tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13293188960222840432024-03-13T12:12:52.145-04:00Nature Is My ElixirReflections on the natural world and all living thingsFernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.comBlogger471125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-898930105135021402016-10-25T15:47:00.000-04:002016-11-07T15:47:45.053-05:00Berry Good<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Bohemian waxwing eating Rowan berries In Plyos, Russia</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Photograph: TASS/Barcroft Images</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The sight of ripening berries for birds and other wildlife in autumn is
always heartening, especially after so many months of severe drought in this part of New England. With
recent beneficial rains, shrubs and trees have been fruiting with abundance, attracting large flocks of <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cedar_Waxwing/id">Cedar</a> and <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bohemian_Waxwing/id">Bohemian</a> waxwings. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Watching them feast on berries near a wetland area that I visit is thrilling. Their </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">black masks and crested heads make them ideal subjects for water color work and photography. <br /><span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-29386937081282718452016-09-06T11:49:00.001-04:002016-11-07T15:24:53.187-05:00Lonely Princess<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9AdRCDKTzCw/V87iCzDD_5I/AAAAAAAAEhI/lOnNlZJMnPwNgtPJXNSNGcQ7x3luE1l_QCLcB/s1600/lonely%2Bprincess.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9AdRCDKTzCw/V87iCzDD_5I/AAAAAAAAEhI/lOnNlZJMnPwNgtPJXNSNGcQ7x3luE1l_QCLcB/s400/lonely%2Bprincess.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Princess misses Daisy</span></span></span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is now two weeks since we lost <a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2016_08_01_archive.html">Daisy</a> and while Princess’
grief is easing, the process is slow and she remains lonesome for her sister. There is an unmistakable look of
sadness in her eyes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I kiss and hold her, tell her how much I love her, brush her and give her treats. I wish I could do more, but I understand that she needs to grieve in her own way after losing her </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">sister and closest companion of 14 years.</span></span> </span></span></div>
Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-68158597768380573102016-08-29T16:26:00.000-04:002016-08-29T20:48:23.871-04:00Leaving a light on for Daisy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afYJtEzCU2Y/V8RCn-hVqaI/AAAAAAAAEgw/lHI5w9o7qpcoKlriMmeHfktpvkwp9-D-gCLcB/s1600/Daisy%2Bin%2BMay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-afYJtEzCU2Y/V8RCn-hVqaI/AAAAAAAAEgw/lHI5w9o7qpcoKlriMmeHfktpvkwp9-D-gCLcB/s400/Daisy%2Bin%2BMay.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daisy <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>May 2016</span></span></span></b></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Today marks one week since <a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2016/08/she-was-nice-cat.html">Daisy died</a> and we miss her terribly.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Her sister Princess <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is very sad <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and l</span></span>yrics from a song by Three Dog Night <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">seem to express <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">our</span></span> grief perfectly:</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>"It's just no good anymore since you went away..." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Daisy</span> got sick with intestinal cancer and eating became so d<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ifficult</span>, </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he would </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">wa<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ke<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> me i<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n the middle of the night and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">we'd go down to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the kitchen so she could try <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to eat</span>. Turning on a little <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">night li<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ght <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">there <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in the early </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">evening and leaving it on until </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">mornin<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">g <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">be<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">came a ritual of caring</span></span>. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">turn </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t little light on</span></span></span> every night, just as be<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">fore<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. It </span></span>doesn't feel right to turn it off yet. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We</span> are <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">leaving</span> a light on for Daisy<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her spirit still lingers here.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Click on the photo <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to appreciate her <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">sweet nature and dark </span>beauty</span>.</span></span></span></span></span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-19307421246995506702016-08-22T15:02:00.003-04:002016-08-23T07:28:28.721-04:00She was a nice cat<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EhQihbmyn9o/V7s9gWaARaI/AAAAAAAAEgI/eHq3n3d1tL0vBNWZxQIGkD3OeiYjzL2-ACLcB/s1600/Daisy%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bwindow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EhQihbmyn9o/V7s9gWaARaI/AAAAAAAAEgI/eHq3n3d1tL0vBNWZxQIGkD3OeiYjzL2-ACLcB/s400/Daisy%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bwindow.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Daisy</span></span></span></b></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I lost my Daisy today, just </span></span>shy of her 14th birthday. She leaves me and her sister Princess <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in deep</span> mourning. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is the time of the big empty. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We feel her absence keenly.</span></span> She was just here and now she's gone. It's all I can do to stop myself from looking for her beneath her favorite giant hostas. She won't be waiting in the driveway with her tail high in greeting when I come home. Her days of patrolling for mice and chipmunks are over. No more running like an Olympic track star from the far edge <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the </span></span>woods, all the way without stopping, to speed through the cat door like a bullet. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I never realized how much the outdoors meant to her until her final <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">weeks</span>. That she would fall ill on the summer side of life was a blessing. She loved sleeping in the breezeway with her sister<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. L</span></span>istening to the night chorus of crickets and frogs<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was a </span></span>kind of magic medicine that soothed <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">them both </span>as her health failed. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My brave, good girl died at home. After the vet gave her a sedative, I took her out to the garden for the last time. She stayed awake long enough to take it all in: her ears twitched at the sound of birdsong and she breathed in the refreshing sea breezes that <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">arrived</span> after days of tropical heat. Then she fell asleep<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. T</span>he end came<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> eas<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">y.