“The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down, Of the big lake they called Gitche Gumee.” These lyrics from Gordon Lightfoot’s 1976 hit song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald echoed across the water of Lake Superior during our travels through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was late September in northern Michigan and Theresa and I were celebrating with an early 35^th Anniversary trip. We chose to visit the big three, the greatest of the Great Lakes-Michigan, Superior and Huron. Our plan was to see them by land-on shore, and by water-off shore. We wanted to climb their impressive sand dunes, wander through their surrounding forests, and explore some of their famous waterfalls. Let the tour begin!

Theresa had never visited this area, and it’s been 40+ years since I had travelled through here. Our route included 8 states, 3 Great Lakes, 2 National Parks, 2 National Lakeshores, and a handful of state parks, that included picturesque landscapes and rich history! Most of our time was spent with the “Yoopers” of Michigan, and discovering the secrets and beauty of the big lake the Ojibwe’s called “Gichigami” (large body of water)-Lake Superior.

Two of our scheduled stops included some of the most remarkable sand dunes in the Great Lakes region. They were Indiana Dunes National Park, just east of Chicago, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, about 4 ½ hours north. Both are located on Lake Michigan’s eastern shore, in the Lower Peninsula. The dunes are a unique, fragile ecosystem, always changing with wind and weather. They were formed when the underlying sandstone geology was broken down from glaciers, and wave action from Lake Michigan deposited (and still does) sand on the adjacent shorelines. In some areas, the dunes remain bare sand, while in many other areas vegetation now covers the massive sandy bluffs.

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We also had time to slow down for a few days and visit my buddy Steve (Cheezer) near Green Bay, WI. Steve lives on a beautiful piece of property within the Oneida Indian Reservation, and was employed by them for 25 years. He played tour guide for us in the Green Bay area, showing us some of the local sights such as a cool County Park Preserve, the restored waterfront of Voyageur Park in De Pere, and a few of his past natural resource restoration projects on tribal lands. He can proud of the work he managed. While we standing there looking out over the fields from a great viewing pavilion, we saw lots of birds, including a stop where raptors were flying all around us, including 3 Bald Eagles, a couple  Red-tails and a Northern Harrier. We capped off our day with a stop at a local Apple Festival where we picked some apples so Theresa could make him some homemade pies…which he was eagerly awaiting! It was a great visit, and long overdue! We’ll be back soon!

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The main focus of our trip was to spend a few days exploring the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is a remote, scenic area, so different than the developed, congested region of most of the Lower Peninsula. The residents of the UP (Upper Peninsula) refer to themselves as “Yoopers.” The area is covered by large tracts of National/State Forests and is bordered along its entire northern boundary by Lake Superior, from the border of Minnesota, east, to its connection with Lake Huron in Sault St Marie. One of the most popular attractions here is Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Massive, brightly-colored sandstone bluffs that have eroded and broken off over thousands of years forming dramatic landscapes that can only be seen from offshore. The unique colors are from the many minerals found in the sandstone. The best way, and in most locations, the only way, to view them is by boat, looking back at them. They’re truly majestic looking, and stretch for over 40 miles along the northern shore. The guided boat trip through the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior was terrific, and we won’t forget it!

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Picture Rocks National Lakeshore is also home to dozens of small waterfalls, found on almost every stream/river that flows into Lake Superior. We visited about 4 different ones, but within an hour’s drive, there’s another 15 that you can check out. With the fall colors, it was a great time to see them.

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After putting Picture Rocks NL in the rearview mirror, we pushed east, stopping at the beautiful Tahquamenon Falls State Park, which has one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. The Upper Falls is over 200 feet wide with a drop of 50 feet. The Lower Falls is actually a series of five smaller falls cascading around an island. The scenery was fantastic, with the autumn colors bordering the Tahquamenon River. If you venture up this way, don’t pass up this spectacular state park!

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Our next stop was Whitefish Point. Whitefish Point is located at the extreme southeastern end of Lake Superior. It is a critical turning point for all vessel traffic entering and leaving this largest of all the Great Lakes. Whitefish Point marks the eastern end of a notorious 80-mile stretch of shoreline from here west to Munising, Michigan, known ominously as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. Of the 550 known major shipwrecks lying on the bottom of the lake, at least 200 of them are in the vicinity of Whitefish Point. The primary causes of shipwrecks here are stress of weather and collision; the 1975 loss of the steamer Edmund Fitzgerald with her entire crew of 29 has become a world-wide legend. The wreck of the Fitzgerald lies just 15 miles northwest of Whitefish Point.

