Species #23 to #29 Dates: 22 March and 1-7 March 2020 These were the "Lifeforms of the Day" for the past week ... they originally appeared on this Facebook page. If you would like to follow that page you will get a new species to enjoy and learn about each day until some [...]
Solitude with a Spade - A New Garden Journal Gardening is balm for the soul Coronavirus is here and until there is a treatment or a vaccine, at least a year away, it is sensible to be realistic and accept that social distancing at least is going to be with us for [...]
Species #16 to #22 Dates: 15 March and 21 March 2020 These were the "Lifeforms of the Day" for the past week ... they originally appeared on this Facebook page. If you would like to follow that page you will get a new species to enjoy and learn about each day until some [...]
Gradually the snow is melting and daytime temperatures are mostly a touch above freezing point )well below at night) - even the very first snowdrop shoot has popped its head up. The early returning birds have appeared - principally huge clocks of Canada Geese and plenty of male Red-winged Blackbirds strutting their [...]
Species #9 to #15 Dates: 8 -14 March 2020 These were the "Lifeforms of the Day" for the second week ... they originally appeared on this Facebook page. If you would like to follow that page you will get a new species to enjoy and learn about each day until some embuggerment or [...]
J has two volumes of a cookery book published in 1901 that belonged to her grandmother. Fascinating reading - “The past is a foreign country” really takes on meaning looking through this. So - suggestions for your next dinner party of family meal menu. Three courses, of course: Fish - Cold salmon [...]
Species #1 to #8 Dates: 24 February and 1-7 March 2020 These are the "Lifeforms of the Day" for the past week ... they originally appeared on this Facebook page. If you would like to follow that page you will get a new species to enjoy and learn about each day until some [...]
I was leading a field trip (ie: guided morning birding walk) in the arboretum earlier today. A gloriously sunny, but cool, morning. Birding was hard but we managed to find a satisfying dozen-plus-one species altogether which is par for the course at this time of the year unless you are very lucky. [...]
1000 Species - One a Day Although I was never a train-spotter (non-Brits will want to look up the nerdish significance of that) I have rarely been able to resist keeping lists of things. In particular I have kept lists of bird species that I have seen, which will not surprise anyone who [...]
Messy Eater Blood on the Snow We’ve noted before that the berries on the native Viburnum triloba are eaten in the fall while those on the similar European species (Guelder rose) are left until well into the New Year. Obviously those of the native species are more palatable while the [...]