October: Reunion

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In October 2025, I hosted a mini reunion for the Iowa Mennonite High School Class of 1963. It was “mini” because only 5 of my classmates could come, but the 6 of us had a blast. The classmates who came, came from far and wide. None of them had ever seen a swamp. So, of course I took them to Black Bayou Lake NWR to walk the boardwalk. And of course it was the highlight of their visit to Monroe. As you can see by the sign on the door of the Conservation Learning Center, all facilities were officially closed…

September: Who can resist?

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This annual review will be completed before the end of the year. Pinky promise! Once a month I serve a little church in St. Joseph, Louisiana. Occasionally, I leave after coffee hour, go just a tiny jog back south on Hwy 65 to head west on Hwy 4 to enter the southern most edge of Big Lake WMA and meander north toward home. So it was that September 7, 2025, the road ditches were full of blooming Ironweed (Vernonia spp.) and other wildflowers. Butterflies were everywhere. I did not actually count individuals, but a quick search of iNaturalist shows me…

July: Fungi Frolic

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Things to notice the next time you go into the woods: How some gilled mushrooms age and die quite beautifully by turning their caps inside out. Stray rays of sunlight filtering through the trees sculpt the exposed gills and provide a perfect mountain trail for a tiny red hiker. The Gulf South Mycological Society typically conducts a Summer Foray in July. I attend the Friday night & Saturday portions when I can, and join a bunch of other fun and interesting people crazy enough to go into the woods in July and sweat profusely whilst looking for mushrooms. Last summer…

June: The Best

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For the past several summers, I have gone butterfly counting as often as possible. This year is no different. I’ll be back in Arkansas where I made this photo in a few weeks. Last year in June I was with the usual crew counting butterflies at the “Rick Evans” Grandview Prairie Nature Center near Hope, Ark. It was the best count ever! At least the best in my relatively short career as a butterfly counter. Prairies are wonderful butterfly habitat, and we saw lots. But the best sighting of the day, for me, at least, was this little beauty. Only…

May: Dauphin Island Adventure

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In May, I spent a few days on Dauphin Island–always a good time! But that trip I had a cold that wouldn’t quit, so one afternoon, instead of walking beaches and bird sanctuaries and neighborhoods as usual, I went to the marina and got on a “Lighthouse, Shrimping, Dolphin” boat tour. Turns out the dolphins were all vacationing in the Bahamas and the sea was too rough to go out to the lighthouse. Nevertheless…. it happened that the smallish group on the boat included a family of seven: mom, dad, a babe in arms, and four kids ranging in age…