Living in Baxter State Park has its perks. Mountain heath (Phyllodoce caerulea) on Katahdin.

This past winter, my partner and I took a spontaneous trip to northern Minnesota for a chance to see a great grey owl during a mass irruption. We saw several, including this one through the scope.

Kalmia polifolia, bog laurel, found on the alpine ridgeline of Mt. Mansfield in Vermont.

Salix uva-ursi, commonly called bear-berry willow. This one is in the tablelands of Mount Katahdin, Maine’s tallest mountain. Close to it is a sign asking to keep their feet off alpine plants.

Pink Lady’s Slipper, Orchidaceae
Thornton, New Hampshire 6/5/25

I haven’t backpacked for fun since finishing the Appalachian Trail in 2022. While I still don’t like sleeping in stinky clothes, there’s nothing more mind cleansing than being outside for a while.

Bolton VT, May 13th 2025

Trillium undulatum, Painted Trillium. Found growing in a stand of eastern hemlock. Bolton VT

Today was my most successful morel search by far. All of them are black morels (Morchella elata group). In the last photo, you can see some little ones poking up through a gravel road. Very tough!

How does something so small make me so happy?

The large wefts of Hylocomium splendens caught my eye from quite a ways away. It wasn’t until I took out my hand lens that I noticed the smaller Atrichum sp. taking shelter under the larger moss.

Belvidere Vermont, 5/4/2025

While on a run this afternoon, I had to stop to watch 3 beavers attempt to shoo away this black bear from their dam. One of the coolest wildlife moments I have ever experienced!

I’ve seen a few of these lately, one of the first mushrooms to pop up for the year in northern New England. Now called Maublancomyces korfii but familiarly Gyromitra korfii.

Spring is just getting started here in northern VT.

I’m looking for fun things to do while cross-country driving to Washington from Vermont and was amused by this exchange under Shasta-Trinity National Forest”.

A recent trip to West Texas has me wanting to ditch dreary New England for the diverse deserts of Big Bend.