Site Discussions

And he puts up with little old ladies who talk to trees.

What a beautifully written and inspirational article!  Thank you.

I have not seen the creatures tunneling outside the house. In my back yard, I started noticing the “give” in the ground as I walked on it and saw that the give went in more or less straight lines. Neither the grass, flowers or vegetables in my garden have suffered.

In November, I started finding holes seemingly going straight down outside close to the house and the barn. We have had mice in the basement regularly, but never seen these holes.

Are we being visited by different animals? I’m mostly concerned with the holes near the house now as I assume that these critters are moving indoors. I fill in the holes and they reappear. What should I do?

I have many brush piles on our timberland.  They are also very good hideouts for various snakes I have found to my surprise.  Great magazine enjoy reading it!

Thanks for this informative article. I always look forward to the Outside Story articles.

What about amphibians and reptiles? I see snakes and toads in, on, and by my brush piles.

Thanks for the info. Extremely useful and I will start tomorrow.

My sister was mowing lawn yesterday, 11/8/2020. A bird I thought may be a Partridge, was following her everywhere she mowed. Then when she was done it followed her to the house and was hanging around, no offer of food or anything. I took a picture and Google said it was a grouse. I dug a little deeper and read your article. Her name is now Patty or Pat for short lol. Thanks for the article.

Excellent story and not to forget the Pitch pine and scrub oak, low bush blueberry communities that also cling to the higher elevations and rocky summits in southern New England and down through the Appalachians.Remnants of a distant past climatic interval McPhee’s book is titled The Pine Barrens

Please send me the name of the John McPhee book about the pine barrens.  You have piqued my interest.  I used to read and enjoy his things!

I’m delighted by the trick about identifying Usnea by stretching. I just tried it on a dried sample from my forest that I’m trying to ID, and it worked. SO cool, thank you!

Really beautiful…thank you for this.

This is a great article! It shares the genuine presence of an individual excited by and in love with the natural environment around him.

I, too, grew up in the general surrounding area, Wellesley, Mass., and found great refuge and intrigue in small patches of woods and rambling streams.

My first field trip in in 1958 in kindergarten was a wandering walk along the buried aqueduct that passed by our school grounds. Our teacher, Mrs. Field (so aptly named!), encouraged our discovery and celebration as we found seeds, cocoons, and launched milkweed!  We always brought back treasures to our classroom to continue our observations and investigations.

She also introduced me to a nearby area down the trail known as “Indian Springs,” a place that provided my siblings and me many an afternoon of playing in a brook, turning over stones, and catching whatever moved before us.

Perhaps this is why I now lead a middle school classroom in the Finger Lakes of NY, known as ECO, in which I, too, offer students an opportunity, and perhaps a responsibility, to explore, learn, and embrace their natural world.

Thank you for sharing and continuing to inspire by introducing readers to Russ Cohen!

Thank you for a fascinating article! I’m now on a hunt for Shagbark Hickory! I don’t believe I’ve ever seen any here in the southern region of the Tug Hill Plateau in NY. Perhaps that’s simply because I haven’t been looking. I am now!

Thank you again. Such a great read.

So glad to read this beautiful eulogy this morning. It brought tears, longing and memories to me as I read it. I grew up on a 50 acre farm and how I long for those childhood days of being at one with the awe of connectivity with nature. Starting on a walk recently we were honored with the beautiful reception of a mocking bird relating his orchestral song only just for us before he flew off into the sky. Regaling in that moment reminded me of that connectivity I was so lucky to have as a child and how much I am aware that it is missing with many of our youth growing up today. Our mission should be, first and foremost, to provide opportunities for our youth to know that connectivity with nature and its healing powers. May we all be open to those moments of awe and inspiring blessings of nature.

I live at the end of the road - about 5 miles from this museum. I have visited several times over the years, but need to again!! I just want to say that the legends of Ray and his wife, abounded! Adirondack story teller Fran Yardley has memorialized the pet Porcupine ‘Needles’ .  I drive by the museum most days and early, when Ray still lived across the street, it was the place I would see animals. Birds, a bear crossing. there are many many wonderful stories about him.  Not only his role as a lover and ‘communer with non-human animals but also his role helping students understand and love their heritage.  This museum has treasures and gifts from first peoples from other parts of the world that the Faddens have honored as part of their work.  It is not just ‘another roadside attraction’ as Tom Robbins would say:-)  it is one remaining piece of this sort of history in a very unlikely little spot.  I hope you can make it there.
Im sharing this link to ‘indiantime.net’ which is a story written about needles and Ray .

https://www.indiantime.net/story/2009/01/09/environment/ray-faddens-needles-and-porcupines/967.html?m=true#:~:text=When

I am so happy to hear about Russ Cohen’s nursery. Great adjunct to his engaging and fun wild edibles walks!

A beautiful read, thank you for writing this!

I believe A. verna is a european species of fungus that does not exist in the USA. There are many look-alikes. Older books in the usa recognize Amanita verna, the new feildbooks do not. it is often confused with Amanita bisporangia.

I saw a documentary called Fantastic Fungi. Very good. Check it out online.

Will deer eat shedded antlers?