As we moved back south, we stopped for a quick break in Mackinaw City to take a few photos of the impressive Mackinac Bridge that we had just crossed. This 3,800-ft long, 552-ft high suspension bridge connects the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan. It spans the Straits of Mackinac, the body of water connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. It’s an engineering marvel! But our next stop would be a bit more challenging!

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It was late afternoon when we arrived at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. When we pulled into the parking lot of the famous “Dune Climb” we looked at each other, and I commented that it didn’t look that tough! Well, 40 minutes later, with my leg muscles burning and sweat running down my face, I turned to Theresa and asked, “Do you really want to go all the way to the top?” After a couple of selfies (excuses to rest), we trudged on. As you all know, walking through deep, dry sand is difficult, but when you’re walking 450 feet uphill, on a 33-degree slope, in hot, loose sand, it tests your aging body! Finally, after reaching the peak, and anticipating grand views of Lake Michigan, our excitement quickly turned to confusion, might I say, an exhausted bit of frustration! To our surprise, our rigorous climb gave us a spectacular view of……more sand dunes! We learned that we had to hike another 2 miles up and down several more dunes to enjoy the views of Lake Michigan. Nope-wasn’t happening! Don’t get me wrong, it was an amazing ecosystem, but we quickly agreed that we could see the lake from other viewing areas that might not include an ambulance carrying us out! It’s not called Sleeping Bear DUNE National Lake Shore. It’s plural!

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As we turned Big Blue on the trail homeward, past the shores of Lake Erie, our final adventure was Cuyahoga Valley National Park, near Cleveland, OH. This national park is considered an urban park, located close to the cities of Cleveland and Akron. Although it may be positioned in a high populated area, once you hop on one of the 125 miles of hiking trails, you would think you’re in the middle of the wilderness! The name “Cuyahoga” comes from the Native Americans who settled here, and means “crooked river.” The native tribes used the river for fishing and transportation, and took advantage of the large surrounding forest lands for hunting and gathering.  As the Cuyahoga River carved its way through the landscape, it exposed giant rock outcroppings, that today’s visitors can walk right next to, and even under, in some spots. Cuyahoga Valley NP was a pleasant surprise, and a fitting end to our GREAT September Anniversary Trip!

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It was a balmy 99 degrees F when we landed in Tucson, AZ in mid-August, but as they say, it was a “dry heat!” My sister Cathy and I were at my dad’s former home to meet with his widow and sort through some of his stuff to bring back home with us. Although this was their monsoon season, they hadn’t received any rain in a long time. I guess we brought some good luck with us because that evening we received a much-needed storm that brought some relief to the hot, dry Sonoran desert. I did manage to get in an early morning walk through the desert neighborhood. This was a necessary trip that we’ve putting off for a few years, but the real adventure was about to begin the next day!

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We had decided to rent a vehicle, pack up what we could fit in the van, and proceed on a 2,150- mile road trip back across the country, stopping for a little sightseeing along the way. The fact that I’m writing this blog is proof that at least one of us made it back without being abandoned by the other, somewhere along a desolate highway in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, or the rural countryside of Missouri!

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When two siblings agree to a long road trip, there’s a buildup of excitement about all things we could see and do together, catch up on what’s going with our lives, and share stories of our father. There’s also driving to share-lot of driving, and this is where a brother’s and sister’s love is truly tested! As you can imagine, we both were absolutely convinced that each of us was a much better driver than the other. I was better with directions. She paid more attention to the road. I obeyed the speed limit. She handled all the rented van’s driver-assist settings better. You name it and somewhere along our voyage, we disagreed on it! After three days, I believe we even “debated” about where exactly we should park in the rest stop! If you ever want to test your love and patience, take a long, multi-day road trip in 100-degree temps! Throw in a couple 12-hour driving days, and you should be all set! But don’t despair, it wasn’t all wicked. For most of the outing, we did enjoy each other’s company, and saw some really cool things along the way!

