This book is the inspiration for the title of this post, and also for my desire to befriend a snail. I highly recommend both the snail friendship and the book.  Earlier today out on my balcony, I noticed a small snail stuck to our hanging bird decor. I plucked the shell from the wood andContinue reading “The Joy of a Wild Snail Eating: An Animal Encounter Inspired by Elisabeth Tova Bailey”

Choose a theme that interests the whole family. (Themes are listed in alphabetical order.) Choose age-appropriate books within the theme for each family member. (Use the key below to determine genre. Purchase books from your local independent bookstore or support your local library, if possible!) Read, read, read! Use the discussion questions and activity ideasContinue reading “Nature Book Club: Family Reading List”

whip-poor-will wool dew mossy cerulean solstice limpkin alula rrrobin rrred brrreast (rrreally rrroll those rrr’s) clouded leopard guppy snapdragon Susquehanna shrew salamander torreya button quail Monongahela guava rhododendron mountain voices birds eye speedwell gingko weaving bobcat elderberry chamomile crawdad fiddlehead willow monkey-puzzle pangolin sassafras sycamore mountain laurel loblolly ginseng juniper chrysanthemum dandylion* mistical Potomac* anhingaContinue reading “My Nature Nerd Word Collection”

Whew, I’ve been sitting on this post for a while. In my head, it was going to be some kind of palate-cleanser after watching the Netflix series, Tiger King, but I’m not sure what it is. I just knew I needed to write about Durga and her big cat, as I’ve been pondering the conceptContinue reading “Durga’s Tiger: A Goddess and Her Cat”

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People increasingly recognize the benefits of partnering with beavers across the country (and the world) to address issues such as water quality, erosion, drought, wetland restoration, wildfire management, habitat and biodiversity loss, and more. My collaboration with castorids, however, is a creative one. I observe my favorite ecosystem engineers and collect the materials they noContinue reading “Castor Craft Collaborative”

These camera trap pictures are from The Clifton Institute, where I work in northern Virginia. As you can see in the photo sequence above, on March 10th a beaver seemed to chase a river otter off its lodge. At 7:43am an otter appeared, then became a blur of movement as a beaver followed it, alsoContinue reading “Camera Trap Diaries: Beaver vs. Otter”

Weather stones are a tool I use in outdoor, environmental education programs to teach early learners about their surroundings and to encourage mindful nature observation, because the weather is something we can always observe with multiple senses. I bought smooth stones at a craft store, painted the symbols with acrylic paint, embellished them with glitter glueContinue reading “How To Use Weather Stones As A Nature Education Tool”

I share this poem and this image, on the first day of April, to kick off National Poetry Month. I recently read this haiku and ached with its poignant relevance. The next day while I was outside walking my dog, I found dewdrops dutifully dripping and snapped this picture. Together, they remind me of aContinue reading “Haiku and Dewdrops”

A year ago, I posted New to Nature Journaling. Because many of us find ourselves with a little more extra time as the world around us shuts down to prevent the spread of COVID-19, I thought I’d share some examples of pages from my journal to inspire your own practice… May you continue to feelContinue reading “Nature Journaling Example Pages”

I used to think I was a birder. I took an ornithology class in college, kept a life list, and memorized Latin names. Then on a camping trip one year at Torreya State Park in northern Florida, I was laying in the pop-up reading when I heard the most delightful bird song. It was aContinue reading “Birding Like Buddha”

Anthropomorphism… A) Is entirely inevitable and, B) Exists only if you buy into the dichotomy between humans and other animals.