Tag: nature
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Recent Views
More photography here. In early November we visited some friends on their farm in the far exterior of Chicagoland: Hat-tip to this payphone that’s just hangin’ in there: Sunset from a different farm: A song of ice and fog at our local park: The view from getting gas at Costco: The sun shone kindly upon…
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Recent Views
More photography here. Partly cloudy in the Windy City: Feeling reflective at our park: Fishing class with the five year old: First time downtown with the lads: Enjoying the hotel room balcony at Timber Ridge Lodge: Burgundy boy blending in with the fallen leaves:
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Recent Views, Michigan edition
More photography here. Scenes from some time in Michigan with extended family… Gas station architecture: Boatin’: Cousins dancing to the sunset (also a perfect album cover for their future band): Happened to catch the sunset reflected near the five year old: Early morning dune summit: In between teaching the five year old how to play…
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Insects inspected
We’ve encountered more interesting bugs while out and about since doing this last September, so I figured I’d turn this into yet another of my recurring features with its own tag. Here’s a midge: And a (much smaller in real life) ground crab spider: And a yellow woolly bear moth: And an alder spittlebug: And…
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Recent Views
More photography here. Shadow play: The tunnel into Brookfield Zoo: Garbage Day is appointment viewing: Barking up the front yard tree: Puddle hunting:
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Recent Views, flora and fauna edition
More photography here. Lots of red admiral butterflies in our backyard: A goose family at our local park: A toad tromping through our backyard: The Great Cicadapocalypse has begun here in Illinois, and here’s one of many molting cicadas on our maple tree: Our lilac bush is so vibrant for such a short time: A…
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A birthday shadow
Today our youngest turned one year old. He and I are often outside together like in this picture because it’s what makes him feel better when he’s upset. Walking around while holding him will get tougher as he grows and begins to walk, so I’m trying my best to cherish these moments before he goes…
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Birds are the word
Well, this is me now: It started a few years ago when our firstborn got into our copy of The Little Book of Backyard Bird Songs that plays a dozen different bird calls. Then one day while on a walk through our local park, I heard a call that I recognized from the book, so…
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Insects inspected
This summer I managed to snap pics of a few cool and colorful critters spotted around our yard and house. And thanks to my phone’s aforementioned Visual Look Up, I actually know what they are. Here’s an ailanthus webworm moth: And a two-striped grasshopper: And a grapevine beetle: And some kind of mantis (species unknown):…
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Bye bye, butterflies
Recently my aunt got my 4 year old a “something special for the new big brother” gift: a popup butterfly garden with a cup of live caterpillars. The cup came in the mail prefilled with caterpillar food, which they ate over the course of a week as they grew and eventually retreated into their own…
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Recent Views
More photography here and on my Instagram. The view of the capitol building in Madison from the Madison Children’s Museum rooftop: Mr. 3 Year Old and his cousin on the slide at the Madison zoo: Stumbled upon this view atop a slide at a nearby suburban park: Ascending a magically wooded tunnel of stairs adjacent…
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Mulch ado about gardening
We’re finally, finally, doing stuff in our yard and garden areas. Some of it is remedial caretaking—fertilizing and weeding the lawn, removing dead bushes and trees—but a lot of it has focused on beautification and planting vegetables we’re not totally sure will thrive but are giving a try anyway. I gotta say: I’ve really loved…
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Recent Views
More photography here and on my Instagram. This picture barely captures how cool the evening light was through these clouds at my local strip mall: Remnants of winter: Black Play-Doh + white Play-Doh = accidentally awesome marbled design: “Aphyllous trees beneath cirrocumulus clouds” sounds like a line from “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” but…
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A mind for winter
As above… …snow below: Before the recent heat wave started melting the abundant snow, I was able to enjoy a moment in the snowfall with Mr. Two Year Old, which is where I grabbed the clips above. I’m so glad he loved it as much as I did. Anytime I’m able to dwell in idyllic…
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Down from Basswood: Voices from the Boundary Waters
A friend of mine recently moved to northern Minnesota’s Iron Range. He said he’d been looking online for information about the region when he stumbled upon mention of an obscure book that was supposed to really capture the area well. It was the short story collection Down from Basswood: Voices from the Boundary Waters by…
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Meditations on Hunting
Can’t remember how I came upon it, but I recently read Meditations on Hunting by philosopher José Ortega y Gasset, published in 1972 and apparently considered a classic in hunting literature. It isn’t really about hunting itself, but the philosophies that undergird it and the meaning it can provide. I found great wisdom in these…
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Recent Views
More photography here and on my Instagram. As much of a selfie I’m willing to muster: From back in coat-wearing weather, the cover art for our future family band’s debut album: Backyard greenery: Exploring the tiny patch of wildness in our suburban backyard: A fence post in the local park that’s seen better days: Our…