WriterByNature.com

March 4, 2008 7:55 am

Thanks for this addition to my vocabulary goes to Ursula Hoffman, a dedicated student of the world of fungi and a skilled webmaster.

Mycophile - a devotee of mushrooms.

The implied meaning of this word suggests that the seeker is engaged in the hobby of pursing edible mushrooms. But that definition does not fit Ursula or any other dedicated COMA member.

Mushroom University exists because individuals with scientific minds have spent decades organizing and documenting their observations, check and cross-checking their information, and now even applying DNA analysis to the mushroom identification. The idea of this daunting endeavor makes my head spin.

I’m the lucky beneficiary, because I have the latest published information and  people willing to share their hard-earned knowledge.

December 9, 2007 5:06 am

Is green shopping like jumbo shrimp or deafening silence?

The whole idea of living green is to reduce consumption.
I understand the foundation of our culture is marketing. But sustainable living is not about marketing. It’s about making our own conscious decisions. (more…)

November 15, 2007 5:33 am

I can’t claim credit for this poem; I heard it from an entertaining nature educator - an “edutainer.” It’s an effective tool for engaging school-age children in studying tracks.

It begins with an “s” and it ends with a “t”.
It comes out of you and it comes out of me.
I know what you’re thinking. You could call it that.
But, let’s be scientific and call it “scat.”

Thanks, Carl.

Now, what can you tell about the coyote scat and the deer track from the above photo?

November 1, 2007 7:09 am

I cannot move at a 21st Century pace. I was happier in the 20th Century when I could process the information presented to me.

This year’s shriveled, dull-colored leaves and lack of mushrooms makes it a challenge for me to revel in autumnal joy. Add the pressure of reorganizing my seasonal schedule in the face of laptop and Toyota computer resistance - and I end up in a catatonic shutdown.

The tap on my car window and the concerned look on a fellow hiker’s face was a clue. I’d fallen asleep at the wheel after a hike. If I had started the engine, the check engine light would have prevented my momentary repose.

Comedy, especially word play, helps when nature’s glory fails to soothe me. So I was delighted to receive an email from my friend Iris sharing the winning entries from the Washington Post’s Mensa Invitational. Here are a few that me laugh out loud: (more…)

September 10, 2007 9:29 am

I love watching flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) on a warm summer night.

They really should be called gliding squirrels, because what allows them to be airborne is a loose flap of skin called the PATAGIUM. (more…)

August 24, 2007 5:52 pm

One of the COMA activities, beyond finding and identifying mushrooms is the experience of eating mushrooms. The act of consuming mushrooms is known as mycophagy.

I’m not sure if the term includes eating all mushrooms, or if it applies specifically to eating wild mushrooms. What I do know is that I’ve just experienced my first mycophagy event. I took the opportunity to observe master chefs preparing shitake, maitaki, chicken mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles and black trumpets.

(more…)

May 1, 2007 11:58 pm

I’m always on the lookout for writing exercises, crossword puzzles, hidden picture puzzles or any system that will jump start my writing.

Here are a few ideas for filling the page without the pressure of producing a final draft:

1. Write a one-sentence description of ten friends or family members.
2. Write your obituary in 500 words or less.
3. Describe your favorite place to relax in 300 words.
4. Select an essay that you wrote and rewrite it in third person.
5. Choose a chapter written by you or another author and in third person and rewrite it in first person.
6. Sit in a cafe or public place and transcribe a conversation between two people. Now create characters based on the conversation.
7. Freewrite for ten minutes, then stop and read what you wrote. Write down the central theme or issue and begin another 10-minute freewrite. Stop and read that freewrite, find the central theme and begin another 10-minute freewrite.
8. List ten activities that you love. Now write down the last time you did each activity.
9. Take a walk and list every smell or every sound you notice. Use that to write from a dog’s point of view or a cat’s point of view.
10. Find a passage from a favorite book and rewrite it in another genre. If the passage is science fiction, try writing it as a romance or a comedy.

3:28 am

I see as much wildlife outside my window as I do on a hike.

Life is an oxymoron.

Backyard wildlife or the suburban wilderness - little bits of open space still provide food and shelter for many species.

Here’s what I see when I’m not on a hike:

This squirrel is happy to pose for a photo.

(more…)

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 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…)