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">my </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">wonderful vet and her a</span>ssistant</span> too<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">k <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">exceptional</span> care <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of D<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">aisy. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Her assistant<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and Daisy formed </span></span></span></span></span>a special bond<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span>When I thanked her for <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the warm and loving way she <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">had held and c<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">omforted </span></span></span>my Daisy, her eyes welled up, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">she said, in the most hear<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tf<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">elt way<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>"She was a nice cat." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She truly was and caring for her was an honor and a privilege.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">W</span></span>e</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>will mee<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t again<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span></span></span></span>m<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">y daughter<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Love never ends. </span></span></span></span></span></span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-74036171212992082072016-06-18T09:09:00.001-04:002016-06-19T10:02:34.746-04:00The reef that was<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QgLdNmDc2d4/V2VAGRzaV-I/AAAAAAAAEf4/YUE-kcvlHCw-XvtnyXVsE8-kdjb4v8PRACLcB/s1600/lizgrp-south-tq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QgLdNmDc2d4/V2VAGRzaV-I/AAAAAAAAEf4/YUE-kcvlHCw-XvtnyXVsE8-kdjb4v8PRACLcB/s320/lizgrp-south-tq.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z2mSkKO3JrM/V2VAD3fW_9I/AAAAAAAAEfw/CqkmN45jUIAosHO1fpc-Zu6bMl-Ps353QCLcB/s1600/Lizard_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z2mSkKO3JrM/V2VAD3fW_9I/AAAAAAAAEfw/CqkmN45jUIAosHO1fpc-Zu6bMl-Ps353QCLcB/s320/Lizard_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lizard Island National Park is the only continental
island group close to the outer edge of t<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he </span>Great<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>Barrier Reef.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many years ago in June, I had the privilege of visiting <a href="http://www.greatbarrierreef.org/islands/lizard-island/">Lizard Island</a>, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Spending time in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I feel fortunate to have visited at a time when the </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Great Barrier Reef </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was still astonishingly pristine. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was</span> amaz<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ed to learn</span> that the </span></span>reefs are about 8,500 years old and sit above layers of reef and alluvium dating back at least 2 million years. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Much as I would like to return, I know the sight of the now <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/07/the-great-barrier-reef-a-catastrophe-laid-bare">bleached corals</a> would be
extremely disheartening. Ocean acidification is one of our most urgent climate
change concerns and at this writing, very little is being done to address it.</span> </span></span></div>
Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-55898181879978152852016-05-15T09:26:00.000-04:002016-05-22T19:44:25.268-04:00Bag it, grab it and take it away<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zfZYYWXgZW8/V0GtwvbIedI/AAAAAAAAEfE/f891FWGF1vAqMzhmW__KbbMuoeojrJFrgCKgB/s1600/lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zfZYYWXgZW8/V0GtwvbIedI/AAAAAAAAEfE/f891FWGF1vAqMzhmW__KbbMuoeojrJFrgCKgB/s320/lake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IacOdcvBMEg/V0Gt3MJPeoI/AAAAAAAAEe8/7M1pbXVNhQY9p-rBh0urke9qzIX14TUAQCLcB/s1600/poop%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IacOdcvBMEg/V0Gt3MJPeoI/AAAAAAAAEe8/7M1pbXVNhQY9p-rBh0urke9qzIX14TUAQCLcB/s400/poop%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A bag of dog poop flung perilously close to the water's edge</span></span></span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am fond of water and love to walk around a lake set like a jewel in the crown of a mixed hardwood forest. The
diversity of wildlife there is astounding: toads<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">;</span>
frogs<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">;</span> salamanders<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">; </span>ravens<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">;</span> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">double-crested cormorants<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">;</span> </span>ospreys<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">;</span> northern flickers<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">;</span> <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/id">pileated woodpeckers<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">;</span></a> goldfinches<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">;</span> orioles; and yellow warblers.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A </span>water quality scientist who monitors the lake tells me, “Of all the sites I visit in Massachusetts,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>this is my
favorite<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Exce<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pt</span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for</span> the dog poop.”</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For reasons that confound me, dog walkers take
the time and trouble to scoop their pet waste into bags and neatly tie them
closed. But instead of taking the bags away, they hurl them close to the water’s edge and into the woods. I
often bring a plastic bag and pick up what I can. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I worry most about <a href="http://www.livescience.com/44732-eliminating-pet-poop-pollution.html">dog poop entering the waterway.</a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">W</span>hen dog owners <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">watch me </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">pick up bags</span>, I feel like I’m<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">making </span></span>progress in changing their behavior.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some </span>ask why I bother when I don’t even have a dog<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span> I <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ex<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">plain that</span> </span><a href="http://www.dogster.com/the-scoop/save-our-waterways-unscooped-dog-poop-pollutes"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">d</span>og waste is an environmental pollutant</a> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and</span> especially harmful to waterways. And then I <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">smile and say, "</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All you have to do is:</span> </span>b</span>ag it; grab it and take it away.”</span>
</span><br />
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<br />Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-6930115170553573502016-04-29T17:03:00.000-04:002016-04-30T08:14:23.988-04:00Save Snags for Wildlife<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dow2TX9wss4/VyPAGBMSElI/AAAAAAAAEeg/uZUObYjWb88a6I7cPsmlGmjhRcdDlDDCACLcB/s1600/Stump_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dow2TX9wss4/VyPAGBMSElI/AAAAAAAAEeg/uZUObYjWb88a6I7cPsmlGmjhRcdDlDDCACLcB/s320/Stump_thumb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P-NUx65IYsU/VyPAJAc-2wI/AAAAAAAAEek/6MiH-5RDcQ8H0paf-8Il971JswEMpUYFwCLcB/s1600/snag%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P-NUx65IYsU/VyPAJAc-2wI/AAAAAAAAEek/6MiH-5RDcQ8H0paf-8Il971JswEMpUYFwCLcB/s320/snag%2B1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: sans-serif;">This
post continues a series on simple things you can do to help the planet.</span></b><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
snag is any dead or dying standing tree. For wildlife purposes, snags should be
at least three inches in diameter at breast height and at least six feet tall.
