Archive for February 2026
Trudging Through The Snow ( And Thankfully, Some Tire Tracks) At The Susquehanna Wetlands
The snow storm that I said was predicted in my last blog arrived. And it lived up to the predictions. It dumped over a foot of snow on us here in Luzerne County in Northeastern Pennsylvania last Sunday. The snow storm was followed by an arctic cold front dropping the temperatures below zero during the …
Read MoreSnow, Ice And Wind: A Frigid Hike In Locust Lake State Park
It’s been a long time since I visited Locust Lake State Park in the Winter. The last time was when I was in college and that was over four decades ago. It was on a cold and windy Winter day when I went ice fishing on Locust Lake with some friends. It was another cold, …
Read MoreFlorida Day One. 2026 Sunshine, Wood Storks, Egrets And Alligators. A Much Need Escape From The Cold
I love sunshine. And we had some sunshine in Northeastern Pennsylvania this past month. We also had cold and snow and ice. I don’t love cold and snow and ice. In fact, it was record-breaking cold and a lot of snow. (this is a photo of my house covered in snow) So I am now…
Read MoreFlorida Day Two. A Close Encounter With An Alligator On My Last Hike On The Old Ingraham Highway Trail In The Everglades
It was nice to wake up in Florida again on Sunday morning. Another year has passed since I was last here. I love my annual trip to south Florida, the Everglades and the Keys. As usual, I started my trip at the Best Western Hotel in Florida City. I was up early, and after a…
Read MoreSnow, Ice, Cold And Brilliant Sunshine At The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.
I returned to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon. I was back in Philadelphia to attend a yearly Trustee meeting . As I have done the past three years, I spend a few days in the city after my meeting and hike in fresh water marshes and wetlands in the…
Read MoreFlorida Day Three. A Long Day : Hikes On The Aerojet Road, Snake Bight And Guy Bradley Trails.
It was another clear, cool morning when I awoke in Florida City on Monday morning, the third day of my yearly trip to South Florida. Temperatures were in the 40’s again. I was headed to Flamingo , a former fishing village, in the southernmost point in the Everglades National Park. First I was going to…
Read MoreFlorida Day Four. Everglades: Manatees, Birds But No Mosquitoes On Hikes In Flamingo
I set my alarm for about 15 minutes before the sunrise my first night in the Flamingo Lodge in the Everglades National Park. I didn’t have far to go to watch the sunrise. I was able to make a cup of coffee and was still able to make it to the Florida Bay to watch…
Read MoreFlorida Day Five. Everglades: Hikes On The Eco Pond, Bear Lake And Anhinga Trails.
I was up early again Wednesday morning, sadly, my last day in the Everglades National Park this year. I was staying at the Flamingo Lodge in the Park on my recent visit to south Florida. After my mandatory cup of coffee, I took the short walk to the shore of the Florida Bay near the…
Read MoreSkunk Cabbage And Some Other Early Signs Of Spring At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It’s been three weeks since I last visited the Susquehanna Wetlands near my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The last time I hiked in the wetlands it was windy, with over a foot of snow on the ground, and temperatures in the single digits. I am not a cold weather fan anymore and I did not…
Read MoreFlorida Day Six. Key Largo . No Mosquitoes And Little Wildlife In The Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park
When I woke up Thursday morning in Key Largo I knew I was going to hike in the Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park. However, I was undecided where in this 2500 acre park I was going to hike. . . Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock is the largest remaining West Indian tropical…
Read MoreFlorida Day Seven: Hiking On Familiar Trails In Key Largo And Some New Ones In Sunrise Florida
I like to get up early to watch the sunrise when I am traveling. However, in Key Largo, where I spent two night on my recent visit to the Everglades and South Florida, there are not many public places where you can watch it rise. I found a new one on Friday morning, my last…
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