Category: Nature
-
The Magic Moon
My Walter was born in July, and his zodiac sign is Cancer. I don’t claim to know much about astrology, and I don’t read our horoscopes every day, but I do know that the moon is Cancer’s ruling planet, and Cancerians are guided by the moon’s glow. Moon children, as they are called, light up Read more
-
Hiking and Biking
With frigid winter weather keeping us indoors, I thought it might be uplifting to start making plans for some fair-weather activities. The Roanoke Region in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains is the place to visit if you love the outdoors. The area offers more than 700 miles of trails for hikers and bikers, including the Appalachian Read more
-
Winter Birds
We were delighted to get our first snowfall of winter this week in the Roanoke Valley. Less than two inches fell but enough to make the trees sparkle. Unfortunately, the snow was topped with a coating of ice. Schools are closed, and travel is discouraged, but the roads were pretreated, and the plows are out Read more
-
Christmas Squirrel
She came to us in summertime, begging for peanuts whenever we sat outside on the veranda. This squirrel was chubby—no, she was rotund. She was irresistible when she sat up with her pudgy front paws clasped across her chest, begging for a peanut, apple slice, or blueberry. Someone had obviously been feeding her before she Read more
-
The H.I.T. Squad
Have you ever noticed sparrows lining up on the gutter of your house or the neighbor’s roofline? First one flies in, then two more, then three join them, until there are twelve sparrows looking out over the yard. Suddenly, they all fly down to a bird feeder or a birdbath as if the leader gave Read more
-
Autumn
I marvel at the forest-covered Blue Ridge Mountains when the leaves turn red, orange, and gold. The mountain range reminds me of mounds of sugar-coated gumdrops, an array of colors shimmering in the autumn sunshine. Every year, I look forward to the season’s cool temperatures and blazing colors. I grab my camera, and Walter takes Read more
-
Winky the Wren
Last summer, Walter was sitting on the veranda at sunset and heard a wren singing in the trees. Within a few minutes, the wren appeared on the patio less than ten feet away from him. Walter sat very still while the wren hopped around the birdbath and potted plants. Suddenly, the little bird flew up Read more
-
White-Tailed Squirrel
Our backyard is home to feisty gray squirrels who are welcome to grab a peanut or two from our veranda whenever they’re hungry, which is always. We have named many of our regular visitors and are entertained by their silly antics. Little Lefty used to roll a peanut around with his left paw to get Read more