, in search of nectar. Then another Monarch departed from the maples just ahead of… Continue reading Poetic Fliers: Monarch Butterflies
It's that time of year again! Wildflower photo bloopers. While my dogs and I are out running or hiking in the forest, I enjoy taking photos of wildflowers and vistas. Conall and Finn patiently wait for me, usually following their noses nearby until I'm ready to start moving again. Most of my photos take mere… Continue reading Dog Photobombs IX – April – May 2021
I love the gentle surprises the forest offers me when I'm paying attention. Even better when it's one of my dogs that alerts me to the surprise. When I see something new, unusual, and/or intriguing, I take photos or record video/audio if I can, and back home, start researching to learn more. A couple days… Continue reading A Dusky Grouse Encounter
If I had to choose just one, I would say spring is my favorite season in the forest. The emerging wildflowers boldly shout, Wake up! Time to party! Sunflowers (arrowleaf balsomroot) covered in raindrops. After months of running through a winter landscape limited to white snow, brown tree trunks and green pine needles, my eyes… Continue reading Transitions
I've read that ravens and crows often show appreciation to people who feed them by gifting bright or shiny objects, leaving them where the human(s) will find them. Pretty rocks, buttons, beads, earrings, sticks. My evolving fascination with the raven pair that consider my house, yard and field their territory has led me to do… Continue reading A Gift from the Ravens?
Baby steps. I'm learning that's what it takes to get ravens to trust me. I'm good with that. I’m growing inordinately fond of the raven pair that have been enjoying the voles Conall catches, along with the occasional marrow bone I toss over the fence after the boys are done with them. I find these… Continue reading Building Trust with Ravens
Wild Sensibility 