Central Ohio NatureAutumn Song
Posted on October 14, 2021
High overhead an Osprey gives no notice but now as we walk along the shore sycamores sing in a tenor voice as they respond to the ebb and flow of a weightier October wind. Gone is their murmur in the gentleness of a moist summer breeze. In a fight to remain on ever barer branches the rattle of their autumn dryness soon gives way to a silent pirouette as one, losing it’s hold, lands quietly at my feet. The sun slowly warms the the day and the last intrepid dragonflies venture out in search of smaller “others” that have also awakened.
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An Ever Changing Miracle
Posted on October 10, 2021
Looking at the forest floor in early October it’s hard to imagine that in the same place just a few months earlier spring beauties and trilliums enchanted. With the exception of the tapping of a distant woodpecker and the call of a much closer Carolina Wren, it’s quiet. The banter of spring birds is not heard. Initially asked if you were in the same place you might answer yes and then after a moment’s reflection laugh at the thought. The woods cry out, “All is change, birth life then death, be in my moment”.
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A Record Day
Posted on September 27, 2021
Yesterday, the 26th of September, on a long walk through residential neighborhoods near our central Ohio home and then along a city park bordering our local reservoir we saw more Monarch butterflies than we’ve ever seen in one day.
If we had kept counting the final tally would have been over 30 with four seen on just one small cluster of asters. At a time when their demise is often, perhaps accurately, predicted, it was nonetheless cause for real celebration.
On what seemed like it would be an ordinary September day in our “ordinary’ part of the world we found ourselves enchanted.
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A Michigan Meditation
Posted on September 18, 2021
An epiphany occurred a few years ago when I realized I was never going to to see it all no matter how far and wide my travels took me so perhaps a more satisfying approach would be to strive for more intimacy and dig a little deeper in familiar places closer to home. With that in mind for the past ten plus years we’ve travelled to Michigan’s Rifle River Recreation Area. A wonderful way to mark the passing of time, things gained and things lost, and to embrace change in seasons of the year and in life. The areas major draw is that’s to my knowledge it’s the closest location from central Ohio, where nesting loons can be observed.
Other than the ample food supply and clear water that makes it easy to locate, the reason loons are found here is that their nests are built right at water’s edge where they can easily access them with a short slide as their legs are located too far back on their body to facilitate walking. This makes the nests venerable to motor boat wakes but no motor boats are allowed within the park resulting in happy nesting loons. The relative quiet resulting from the lack of motors whether on the lakes or trails results in a great place to observe nature. A significant added bonus is that the Ausable River and Huron National Forest located nearby offer many additional natural areas to explore.
During time spent in the canoe other birds also enchant.
In addition to the birds there are other things that establish a sense of place.
While paddling yours truly couldn’t help but see if there was a fish in the area
Along the Ausable River we take a break.
The parks numerous trails offer ample opportunity to discover fungi.
A few insects also caught our attention. Ever try to photograph a small insect from a canoe on a windy day?
Stepping forward a week. The other day walking in a park close to home we were enchanted by the sight of a large colorful dragonfly.
A reminder that one need not travel even as far a Michigan to discover the magic.
In a journey through space and time each year as we arrive we also leave. Should we be so blessed next year we will return to again be embraced by what has become a sacred place. The experience of this year is all the more precious as the place as well as we ourselves will never be quite the same as together we travel into the newness of the next.
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Uncommon Beauty
Posted on September 15, 2021
I didn’t even have a serious “bird camera” with me while hiking in Florida a few months back when a very common Sandhill Crane captured my heart, posing as if waiting for Audubon.
When we least expect it, nature enchants.
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Early September Walk
Posted on September 5, 2021
On any given day we wonder what will be seen as we set off to explore a local park. In this case it was Prairie Oaks Metro Park a few morning ago. Wondering now in the past tense, we were not disappointed.
Other things seen eluded the camera’s lens but that’s okay because the above images are more than enough to hint at the riches found and the wealth accrued.
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Just One Thing
Posted on August 16, 2021
It occurs to me that I often end up trivializing nature by always seeking the next bird, butterfly, or landscape. Perhaps a better goal would be, that when in nature or whatever the endeavor, to seek to truly appreciate one thing.
Perhaps a first step is to walk a little slower.
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Early Summer Meditation
Posted on June 26, 2021
Below are things that caught my eye during walks in central Ohio parks over the past few days. It is quieter now with the spring migration seeming like a distant memory. Many birds are going about the business of nesting and trying not to draw too much attention to themselves while insects are now more likely to draw one’s attention.
In the woods walk slowly with a quiet heart and let the the wonder come to you.
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Tiny and Seldom Seen
Posted on April 11, 2021
Early spring wildflowers in late March and early April continue to enchant us. In some wooded areas flowers almost cover the the forest floor. Spring is not new experience in our lives but every year with it comes a renewed sense of wonder. Recently, during a hike at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park a bonus was seeing a very small butterfly and it was one we had never seen before. Adding to the joy of looking at wildflowers is the reward gained trying different angles, light, and compositions as we try to capture their unique beauty. A meditation of something fast passing.
A cardinal sings as we look for wildflowers.
In the last few days hiking the trails at Battelle Darby Creek MP, as well as a few other locations in central Ohio, our search has been rewarded.
To complete the enchantment as we made our way back to the trailhead we spotted a tiny dark and seldom seen butterfly. It was a Henry’s Elfin and a new butterfly for us. It uses redbud as a host plant and is an early spring species.
Each time we enter the spring woods it offers us something new. The season’s gift of which we never tire.
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The Earliest Central Ohio Wildflowers
Posted on April 3, 2021
Skunk Cabbage which can emerge through the snow in early March is followed closely by the arrival of Snow Trillium. In recent years we’ve missed the Skunk cabbage as we are busy exploring nature future south. More about that in future posts. Just a week or so after the Snow Trillium, a few other wildflowers, emerging through the dullness of last year’s fallen leaves, grace us with their beauty. An early awakening to the beauty that follows.
Everything has it’s time and there is no better example than the early spring wildflowers. In a few weeks as you walk through the woods don’t look for Dutchman’s Breeches but as if never to disappoint there will be other things to fascinate.
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