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We piloted through the desert lowlands of Arizona and New Mexico, and up into the mountains of northern New Mexico, spending the night in the beautiful artisan city of Santa Fe. After stopping in Amarillo, Texas so Cathy could leave her spray-painted signature at the Cadillac Ranch, we continued through the pan handle of Texas into the plains of Oklahoma, jumping on and off historic Route 66 for 50 miles. We couldn’t pass up the chance to stop at a roadside attraction that allowed us to stand in three states (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri) at the same time! Our day finished up in St. Louis, standing under the Gateway Arch in the fading sunlight, as the Mississippi River flowed quietly past.  It was long, but fun day!

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As we powered up I-70 into Illinois, we got distracted bickering about which color Peanut M & M tastes the best, and ended up driving north toward Chicago, about 50 miles out of our way. We managed to snake our way through the farmlands of southern Illinois, back on to our planned route. Note: All Peanut M & M’s taste exactly the same, regardless of color! Next stop-the town of big records!

If you go to the website Roadside America, you’ll find some of America’s weirdest and most unique tourist traps. Many of these are world records in the Guiness Book of World Records, others claim to be, but have no way of verifying their fame. One such town that has embraced these attractions is Casey, Illinois. I stopped there several years ago on a cross-country trip with my son Tyler, to see the largest wind chimes. Well, the wind chimes are still hanging there, but the town now showcases a 15-foot barber pole, giant deer antlers, a giant chair and the world’s largest: mailbox, pencil, golf tee, pitchfork, pizza slicer, truck key, wooden shoes and teeter totter! How’s that for a little roadside pit stop, only 10 minutes off the highway!

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The rest of our trip through Indiana, Ohio and back into Pennsylvania was pretty uneventful, other than the occasional snarl I gave my sister to slow down, or her sporadic complaint for me to stop drifting out of my lane on to those dumb little rumble strips they install along highways to keep people from, well, drifting out of their lanes! In the end, we didn’t bury each other’s body in a rural weed patch somewhere, and we’re still talking to each other, but I’M STILL A MUCH BETTER DRIVER! Love ya sis! Thanks for a great road trip!

I love the native shrub Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)! It provides so much habitat for a variety of critters. Not only does its bright, red fruit attract many birds, such as vireos, thrushes and tanagers, but the flowers attract native bees and other pollinators. It also serves as nesting habitat for several songbirds. We have planted a few in the backyard and they’re really beginning to take off. This adaptable plant with lemony-smelling leaves (when crushed) is a favorite for birds and butterflies. The essential oil contained in the leaves, twigs, bark, and berries was traditionally used in folk medicine and as a substitute for allspice. 

Spicebush is best known as a host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly, whose larvae (caterpillar) feed on its leaves. Adult butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. Once the eggs hatch the caterpillars emerge and begin to eat, and eat, and eat the leaves of the host plant until they are large enough to shed a skin.  They do this 4 or 5 five times, and each new skin is called an ‘instar.’ The tiny caterpillar, which resembles bird droppings on a leaf, will then spin silk to fold one of the leaves around itself to hide from predators during the day.

They feed mainly after dark. As it grows, the 2”-3” the caterpillar turns bright green and develops “false eye spots” to scare away predators. Before the last skin shed the caterpillar anchors itself to a leaf, twig, brick, pot, or other stable surface with silk wires, and the hardened chrysalis hangs by these delicate wires for the duration of the transformation.  The adult butterfly emerges about 2 weeks later to feed on the nectar of flowers and find a mate and the whole process starts over. If the caterpillar doesn’t change until fall, the pupa (chrysalis) will overwinter, and hatch as an adult the following spring.

If you’re looking for a plant to attract some wonderful wildlife to your backyard, give our native Spicebush a try! You won’t be disappointed!

It was a long 8 1/2 hr drive from our home in Virginia to the coast of Georgia. Our destination was Tybee Island and the City of Savannah, for a quick (early) anniversary getaway. When we arrived it was shorts weather, with a warm 78 degrees F welcoming us-we’ll take that for December!

Although we only planned for a 48-hr visit, we wanted to see as much as possible (a typical trip for us!) in our two day window, including a little beach time on Tybee Island and explore the rich, history of Savannah. Neither disappointed!

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Tybee Island is a barrier island about 17 miles east of Savannah. It’s only about 4 square miles, but has some beautiful beaches, lots of shops and restaurants and plenty of quaint B & Bs. It’s a bit quieter and more relaxed in December, but just they way we like our beach trips to be. We usually don’t have much interest in visiting these beach destinations during the busy summer months, when most people do. Lots of people, crowded businesses, traffic and blazing hot temps…nope! We spent our first evening visiting North Beach, a nice, wide beach with lots of seashells, birds and calm waters.

