It wasn’t a mole. But it was dead. I didn’t know what kind of rodent it was (maybe a mouse?), so I didn’t correct anyone. I could just as easily have titled this post ‘The Dead Mouse’ but that’s not what the kids were calling it. The species wasn’t important. Its death was. I wasContinue reading “The Dead Mole”

I can’t remember how my obsession with birds began. I was probably in second grade, because by third I was telling everyone I was going to be an ornithologist when I grew up. I remember my grandparents giving me an old field guide to the Birds of North America, a hand-me-down from a retired birderContinue reading “Bird Show Karma”

I just got married! If I learned anything about being engaged it’s that planning a wedding is not all fun and games and giggles and snuggles. It’s stressful! I gathered some tips to assist and inspire other nature-loving couples who have decided to plan a wedding… My fiancé and I already live together and don’tContinue reading “Wedding Planning Tips for Nature Lovers”

I recently went to a meditation class. Through all the guided practices for sitting, walking, and loving-kindness meditations, the instructor did not once mention ‘monkey mind.’ Thank goodness! Have you heard the term? ‘Monkey mind’ is often used by Buddhists and others in the mindfulness community to refer to the tendencies of our distracted mindsContinue reading “Monkey Mindfulness: A Primatologist’s Commentary on the Term ‘Monkey Mind’”

“Oneness is always growing in the world, boy.” This quote is from the children’s book Pax by Sara Pennypacker. As I listened to it in my car, the sentiment hit me like a ton of books. To the extent that I am a spiritual person, oneness is it. Unity. God. I am the whole universe andContinue reading “We Is One”

Trees are living things, individuals. We see them every day; yet, we barely notice them. I have an interesting relationship with trees. For a while, I only saw them as homes and resources for the animals I was more interested in watching, mostly primates and birds. I knew that the giant, twisty, old, Spanish moss-coveredContinue reading “Befriending My Neighbor, the Red Maple”

I recently learned about nature journaling as a tool to connect kids with the natural world. It wasn’t long before I decided that it would probably benefit me, too. I often feel overwhelmed with all that I want to learn, and nature journaling seemed like a fun, creative approach to focus my attention and learnContinue reading “New to Nature Journaling”

I am newly obsessed with beavers. Aquatic rodents, ecosystem engineers. They are fascinating animals. I keep coming back to the same thought, “Apes don’t do this stuff! I am a primate person and a rodent is blowing my mind!” They are social, monogamous, cooperative. Busy and eager, sure. They are efficient builders, eating, constructing with,Continue reading “Beaver Believer with Beaver Fever”

It was International Macaque Day 2018 in the Brown Bears (three-year-old) classroom. I showed my students pictures of different kinds of macaque monkeys and told them about how I lived across the world and took pictures of animals who ate fruit that people grew in their gardens. I showed them an article in a kids’Continue reading “International Macaque Day: Preschool Edition”

One day I heard from a teacher (I’ll call her Ms. Kasey) at the preschool where I used to work. She told me that one of my former students (I’ll call him Cody) was stung by a wasp while trying to pet it on the playground. I immediately felt guilty. I am the one whoContinue reading “When Encouraging Kids to Love Nature Backfires…or Does It?”

I was on a bike ride with my mom over the holidays, during my visit to Florida. I screeched to a stop on the sidewalk at the sight of some black-bellied whistling ducks. I was so excited. Whistling ducks are the cutest kind of ducks! “Do you have your phone? Take a picture!” “Leave onlyContinue reading “How Do I Leave Only Poetry?”

I like listening to Christmas music. It puts me in a good mood and brings back good memories. I have a handful of favorites, that I listen to on repeat every December, that includes: “Christmas for Cowboys” by John Denver The Smoky Mountain Christmas version of “I Saw Three Ships” James Taylor’s version of “GoContinue reading “Merry Christmas, fellow primates!”