WriterByNature.com

April 29, 2007 1:00 am

Claremont Stables in New York City is closing after over 100 years.

I won a 2nd place ribbon in my first horse show ever at Claremont on a Quarter Horse named Monterrey.

I took longe lessons in Central Park from Claremont instructor Chris Smith, who moved back to Texas the following year.For two years I carried my saddle from my Elizabeth St. apartment to the subway at 5:30 AM, so I could get to Claremont for a ride at daybreak.

Claremont joins The Bottom Line, CBGB’s, Grand Street Dairy, Mario’s Pizza, possibly the Liz Christy Garden and countless other beloved places that made New York feel like home to me when I lived there. (more…)

April 26, 2007 3:19 am

Sprouts are easy to grow, delicious and healthy.

They are also fun nature and art projects.

Materials:

• Paper Towels
• Plate or cookie sheet
• Seeds for sprouting (see Seed List)
• Scissors
• Water

Procedure:

1. Stack three paper towels. Draw a letter shape or picture on the top towel.
2. Cut out the shape, so that all three paper towels are the same.
3. Dampen the stack of towels with water - do not drench.
4. Sprinkle seeds on the top of the stack.
5. Check daily to see how long it takes for the sprouts to grow.
6. Make sure stack of towels is damp, but not soaked.

What happens if you move your shape from one area to another? Do the sprouts change direction, grow faster or slower? What happens if you put more than one type of seed on your shape?

Seed list:

• Alfalfa
• Barley
• Broccoli
• Buckwheat
• Cabbage
• Chickpeas
• Corn
• Fenugreek
• Lentils
• Mung beans
• Peas
• Quinoa
• Soy beans

April 25, 2007 1:02 am

Three days of balmy weather has gone to my brain.

Here are a few thoughts to stimulate nature writing: (more…)

April 23, 2007 11:45 pm

Earth Day has come and gone. Among the truly inspirational people I met were the members of the Warwick Valley High School Environment Club.

They created an excellent Un-nature Trail and enthusiastically lead tours.

Trout lilies are everywhere. That included the Earth Day Un-nature Trail. I have a recipe at the end of this article.

What I like about this plant is that it’s distinct. What I like about these students is that they are truly interested in the natural world. (more…)

April 20, 2007 11:16 am

This was the first early morning hike I’ve had in a while.

I stopped to admire the view and turned to spot a fox watching me. I was too slow to photograph the fox, but I did get a few other glimpses of wildlife.

This is the first time I’ve seen a beaver:

(more…)

April 19, 2007 2:20 am

I was shocked to learn that dandelion was cultivated 100 years ago.

The dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), related to chicory and wild lettuce, was imported from Europe to the US as a food source for local honey bees as spring erodes winter’s grip.

It’s really a pretty flower, leaves are edible raw in salad or cooked, blossoms and roots are also edible.

I cannot understand when we decided to hate it so much that we would go to any lengths to poison the dandelion - and ourselves in the process. (more…)

April 17, 2007 11:57 pm

This turned up on a listserv or maybe an email.

I wish the sender had identified the source. I’d like to thank the author.

This is an excellent example of using Show, Don’t Tell to share grammar rules. (more…)

6:34 am

Nor’easters are powerful storms. This Nor’easter is unusually powerful. Rain and wind have kept me indoors for days.

Eventually the TV set goes on. The Weather Channel is my default channel. I know which channels are likely to have science or history programs and A Man Among Wolves is the best thing I’ve seen since Survivorman.

There’s even more information on the on the National Geographic website. Naturalist, Shaun Ellis has dedicated his life to understanding wolves and creating ways for wolves and humans to co-exist

The website has videos demonstrating wolf language and a Q&A that’s remarkable. (more…)

April 16, 2007 6:10 am

Growing up in coastal Connecticut, I’ve witnessed the power of a “Nor’easter.”

Counterclockwise air currents being pushed from the northeast, draw moisture from the south, creating a storm as dangerous as a hurricane.

When a Nor’easter dumps snow, the impact is devastating. This particular Nor’easter has me glued to the window. Even the gossip which passes for news has made the weather the #1 story. (more…)

April 10, 2007 11:58 pm

I keep Writing Down the Bones within ready reach. Natalie Goldberg’s book includes a number of useful tools when I need a nudge.

The Action of a Sentence is an exercise I use to make writing fun again. Here are the rules: (more…)