Category Archives: Nature

The Afterlife of a Beekeeper – an ode

I lost my beekeeper buddy a week ago and wondered how to leave a tribute for her. This is my timid offering, celebrating the continuity of life. The brood snuggled down against the dark,Since she sealed hive boxes tight as … Continue reading

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Paying back Spain in kind with Red Kites

Red Kites were familiar sights in London in Shakespeare’s day. He mentioned them in several plays, but not always with compliments. The Winter’s Tale tells a complaint that “My traffic is sheets; when the kits builds, look to lesser linen.”They … Continue reading

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Wildfire Worries

Wildfires are mainly a problem for Westerners, aren’t they? Hardly! The USDA Forest Service’s wildfire risk map shows Southern California is a persistent hot spot. Our friends’ home in Altadena survived the Eaton Fire earlier this year, and few homes … Continue reading

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Check BirdCast for Migration

There’s a White-eyed Vireo still singing in the garden and two Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds still visiting our nectar feeder. They will soon be on their way, flying overnight with millions of other summer visitors observing the shorter days and cooler temperatures.Last … Continue reading

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Locust Nuptial Dance

Not much stirs on a sultry afternoon in the Alleghenies. There’s a raven croaking, a Tiger Swallowtail swooping, a bluebottle fly buzzing around in crazy circles.And what seemed at first sight another butterfly, it rises from obscurity on the dirt … Continue reading

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