Adventure
Finally, I Got To See The World Famous Horseshoe Curve.
I first read about the Horseshoe Curve, located near Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania, in one of those factoid features in a newspaper when I was in grade school. I was curious about it then, and pretty much everything else , and told myself I would visit it someday. Well a half century later I finally…
Read MoreAn Afternoon Walk In The Steel City
I arrived in Pittsburgh mid-afternoon last Saturday. It was only my third visit to the Steel City. I was there to celebrate my niece Cassidy’s graduation from Duquesne Law School. I am so proud of her. While in the city, I was staying at the historic Omni William Penn Hotel on Grant Street. After quickly …
Read MoreA Strenuous Hike, But The “Grandview” Of Pittsburgh Was Worth It
It was overcast and threatening rain when I awoke in Pittsburgh early Sunday morning. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I was in the city to celebrate my niece Cassidy’s graduation from Duquesne Law School. I decided to combine a nature hike with a view of the city. Looking at the maps of…
Read MoreAnother Trail With A View, This One In Tuscarora State Park.
I was in Schuylkill County early last Saturday morning, so I decided to hike in another one of our many parks here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Tuscarora State Park is located near Barnesville, about 15 miles from my home in Luzerne County. The Park opened in 1971 and featured the new lake formed by the damming…
Read MoreA Morning Hike Along The Allegheny River.
I was up early again on my last day in Pittsburgh. I was in the Steel City for my niece Cassidy’s graduation from law school. I wanted to get in one more walk before I left and decided to hike on the trail along the Allegheny River. I left the Omni William Penn Hotel around…
Read MoreMy First Encounter With Brood X At Kings Gap State Park.
I’m sure many of you, living on the East Coast, have been hearing about Brood X and the 17 year appearance of these cicadas this year. Well, this past Sunday I wanted to get away for a couple of days. I also wanted to observe some of these interesting insects, so I headed to Kings…
Read MoreWood Ducklings And Hawk Fights At The Susquehanna Wetlands
Warm June weather returned to Northeastern Pennsylvania on Saturday and what better way to enjoy it then hiking in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township Luzerne County. I started at the wetlands and first checked out the river hoping to see an eagle or osprey out on a morning fishing flight. No fishing birds on…
Read MoreMountain Laurel And Cicadas At Kings Gap State Park
I was happy to awaken in Carlisle on Monday with the sun shining. We had a few days of rain at my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania and it was raining when I arrived in Carlisle the previous evening. After a quick cup of coffee I was on my way to explore Kings Gap Environmental education…
Read MoreA Long Overdue Return To Big Meadows In The Shenandoah National Park
After my short visit to Kings Gap State Park in Cumberland County on Memorial Day I was on the road again. This time I was driving 3 hours south to the lodge at Big Meadows in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It’s hard to believe I last visited, and camped, here over 38 years…
Read MoreNo Bears Or Snakes, But Some Birds, Bugs And Wildflowers At State Game Lands 119
I have not seen a bear on any of my hikes this year. And for the first time in many years none have visited my back yard here in Hazle Township in Luzerne County. I only saw two all year, near Barnesville, in April. So, on Sunday I decided to hike in State Game Lands…
Read MoreAfter Torrential Rains, A Chorus Of Brood X Cicadas At Nockamixon State Park
The Brood X cicadas have been making the evening news almost every day now . The Brood X hatch is especially large in the southern states and the Washington D.C. area. And they are not discriminating who they fly into too. News reporters, politicians and even the President have had collisions with these insects. These…
Read MoreAnother Hike State Game Lands 119, And Still No Bears.
It is nearing the end of June and I still haven’t seen any bears in my backyard, in Hazle Township Luzerne County. It is the first time almost twenty years I haven’t had one or more visit my bird feeders. And, so far, I haven’t seen any bears my many hikes here in Northeastern Pennsylvania.…
Read MoreAnother Hot And Bear-less Hike To Moosehead Lake
Another heat wave arrived in Northeastern Pennsylvania last weekend. It was hazy, hot and humid, my kind of weather, Sunday morning. I still haven’t seen a bear this year, either in my backyard, where they are frequent visitors, or on my many hikes. So despite the heat, I decided to hike out to Moosehead…
Read MoreDiscovering More Of Nature’s Beauty At Community Park In Northeastern Pennsylvania.
The heat wave continued here in Northeastern Pennsylvania last week. Temperatures soared into the low 90’s. It didn’t stop me from my taking daily walks. I returned to the Community Park near my home in Hazle Township for a couple of afternoon walks in the heat and humidity. The waters of Lake Irena reflected the…
Read MoreBear Signs But Still No Bear Sightings In The Dennison Township State Game Lands.
Summer is near it’s peak now. And I still haven’t seen a black bear in my backyard in Hazle Township or on any of my hikes. This is the first time I haven’t had a close encounter with a black bear in 25 years. I’m not giving up, so I headed to the State Game…
Read MoreAn Unexpected Hike To The Silver Creek Fire Tower In Locust Lake State Park.
