What kind of animal is an earthworm?
Earthworms don’t have wings like a bird, scaly skin like a reptile or six legs like an insect. They are not mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds…
Category: Nature
Why do western larch grow new needles every year?
The vibrant green needles growing on a western larch is one of my favorite signs of spring. The needles are so much greener than any…
Snails- Life in the slow lane
Gliding around on a sheet of mucus doesn’t sound appealing but that is exactly how snails move. Snails lubricate their muscular foot with mucus which…
Huckleberries: Purple Gold
The huckleberries are great this year! I thought I would share an article I wrote for Backwoods Home (Issue 136) in 2012. Enjoy your huckleberries!…
Varied Thrush: A bird heard more often than seen
For a long time I heard a whistle-like bird song in the woods and couldn’t identify it. I heard the song in the woods around…
10 Fun facts about caterpillars
The transformation from a caterpillar to butterfly is incredible but caterpillars are pretty amazing too! 1. Caterpillars only have six true legs. Caterpillars appear to…
Incredible transformation from tadpole to frog
Changing from a swimming tadpole to a jumping frog is truly incredible. The change is gradual since almost every organ is modified during metamorphosis. A…
Wild ginger: An inconspicuous plant
Low-lying plants are easy to miss especially when they don’t have vibrant flowers or berries to attract your attention. A few years ago I discovered…
Pollinators: Helping make food
Of all the flowering plants in the world, three-fourths depend on animal pollinators. Bees may be the first to come to mind for pollinators but…
Ross Creek Cedars over 1,000 years old
Towering giants. Ancient trees. Trees growing since Columbus sailed to the New World. We have gigantic western redcedar close by–south of Troy, Montana in the…
Dabbling versus diving ducks: Difference goes beyond what they eat
Bottoms up! The tell-“tail” sign of a dabbling duck is tail feathers above water and head beneath the water. Ducks can generally be divided into…
Keep wildlife wild: What to do if you find a fawn
My three-year-old daughter said she was going to “hike” around the outside of the garden fence while I worked on the inside. A few seconds…
Why do western larch grow new needles every year?
The vibrant green needles growing on a western larch is one of my favorite signs of spring. The needles are so much greener than any…
Snails- Life in the slow lane
Gliding around on a sheet of mucus doesn’t sound appealing but that is exactly how snails move. Snails lubricate their muscular foot with mucus which…
Huckleberries: Purple Gold
The huckleberries are great this year! I thought I would share an article I wrote for Backwoods Home (Issue 136) in 2012. Enjoy your huckleberries!…
Varied Thrush: A bird heard more often than seen
For a long time I heard a whistle-like bird song in the woods and couldn’t identify it. I heard the song in the woods around…
10 Fun facts about caterpillars
The transformation from a caterpillar to butterfly is incredible but caterpillars are pretty amazing too! 1. Caterpillars only have six true legs. Caterpillars appear to…
Incredible transformation from tadpole to frog
Changing from a swimming tadpole to a jumping frog is truly incredible. The change is gradual since almost every organ is modified during metamorphosis. A…
Wild ginger: An inconspicuous plant
Low-lying plants are easy to miss especially when they don’t have vibrant flowers or berries to attract your attention. A few years ago I discovered…
Pollinators: Helping make food
Of all the flowering plants in the world, three-fourths depend on animal pollinators. Bees may be the first to come to mind for pollinators but…
Ross Creek Cedars over 1,000 years old
Towering giants. Ancient trees. Trees growing since Columbus sailed to the New World. We have gigantic western redcedar close by–south of Troy, Montana in the…
Dabbling versus diving ducks: Difference goes beyond what they eat
Bottoms up! The tell-“tail” sign of a dabbling duck is tail feathers above water and head beneath the water. Ducks can generally be divided into…
Keep wildlife wild: What to do if you find a fawn
My three-year-old daughter said she was going to “hike” around the outside of the garden fence while I worked on the inside. A few seconds…