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Standing guard in the background is Tybee Island Light Station-Georgia’s oldest and tallest light house, at 145 feet. Its history dates back to 1736! At the end of our 2nd day, we decided to walk off an awesome cuban lunch, by climbing the 178 steps of the spiraling staircase to the top. Thank goodness they had resting platforms every 25 steps, but by the 4th platform, I was hoping they also had a portable AED machine waiting for me! My legs felt as if they were “on fire!” I swear the height of each step in the final section increased by at least another 6″! Sweating and gasping for air, I crawled my way through the door at the top, so we could enjoy the beautiful, foggy views with 20 mph winds blowing in our faces! It was quite the little afternoon hike!

The 2nd part of our quick trip was very cool, as we took a guided trolley tour of Savannah’s Historic District where we learned so much of the city’s rich history. From James Oglethorpe’s founding of Georgia’s first colony in 1733, to it’s important role in the Revolutionary War, and of course, the critical part it played in the Civil War-including General Sherman’s famous “March to the Sea,” a 265-mile trek from Atlanta to Savannah with 60,000 Union soldiers. But, surprisingly we also learned that Savannah was home to Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts, and also where Robert Louis Stevenson wrote his well-known pirates novel, Treasure Island! There was literally history along every street, and around every turn we took on our tour!

We ended our mini-holiday with a trip to Wormsloe Historic Site. The site was the colonial estate of Noble Jones. Jones was a humble carpenter who arrived in Georgia in 1733 with James Oglethorpe (founder of Georgia) and the first group of settlers from England. Wormsloe’s tabby ruin is the oldest standing structure in Savannah. But, by far the greatest (and most well-known) part of the Historic Site is the 1-mile Live Oak lined avenue you drive through to get to the museum. It was fantastic! It’s so beautiful that several movies have filmed scenes using this entrance way, including Roots (1976), Gator (1977), General’s Daughter (1999), and The Last Song (2010).

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Georgia’s southeast coast has so much to offer to visitors. With beauiful beaches, large Live Oaks dripping with Spanish Moss and the amazing history of Savannah, no wonder it’s one of the most popular destinations in the U.S.!

It’s known as “The Last Frontier,” as well as “the Land of the Midnight Sun.” It was the 49^th state admitted to the union in 1959, after being purchased by Russia in 1867. This is Alaska….and it’s enormous! It’s the largest state in the United States. In fact, in total land area, it’s bigger than Texas, Montana and California combined! And here’s a few more impressive (and a bit unusual), fun facts:

• Alaska has the longest coastline (6,640 miles) than all the other states combined
• Alaska’s name comes from the native Aleut word, Alyeska, which roughly means “great land”
• Alaska has 17 of the tallest mountains in North America, including Denali at 20,320 feet
• Alaska has more than 130 volcanoes, although there have only been two eruptions in the last century
• Alaska is home to the annual Iditarod-a 1,000 mile +/- dog sled race
• Alaska has 1 bear for every 21 citizens
• Alaska and Russia are very close. At its nearest point, mainland Alaska is only 55 miles from mainland Russia
• Alaska has more than 100,000 glaciers-more than any other area on the planet
• Alaska has more than 220 native tribes that speak 20 distinct indigenous languages
• Alaska is so big it technically lies in both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres
• Alaska is the only state in the U.S. of which all the letters in its name can be typed on the same row of a computer keyboard (go ahead, try!)
• Alaska has the only state capital (Juneau) that cannot be reached by road
• Alaska has more than 3 million lakes and more than 12,000 rivers

After cancelling our plans for two years due to covid, our long-awaited family vacation to Alaska finally started in Anchorage, on a chilly, rainy day in late August……and it met all of our expectations!

I started planning this trip in the fall of 2019. I had previously visited Alaska with my dad several years ago on birding trips. But I really wanted to return with my family for an outdoor adventure to experience some of the awesome natural and cultural treasures Alaska had to offer. The map below shows the locations of where we visited.

