HOPKINTON, N.H. – I often spot black willow trees as I’m kayaking along a riverbank or lakeshore. While perhaps less picturesque than its (non-native) cousin the weeping willow, black willow is native to the Northeast and provides a host of ecological benefits. Willow trees are in the Salix genus, along[Read More…]
Columns
Barr Hill Rewards Fall Foliage Viewers
GREENSBORO — Barr Hill Natural Area is one of the highest points in Greensboro and one of the best spots locally to see views of fall foliage over a wide area with little effort. From the picnic area in an open field at the trailhead, there is a stunning, nearly[Read More…]
Sunshine Consistent Through Weekend; Temperature Moderation Followed by Cooling
HARDWICK – We are slowly settling into a new season around here as we ditch mild temperatures for more days with crisp, refreshing conditions and significant temperature drops overnight. Rain was present late on Saturday with the passage of a cold front. A lingering trough added to rainfall totals on[Read More…]
So I Joined
EAST MONTPELIER – Syracuse, N.Y. in the mid-1950s; a steamy Friday mid-afternoon in July. I had just climbed up for a water break from the manhole I was digging beneath the pavement when a little brown man approached: brown suit, brown shirt and tie, tobacco-brown teeth and fingers. “Hey, Whitey!”[Read More…]
Fall Gardening Chores
CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Despite some hot sunny days, Fall is fast approaching and it’s time to start thinking about cleaning up the garden and putting it to bed. No, I am not suggesting you cut back all your perennials or pull all your vegetable plants. But October, the time[Read More…]
Tomato Late Blight Shows up in Vermont
BURLINGTON – With our recent rainy weather and storms, I am not surprised that we diagnosed late blight (Phytophthora infestans) in the University of Vermont Plant Diagnostic Clinic in late August. So far, it has been found in a garden and a high tunnel only on tomatoes although this aggressive[Read More…]
New England American-Asters are Stars of Late Summer
FINGER LAKES REGION, N.Y. – Before the trees put on their colorful autumnal cloaks, the newly rewilded fields at my home turn to gold and purple. New England American-aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) begins blooming in August or September and continues to splash the meadows with deep purple color well into October,[Read More…]
How Water Striders Manage Raindrops
DUXBURY – Water striders are a common sight on ponds, vernal pools, and puddles. During clear summer days, these insects seem to walk on water, a feat they accomplish through a combination of long legs that distribute their weight across the water’s surface and micro hairs that make these invertebrates[Read More…]
Another Weekend of Unsettled Weather Coming
HARDWICK – Happy meteorological autumn! Yesterday was an excellent reminder of the change of seasons in progress, with several valley hollows reporting Tuesday morning low temperatures in the upper 30s. No widespread frost was observed, also mitigated somewhat by patchy dense fog. However, locations like Plainfield reported a low temperature[Read More…]
A Nation of Scaredy-cats
EAST MONTPELIER – Reading and listening to the news as I do, and remembering my classes in American History (the best of which was taught by a delightful Englishman who still wore his Oxford varsity crew sweater), I can’t help but wonder if the United States is a nation of[Read More…]
Seeing Red: Wolf’s Milk-slime and Red-backed Salamanders
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION – While some outdoorsy Vermonters spend their summer leisure time fishing, boating, or gardening, others find enjoyment spotting decomposing logs along wooded trails. On a sunny June day, the Vermont Center for Ecostudies summer interns took a hike on Mount Cardigan and excitedly herped all the way to the[Read More…]
The Eye-Opening Realm of Avian Sleep
READING – Birds exist in a fluid and unpredictable world. Survival depends on remaining constantly alert, adapting and responding to encounters with predators and environmental conditions that change with the seasons, weather, and geography. But sleep is also essential, providing rest, rejuvenation, and healing. Normally, day-active (diurnal) animals sleep at[Read More…]
