A Walk in the Woods

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

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…

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

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

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…

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…

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…

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…

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

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 recent purchase of two game – or trail – cameras has lead to some photos of wildlife not often viewed when one has two…

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…

Ed Atts of the Utica area shared these three wildlife photos out of the 1,500 photos he saved from last year. He is a retired…

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

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…

This week brought a little of this and a little of that as far as the weather was concerned. The past week the region saw…

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…

Through gray mornings and darker days, a male cardinal provided a bright spot this past weekend. There were actually two, but only one stuck around…

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…

Last week’s weather brought to mind Mark Twain’s quote about New England weather – “If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just…

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…

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…

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

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…

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…

The weather outlook for a quick trip to the Tidioute overlook was for overcast skies. The sun made brief appearances on Monday between the raindrops….

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…

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…

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…

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

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…

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…

A recent visit to Presque Isle State Park proves the park has much more to offer than just sand and waves. With abundant lagoons and…

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

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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….

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

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…

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…

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…

While the weather was a little drab last week, the visiting and returning birds provided a little bit of color to brighten up the days….

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,…

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