Our plan was to rent a car, break the trip into two main regions, and cram as many activities and sights into the 8 days we had set aside. From Anchorage, we first drove 4 hours north to get a sampling of Alaska’s interior, focusing on Denali National Park and Preserve, home to “Denali” (formerly called Mt McKinley), the highest mountain in North America at 20,320 feet. Denali is part of the Alaska Range, a rather unsual mountain range since it runs east to west, compared to most mountain ranges that run north to south. After spending a few days gazing at towering, snow-covered mountains that stretched in every direction, taiga (boreal) forests and alpine tundra that went on for miles, we turned around and headed back south. The second part of our vacation was spent visiting the Kenai Peninsula, with stops in Whittier (Prince William Sound) and Seward (Kenai Fjords National Park). In both areas, we were hoping to see lots of wildlife, breathtaking landscapes and learn about the cultural diversity.

NORTH TO DENALI

Denali is more than just a mountain. Its six million acres of wild land, protected and preserved for wildlife and people alike. It’s a vast ecosystem that offers scientists, adventurers, hunters, writers and artists the opportunity to discover and enjoy natural resources found nowhere else. Although millions of people visit each year, most of it still remains a mystery and unexplored. The name change, from Mt McKinley National Park to Denali National Park and Preserve, did not come easily, however. After 100 years of debate, the National Park Service officially changed the name in 2016, to celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of the NPS, and finally recognize the native name, “Denali,” which means “The Great One.”

Unfortunately, most visitors to the park never get to see the mighty mountain because clouds and fog keep it hidden many days of the year. On this day, however, we got a little lucky, as the clouds lifted for just a little while, revealing the top of the enormous, snow-covered north face. We were all fascinated by the size of it, as it seemed to touch the sky. Now, you have to put things into perspective. For the first couple days we snapped photo after photo of big, beautiful mountains all around us, many of which were 8, 10 and 12 thousand footers. They were amazing. But then we caught our first glimpse of Denali. Wow, just Wow! Like the mythical village of Brigadoon rising out of the mist, Denali emerged from the clouds. It stood there, massive and majestic, towering over everything around it. Simply put, you could tell you were looking at the tallest mountain in North America! Nothing else compared!

There is only one road in Denali National Park and Preserve. It goes for about 90 miles toward the center of the park, from the eastern border. It is strictly controlled by the NPS that limits the public from driving their vehicles past the 15-mile mark. However, it does run bus tours along this scenic route, that allows visitors to get closer views of the giant mountain and search for some of the park’s famous wildlife species. It also drops off backcountry hikers/campers. That is, until late summer of 2021, when the Pretty Rocks landslide completely destroyed the road near the 43-mile mark. Now, vehicles, including bus tours, can only access the park to this point, where they must turn around. The NPS is still deciding what to do about this dilemma. They’re either looking to possibly reroute the road or build a bridge over this very unstable area. Although we were looking forward to traveling the entire 90 miles, we decided to keep our long-standing reservation on the Tundra Wilderness Tour…. and glad we did!

During this 5-hour trip, we saw lots of wildlife, but you had to look closely. Because the landscape was so wide, it was sometimes difficult to spot some of the critters. Along our route, we had great views of Caribou, Moose, Dall Sheep and 4 different Grizzly Bears, including one napping on a rock only 50 feet from the road! It was fantastic, and maybe a once in a lifetime encounter! The interior land mammals of Alaska did not disappoint-from the magnificent Grizzlies right down to the cute little Arctic Ground Squirrels.

This is a very special place. With millions of acres of mountains and rivers, boreal forests and alpine tundra, and home to some of the most beautiful wildlife in nature , Denali National Park and Preserve represents one of America’s most treasured ecosystems! All this, as “The Great One” boldly stands guard in the backdrop! As we said good-bye to Denali, we drove the 4 hours back to Anchorage to spend the night, stopping to stretch our legs at Chugach State Park. We took a short hike to view the 200-foot Thunderbird Falls, which cascades down through the Eklutna River canyon. As we travelled south, I was constantly amazed how lush the forest vegetation was in many areas we visited, which I had learned were coastal temperate rain forests! Ecological diversity at its best!

As I walked out on the beach looking toward the vast darkness, a soft glow of pastel colors started to illuminate the horizon of the eastern sky. There’s just something about sitting in the sand watching the sun rise over the ocean. It’s calming, peaceful and a bit magical. As a boat captain once said, “Anyone who has never seen the sea at six in the morning does not know the sea.” I agree. It’s my favorite time of the day when I visit the beach.

