This refreshing beverage is also known as Indian lemonade.
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus hirta) berries grow in velvety RED clusters on shrubby trees 20-25 feet tall.
This is NOT poison oak (R. quercifolia or R. diversiloba) The first has white berries, the second is a vine.
Always refer to my my test for determining edibility before consuming a full portion of any wild edible.
Always be careful not to gather wild edibles within 50 feet of any regularly traveled road. (more…)
Tags: Foraging, Wild Food Recipes
Watch a caterpillar become a butterfly.
In my constant search for ways to make nature accessible, here is another indoor activity. (more…)
Tags: Gardens, Insects, Nature Curriculum, Survival
This is another terrific way to bring nature indoors.
Whether you spend your days in a classroom or an office, tiny reminders of the natural world work wonders in relieving stress. It’s amazing what you can learn about the lives of plants just by watching them a few minutes a day. (more…)
Tags: Gardens, Nature Curriculum, Survival
April 22, 1970 was the first official Earth Day. I was a senior at Guilford High School in Guilford, CT.
I was a member of the environment club, president of the debate team, on the school literary magazine, a library aide, an honors student, winner of a writing award; I still had time and energy for a morning card game of setback with Diane and another friend before the school day officially started.
I’d taken Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson’s encouragement to be part of the first Earth Day - a national grassroots effort - to heart and overcame every obstacle necessary to gain the support of my teachers and classmates. (more…)
Tags: Climate Change, Journal, Political
The only spiders and webs you typically encounter are online, and suddenly you’re invited to go hiking.
If you’re new to spending time in nature, but want to be a good sport, here are a few easy steps you can take to overcome your fear of crawly things and really enjoy the great outdoors. (more…)
Tags: Hiking, Insects, Nonfiction, Survival
Happy 80th Birthday, Bill.
Today’s entry was written by Mindy Reed, of The Author’s Assistant. It was submitted for inclusion in Tim Russert’s upcoming book on fathers. No word yet on if it will end up in print there.
Truthfully, I could not write a better tribute to a true survivor. Even post-polio syndrome does not stop the man we have come to think of as our own “Energizer Bunny.” (more…)
Tags: Nonfiction, Survival
No, this isn’t a wild food recipe.
I was contacted recently by a visitor who wanted to post a comment to an article on my site. This birding expert is admittedly not tech savvy. So I decided to see if any other visitors may also have been unsuccessful in posting a comment.
It has not escaped my notice that this week is Passover; matzah replaces bread - and cookies. I just had no idea that cookie abstinence extended into cyberspace. (more…)
There I was, driving down the road, listening to my Ray Stevens tape, singing at the top of my lungs, as I had done thousands of times - and I heard a man’s laugh.
What makes me think it was Jesus? (more…)
I knew I had a brief window of time between the end of last night’s thunderstorm and this afternoon’s desperately needed rain.
So I set out under a full moon and took one of my first light hikes. I love the transition times. At first the full moon was clear, but clouds were building in and the only way I could get through the boggy part of the trail was to fox walk. (more…)
Tags: Hiking, Journal, Skywatching
Last year at this time I was not wearing eyeglasses.
I’ve spent most of my time complaining about the glasses. They don’t bother my nose anymore, but they’re progressive lenses, so I have to remove them to use my binoculars.
What could have changed to make me like them enough to consider recommending that people who do not need glasses add them to their pocket survival kit? Two words: Pollen Barrier. (more…)