The summer we moved to the Northwoods, I wrote an article about monarch butterflies. My writing was prompted by concern. I had noticed that the milkweed was not being eaten, and we saw only a few adult monarchs flitting around. This started to change my thinking about how we humans should help this iconic species….
Monarch Butterflies
Poetry Friday: Summer’s Gifts
This week, I planned to share the summer swaps from those I was paired with for the seasonal poetry exchange organized by the incredible Tabitha Yeatts. I will do so, but I am short one. I just mailed my last swap out and have yet to receive my last swap, too. So, that one will…
Poetry Friday: Me and My Bumbles
As many of you already know, I’ve been creating native gardens for bumblebees. This project started in February 2023 when I took a course from Pollinator Partnership to become a certified Pollinator Steward. The process ends when I make a community presentation on my habitat and the type of bees it is attracting. I plan…
There’s a BioBlitz Underway for Monarch Butterflies
One way that scientists gather information about different species is to engage the public. Monitoring life cycles, sightings, phenological events, and migrations are all ways to find out more about what a particular species is doing and how it’s adapting to our changing world. One such example is the BioBlitz that is underway now for…
Poetry Friday: Rain, Rain, Rain
Hello, Poetry Friends! While much of the country has been captured by extreme heat, we have been getting an overabundance of rain. In the last forty-eight hours, our neighbor’s rain gauge has recorded 6.5 inches. I’m ready for some sun! My week has been busy. Monday, I was on the road for much of the…
A Busy Week
It’s Friday again! How the heck did that happen? Time just moves too fast! Last week, we brought home a trailer load of boxes that had been in storage since our move to the cabin in 2022. We meant to get the totes out before now, but – as you know, life happens. When I…
New Monarch Activity Pack Available for Self-Study
If you’ve followed my blog for any time, you’ll know that I’ve been an active monarch conservationist for the last 25 years. Over that time, I’ve taught hundreds of community members and thousands of school-aged children about the Monarch Butterfly, their life cycle, habitat, and migration. For me, trends in monarch conservation have come and…
Earth Day & Poetry Month
Today is Earth Day. I pulled out some of my environmental lessons and am working to put them together so I can post them to Teachers Pay Teachers. One idea I had in 2020 was to make a self-study activity card pack on the monarch butterfly for classroom use. Lately, it’s been on my mind…
National Poetry Month, Day 18, Magical
No other words are necessary!
Silent Sunday & More
Last week I posted a Silent Sunday and it wasn’t viewed (at all). I’m not sure if something was up with the post or if people just missed it because I’ve been irregular in posting them. Here is the link: June was a great month for me on Medium. I was a top writer in…