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A few of the beach birds we saw: Black Skimmers (top left), Snowy Egret fishing in the surf (top center), Great black-backed Gull (top right), Brown Pelican w/Double-crested Cormorants and an owl decoy (bottom left), American Oystercatchers (bottom center) and a Boat-tailed Grackle and his shadow (bottom right)

My family and I decided to spend Thanksgiving week at the beach. It’s been a tough year, and we needed this time together. We chose Ocean Isle Beach, a quiet spot on the southern coast of North Carolina, about a mile and half from the South Carolina border, as the crow flies. The area was beautiful, even though it still showed signs of severe damage from Hurricane Isaias, a Category 1 hurricane that slammed directly into this small town one year ago and caused the worst flooding the island had ever experienced. As one lady I spoke with in a local market told me, “The storm really caught us by surprise. We were complacent, thinking it was ‘only a Cat 1,’ so most of us decided we would just ride it out. We were lucky to get out. It was really scary!”

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Visiting a popular beach area in late November is much different than enjoying a hot summer vacation at the shore in July. There are far fewer people, many of the businesses have reduced operating hours, or have closed for the season and the water is just a bit too chilly to take a dip in. You can, but it would be a quick one without a wet suit! However, the days still can be sunny and warm, and all the things that make visiting a beach during the warmer months so enjoyable seem a bit more magnified in November-the soothing sounds of the water, the salt air, the cool sand between your toes and the Brown Pelicans gliding just above the ocean waves. These are the things that I seek when I venture to the seaside.

We love visiting the coast. It’s a great way to relax and recharge your batteries, watch some wildlife, eat some great seafood, play in the sand, and just stroll the along the beach looking for that perfect seashell. I wouldn’t consider myself a beach person though. After 6 days, I was ready to hit the road and head home. For me, our beach trip definitely served its purpose, and simply reminded me to Give Thanks for all that I have, and all the people in my life!

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As we approached the peak of the mountain, it was quite evident we had entered an entirely different ecosystem than what we just left, over 2000’ below us, and understood where this wild mountain got its name.

The brilliant fall colors of the birches, maples and hickories were gone, replaced by the dark green stands of Red Spruce, small Mountain Ash trees with their clusters of blood red berries and low-growing huckleberry bushes. The vegetation here has adapted to a harsh environment.  Although it was a warm day down below, the high elevation and steady breeze kept the temperature up on “the Knob” fairly cool. We had taken a day trip to visit West Virginia’s highest point-Spruce Knob.

Spruce Knob is the tallest peak in West Virginia at 4,863’. Not only is it the highest point in West Virginia, but it’s also the highest peak in the Allegheny Mountain range. Early settlers to this area burned thousands of acres of land on Spruce Mountain to create pasture for livestock. 

Timbering was the main industry in the area at the turn of the century and the last stand of old growth timber was cut down in the late 1920s. Forest fires were frequent, so much so that local residents called the Knob, “Big Burn.” In 1921, Spruce Knob was acquired by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Monongahela National Forest and since then it has been fire free. Travel to the area was greatly enhanced when a road was built across Spruce Mountain in 1936 but it was not until 1960 that a spur road ran all the way to the top.

The climate at Spruce Knob is cold continental or highland with cool summers and cold and snowy winters. Spruce Knob is also different from other summits in the area because of its distinctly alpine ambience.  As its name might suggest, the top portion of the mountain is covered by a large population of spruce trees, creating a dense boreal forest. Many of the spruce trees are one-sided, deformed by constant exposure to strong westerly winds. This environment is often associated with the peaks of Canada and New England, but at Spruce Knob you can experience it without having to travel that far north!

Because of this unique ecosystem, the animals that inhabit Spruce Knob are also fairly distinctive. A few species that breed here are usually associated with areas much farther north, such as Snowshoe Hares, Porcupines and Northern Flying Squirrels. Several “northern breeding” bird species also reside on Spruce Knob such as Magnolia and Canada Warblers, Swainson’s Thrushes, Common Ravens, Red Crossbills and Dark-eyed Juncos. When we visited, I saw many migrating raptors overhead, including a dozen Sharp-shinned Hawks, a couple Cooper’s Hawks and Red-tailed Hawks, an immature Bald Eagle and the best bird of the day, a fast-moving Peregrine Falcon!

If you’re ever in the area of Spruce Knob, or can take a day trip to visit this beautiful mountain vista, I would definitely recommend it! The unique boreal ecosystem along with stunning views, makes you think that it’s “Almost Heaven-West Virginia!”

