On the winter solstice I went out hoping to catch a glimpse of the comet Leonard which is possibly visible just after sunset. Unfortunately I didn’t see any signs of it and became frustrated when clouds began to cover the horizon. It was a cold night with temperatures near 10 degrees F and I was … Continue reading A Winter Solstice Treat
As winter continues….drags on really, one of my favorite tropical orchids came into flower. It’s a Phragmidedium called Stairway to Heaven. Why is it one of my favorites? The petals surrounding the pouch of this ladyslipper droop dramatically compared to the overall plant. I don’t know why that’s something that’s intriguing to me but it … Continue reading Winter Flowers
With spring just getting under way, winter decided to remind us that the cold is not that far away by leaving the ground covered in it’s ice crystals. Having gone by an area in a nearby woods filled with plants beginning to irrupt in beautiful flowers the day before, I decided to go back and … Continue reading And Winter Returns….
Temperatures are beginning to rise and the snow is disappearing. I’m not ready for spring yet as there are a lot of things still to do but on a beautiful late winter day I couldn’t resist. I had to go out for a little while and enjoy the sunset. I was a little nervous at … Continue reading Winter’s Losing it’s Grip
It take a lot of motivation to purposefully venture out in subzero temperatures with a brisk north wind blowing. Getting up before the sun on a cold January morning seemed like a good idea until the alarm goes off and you see exactly how cold it is outside of the window. And to voluntarily do … Continue reading In Search of Winter Birds
A cold, windy winter weekend exploring the shores of a cold Lake Superior provided a beautiful landscape to those who were willing to venture into seemingly inhospitable conditions. Arriving in Duluth the night before with temperatures just below zero and a strong northern wind made me question my own sanity and the safety of the … Continue reading A Winter Trip North
Well, for some of us it seems winter just does not want to leave. Usually by now we can start to see life beginning to return outside. As I write this the snow is falling once again. What can be done to avoid the winter depression that so many are experiencing right now? For me … Continue reading The Winter Blues
What a great experience with so much to learn during such a short period of time. This tour only lasted an hour but provided enough information to last several hours. We saw how their structures were built using surrounding resources including logs, stones, and a special mud to hold it all together. Kivas were built … Continue reading Winter in Mesa Verde (continued)
It was a beautiful mid-March morning in Albuquerque New Mexico as we packed up the car and headed north towards Colorado. A quick stop at Petroglyph National Monument on the way so that we could capture a last picture or two and get our National Parks Monopoly board signed and then we were on our … Continue reading Winter in Mesa Verde
I decided to get a little off topic this week as I just have not been myself lately and thought a good rant may be entertaining. At this time of year I hear almost daily how tired people are of winter and how they just want the snow to be gone. This does not include … Continue reading Has Winter Overstayed Its’ Welcome?
