A golden mystery: Chrysopilus thoracicus
Golden-backed snipe fly, Chrysopilus thoracicus, an eye-catching mystery.
Read MoreFrom the Blog
Magenta spreen, a worthy spring green
Magenta spreen (Chenopodium giganteum) is a delicious spring vegetable readily available from my garden. It is a close relative (same genus) of lamb’s…
Read More
Nature’s gift of exercise
The mud in the woods has evolved from chocolate cake batter to bread dough. It feels like kneading to walk. This morning was…
Read More
Supporting native insects is easy
Yesterday I planted two drought-tolerant native Ontario wildflowers in my front garden: Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed) and Antennaria dioica (pussytoes). I wanted to…
Read More
Leatherwood a subtle but useful native shrub
One of my favourite native plants is leatherwood, Dirca palustris. It’s a modest shrub, easily overlooked in the shadowy understory of mature woodlands….
Read More
ION LRT set to launch this spring
I encounter Kitchener-Waterloo’s new ION LRT on my morning rounds.
Read More
The creek runs through a crystal palace
A crystal spectacle invites separate reflections in photography and language.
Read More
Tracking the elusive muskrat
A muskrat lives in the creek under the bridge where I cross into the woods every day. Ondatra zibethicus are particularly reclusive, so it…
Read More
Festival of frost
The cold weather has kept me more housebound than usual, but it also provides some fantastic frost formations. This morning I bundled up and went to the creek.
Read More
Quick Asian peanut soup
This peanut soup was inspired by my hankering for ramen noodles, but includes vegetables locally available in winter.
Read More