The Wonder of Moss

Until recently I hadn’t thought much about moss. I’d pass by it in the yard, on the side of a tree, or even in a crack on a sidewalk without a second glance. But then I met someone who made … Continue reading

The Royal Order of the Fluffle

At our house we log a lot of hours watching the rabbits in the yard. This time of year there are always more, and this year we’re having a bunny boom (side note: rabbits can have five or more litters … Continue reading

Yellow-Breasted Chat

On a recent hike I heard an unfamiliar bird. Thanks to my Merlin Bird ID app that allows you to identify birds by sight or sound, I learned that bird serenading me was a yellow-breasted chat. I never even knew … Continue reading

Wildflowers – Foothills Edition

This past spring was one of the wettest on record in the Colorado foothills. In fact, Boulder received almost half of its yearly precipitation in the past 2 months. But all those showers brought A LOT of flowers! On one … Continue reading

Really, Flies are Interesting

Hear me out. Yes, they are annoying. They land on our food. They zip around in front of your face. Their buzzing is endlessly maddening. And they’re surprisingly fast. But they’re actually pretty amazing creatures. For one, flies are overlooked … Continue reading

Desert Wildflowers

I’ve trekked out to the Utah desert dozens of times over my three decades in Colorado, but never in early June. It might need to be an annual mecca! The desert flowers were in full bloom…polka dots of color on … Continue reading

Lazuli Bunting

I had a new visitor to my birdfeeder this spring – a lazuli bunting. He was a splash of blue among the regulars. Apparently Colorado’s Front Range is just on the eastern edge of their breeding grounds. Aside from their … Continue reading

Rattlesnakes

In many parts of North America it’s rattlesnake season. And while they are most often found in deserts, scrubland, and plains, they do occupy a variety of habitats that also includes forests and swamps. Clearly they are adaptable. Rattlesnakes have … Continue reading

Frog and Toad

Frog and toad – I’m not talking about the famous early readers by Arnold Lobel. I’m talking about the actual amphibians now out of hibernation peeping, croaking, trilling, clicking, and chirping. We often use the terms frog and toad interchangeably. … Continue reading

Bees

For a long time in my life I never really gave much thought to bees, other than to avoid being stung. Like most people, I learned in elementary school that they are pollinators, responsible for the reproduction of flowering plants. … Continue reading