However, I have a couple of snags that are about two feet tall that chipmunks, field mice and shrews inhabit. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today is <a href="https://www.arborday.org/celebrate/history.cfm">Arbor Day</a> and wood is
good. A tree that outlives its ornamental value can serve as habitat. Wildlife use nearly every part of a dead tree in
every stage of its decay for a <a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2012/07/we-live-here-tree-houses.html">place to live and raise young</a>, as a food source and hiding place. Snags also
serve as nurseries for insects, mushrooms and lichens. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Think of snags as condos,
townhouses and rest stops. Let them soften with age and blend into the
landscape. Allow vines to trail over them and leaves to fall inside them. Dead
trees help wildlife and when you preserve those that are safe to leave
standing, you do your part to help the planet.</span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-24864209484601544592016-04-22T15:58:00.000-04:002016-04-22T16:27:22.215-04:00Earth Day Every Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8EOSgT2g8oY/Vxp62SsBrWI/AAAAAAAAEeI/Ofn61JR99KEnadoQPP8wsxGH9qd-FeUWwCLcB/s1600/Earth-Day-2016-Poster-Earth-Day-Network.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8EOSgT2g8oY/Vxp62SsBrWI/AAAAAAAAEeI/Ofn61JR99KEnadoQPP8wsxGH9qd-FeUWwCLcB/s320/Earth-Day-2016-Poster-Earth-Day-Network.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5otiCrTi32c/Vxp65onSvnI/AAAAAAAAEeM/Bzd0LXEYDNkkx6ncZFyheCYd7QwFicyvQCLcB/s1600/timber_stacked_logs_in_the_forest_cg1p16960234c_th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5otiCrTi32c/Vxp65onSvnI/AAAAAAAAEeM/Bzd0LXEYDNkkx6ncZFyheCYd7QwFicyvQCLcB/s200/timber_stacked_logs_in_the_forest_cg1p16960234c_th.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QQcpCDvm8cQ/Vxp67F9586I/AAAAAAAAEeQ/XAQkVfVU0RE8IhogyzIzspZNO_QWz7EsgCLcB/s1600/mother_nature_crying_cg8p1143996c_th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QQcpCDvm8cQ/Vxp67F9586I/AAAAAAAAEeQ/XAQkVfVU0RE8IhogyzIzspZNO_QWz7EsgCLcB/s200/mother_nature_crying_cg8p1143996c_th.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm gla<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">d we celebrate </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Earth Day</span>. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But instead of once a year, I think every day should be Earth Day<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now more than ever.</span></span></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The beginnings of this environmental movement were so full of promise<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, but i</span></span></span>n the 46 years since Earth Day began, we haven't accomplished much. Nearly 50 years is a huge window of time in which we could have worked wonders. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now i</span></span>t seems we've gone into reverse and destroyed a lot more. Need proof? Climate change, <a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/what-is-the-future-of-coral-reefs-in-warming-ocean-waters/">coral bleaching</a> and <a href="http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/ocean/acidification.html">ocean acidification</a>, the <a href="http://education.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/">Great Pacific Garbage Patch.</a> I'll stop there; it's too painful. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And what about our forests? <a href="http://www.earthday.org/earth-day/earth-day-theme/">Earth Day Network </a>is a fine organization and I love the work they're doing, but in urging the planting of trees, I can't help wondering: what about halting the practice of cutting them down? <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">P</span>reserv<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ing</span> and protecting the trees we already have <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and planting new ones <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">are just some of the </span></span>simple things we can all do to help Mother Earth, our one and only home<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span> </span></span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-89732686547343905502016-04-20T18:26:00.002-04:002016-04-21T15:53:07.274-04:00Say no to neonicotinoids<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--gUdhqoHxps/Vxf7axVPeDI/AAAAAAAAEd4/sI8DWU-_9pUSL7Xp2_KFVDGCKwkL4aFnACLcB/s1600/A-bee-collects-pollen-fro-008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--gUdhqoHxps/Vxf7axVPeDI/AAAAAAAAEd4/sI8DWU-_9pUSL7Xp2_KFVDGCKwkL4aFnACLcB/s400/A-bee-collects-pollen-fro-008.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Photograph: Michael Kooren/Reuters</span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: "trebuchet ms"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This post continues a series on simple things you can do to
help the planet.</span></b><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the past 20 years, neonicotinoids (pronounced
nee-oh-NIK-uh-tin-oyds) have become the fastest growing class of pesticides. A series of <a data-component="in-body-link" data-link-name="in body link" href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/mar/29/crop-pesticides-honeybee-decline" title="">high-profile
scientific studies</a> has linked neonicotinoids to huge losses in the number of queen bees produced and big
rises in the numbers of "disappeared" bees – those that fail to
return from foraging trips. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Read my <a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2016/04/consider-bees.html">pre</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2016/04/consider-bees.html">vious post</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2016/04/consider-bees.html"></a> to learn more about these and other pollinators </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">at risk.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/29/bee-harming-pesticides-banned-europe"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">N</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/29/bee-harming-pesticides-banned-europe">eonicotinoids have been banned in Europe</a> and the ban should be extended worldwide. Until then, we can all do our part by refusing to buy these products, helping others learn about them and ignoring the profits-before-public-health push back from Bayer and other manufacturers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Excellent</span> information can be found at <a href="http://webiva-downton.s3.amazonaws.com/877/f6/6/5821/GrowingBeeFriendlyReport_web.pdf">Friends of the Earth</a> and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">at t</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he</span> Center for Food Safety. <a href="http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/files/pesticide_list_final_59620.pdf">Click here for a list of prod<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ucts to avoid</span></a></span></span><a href="http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/files/pesticide_list_final_59620.pdf">. </a></span></span></div>