Our 2021 butterfly sightings have been a real bonanza! Maybe we’ve spotted many more this year because of having to spend more time around our home, due to the pandemic. However, we’d like to think that we’ve had something (positive) to do with it!

Since we moved into our new property here in Virginia in 2017 (from Pennsylvania), we’ve worked hard at trying to improve the habitat for all kinds of pollinators, which included adding many new plantings. I’ve tallied about 25 different species that I can identify this year, and a few more that I can’t! There’s a lot of little, beautiful, butterflies that look alike-stay tuned! So, here’s our photo gallery (so far this year) of what we’ve attracted.

Probably the showiest of all our local butterflies are the Swallowtails. Most of these are large, colorful and regularly visit an assortment of both perennial and annual flowers. The Tiger Swallowtail is the state insect here in Virginia. They get their name from the yellow color with black stripes. Females will show pretty shades of blue on their lower hind wings. They also occur in a dark phase (females only). The middle photo below shows both color phases together on our Butterfly Bush. They really love sunflowers, especially the smaller Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia).

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The group of butterflies called Skippers (above) includes dozens and dozens of different species-many of which look very much alike. Here’s a few that I think, I was able to identify! From top left, to bottom right: Common Checkered, Columbine Duskywing, Zabulon, Tawny-edged, Pecks, and my favorite, the Silver-spotted. These little ones are enjoying Tithonia, Monarda and common thistle.

There are many more tiny butterflies, than there are big ones. You have to look close for these beauties, since they usually stay close to the ground. From Left to right: Pearl Crescent, Eastern-tailed Blue and a pair of Red-banded Hairstreaks. These three are all about the size of the end of your thumb.

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……..and finally, the majestic Monarch. This well-known butterfly has been the focus of many conservation efforts in the past decade, since its population in some areas has declined by nearly 90%! Even in our four short years here, sadly, we don’t see too many of them, even though we now have a good stand of Common Milkweed. However, in the past few weeks, I did manage to find a dozen caterpillars feeding mainly on Swamp Milkweed, but also on Common Milkweed and Butterfly weed.

The sun was barely above the horizon and the thermometer was already approaching 80 degrees F. I knew it was going to be a hot one along the SE coast of Virginia, especially where I was visiting for the day-Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). However, if you’re properly prepared for these hot summer days, there are benefits to visiting these areas at this time of year when it comes to experiencing nature.

Located along the Atlantic Coast, in extreme SE Virginia (8 miles from NC), Back Bay NWR is a 9,250-acre refuge established in 1938 to provide feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds. Over the years, it has become a critical habitat for wildlife as the metropolitan area of Virginia Beach continues to grow, while trying to protect the watershed from harmful development. Back Bay NWR includes a thin strip of barrier island coastline typical of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, as well as upland areas on the west bank of Back Bay. Habitats include beach, dunes, woodlands, agricultural fields, and emergent freshwater marshes. The majority of refuge marshes are on islands within the waters of Back Bay.

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As with many of my trips, I wanted to photograph some of the refuge’s summer wildlife, especially the birds. After hearing about a couple rare avian visitors to the refuge(a pair of Roseate Spoonbills), I packed up my gear, a lunch, plenty of water and departed at 3am, making the 3.5 hr. trek to arrive by sunrise. Roseate Spoonbills are large, beautiful pink & white wading birds normally found in Florida and the Gulf Coast. On occasion, after breeding is done, some Spoonbills (especially juveniles) will wander far from their home range, putting birders on alert and creating a “feeding frenzy” on social media. I wanted to join in on the “feast”, since the last time I saw one was in SW Florida, almost 15 years ago.

Although the scorching, humid summer days may not be ideal for birds (and birders), what I found during my visit was many other critters that thrive during the heat-especially insects! In addition, there were many flowers blooming in the bright sunlight as well.

If you visit Back Bay NWR on a hot, steamy summer day, you can’t miss the amount, and variety, of bugs flying around. Many species of butterflies, bees, beetles and flies are constantly buzzing by you. But the most noticeable winged creatures are the dragonflies. They were everywhere! Thousands of them. Some of them were large and others small and most were brightly colored. I found myself watching (looking for) dragonflies, more than searching for birds-probably because there just so many more of them! The hotter it got, the more active they became.

