The light has changed; the air seems cleaner. Hummingbirds are busy, busy. So are the songbirds and all those that will winter over here.
If you were a painter, this is a good time to paint...outdoors.
The clouds pass overhead, changing shapes, changing consistencies, rapidly.
The goldfish dash to the water's surface for food.
The squirrels and chipmunks are scurrying, collecting, storing.
It is a beautiful time of the year, here in the Northeast.

A Meadow in Brewster in June

A favorite spot.....a preserved meadow....not mowed, not sprayed.

Boston Public Gardens

These are the swan boats in the Boston Public Gardens. A childhood memory for me....imagine how thrilling for an Indiana girl.

The Mill Pond, Stony Brook, Brewster

National Seashore, Cape Cod in May

This hilly, twirly area is full of mystery- remains of small, ancient cranberry bogs; tiny pine forests; utter sand. You never know what is over the next hill.

On the other side of this calm hillside is the Atlantic Ocean, filled with its May whales who are so filled with exuberance. With their erupting, swooshing fountains of water spouted upwards, the whales can engage the eye and the energies of anyone who sees them.
Then it is nice to return to the quiet of the dunes.

Spring Swan at Bell's Neck in Harwich

A sure sign of spring on the Cape is the nesting of swans. On the Herring River and its adjoining West Reservoir in Harwich there are several pairs of swans. They are beautiful to watch as they silently glide through the waters, occasionally dipping upside down to feed on the vegetation on the bottom. Swans are something magical from childhood.

Alewives Returning

A gull stands, waiting for an alewife scout to appear. In early to mid-April, depending on temperatures, the alewives school in the bay and then begin their trek up the Run to spawn.
A few scouts come in first, and gulls and humans come each day to see if they have arrived yet. An ever recurring sign of spring on the Cape.

Stony Brook Run, Brewster
Read John Hay's THE RUN.

The Ospreys Are Back!

The ospreys have come back to the Cape after wintering in warmer climes. They are busy nest building. A better term might be nest constructing, as these structures are huge, heavy, complicated homes. And decorated too! One nearby nest has had a Barbie doll in it. Another, a tennis ball.
I am curious about human made objects that are added to the nests. What about them becomes attractive to the bird that it wants to take them home?
At CCMNH the camera is running full time and providing a fantastic view of life in the nest. Check it out!

Read David Gessner's RETURN OF THE OSPREY.

A Tortoise Views Humans

Yet they cannot quiet their human-ness. Humility never comes naturally to their meditations. Pride of the vertical. Assurance of those who wear hair even if not their own. Pomp of warm-bloodedness. An equilibrium they mistake for rationality. Over certainty about their station in life.
from Verlyn Klinkenborg's TIMOTHY, OR NOTES OF AN ABJECT REPTILE

A Mom

Parents...we all had them at one time or another.....and many of us have been one or are one. And our lives have been involved with, shaped by, and toned by being parents.
At different times in our lives, there are events that bring the feelings- not just the responsibilities- of being a parent to a heightened level.
And then there are times in our lives when events let us know with clarity how connected we are to our offspring. Connected, truly connected. Part of me in them; parts of them with me.
It is amazing to me, being a mom for 46 years, how much closer and closer I am to my daughters. Closer in spirit, in presence, in character.
Both daughters have guts. They are strong women; they are survivors. At the same time, each is intensely creative and productive, compassionate and smart.
All three of us are independent thinkers and actors. Each of us respects individual dignity and personal paths.
When I was the grown daughter, I tried to protect my parents from various illnesses or difficulties I experienced. Now, as the mom, I am so grateful that both my daughters allow me in, to share in the realities of their lives.
I am lucky....being the mom of the daughters I have.

Is it too late?

In REVENGE OF GAIA, James Lovelock examines the tipping point issue for the Earth. For a review of his book, go to http://ccmnh.org and then go to book reviews.

Flatwoods Preserve, Pine Island

This is the second year after a controlled burn by the Calusa Land Trust. The flatwoods are a habitat for the gopher tortoise as well as many varieties of birds and small mammals. The preserve trail leads back to a beautiful mudflats area.

Flatwoods Preserve, Mudflats, Pine Island

Pine Island Magic

Someone once told me that the island held magic for those who could find it. The times of mist and fog are magical for me.

Pine Island, St. Jude Trail

Twenty years ago we discovered this little island. It has not changed much in its lovely places- Tropical Point, St. Jude Trail, Calsua Mounds, Pineland.
It is a place of birds, clouds, and green.
For me, it is a place of happiness.

Pine Island Osprey

These many winter days on Pine Island are days of staring......into the sky, the trees, the water. Birds, bugs, butterflies, fish abound.
We are surrounded by ospreys and their nests. I often wonder if they are my friends from Cape Cod.