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Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-9471552361984260722016-04-04T18:02:00.000-04:002016-04-20T17:43:59.923-04:00Consider the bees <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ay-KT0ITsFI/VwK6uOwFxyI/AAAAAAAAEdY/TbHJcIKDRMs2CmBMpDX8XNa47Jj6G8KFQ/s1600/native-bee-composite2-Clay-Bolt-570x375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ay-KT0ITsFI/VwK6uOwFxyI/AAAAAAAAEdY/TbHJcIKDRMs2CmBMpDX8XNa47Jj6G8KFQ/s400/native-bee-composite2-Clay-Bolt-570x375.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Photographed in the wild then released unharmed, these North American
native bees—not life-size but proportionate to each other—hint at the
vast diversity of our most important plant pollinators</span>.</span></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #f6b26b;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>This post continues a series on simple things you can do to help the
planet.</b></span> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
Bees matter. It's that simple. They ought to be valued for their own intrin<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">sic right to exist<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, but our best <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">efforts <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to help them m<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">u</span>st </span></span></span></span>focus<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> on the dire consequences <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">that a bee-less, and zero-pollinator<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>world <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">would have</span> on our</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">food supply</span>. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">d </span></span>right now, bees are <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in su<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">per </span>serious trouble<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span>C<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">o<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lo<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ny-collapse disorder has massively reduced honey bee p<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">op<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ulations and </span></span></span></span></span>President Obama <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">has taken action<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">with </span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/05/19/announcing-new-steps-promote-pollinator-health">a federal strategy to protect bees and other pollinators.</a></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t's a good start, but it's not enough and time is of the essence. I'll have more to say in my nex<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t post. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-35686749961358675202016-03-27T10:09:00.000-04:002016-04-06T11:31:19.598-04:00Reasons to be hopeful<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhswZX2g29E/VvfnfJfGqFI/AAAAAAAAEdI/zTByrEN04b8L13ulgq-2tR05mnWKdx1_Q/s1600/images.duckduckgo.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhswZX2g29E/VvfnfJfGqFI/AAAAAAAAEdI/zTByrEN04b8L13ulgq-2tR05mnWKdx1_Q/s400/images.duckduckgo.com.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;">Plant food for pollinators</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The environmental story, as it's currently unfolding, is
sad, but there are reasons to be hopeful. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This post begins a series on simple things you can do to
help turn things around. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">ONE: Now that spring is here, your backyard is a great place to
begin helping</span></span> pollinators,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> which are endangered due to ha<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">bitat loss, <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/food-agriculture/our-failing-food-system/industrial-agriculture">monoculture</a>, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">insecticides a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">nd</span></span> pesticides.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can help </span>b</span></span>ees, butterflies<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and moths (and their caterpillars), hummingbirds and</span> bats</span> by planting flowers that provide nectar and pollen. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For example, plant milkweed for butterflies, especially Monarchs, which are <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in steep decline, and c</span>hoose native plants whenever possible. You can even create a <a href="http://www.loudounwildlife.org/PDF_Files/Monarch_Waystation_Container_Garden.pdf">Monarch Waystation.</a></span></span><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">City dwellers with a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ccess to a patio, balcony <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">or rooftop</span></span> can participate as well<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> with containers and window boxes. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_tOfHoCDbo&noredirect=1">Watch <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">this </span>video</a> for tips<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and</span></span></span></span> l</span>earn more <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/PollinatorPages/YourHelp.html">here.</a></span> </span></span></div>
<br />Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-29436624498281613412016-03-17T17:32:00.000-04:002016-03-17T18:23:39.785-04:00All your stories are sad<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2016/mar/03/human-elephant-conflict-in-sri-lanka-in-pictures">Wild
Sri Lankan elephants</a> search for food in a dumpsite on the outskirts of a
small town bordering the Wasgamuwa
National Park. As their
habitats become more fragmented, wild elephants are increasingly forced to