If you walk the trails at Back Bay NWR long enough, you’re bound to have one accidentally fly into you. But fear not, these beneficial insects will not harm you, and spend most of their waking hours buzzing around one small area catching and eating other flying insects-mosquitoes are their favorite prey! Dragonflies are expert fliers. They can fly straight up and down, hover like a helicopter and even mate mid-air. If they can’t fly, they’ll starve because they only eat prey they catch while flying. They’re such efficient mosquito-catchers that a single dragonfly can eat 30 to hundreds of mosquitoes per day! I would take many dragonflies flying around, rather than mosquitoes, any day! Amazingly, some dragonfly species even migrate.

Scientists have tracked migratory dragonflies by attaching tiny transmitters to wings with a combination of eyelash adhesive and superglue. They found that green darners from New Jersey traveled only every third day and an average of 7.5 miles per day (though one dragonfly traveled 100 miles in a single day). One species, called the Globe Skinner has the longest migration of any insect—11,000 miles back and forth across the Indian Ocean!

Back Bay NWR is a super nature destination any time of the year, even during the “dog days of summer.” If you’re properly prepared with plenty of water, bug spray, sunscreen, a wide brim hat, and a sense of adventure, you’ll be surprised what you might discover! Enjoy, and get Out and About!

The moon lit our way around every bend of the dark, windy road. It was 4:30 am, and we had about an hour to go to get us up high, to get us to the top for sunrise. As Big Blue bounced up the dirt road of the final two miles, the moonlight disappeared behind the fog and low clouds.

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Our destination was the peak of Whitetop Mountain. At 5,518’, it’s the 2^nd highest mountain in Virginia, but the highest you can drive to. The highest point in the state is Mt. Rogers at 5,729’, but to reach the top requires a challenging ½ day hike on the AT, and since it’s covered in trees, it offers no panoramic views when you reach the summit. The reward for the bumpy, eerie drive through the darkness was breathtaking views of the landscape of Southwest Virginia…..oh, and you can look out to the north and see the gentle dome of Mt. Rogers!

Even as the first hues of sunlight began to appear, the bright moon still hung high in the night sky, fading in and out of the chilly mist. As the Dark-eyed Juncos and Hermit Thrushes sang their early morning songs, the valley below began to emerge, and the sparse mountaintop showed its dominant tree species, the Red Spruce, along with dew-covered meadows. Theresa and I both agreed we really love visiting these high, alpine-like environments.

Whitetop Mountain and Mt. Rogers are part of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area in George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. Theresa and I ventured to this part of the state for a weekend of getting outdoors, a little sightseeing and to stretch our legs on a few short hikes.

Our other outdoor target for the day was Grayson Highlands State Park. This 4,500-acre park, also peaking at over 5,000 vertical feet, is known for being a gateway to Mt. Rogers, as well as the Appalachian Trail and Grayson Highlands. But perhaps its most popular attraction have four legs-wild ponies. They were introduced to the park in 1974 to prevent reforestation of the highland balds (high elevation open areas). The Wilburn Ridge Pony Association manages the pony herd. Each fall, the ponies are rounded up and association members check the herd for health problems. To keep the population balanced, some of the ponies are auctioned off during Grayson Highlands annual Fall Festival.

Although there are many signs and literature warning visitors not to feed the ponies, or not to try petting them, people still do. On a short hike to one of these balds, Theresa and I were told there four ponies just ahead of us, grazing peacefully near the trail. There were two mares, and a young colt still feeding from mama, and a stallion. As we watched from a distance, the mama and colt slowly approached a family that had a Golden Retriever on a leash. The colt seemed curious about the dog, so the family thought it might be cute to try and get a photo of the two animals sniffing each other. I politely said to the father that I thought they were too close and that the other ponies might get a bit agitated. He ignored me. Ten seconds after I said something, the stallion came trotting over, bucked up and kicked his hind legs, just missing the father, who was standing there, a bit dumbfounded. He was lucky one of those hooves didn’t catch him in the head! Theresa and I stood back, snapped a few photos and headed back down the trail.

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After a second, and a bit more challenging, hike to see some waterfalls, it was time to head back to our hotel and grab some supper. By the time we reached the truck, my calf muscles were burning (and into the next morning) and ready to rest! Although we were both a bit tired, we really enjoyed our visit to SW Virginia and exploring the High-Lands!