I’m not sure which is more surprising
That it’s walking at all, or what it’s carrying during its walk:
Continue reading →Category Archives: Nature
Crazy Jakes: turkeys in love…
…with their own reflections: Betty Ann DiGiacomo said she discovered a wild turkey wandering outside her Mount Laurel home about 7:30 a.m. Friday and she soon discovered the bird seemed enamored with her son’s brand new Honda Civic, which he … Continue reading →
The hiker and the compass
Here is a terribly sad story: An Appalachian Trail hiker whose remains were discovered last year survived at least 26 days after getting lost, kept a journal of her ordeal and ultimately resigned herself to the idea she was going … Continue reading →
Giraffes are more amazing than you knew
They’re certainly more amazing than I knew, anyway, and I already knew they were pretty amazing merely by looking at them. It’s the neck, of course—that impossibly long, impossibly stretched-out, Dr. Suess-like neck. I recently saw surprising footage of giraffes … Continue reading →
Crater Lake, crater lakes
I recently went on a trip to Crater Lake in Oregon. I’ve been there before, and each time I’ve been impressed by its transcendent beauty and other-worldliness, and fascinated by its history. The lake, in case you don’t know, is … Continue reading →
Crows perceive death
Crows are very smart birds, although they’ve long been thought to be harbingers of bad news: A crow’s brain is the size of a human thumb, huge relative to its body, putting their intelligence on par with primates and allowing … Continue reading →
Answered: a question I’ve been wondering about for years
My dog was a champ at this: While we’re at it, here’s another. This one’s about yawning: Dr. Seuss remarked on this phenomenon in a book I used to read to my son at bedtime, in the hope (usually vain) … Continue reading →
And all through the house…
…a creature was stirring. Last night was Christmas Eve. I was expecting a visit from my son, who was flying in as a rare treat. I had tidied up, and was putting on the finishing touches while waiting for him … Continue reading →
Fall interlude
In the past couple of days I’ve taken some time to drive around New England photographing the fall. I had thought this would be a less colorful fall than usual because of the dry weather we’ve had. But when it … Continue reading →
After apple picking
I went apple-picking this weekend. It’s easy to do—just drive about 15 minutes, go to the pick-your-own orchard, buy one of their little bags, walk out on a lovely fall day to where the trees are, and begin. The trees … Continue reading →
Happy post-modern, Indigenous Peoples, Columbus Day
There, did I cover enough bases? Did I get it right (I mean left)? Like many things, Columbus Day has evolved. And here’s a discussion of the postmodern Columbus Day (from Dr. Sanity, circa 2009). As for me, since I … Continue reading →
The touching and strange tale of Lucy the chimp
I heard this story recently on NPR. Since it was first aired back in 2010, it must have been a repeat. But what a fascinating tale! It begins with psychotherapist and professor Maurice Temerlin and his wife Jane, who decided—in … Continue reading →