venture into areas where people live. Photograph by Sean Gallagher</span></span></span></div>
<div class="gallery2caption" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A friend and I were discussing the <a href="http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/june/mass-extinction-ehrlich-061915.html">“sixth extinction”</a> and
what it’s like to be writing about the natural world today. What he said next
continues to resonate: </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/books/review/the-sixth-extinction-by-elizabeth-kolbert.html?_r=0">“Teetering on the edge as we are,</a> I bet all your stories are sad.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></div>
<br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The environmental story, as it's currently unfolding, is sad, but there are reasons to be hopeful. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="gallery2caption" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I’ll have more to say in my next post. </span>
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<br />Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-81078740577157548112016-02-19T11:01:00.003-05:002016-02-20T09:40:05.345-05:00Remembering Marguerite<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pnfc5V3AKw0/Vscyli2hxZI/AAAAAAAAEco/Adbhx1H8qNg/s1600/Marguerite%2Bprofile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pnfc5V3AKw0/Vscyli2hxZI/AAAAAAAAEco/Adbhx1H8qNg/s400/Marguerite%2Bprofile.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Queen of the Lyman Estate Greenhouses</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2009/02/marguerites-world-camellias-in-bloom.html">camellias <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">are in bloom</span></a> at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> and so are many of the or<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">chids, </span></span>but one flower, the most <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">alluring</span> of all, has faded and passed into spirit. For 15 years, I photographed <a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2011/01/world-away-sweet-marguerite.html">Marguerite,</a> the cat in residence. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I would call her name and Marguerite would come running<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> to greet me. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How she loved to pose for me! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the last year of her life, Marguerite bravely battled cancer; one of her legs<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> h<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ad to be</span></span> amputated<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">, but she <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">healed well and<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> her prognosis was good</span></span></span>. The last time I saw her she was lounging in <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">her <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">favorite </span></span>sunny corner, drenched in warmth. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">has been a </span></span>year since <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Marguer<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">it<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">e's</span></span></span> passing, but <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I'm not ready to</span> return to the greenhouses<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span> I would feel her absence too keenly. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">May she rest in peace. </span></span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-72155787513063465072015-07-30T14:26:00.001-04:002015-07-30T14:29:11.031-04:00Appalled and saddened<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jh8X0CZ_wII/VbppqkhGlLI/AAAAAAAAEb8/v_ihEylxkzs/s1600/cecil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jh8X0CZ_wII/VbppqkhGlLI/AAAAAAAAEb8/v_ihEylxkzs/s400/cecil.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Cecil the lion <span style="font-size: small;">(examiner.com)</span></span> </span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wrongful death, two words that barely contain my outrage for
the act of cruelty that took the life of <span style="color: #45818e;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/us/cecil-the-lion-walter-palmer.html?_r=0">Cecil the lion in Africa.</a> </span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I speak for many in this, I know. Social media is on fire, major newspapers
around the world have reported on this tragedy, but in my view, <a href="http://www.janegoodall.org/blogs/jane-speaks-out-about-slain-lion">Jane Goodall</a> has summed up the brutal killing best:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
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</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“I was
shocked and outraged to hear the story of Cecil,
Zimbabwe’s much
loved lion. Not only is it incomprehensible to me that anyone would want to
kill an endangered animal (fewer than 20,000 wild lions in Africa today) but to
lure Cecil from the safety of a national park and then to shoot him with a
crossbow...? I have no words to express my repugnance. He was not even killed
outright, but suffered for hours before finally being shot with a bullet. And
his magnificent head severed from his wounded body. And this behaviour is
described as a “sport." Only one good thing comes out of this – thousands
of people have read the story and have also been shocked. Their eyes opened to
the dark side of human nature. Surely they will now be more prepared to fight
for the protection of wild animals and the wild places where they live. Therein
lies the hope.”</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-27360840581801452342015-03-04T17:13:00.001-05:002015-03-04T17:16:57.569-05:00Beautiful Bovines<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">(click on the photo for a closer view) </span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I love all animals, and I do mean <i>all.</i> One of the reasons I became a vegetarian is because I love
bovines and regard them as sensitive and intelligent creatures. I have long lamented
their becoming caught up in the agribusiness machine and wish more people
understood their plight. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Whether called dairy or beef cattle, these animals
have been bred to “become more productive” with complete disregard for their
quality of life. Sadly, too many suffer brief and miserable existences.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And then there are the beach-loving bulls of Pondoland in South Africa. The photographs by Christopher Rimmer capture the true essence of what cows and bulls are: sentient beings who enjoy hitting the beach
