Exploring Nature by Sheila Newenham
People say that we are like our pets. My dog, Bridger, has been exploring these woods with me since puppyhood. As a Vizsla, he is hard-wired for searching and finding. It’s amazing to watch him grid-search a field, nose to the ground, at a full … Continue readingFinder of Things: My Dog and the Coyotes
There’s eight inches of snow on the ground with another four expected as the snow is continuing to fall. The roads are slushy, snowy, slippery and dangerous. Work called a snow day – stay home, stay safe. The wind periodically gusts blowing the snow sideways, … Continue readingSnow Day
A thick, green moray eel slithers out of his hole underneath a mound of coral. He knows the routine. Our snorkeling guide is removing one of his swim fins and, above the surface, placing pieces of fish he’d brought into an empty conch shell. Dipping … Continue readingThe Demanding Eels of Ambergris Caye
Four and a half miles north of San Pedro, Belize, off of Ambergris Caye, lies Mexico Rocks, a popular snorkeling site along Belize’s famed barrier reef. Mexico Rocks is a protected patch reef that lies halfway between the barrier reef and shore. It’s still another … Continue readingUnder Sea at Mexico Rocks
One of my favorite things about winter is seeing the tracks in the snow of all of the animals that share these woods with me. The snow faithfully documents all of their comings and goings. Since my dogs “see” with their noses, they always know … Continue readingRevealed in the Snow
Cooper’s hawks appear in our yard, from time to time, scoping out the bird feeder action. They are medium-sized hawks that prey primarily on smaller birds. Years ago, I watched one pluck and eat a mourning dove at our old house. Since then, I haven’t … Continue readingOur Hunting Hawk
It was a beautiful fall morning for a horseback ride in the Rocky Mountains. Rob and I had mounted our horses and were ready to go with the guide when a tardy party of four arrived. A few turkeys milled about corral while we waited … Continue readingA Bull Elk Interrupts our Ride
As the seasons change, so do the birds that frequent my backyard feeders. The regulars are always around – the ubiquitous house sparrows, the happy house finches, and the daily morning visits of blue jays looking for their peanuts, always announcing their arrival. The jays … Continue readingFall at the Feeders
It’s an unseasonably cool fall day but the sun makes it feel warm. After a lot of rain and even some snow flurries yesterday, the blue sky is a welcome sight. As the sun started to dip low in the sky, I went out for … Continue readingTree Stories
We arrived in the parking lot just before daybreak with just enough light to see the sign marking the wooded trailhead to the falls. The six of us walked down the trail and out onto the suspension bridge overlooking the pothole falls that had drawn … Continue readingA Morning at Presque Isle River