(10.01.20)

A SENTIMENTAL SOUND

During quiet moments of Heronswood’s open days in summer and those leading into fall, there’s often a sound that can be heard carrying over the distance of the parking lot that lasts mere seconds before going …

(09.15.20)

FLY FRIGHT

First impressions are undoubtedly difficult to dispel, especially at a young age when a child is trying to learn a bevy of subjects. The association of a mosquito to an annoying, high-pitched buzzing bug that causes itchy …

(09.02.20) Spiders, Part III

A GLOW UPON THE GROUND

As many variable forms that spiders possess, there exist several different strategies to employ when catching prey. The passive hunters who wait combine elements of webbing, tunnels, and camouflage. Those less …

(08.18.20) Spiders, Part II

A WEB OF UNSEEN HAZARDS

There’s nothing quite like the sensation of escaping the harsh sunlight of a summer afternoon and retreating to the cool understory of a forest. Once sweaty skin is now soothingly cool, …

(08.05.20)

THE EYES HAVE IT

I’ve been reflecting on the ways humans anthropomorphize non-human organisms and it seems that there could be a correlation between leg count and the perceived threat of a life form to us. For example: our …

(07.14.20 & 7.21.20)

BUGS THAT PUT A SPRING IN OUR STEPS

A spongy forest trail is a fun aspect to feel underfoot while hiking through natural areas of the Pacific Northwest. Sponginess is often a sign that high levels of …

(06.30.20)

A GARDEN NEEDS HEROES

Y’know, I’d like a sidekick. Now, I’m not actually thinking of a person who’d just tag along and act as my own shadow, but an entirely different organism. Gardening is often a sweaty task, especially …

(06.14.20)

OF BUGS AND BATS

Days are becoming longer as the solstice approaches, and with additional light, plants are able to grow to their chloroplasts’ content. Long days also bring greater warmth, yet night does eventually come to blanket the …

(05.03.20)

A SLIME OF PASSION

There is no shortage of plants at Heronswood to appreciate for one reason or another. Luscious camellia flowers bloom from winter into spring, shady beds of full hosta leaves cradle water droplets by summer, and …

(04.26.20)

CELEBRATING SALAMANDERS

When I reminisce of moments from my childhood, I often return to time spent in the backyard woods of the Midwest, poking around under decomposing logs or flat rocks in a shallow stream bed. Discovering what was …

(04.21.20)

WOODPECKERS of NORTH KITSAP

Art often imitates life, and when it comes to music, we have nature to thank for inspiration of delightful melodies. If the Pacific tree frog of which I waxed poetic in a previous article for …

(04.14.20)

LOCAL BUTTERFLIES of EARLY SPRING – Part II

There are certainly larger butterflies to observe in early to mid-spring, and the most common among them are from the Brushfoot family (Nymphalidae), notably the Tortoiseshells (Aglais and Nymphalis genera), and …

(04.07.20)

LOCAL BUTTERFLIES of EARLY SPRING – Part I

I consider myself a horticulturist, and in the grand scheme of classifying professions, this title falls under the umbrella of science. Saying the word “science” to many people might immediately prompt …