Enjoying Nature’s Paint Brush

ENJOYING NATURE’S PAINT BRUSH Wednesday, October 10, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, October 12, 2007 (Picton Gazette) Planning a bus tour to take in the fall colour can be a bit tricky, with a lot of guess work involved in choosing a date. However, dates didn’t…

Can Squirrels Do the Breaststroke?

CAN SQUIRRELS DO THE BREASTSTROKE? Wednesday, October 03, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, October 05, 2007 (Picton Gazette) As our helicopter banked sharply to the right, I captured a sweeping view of the International Plowing Match site at Crosby, just east of the village of Newboro….

Learninig Natural and Human History

LEARNING NATURAL AND HUMAN HISTORY Wednesday, September 26, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, September 28, 2007 (Picton Gazette) The late Freeman Tilden – teacher, mentor and philosopher – once said, “The chief aim of interpretation is not instruction, but provocation.” He also said that any interpretation…

Fisher Big Attraction At Picton Fair

FISHER BIG ATTRACTION AT PICTON FAIR Wednesday, September 19, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, September 21, 2007 (Picton Gazette) If there is one thing I learned at Picton Fair this year, it’s that animals seem to draw people. I had the pleasure during this annual fall…

The Decline of the Purple Finch

THE DECLINE OF THE PURPLE FINCH Wednesday, September 12, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, September 14, 2007 (Picton Gazette) It was just a few kilometres from where we live when I saw my first purple finches. I was barely in my twenties, and was a relative…

Environment Priority in Construction

ENVIRONMENT A PRIORITY IN CONSTRUCTION Wednesday, September 05, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, September 07, 2007 (Picton Gazette) A few weeks ago, I was asked by a construction company to undertake a site visit along Highway 41, north of Bon Echo Provincial Park, to check for…

What To Do When You Can’t Run

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU CAN’T RUN  August/September issue, 2007 Yes, there is such a thing as a hummingbird moth, and yes, you likely saw one in your garden. They seem to be everywhere this year. It is easy to understand why this large…

About Paddles, Bikes and Hikes

ABOUT PADDLES, BIKES AND HIKES Wednesday, August 29, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, August 31, 2007 (Picton Gazette) An Ottawa gentleman e-mailed me just last week to tell me that he and his 12 year old son had just completed canoeing the 202 km Rideau Canal….

History Abounds In This Community

HISTORY ABOUNDS IN THIS COMMUNITY  Wednesday, August 22, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, August 24, 2007 (Picton Gazette) When September 15th rolls around, I will have been to Jones Falls no fewer than 11 times this year. This community off Highway 15, north of Kingston, may…

Ghosts In the Forest

GHOSTS IN THE FOREST Wednesday, August 15, 2007 (Napanee Beaver) Friday, August 17, 2007 (Picton Gazette) It was pinesap we were now staring at, tucked under a conifer near its base where the trail makes its final turn before heading back to the parking lot….