as much as we do. I wish all cattle had this quality of life and the freedom
to enjoy sun and sea in family herds
as nature intended. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Christopher Rimmer has done a magnificent job
of capturing their beauty, dignity and intelligence. See more <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2015/feb/27/christopher-rimmer-photography-south-africa-amapondo"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">here. </span></a></span></span></div>
Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-63105262994469331272015-03-01T09:38:00.000-05:002015-03-01T13:33:43.392-05:00Wildlife Is Suffering<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0BSCVHsLqxk/VPMfhJWyBHI/AAAAAAAAEYo/O4rsbMVvQtU/s1600/Tlumacki_snow-relatedwildlifeinuries_arts058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0BSCVHsLqxk/VPMfhJWyBHI/AAAAAAAAEYo/O4rsbMVvQtU/s1600/Tlumacki_snow-relatedwildlifeinuries_arts058.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">A screech owl sat on a perch mending a fractured wing at the New England Wildlife
Center. <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Photo: John Tlumacki<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As I've mentioned in previous posts, this winter has been extremely difficult for wildlife, and another six inches of snow is due tonight.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A recent article in the <i>Boston Globe</i>, <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2015/02/26/animal-shelters-see-large-numbers-suffering-wildlife/07RACPwYkyqyrMLxRTNikN/story.html"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Animal Shelters See Large Numbers of Suffering Wildlife </span></a>by Bella English, confirmed some of my worst fears. The Eastern screech owl pictured here was brought in by a family who noticed that it
was up to its neck in snow. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">“His body was frozen. We put him in ICU in an
oxygen tank, and on top of a heating pad,” said New England Wildlife
Center Executive Director Katrina
Bergman. Treated for hypothermia, malnutrition, and a broken wing, he is doing
well."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It may not seem like much, but providing a steady supply of bird seed and reporting any injured animals you may come across to your local animal control officer will help wildlife enormously. In the meantime, hurry Spring. </span></span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-73785145408067010242015-02-24T17:51:00.002-05:002015-02-28T15:33:05.916-05:00Adopt-a-Rescued-Rabbit-Month<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KrCshZbPgqU/VOz5bAIr-zI/AAAAAAAAEYI/DM_MTX-mZZo/s1600/image.php.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KrCshZbPgqU/VOz5bAIr-zI/AAAAAAAAEYI/DM_MTX-mZZo/s1600/image.php.jpg" height="400" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Merlin is a free spirit who needs a loving home</span></span> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">February is Adopt-a-Rescued-Rabbit-Month and the <a href="http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">House Rabbit Network</span></a> works hard to rescue homeless rabbits, find them good indoor
homes, and educate the public about rabbits and their care.
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/adoption/buns.php?s=boys"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Merlin</span></a> is just one of many bachelors, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">bachelorettes, couples and trios available for adoption. </span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There are many other ways to help rabbits: become a HRN member, volunteer, help raise money or sponsor a rabbit. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Now is a good time to spread the message that rabbits and other animals are not toys.<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span> The old time <a href="http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/flyers/AdoptRetiredTABS.pdf"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Easter Bunny </span></a>tradition may seem quaint, but is in fact cruel. Delight children and create new family traditions with chocolate bunnies and and soft stuffed animal bunnies instead. </span></span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-85387431617414043392015-02-19T18:27:00.001-05:002015-02-19T18:29:24.692-05:00On Winter and Wonder<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nsDHeoNUC60/VOZpssg9ocI/AAAAAAAAEX4/O7PTeg_n1SQ/s1600/a%2Bplace%2BI%2Blove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nsDHeoNUC60/VOZpssg9ocI/AAAAAAAAEX4/O7PTeg_n1SQ/s1600/a%2Bplace%2BI%2Blove.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Look forward</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In the midst of hardship, it can be easy to lose perspective. As February wends its way into March it is essential to look forward, beyond snow banks and ice dams, fears for the roof over our head, and reckless drivers who refuse to slow down in any weather. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yes, unrelenting snowfall can bring out the worst in some people. But not the children. For most, the winter of 2015 will be etched in their memories as a halcyon time, filled with wonder and magic. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I still cherish the memory of a great blizzard from my own childhood. What about you?</span></span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-85852775628336923732015-02-16T06:00:00.000-05:002015-02-16T14:54:53.399-05:00Karma and BP<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iQn3WPqWdJI/VNPyKJoaWCI/AAAAAAAAEWk/ZM3boFcCW-s/s1600/04bpearns-photo1-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iQn3WPqWdJI/VNPyKJoaWCI/AAAAAAAAEWk/ZM3boFcCW-s/s1600/04bpearns-photo1-articleLarge.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Photo:<span class="credit"> Dan Kitwood/Getty Images</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="credit">News that </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">BP posted a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/04/business/bp-posts-net-loss-of-4-4-billion-in-fourth-quarter.html?_r=0"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">net loss of $4.4 billion</span></a> in the fourth quarter seems to be a case of <i>what goes around comes around</i>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bp-oil-spill"><span style="color: #93c47d;">The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill</span></a> in the Gulf of Mexico was one of the worst environmental catastrophes in U.S. history. The pain and suffering endured by people and <a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-have-we-done.html"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">wildlife</span></a> was profound, continues to have an impact and can never be undone.