Category: Nature
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Rainy Winter Days
After the holiday hoopla, a rainy Saturday is what I needed to wind down. Even the birds and squirrels took a break and snuggled in their nests during the downpours, waiting for a lull in the rain, except for the first robin of the season, who hoped to find worms when the sun appeared. Some Read more
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Ruby the Poinsettia
It seems too early to think about Christmas and poinsettias, but October is the time to turn your poinsettia red for the holidays. Every year we buy a colorful poinsettia to add to our indoor holiday decorations. Two years ago, we decided to try our hand at keeping it alive for the next year. It Read more
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Hello Fall!
Red, orange, and gold leaves are beginning to appear with the cool autumn days in the Roanoke Valley of Virginia—a welcome relief from the summer heat. I know there is plenty of yard work to do this time of year, but all I want to do is take a drive to the country and bask Read more
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Philpott Lake
This gorgeous 2,880-acre lake is one hour south of Roanoke by way of US-220 S and VA-116 S near Martinsville, Virginia—the perfect day trip any time of year. It’s nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with no residential development along its 100-mile shoreline, creating scenic views for its visitors and adventures for Read more
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Our Mountain Moon
This week’s full moon was called the “Corn Moon.” The name originates from Native American tribes as a signal to harvest their corn. Alternative names, “Falling Leaves Moon” and “Autumn Moon,” reflect the transition from summer to fall. Walter studies his moon charts and graphs to take photographs of the moon at its fullest. This Read more
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Flowers Everywhere
The summer solstice was on June 20th in the USA, the day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year, when the sun is at its highest position in the sky. Here on the east coast, extreme heat reminds us that the flowers we planted in spring need watering and a Read more
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Super Squirrel
Faster than a running raccoon. More powerful than a reel lawn mower. Able to leap from one tall pine to another in a single bound. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Super Squirrel, aka Clark! Clark knows the roadmap of all of the pine trees and maples that line the property, and he makes Read more
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Signs of Spring
This year, March 20th marked the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the fall equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night.” On the equinox, the lengths of day and night are nearly equal in all parts of the world. In our Northern Hemisphere, we consider Read more
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Sun Dog
Sunsets can be one of the most beautiful sights of the day, especially here in the Roanoke Valley with the Blue Ridge Mountains cradling the setting sun. Walter and I have photographed hundreds of red, orange, and yellow sunsets, but last Friday brought us a special treat. Walter captured a “second sun” in the sky Read more
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Camouflage
Camouflage clothing is currently a stylish trend. Camo hats, shirts, and pants are the rage for people of all ages. But this muted green, tan, and brown patterned apparel is not new for hunters, wildlife observers, and the military. Camouflage provides the necessary concealment to move unseen in their environment. The term itself is derived Read more