The natural world, life, and dogs.
My entire adult life, I've read about and seen photos of the fall colors in New England, Vermont in particular. "Some day," I would sigh. That day has arrived. And I'm here to tell you, Vermont lives up to its autumn leaves reputation. Growing up in western Washington, just outside Seattle, I was familiar with… Continue reading So. Many. Leaves!
Conall and I recently explored a bit of nearby Groton State Forest. At more than 26,000 acres, this forest is the second largest contiguous land holding of the State of Vermont. Conall strikes a pose as we head up the trail. The terrain is rolling, forested, and contains several bodies of water: Lake Groton (422… Continue reading Peacham Bog
No, I'm not angry. Rather, I'm gobsmacked by the beautiful array of reds nature puts on display in Vermont this time of year. And to think the autumn colors show is just getting started! Let me show you what I mean. I started noticing red started in the leaves carpeting a rail trail where Conall… Continue reading Seeing Red
For months now, my life has been in a state of upheaval. Leaving Idaho. Moving to Vermont. Settling in and adjusting. It has been a bumpy, scary, exciting and ultimately life-altering-in-a-good-way twelve months. This morning, walking through rain-soaked field grass with Finn and Conall, a light mist thickening the air and hushing the world around… Continue reading It’s Time to Write About Wolves
No, Woolly Bears aren't large, furry mammals like black, brown, panda, or polar bears. The Woolly Bears I'm referring to are insects. They're the adorably fuzzy black-with-rust-band caterpillars that appear throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada and Mexico every autumn, usually in September. I remember being delighted spotting them as a child growing up… Continue reading Woolly Bears: A Sign of Autumn
Anyone reading my blog knows I enjoy seeing, photographing, and learning about wildflowers. Moving to Vermont in July, I was eager to see and learn about the “new” wildflowers I would find here. Almost immediately my eye was caught by Queen Anne’s Lace. Big, showy, white flowers – actually clusters of tiny individual flowers –… Continue reading Queen Anne’s Lace
Yesterday evening, while walking Conall and Finn along our road, a car approached, slowed, and the passenger side window went down. A woman of about 80 leaned her head out, smiled and looking at Conall, said, "What a beautiful dog!" as her husband slowly drove by. They were driving a Subaru, the Vermont state car.… Continue reading Compliments and Perceptions
Maybe, like me, you endured school essay assignments where you had to compare and contrast something. Who knew that skill could end up being a useful blogging tool? Each day as I explore my new environment in Vermont, I can’t help but compare what I experience here to what I knew for the first 48… Continue reading Reinvention, Part Three: Comparing and Contrasting
Wild Sensibility 