Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

After having lived in Syracuse for a year, town life in Marcellus isn't the most exciting, but it is a welcome break from the city. We no longer have to suffer the wail of sirens, the stomping of feet from our considerate upstairs neighbors, or the relentless rap music people would use in conjunction with horn honks to let their associates know that their ride was there. Fortunately away from all that ruckus, Alison and I spent Friday and Saturday at the annual Olde Home Days festival in our adopted town of Marcellus. We visited our local park to find that a whole carnival had been set up. After wandering around the makeshift carnival grounds, we decided to get a quick bite to eat there rather than going back home to our house. However, dining on carny food, while not our proudest moment, still wasn't as bad as having tried deep-fried Oreos. For anyone who has never had the pleasure of consuming deep-fried Oreos, I would recommend a more commonplace sweet treat like a slice...

It's always wonderful to find a place where you can relax outside. After having lived in central New York for just over a year, I finally feel like I've found a natural area I can call my own. When I lived in Massachusetts, my sacred place was a bend in the Sudbury River along a trail on Heard's Conservation Land in Wayland. After a half mile walk through mowed fields and old farm hedges, I reached the edge of the thicket. The gnarled trail was often muddy due to its proximity to the nearby marsh and in the late summer, it was bordered by goldenrod, vetch, and asters. Sudbury River, Wayland, MA in 2014 As you continued along the trail, tree roots provided chances to trip and ensnare sandals, while low hanging branches gently brushed the top of my head. Occasionally, an overzealous one would batter me in the face as well, but after navigating this gauntlet, you would be met with a wonderful view. The river is old. Lazily it travels along the marshy edges, while red-w...