It’s Only Natural—February 2016
A Legacy of Conservation By Hans M. Carlson The end of 2015 was dry, and before all the recent rain and snow the swamps and ponds were very low. It was nice to walk dry-shod into new places, but ecologically the low water in the wetlands was worrisome. So many amphibians rely on being […]
Through the Garden Gate—February 2016
February, Time Travel By Leslie Watkins What if you could travel through time, predict the future and divine meteorological events? And what if by doing so you could create food, clothing, shelter and a less stressful existence–an existence that would afford you more time to enjoy leisure activities, have deeper relationships with loved […]
Norfolk’s October 2015 Weather
A Beautiful Fall Foliage Season By Russell Russ This year was a near-typical October for Norfolk. Temperatures were about right for this time of year. Many locations had early morning frost on at least ten days. Even the weather station in its higher elevation saw frost on six mornings. Rainfall continues to be below […]
It’s Only Natural—December 2015
Hunting and History on Canaan Mountain By Hans M. Carlson It’s the opening of deer season and a beautiful late fall day. The leaves are off the trees and the sun is casting long shadows out into the woods. Early this morning about a dozen hunters made their way into Great Mountain Forest, and […]
Through The Garden Gate—December 2015
December Is For The Birds By Leslie Watkins It’s very nice to sit by a cozy fire with a cup of coffee and watch the birds on a snowy winter day. Brilliant blue jays, cardinals, and gold finches are a delight as they flit from perch to perch. They perform a carefully choreographed ballet, each […]
Through The Garden Gate—November 2015
November is Elemental By Leslie Watkins Earth, wind, fire and water—without any one of these elements, there is no life and no garden. While each plays its part in supporting life on earth, soil is most closely associated with gardening. The living soil, so easily taken for granted, is a seething eight-inches of bacteria, […]
It’s Only Natural—November 2015
Abandoned Charcoal Hearths Affect Today’s Forest Ecology Hans M. Carlson Recently, we got our first dusting of snow. When it’s not enough to cover the ground completely, the darker fallen leaves poke up through the veil of white, and small contours on the ground appear. The contrast highlights slight topographical variations, particularly with the […]
Norfolk’s Weather—September 2015
Warmest September on Record By Russell Russ Our warm and dry conditions continued throughout most of September. This was a continuation of the weather we have had here since early July. Last September was the driest September on record, and this year was the warmest. It was just about set to be the sixth […]
