Audubon’s Witness Tree by Jeff Tome

Audubon’s Witness Tree by Jeff Tome

The old Sugar Maple on the rise has seen a lot in the last 100 years. From its perch on this low hill, the seasons, the years, the birds and even the people have come and gone. The hill used to have a view all the way to Route 62 without a tree to block the way. The...
Going Native by Jeff Tome

Going Native by Jeff Tome

The sky swings gently above me as I rest in the hammock my kids bought me on a long ago Father’s Day. The tree that is shading me swings back and forth as well, coming in and out of focus with the swaying of the hammock. This is one of the best places to spend time on...
A Naturalist’s Year by Jeff Tome

A Naturalist’s Year by Jeff Tome

Every season has its own sound. Summer is the sound of insects buzzing in the fields, of birds chirping in the wee hours of the morning and of hawks screaming in the sky. Imagining those sounds brings memories of camping sunrises with birds all around in a deafening...
Dusk to Dark by Jeff Tome

Dusk to Dark by Jeff Tome

Nightfall turns everything new. When the dark slowly takes away vision, every sound is magnified. A small animal scurrying through leaves sounds like a bear crashing through the brush. Familiar places turn unfamiliar when they disappear from view. There are many terms...
How do we know what we know about Nature?

How do we know what we know about Nature?

Teaching in a school yard the other day, a third grade boy pointed at the ground and shouted “There’s a deer track!” Another girl thought it was a rabbit track. To prove their points, they simply talked louder. Obviously, if you can talk louder than the other person,...