From a distance it looked like a Volkswagen Beetle slung upside down in a tree. An old-style Bug, that is. Dark brown in color. Oh, and made of sticks. My friend John McFarland first told me of the structure-which is, by the way, a bald eagle nest-last spring. […]
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Every year about this time, the Good Natured World Headquarters staff starts fielding questions about tracks in the snow. And every other year or so we-well, actually, I, as the budget here at World Headquarters good naturedly allows for a headcount of one-put together a […]
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The other day as I was walking to work, taking in the sights and sounds of a warm-ish winter morning, I noticed that the neighborhood dogs were a little barkier than usual. Relieved that it wasn’t my crew causing the ruckus-they were at home, […]
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Photo Caption: It’s snowy owl season once again. Look for this regal visitor from the north in farm country, atop fence posts and utility poles. Good Natured: Snowy Owls January 8, 2021 Not only do I remember where I saw my first white owl, I also remember when. I was four years old, poking around […]
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Any way you look at them, our winter holidays really shine. Twinkling decorations shimmer in yards and windows; nights-some of them, anyway-are clear and starry; and right in the midst, on December 30, we were treated to a full moon that–when you could see it–added a luster of midday to objects below. […]
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Good news, Good-Natured procrastinators! Even though the holiday season is nigh, there’s still time to handcraft a gift for that special someone on your list. Combining some of the very best elements of nature itself, along with a dash of stylish individuality and 70% ethyl alcohol, this clever creation lets you say, […]
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Last week’s Good Natured column ended with a cliffhanger… Who, or what, was destroying the Ohio buckeye tree at the Wildflower Sanctuary in Batavia? In case you missed it, here’s a recap: Right around Thanksgiving, Sanctuary Steward Sarah Kimber was dismayed to find one of the two buckeyes there nearly annihilated. […]
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The Wildflower Sanctuary in Batavia is just that-a peaceful place to commune with nature and bask in the tranquility of plants and animals living in harmony. A stately plaque welcomes visitors with words penned by famed naturalist and local legend Dick Young: “Tread softly here, and you will meld into the ageless […]
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Witch hazel and I have had an on-again, off-again relationship for more than 50 years. A wee bit accident prone, I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve used the medicinal form of this plant to treat various bumps and bruises. The big egg on my forehead when I was 6; […]
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There’s no place like home. Dorothy Gale said it as she clacked her ruby slippers together, and Perry Como and the Carpenters sang about it, noting that it’s even better at the holidays. In fact today, given our COVID mitigations, we often find we really have no place BUT home. […]
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