hikes
An Unexpected Visit To Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
Last Sunday I decided to explore the French Creek State Park situated on the border of Berks and Chester Counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania. I made no plans and just parked along a trail on the park entrance road. It was a warm and sunny Spring day. I was enjoying my hike on what I learned…
Read MoreThe Migratory Song Birds Are Back And Singing In Northeastern Pennsylvania!!
May is one of my favorite months. The trees and flowers seem to burst forth in buds and blooms overnight. And, into this magical world of fresh green leaves and flowers, we await the arrival of the migratory song birds. And they arrived, and were singing, in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County…
Read MoreNo Bears, But A Lot More Birds In State Game Lands 119 In Dennison Township.
I haven’t seen any bears visit my backyard in Hazle Township, Luzerne County this year. So, on Sunday, I decided to hike in State Game Lands 119 in Dennison Township to try and find one. I have seen a lot of bears out here since I started hiking here about five years ago. It was …
Read MoreFinally, 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 MoreSpring Arrives Slowly At Lake Irena And Community Park.
It was a sunny day in May, many, many years ago, when I first visited Lake Irena and the surrounding woods of Community Park in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. I know I wasn’t in grade school yet when my dad first took me and my siblings there. I believe it was in 1963 or 1964, a…
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 MoreThe Lush, Green Splendor Of Spring At The Susquehanna Wetlands
I returned last Sunday morning, to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne. I usually hike there at least once every weekend. The previous weekend I was in Pittsburgh. So, two weeks passed since my last visit. And what a difference those two weeks made. The wetlands had transformed to a lush, green almost magical…
Read MoreFallingwater: Frank Lloyd Wright Unites Architecture And Nature
I enjoyed my recent brief visit to Pittsburgh a few weeks ago. On my last day, after my early morning hike along the Allegheny River, I checked out of my hotel. It was about a 4 1/2 hour drive back to my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. However I decided to drive a few mile out…
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 MoreA Peaceful And Pleasant Hike In The Big Meadows Of Shenandoah National Park.
It’s has been 38 years since I had slept in Big Meadows in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The last time it was in the campground with my baby brother Mike after graduating from law school in nearby Washington D.C. This time I awoke in the quint and comfortable Big Meadows Lodge. It was…
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 MoreMountain Laurel, Sundews And An Oven Bird, A June Hike Close To Home.
Last Sunday I had to get my usual seven mile hike in early. I was looking forward to attending the Baptism of my great nephew baby Charlie at 10:30 a.m.. So I decided to stay close to home and hike on the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails. It was overcast and cool with a light…
Read MoreSnakes, Toads And A New Bridge At Community Park.
It’s hard to believe that Summer is here . The warm months seem to pass so quickly. The magical season of Spring is over. I have been outdoors every weekday afternoon this past month . I take a three mile hike with my camera searching for the wonders of nature close to my home. Many of…
Read MoreThe End Of Spring At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was the end of Spring Saturday. It seems like just yesterday the first skunk cabbages were pushing through the snow and mud. And the first robins and red – winged black birds were appearing in the Susquehanna wetlands. But it’s Summer now and I spent the last day of Spring , where else, but…
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 MoreDragonflies, Spiders And Splendid June Weather At Community Park.
A cold front passed through our area here in Hazle Township, Luzerne County last week on Tuesday evening. It brought some much needed rain, and a couple of days of splendid June weather. I awoke to clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid 40’s Wednesday morning. It was cool but refreshing. It was perfect…
Read MoreThe Heat And Humidity Return To The Susquehanna Wetlands
After a few days of cool, refreshing weather, a warm front brought clouds, and heat and humidity, to my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As I often do, I decided to take my usual five mile hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County. I wanted to see how the many critters that live…
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 MoreWood Ducks, Hissing Geese And Startled Muskrats At the Susquehanna Riverlands and Wetlands.
The weather forecast called for rain last Saturday. It was overcast near my home Hazle Township. I decided to take a chance and check out the Susquehanna Riverlands and Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County anyway. I am glad I did. I arrived under partly sunny skies and pleasant temperatures in the 70’s. It was…
Read MoreMore Birds, Wildflowers And A Couple Of Deer In The Game Lands In Dennison Township
Some rain, and cooler air arrived in Northeastern Pennsylvania last weekend. I still hoped to see a bear this year so I headed back to State Game Lands 119 in Dennison Township on Sunday. I had seen many bears in these game lands since I started hiking here a few years ago. As usual I…
Read MoreClouds, Heavy Rains And An Otter At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was muggy and overcast last Saturday here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It rained during the night and more heavy rains were in the forecast for the day. I decided to take a chance and head to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County anyway. I don’t like to miss an opportunity to try and…
Read MoreAnother Walk In The Rain, This Time At Lake Ontelaunee In Berks County
There was more rain in the forecast here in Northeastern Pennsylvania last Sunday. I got drenched on my hike on Saturday the Susquehanna at Wetlands. On Sunday I thought I’d try and avoid the rain by driving south to Lake Ontelaunee in Berks County. I checked the local radar and it looked like the rain…
Read MoreA Close Encounter With A Thunderstorm On An Afternoon Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands.
Last Friday I decided to try something different and took an afternoon hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township Luzerne County. As you may know from my many blog posts about the wetlands I usually arrive early in the morning when the temperatures are cool. It was hazy, hot and humid when I arrived.…
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