Two weeks ago I took an unplanned, but pleasant hike, that took me to the abandoned Silver Creek Fire Tower . I wanted to hike somewhere new and found a trail that led to Wolf Creek Falls near St. Clair in Schuylkill County. I drove to the access road shown on the trail map and…
Read MoreMy First Visit To Beautiful and Historic Lacawac Sanctuary In Wayne County.
Last Thursday I had the opportunity to accompany a friend, famous wildlife photographer, Donna , and visit and hike in the beautiful Lacawac Sanctuary in Wayne County. It was my first visit here and I arrived around 1 p.m.and met Donna after a 1 1/2 hour drive from my home in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. …
Read MoreThe Cicadas Are Singing At The Susquehanna Wetlands
I drove to the Susquehanna Wetlands again last Saturday. When I arrived I was greeted by that wonderful Summer sound of the cicadas singing in the tree tops. Unlike their relatives , the 17 year periodic cicadas, these cicadas appear in mid-summer every year in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It was early, 8 a.m., when I arrived…
Read MoreAnother Hike In State Game Lands 119 And Still Not A Bear In Sight
I am a determined person. I still haven’t seen a bear on any of hikes this year. So, early Sunday morning, I was back in State Game Lands 119 in Dennison Township, Luzerne County trying to find one. As I have noted in previous blog posts, I saw at least one bear on almost every hike…
Read MoreAn End Of July Hike At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It’s hard to believe it’s the end of July already. Spring and Summer pass so quickly. As I often do, I spent the last day of July exploring the Susquehanna Wetlands. And once again, I found some of the critters that live here and uncovered some of the beauty of nature that is everywhere in…
Read MoreA Shortcut To Crystal Lake Reservoir, But Still No Bears
Crystal Lake Reservoir is located atop Penobscot Mountain in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County. It is at an elevation of 1932 feet. It has supplied water to the City of Wilkes Barre and the Wyoming Valley for over a century. It is also adjacent to the Pinchot State Forest. I have hiked here a few…
Read MoreA Lot Of Birds, And A Cool Frog, But No Bears: A Hike In The Pinchot State Forest.
I returned to the Crystal Lake access in the Pinchot State Forest in Luzerne County last Sunday. Once again I was going to explore the swamps and wetlands around this large lake in search of the bears. I know they live here, I have encountered many bears on hikes here in previous years. But not…
Read MoreA Hummingbird Clearwing Moth And Other Cool Stuff In July At Community Park.
It’s been a while since I shared photos or a blog post from my afternoon hikes in the Community Park near my home here in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. I still hiked there a few times a week during July and I had continued to see a lot of cool stuff on my hikes, some…
Read MoreFinally, I Made It to Cherry Springs State Park, In God’s Country, Potter County.
I first heard about the dark skies at Cherry Springs State Park about 30 years ago. And almost every year since then I planned to visit. I never did. Well, I finally made it this weekend. I always had an interest in astronomy since my dad first showed me the Milky Way in our back…
Read MoreA Hike On The Susquehannock Trail In The Potter County Mountains
When I awoke in the Mills Stream Inn in Coudersport, Potter County on Saturday morning I was surprised, and disappointed, to see that is was still raining. The forecast was for clearing early in the morning and I didn’t bring rain gear on my trip. Well, I didn’t drive three hours to sit in a…
Read MoreA Short Stroll Through Coudersport, The Quaint County Seat Of Potter County
After my morning hike on the Susquehannock Trail, I had breakfast, returned to my hotel and edited some photos. Late in the afternoon I decide to drive into downtown Coudersport and take a look around this quaint little town. Coudersport is located at the fork where the Allegheny River meets Mill Creek. It’s first settlers…
Read MoreMushrooms, Cabins And A Bear!!! Another Hike On The Susquehannock Trail In Potter County
The sun was shinning when I woke up in Coudersport in Potter County last Sunday morning . I decided to return to the Susquehannock Trail for my last hike before I left God’s Country. This time I decided to start my hike on the trail head across from the campsite at Patterson State Park. It…
Read MoreA Lot Of Green Herons, And A Few Other Critters, Including A Couple of Otters At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was overcast last Saturday morning, with rain in the forecast. Shortly after I awoke it began pouring rain at my home in Hazle Township. I had planned to meet a photographer friend and hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands , twenty miles from my home in Salem Township Luzerne County. I was thinking of canceling…
Read MoreA Carolina Wren, A Phoebe And A Red-Tailed Hawk: A Cool September Morning Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was a cool September morning when I awoke early Saturday at my home in Hazle Township in Luzerne County. The temperature dropped into the 40’s overnight for the first time since May. The skies were mostly clear when the sun rose at 6:41 a.m. After I took my usual two mile walk through my…
Read MoreRiver Otters And Late Summer Flowers: A Wonderful Wildlife Encounter And September Beauty At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was a good week in my search for wild edible mushrooms. I found many edible species during the week, including the “redtop” (aspen scaber stalk bolete) and “cozie” birch scaber stalk bolete needed for our traditional Polish mushroom soup we serve at Holy Supper on Christmas Eve. So I decided to take a morning…
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