<span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">BP waged an effective pr campaign, promising to make amends, and spent millions in advertising dollars to convey themselves as concerned and committed to the cleanup. The reality is that BP cut corners wherever possible and many will never be properly compensated. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A loss of $4.4 billion is no big deal for BP. But the loss of pristine habitat, marine life and family businesses that were built over generations is a very big deal.</span></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-23098182200020819212015-02-10T17:00:00.000-05:002015-02-12T17:59:31.054-05:00Ocean Dumping: Just Say No <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WlydoIliEgs/VNpqCUmer6I/AAAAAAAAEXg/QnXOQZtqnP8/s1600/massachu.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WlydoIliEgs/VNpqCUmer6I/AAAAAAAAEXg/QnXOQZtqnP8/s1600/massachu.gif" height="255" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: small;">Massachusetts coastal areas</span></span></span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UffEbPBSyuA/VNpqJf89sTI/AAAAAAAAEXo/UcH1_DbeUMY/s1600/e35aa0bad7e2b441e94d469c32cee329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UffEbPBSyuA/VNpqJf89sTI/AAAAAAAAEXo/UcH1_DbeUMY/s1600/e35aa0bad7e2b441e94d469c32cee329.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our precious marine life </span></span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mankind is innovative, creative and inventive. So why can’t we come up with a better way to get rid of mega amounts of snow? Using the ocean as a dumping ground is a terrible solution. Our <a href="http://oceana.org/"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">marine environment is already extremely threatened.</span></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Imagine having snow contaminated with road salt, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">automotive oil,</span> chemical de-icers and other pollutants dumped into your living room? </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">The record-breaking snowfall has everyone at wit’s end, but we passed laws to prohibit ocean dumping because we know better. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Still, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">current laws do allow some communities to dump snow in the ocean or
other bodies of water under emergency conditions.</span> The <a href="http://www.gc.noaa.gov/documents/gcil_crs_oda.pdf"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Ocean Dumping Act</span></a> needs revision. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">What if</span> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">the ocean was off-limits?</span> What if we asked a group of scientists and MIT
students to work on solving this problem to make it so? An amazing solution may only be a think-tank away.</span></div>
Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-90538377319050837232015-02-08T17:50:00.000-05:002015-02-09T07:47:37.408-05:00Gas, Groceries, Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CbFRQ7kVa0k/VNaUWvtfVNI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/5mPFrQ_STmE/s1600/trees%2Bheavy%2Bwith%2Bsnow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CbFRQ7kVa0k/VNaUWvtfVNI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/5mPFrQ_STmE/s1600/trees%2Bheavy%2Bwith%2Bsnow.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Gas-groceries-snow (GGS) is the new regime in Massachusetts and most of New England this winter. Those of us who
work full-time are spending our weekends in GGS mode in an
effort to keep up with record snowfall. And there’s no relief in sight. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some weather experts are calling this “the new normal” due
to the effects of climate change. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/sep/19/extreme-weather-new-normal-climate-change"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Since 2012, scientists have been telling us</span></a> that storms of all kinds will become more intense. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sounding the alarm is one thing, helping us understand our ability to create positive change is another. Author
and activist <a href="http://nature-elixir.blogspot.com/2012/03/heroes-for-our-times-bill-mckibben.html"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Bill McKibben</span></a> is one of the best experts out there. His calm
demeanor and thoughtful perspective are a welcome relief from all the fear
mongering. Read an interview with McKibben in the <a href="http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/bill_mckibben/"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Earth Island Journal</i>.</span></a> </span></span></div>
Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-24998744747981535812015-02-06T17:08:00.005-05:002015-02-08T17:44:42.836-05:00Please Feed the Birds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tUtC9epMrM/VNU4_p5VT1I/AAAAAAAAEW4/bzy4rqflCsU/s1600/snow41-e1291134245539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_tUtC9epMrM/VNU4_p5VT1I/AAAAAAAAEW4/bzy4rqflCsU/s1600/snow41-e1291134245539.jpg" height="297" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXU7nUWQzXE/VNU5Etm3JNI/AAAAAAAAEXA/ISTJnr7DklY/s1600/images.duckduckgo.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXU7nUWQzXE/VNU5Etm3JNI/AAAAAAAAEXA/ISTJnr7DklY/s1600/images.duckduckgo.com.jpg" height="301" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">February is National Bird Feeding Month</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Photos: Duncraft.com</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.0pt;">This
is the fifth and final post in a series on birds (begun Jan 27th) and the
people who care about them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In Massachusetts and most
of New England, we are struggling to cope with
walls of snow three-feet high. And more is on the way.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
Imagine being a homeless or lost cat or dog in this kind of weather. And
then think about the birds, squirrels, foxes and coyotes who live among us and
are struggling more than we are.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">How does a bird find food when everything is encased in snow
and ice? How do mice find anything to nibble on or cache when they can’t gain
access to their usual food sources?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The good news is that March is only a couple of weeks away,
