Tag Archives: nature
Construction Day 1
There’s a phrase, live lightly on the land, that would be nice to adhere to, but sometimes to get there you have to make a mess first. When my wife and I moved to our little slot of paradise a few years ago, we knew we wanted a nature preserve vibe. We’ve worked to remove […]
There’s Birding and Then There’s Birding
The house wren is back. This insouciant little guy clicks and clatters a call that sounds more like a baseball card in bike spokes than a bird. For a couple of years he tried building a nest in my satellite dish (for internet before my small town finally got wired). His girlfriends never went for […]
Worldbuilding
Each morning, when the weather is nice, I sit on my porch and eat my snack while my second cup of coffee perks. It’s now late June. The yard looks lush and at peak greenery. The mountain laurel are flowering—white and pink snowballs covering the bushes. The smaller sheep laurel dots the surrounding green with […]
There’s No Birding in Space
At heart I’m a nature girl, so it was hard to write a novel that takes place mostly on a space ship. In Endurance, Captain Lyn Randall even laments about wanting to hear bird song and feel the wind. It’s summer now here in New England and the days are long. I’ll wake up at […]
Winter Notes
In the evening when it’s dark and the stars shine bright, I like to stand by an open window and listen and breathe and look into the night. Winter air can be odorless. Or a pocket of scent might startle me, usually when walking through the woods. It could be the mild skunk-like musk of […]
Back Home
There’s a meme going around social media: what advice would you give your younger self. I’m not sure what it’s intended to do. Make you feel better about where you’ve ended up? Or feel worse? My 20- and 30-something self would be amazed. I never contemplated where my life would take me. I’ve had the […]
Today, 8/28/18
I haven’t had much time to reflect on my new life, here in western Massachusetts. There’s been no lack in appreciation. Even on hot days like today, I love the smell of the summer grass. After a thunderstorm, I love how the air cools down. My mother used to always mention that when I was […]
Bird Nerd
It’s spring and that’s when I turn into a bird nerd. The warblers are migrating! This year I started early because in the past, not being truly matured into an adult birder, I’ve realized too late what’s going on and missed the bulk of the migrants. Yes, migrants. Don’t tell Donald Trump, but millions of […]
Hawks and Doves
Warning: animals were harmed in the inspiration of this blog. Not by me. And no, this is not a political rant. Recently, a Cooper’s hawk has been using my bird feeders as a buffet. It’s the price of attracting birds in winter. You also attract those who eat them. I can’t mind, really. The hawk […]
Elaine Burnes 