A Walk in the Woods

New and upcoming

  Warming temps and sunshine brought some new arrivals to both flora and fauna. Spring birds are starting to filter in as more buds preview…


Trip to Phipps

A trip to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh during its Spring Flower Show provided a brilliant preview to the season when much of…


Best buds

    The warming temperatures have brought out some of spring’s “best buds” over the past week. Lilacs have started putting forth leaves and the…


Has spring sprung?

  Is it truly ever spring? It seems like as soon as the last snowflake melts, the summer heat gets switched on. The calendar marked…


Name dropping

Snowdrops or snowflakes? That is the question. Or at least it was the subject of a story by Nancy Brachey in The Charlotte Observer. After…


Ups and downs

The region’s weather could be described as unsettled at best. Temperatures climb and fall. Precipitation comes as rain and snow and sometimes even with a…


Springing forward?

Recent warm weather has some spring flowers peeking out and has raised the hopes of some that spring is just around the corner. Over the…


Clearing the creek

Recent rains and snowmelt have made the small creek difficult to cross without getting one’s feet wet. What normally is a slight stream with no…


Winter returns

  The region saw a return to winter this past weekend and a certain Saint Bernard is thrilled with the current forecast. In fact, much…


January Thaw?

With no snow on the ground and temperatures well above normal, area residents may wonder if this is what is called a January Thaw or…



A deer photo

Kelly Daugherty of Oil City wanted to share this photo of deer she took a few years ago in February. Daugherty thought this picture might…



Winter birds

It is often said that bad weather leads to good birding or at least better sightings of birds. Winter weather often makes birds flock to…


Snowy scenery

Snowy scenery was all around just a few days before the new year started. Trees, fields and the like received a generous coating of snow…


Christmas sparkle

Christmas lights seem to shine a little brighter at night and several of the Applegate pets don their holiday hats. Merry Christmas and a Happy…



Sauntering in the snow

The recent snow fall has left some giddy about the possibility of a white Christmas and others grumbling about clearing drives and walkways. It has…



Gray days

A recent stretch of gray days has left some of us wondering just when the sun will appear again. The forecast for the rest of…



Fall fog

This week, the fog rolled in as Jack Frost kept his grip on the icy autumn mornings. Monday morning brought the first skiff of ice…


The mighty oak

Last week seemed like the time for the area oak trees to shine. Their rusty gold and burgundy colors  stretched to the sky as they…


Fatal frost

Last week’s frosty night air proved to be fatal for a good number of flowers. The hard freeze, or killing frost, laid waste to the…


Down came the rain

Down came the rain … and along with it most of autumn’s early color. Most of the bright leaves from the early maples are now…


Autumn abounds

It seems like fall arrived overnight or at least within the last few days. Maples, oaks, sassafras and other trees create colorful displays across Pennsylvania’s…


Elk and more

A trip last week to Benezette in Elk County included some elk sightings and beautiful scenic views. While waiting for the elk to make an…



Posing with the posies

Sometimes all it takes is a colorful background to brighten up a photo. Buford and Sherman will sometimes “sit and stay” for a few photos in front of…


Fading into fall

Summer’s blossoms are slowly fading. The days are growing shorter and the nights are cooler as we head toward the first official day of autumn…


The morning dew

Now that the mornings are cooler, area plants and posies sport countless tiny dewdrops. The small droplets of moisture sparkle like diamonds in the morning…


Headed for harvest

As the days grow shorter and the summer winds down, area gardens and orchards yield the fruits (and vegetables) of their gardeners’ labors. Tomatoes are…


What is a weed?

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered. –  Ralph Waldo Emerson Or in other words, a weed is a plant…


Petals and peaches

This week more sunflowers stretched toward the sky much to the delight of some area bees; the peaches started to turn their peachy orange; and a few…


You’re yellow

While the statement “you’re yellow” is not a compliment, the color yellow seems to complement the summer season. It is evident in the blazing sun…



Of webs and wings

The hummingbird feeders remain a hotbed of activity despite a blooming garden. Misty mornings reveal hundreds of spider webs not normally noticed.      …


Horrid humidity

Heat and humidity have plagued the area over the past few days. However, the region did not suffer as bad as the Midwest. The muggy weather made…


New arrivals daily

As summer continues on more bugs, birds and blossoms come forth. Young wildlife is also out and about. Strolls around the yard, garden and woods…


Under the sun

It’s no wonder there are so many things written about the sun. It’s a big part of everyone’s day and the reason it is day in…


In the clouds

Mother Nature put on a show of her own this past holiday weekend with two brilliant sunsets. While most of us enjoy a clear blue…


A bouquet of color

Summer’s officially here and the warmer weather brings with it different flowers. The roses are flourishing; the morning glories are opening their faces to the sun; and…


Through the trees

We all know the saying “you can’t see the forest through the trees.” However, sometimes those trees can create quite a sight on their own….


Beneficial bugs

While the insects that give bugs a bad name – mosquitoes, gnats and flies – are out and about, so are the beneficial bugs like…


Bountiful blooms

Damp weather and warmer temperatures in the past week had many flowers sporting their colors. Roses, mountain laurel, irises and more produced beautiful blossoms. Mountain…


Where the water is

Last week involved a trip to Conneaut, Ohio, the Pymatuning spillway and of course the daily walks around the neighbor’s pond. The heat brought out…


A watchful eye

Wildlife always casts a watchful eye toward someone with a camera. This week the hummingbirds continued to visit, a bunny has been spotted around the…



Springing up

As the days get warmer, more animals are waking up and returning to the region. This week saw the return of the ruby-throated hummingbird, indigo bunting,…


Being green

The bright hue of spring green is coloring the landscape.           Crazy Critters Reader submitted nature and pet photos are welcome…