and then we begin a seasonal shift. You can sense it now. The light has
changed. Days are growing longer. Wild male turkeys have begun their mating
displays.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bird seed and suet are a great help through this time of hardship and other animals benefit as well. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Please feed the birds. </span></span> </span></span></div>
Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-13064741323996722632015-02-03T17:00:00.000-05:002015-02-03T17:00:51.944-05:00When Doves Cry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4-CU3TMqpjA/VMeyx4-pZZI/AAAAAAAAETw/Zpk76wKBFIU/s1600/dove%2Bpair.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4-CU3TMqpjA/VMeyx4-pZZI/AAAAAAAAETw/Zpk76wKBFIU/s1600/dove%2Bpair.gif" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0gG5Bda7RY/VMey0vnR8iI/AAAAAAAAET4/NBba5kciCig/s1600/MyPictures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0gG5Bda7RY/VMey0vnR8iI/AAAAAAAAET4/NBba5kciCig/s1600/MyPictures.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zaLkB-i2RTE/VMey6BxFjhI/AAAAAAAAEUA/9c5vMUrm1bk/s1600/white%2Bdove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zaLkB-i2RTE/VMey6BxFjhI/AAAAAAAAEUA/9c5vMUrm1bk/s1600/white%2Bdove.jpg" height="300" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Photo: allpetstype-education.blogspot.com</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">This is the fourth post in a series on birds </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">(begun Jan 27th) and the people who care about them.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.pandemoniumaviaries.org/"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Pandemonium Aviaries</span></a> founder and author Michele Raffin's fateful encounter with an injured domesticated dove
was the beginning of a remarkable journey</span> that<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> revealed the emotional lives of birds. In her book<i>, <a href="http://www.pandemoniumaviaries.org/book/new-book-about-pandemonium/"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">The Birds of Pandemonium,</span></a> </i>she explains why doves should never be used at weddings, funerals and other ceremonies. Most people have no idea of the suffering doves experience afterward. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: large;">Domesticated white doves don’t stand a chance in the wild.
Their color makes them stand out, and the hawks have an easy time targeting
them.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dove release has become a popular coda to “I do’s.” It’s a
pretty sight, but I had never considered the aftermath. Though doves are sent
aloft to herald a couple’s upbeat future, the birds can be headed for an ugly
fate. Unskilled in finding food, they might starve or end up as an aerial
predator’s meal. Some die in traffic or in contact with electrical wires. </span></span></div>
<i>
</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please help</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">raise awareness and</span> protect doves by sharing this information with others. </span> </span></div>
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Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-26195118018659443092015-02-01T05:30:00.000-05:002015-02-03T16:58:23.919-05:00The Birds of Pandemonium<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUgxK6kti9k/VLwc5tlxtDI/AAAAAAAAEPg/Zo-Ru_A9o_E/s1600/birds%2Bof%2Bpandemonium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUgxK6kti9k/VLwc5tlxtDI/AAAAAAAAEPg/Zo-Ru_A9o_E/s1600/birds%2Bof%2Bpandemonium.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">This book is a page-turner</span></span></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the third post in a series on birds </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">(begun Jan 27th)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> and the people who care about them.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love birds and when I saw this book at my library, I plucked it from the shelf and thought: <i>this looks interesting. </i>From the moment I began reading, I found it difficult to put this book down. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Michelle Raffin is more than an avian advocate and preservationist; she is a gifted writer with a natural voice that invites readers in and compels them to stay. The story of how she came to found <a href="http://www.pandemoniumaviaries.org/"><span style="color: #38761d;">Pandemonium</span></a>, dedicated to breeding and caring for avian species, has many twists and turns. Her accounts of birds she has known and loved made me laugh and cry, and recharged my resolve to help protect birds and their habitats. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Please <a href="http://www.pandemoniumaviaries.org/you-can-help/donate/"><span style="color: #38761d;">help </span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.pandemoniumaviaries.org/you-can-help/donate/"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">avian species facing extinction due to the destruction of their natural habitats </span></span>by making a donation</span></a> to Pandemonium Aviaries.</span></span></span>Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1329318896022284043.post-8283629238804986742015-01-29T08:42:00.000-05:002015-01-29T17:49:47.642-05:00Our “Feathered Primates”<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9BGg6tw_y8/VMetMPwMcGI/AAAAAAAAETg/hK6adFHUd34/s1600/crows%2Bare%2Bno%2Bbirdbrains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9BGg6tw_y8/VMetMPwMcGI/AAAAAAAAETg/hK6adFHUd34/s1600/crows%2Bare%2Bno%2Bbirdbrains.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</xml><![endif]--><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Crows are famous for their intelligence and inventiveness</span></span></span></b><i> </i></div>
<i>Photo: Felix Moll</i><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the second post in a series on birds and the people who care about them.</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Corvids ― the family of
birds including ravens, crows and magpies ― are highly intelligent. New
Caledonian crows, named after the Pacific islands where they live, are renown
for their intelligence and inventiveness. They are the only non-primate species
known to fashion tools, such as sticks and hooks, which they use to pick out
grubs from logs and branches. Read more<a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131128103835.htm"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> here.</span></a> </span></span></div>
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Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13536712564629870569noreply@blogger.com0