Learning to See the Beauty of Nature in Our Gardens
On my recent visit to the spectacular Joshua Tree National Park, I got an opportunity to visit the Oasis of Mara and learn about Desert Fan Palm Oases. The Oasis of Mara is located at the Northeast corner of Joshua Tree National Park. The oasis was created by geological movement a very long time ago. The [...]
“Be like the bird that, passing on her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings.” ~Victor Hugo I enjoyed participating in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) recently. And with the winter weather, I did not anticipate seeing many birds, [...]
Winter has been playing in my wildlife garden already. The sudden cold gales blow in off the SE end of Lake Ontario and drift quickly across the land turning the sky to a gunmetal gray with a blue tinge. We are swallowed whole by the swift snow as it piles onto every stem, seed head, [...]
Have you ever gazed out of the kitchen window at your beautiful wildlife garden on a cold winter’s day? It looks so barren and lonely. Have you ever wondered where the butterflies go during this time of year? As humans, we get to bundle up in our fuzzy flannels and spend the winter months indoors [...]
The control of nature is a phrase conceived in arrogance, born of the Neanderthal age of biology and the convenience of man. ~Rachel Carson Lately I have been dealing with invasive plants in my meadow, and while it is time consuming and can be quite the battle it seems you can at least make [...]
“Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.” - Albert Schweitzer When I started gardening for wildlife, I was excited to see each new species. We moved around the food chain from mammals to birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects, birds and so on. And as [...]
May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun And find your shoulder to light on, To bring you luck, happiness and riches Today, tomorrow and beyond. ~Irish Blessing Almost a year ago, I was wildlife gardening in earnest. Everything I did was to help build a habitat for critters, especially for butterflies. Not just for [...]
“If we can discover the meaning in the trilling of a frog, perhaps we may understand why it is for us not merely noise but a song of poetry and emotion.” ~Adrian Forsyth I love frogs. I never really had many encounters until we added a pond to our garden. And since that time I look [...]
When I started a conscious effort to wildlife garden, I became aware of how what I do affects the world at large. So every year I resolve to add more natives to feed the critters and replace any invasives unknowingly planted. I also strive yearly to observe what is going on in my garden. I [...]
Welcome Spring!! Spring arrived early this morning officially here in the Northern Hemisphere. To say I am ecstatic upon spring’s arrival is putting it mildly. I think a more accurate description would be I’ve become TWITTERPATED. Just what does this mean…let me describe it for you. The feeling of excitement and anticipation builds. Memories of flowers pop [...]
Ok, it isn’t a duck, but it does hang out in a pond. It’s always a great day when you glance out the window and spot an endangered species hanging around. It must mean I am doing something right in my beautiful wildlife garden. In my case, the endangered one is of the avian variety, [...]
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