There are about twenty species of chipmunks found in North America. Here in Maine, we have the eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus. The other species of chipmunks are smaller, belong to the genus Eutamias, and live in the West. The eastern chipmunk is a small, striped rodent, belonging to the squirrel family Sciuridae. Every spring and […]
Spotting a Broad-winged Hawk in the Front Yard
A few mornings ago, I was drawing back the curtains in the kitchen window and I discovered something was out of place. I suppose when you do the same thing every day, you just notice these things. Anyway, I looked a little closer and I spotted a juvenile broad-winged hawk Buteo platypterus in the front […]
Rebel’s Return: A Groundhog in Maine
A couple of years ago, we had a family of groundhogs take up residence under our shed in the backyard. You can read all about them here. I haven’t seen any of these family members until now. About a week ago, a groundhog found its way into the pool area. It squeezed under the fence […]
How to Harvest & Dry Lavender
I planted lavender two years ago and it has taken off rather nicely. This was quite a risky endeavor because the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone here in Western Maine is 3b and most species of lavender are hardy from zones 5 through 9. Lavender is a perennial herb that grows well in […]
A Passion for Adventure: Getting to Know Photographer Adam Romanowicz
Today’s interview comes from Chicago, Illinois and features an extraordinarily multi-talented travel, landscape and nature Photographer. His name is Adam Romanowicz and he finds inspiration for his work with his love for the beauty of the world. Through his travels and unique approach to photography, Adam has the ability to convey his passion for adventure […]
Discovering a Hairy Woodpecker Nesting Cavity in the Backyard
One morning while I was working on the computer, I heard the voice of one of our female hairy woodpeckers that comes to the bird feeders quite frequently. In addition to this familiar voice, I heard a second woodpecker as well. This voice was much louder and very persistent. I also noticed our female hairy […]