hikes
A cold hike in Nescopeck State Park.
It was windy and cold, 12 degrees, but the sunshine and deep blue skies made for a nice hike in the Nescopeck State Park. There is about 8 inches of snow on the ground so wasn’t easy walking. saw a few cross country skiers on the way. Lake Francis was frozen solid. Winter isn‘t my…
Read MoreSnow and dogs, but no bears, in the Lehigh Gorge.
It was a cloudy, but warmer day in Northeastern Pennsylvania. There is still a deep snow cover, so I decided to walk in the Lehigh Gorge State Park at Glen Onoko to take advantage of the trails left by snow mobiles. Lot of history in this park. The trails follow the Lehigh River and the…
Read MoreMore ice and snow along the Lehigh River
We got some moderation in the temperature today, a balmy 22 degrees this morning, but there is still a deep snow cover out there. Decided to take advantage of the paths left by snowmobilers and hike in the Lehigh Gorge. Wasn’t bad walking and ran into a few cross country skiers and snowmobilers. Not much…
Read MoreIt’s the End of the Humboldt Reservoir as We knew it.
Was hoping to take a relaxing hike to a favorite spot of mine, the Humboldt Reservoir. Hiked out here many times as kids. It was always a secluded, and beautiful place, to enjoy the beauty of nature. It is located on lands of our local water authority. many folks would camp, party and…
Read MoreIt's the End of the Humboldt Reservoir as We knew it.
There’s no place to go, with all of the Snow.
Was a lot milder today in Northeastern Pennsylvania but still a lot of snow cover on the ground. We got another three inches yesterday and there were some higher drifts making walking anywhere in the woods very difficult. I really get cabin fever this time of year since I can’t just roam where ever feel…
Read MoreThere's no place to go, with all of the Snow.
The PPL Wetlands, Finally Waking Up After A Long Winter Nap.
What a beautiful day here in Northeastern PA. Sunshine and temperatures in the 60’s. Spring has finally arrived. And it sure seems to have put everyone in a good mood. I saw folks walking with smiling faces everywhere I went today. The only good think about a long, cold Winter is how wonderful the Spring…
Read MoreSpring Close Up, Some More Photos With The Macro Lens.
Spring time seems to always brings out the child in me. It seems everyday some new plant is sprouting from the ground, a new flower is in bloom, a different species of bird is arriving from their Winter homes or insects and animals are becoming active. And if you have a natural curiosity about things,…
Read MoreHazle Creek Junction Railroad Tracks Hike. April 18 2015
Another beautiful warm sunny day in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and I wasn’t staying indoors. I decided to hike up the railroad tracks from the town Weatherly to see if there was any wildlife on the ponds about 2 miles up the tracks. In the past I had seen ducks, geese, herons and even an American bittern.…
Read MoreLeslie Run, Laurytown And The Lehigh River Gorge. And Snow!!!
Often in life, things don’t turn out as planned, but you got to make the best of the situation. Had two setbacks today but didn’t let either ruin my day. I had decided to hike the Lehigh Gorge with a friend. I was going to drive down the dirt road that runs along Leslie Run…
Read MoreMore Spring Things Up Close.
If you have a love of nature and an insatiable curiosity Spring is a good time to get outdoors. There is something new growing, blooming, flying or crawling everyday. And I love looking for it. I went for another hike with my macro lens today and wasn’t disappointed. Seems like everything is growing overnight. The…
Read MorePPL Wetlands Again, It Never Gets Old.
A beautiful Spring day here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Puffy cumulus clouds floating in a deep blue sky was enough for me to sneak out of work early. Couldn’t wait until the weekend to visit the eagles nest found on Sunday. Getting harder to see in the nest because of the trees setting their leaves but…
Read MoreRails To Trails, An Asset To Every Community.
We had some perfect Spring weather here in Northeastern Pennsylvania today. Mild temperatures, plenty of sunshine and puffy cumulus clouds floating in deep blue skies. I decided to check out the newest addition to our local Rails to Trails. This wonderful program converts abandoned railroads into hiking trails for local residents. I have been hiking…
Read MorePPL Wetlands, Spring Is in Full Bloom, And The Mosquitos Are Back.
We are so lucky to have the PPL Wetlands and Riverlands nature preserves in our area. These ponds, lakes, wetlands and former canals adjacent to the Susquehanna River are have an abundance of plant and animal life. I try to visit as often as I can and did so this morning. As they are everywhere,…
Read MorePPL Wetlands Again?, Why Not, It Seems There Is Always Something To See There.
There were showers and thunderstorms in our forecast here in Northeastern Pennsylvania this morning. I decided to return to the wetlands I visited yesterday, where there are a number of short trails and loops, rather than hike out far and get caught in a storm. Of course, it didn’t rain but still glad I decided…
Read MoreSeven Tubs Nature Area
I had some business to take care of in the Wilkes Barre area today so I decided to visit a place I haven’t been since my college days, the Seven Tubs Nature Area. Located a few miles outside of Wilkes Barre, the tubs were created by glaciers during the last ice age. When I last…
Read MoreThe Tower Lines Are Gone, But Not The Memories.
It was probably on a day in July, similar to today , that my friends and I first hiked out the “black road” to the ‘tower lines’ in search of blueberries, known in these parts, as huckleberries. I am guessing I was around 10 years old. The “black road” is gone a victim to the…
Read MoreDay Three: Scandinavian Adventure. A Walking Tour Of Malmo
I had planned on either renting a car or taking a train to see some more of the Swedish countryside today, but overcast skies, light rain and little sleep kept me in the city of Malmo. And I am glad I stayed put. I wasn’t going to let the weather keep me inside so I…
Read MoreCopenhagen Denmark. Something For Everyone: Gardens, Palaces, Shopping, History And The Second Oldest Amusement Park In The World. Part One.
It is going to be very hard to summarize all I saw and did in my one full day in the “city of green spires”. I knew it was an amazing visit, from the opulent Christianborg Palace to the magical Tivoli amusement park. But, in reviewing the photographs I took for this blog, I realized…
Read MoreThe PPL Wetlands In It’s Summer Splendor.
It has only been about five years or so since I first discovered the PPL Wetlands but I have come to love these canals and ponds along the Susquehanna River and enjoy visiting them in all seasons. It seems it was just yesterday that I was listening to the chorus of the awakening spring peppers and…
Read MoreThe PPL Wetlands In It's Summer Splendor.
Picking Mushrooms Is No Picnic, But We Love It Here In Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Searching for and picking edible mushrooms has long been a tradition here in the “coal regions” of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Each ethnic groups had it’s own traditions and picked different species of the many edible mushrooms that grow in our woodlands and countrysides. Today I decided to look for the hen of the woods (known around…
Read MorePPL River And Wetlands. Summer’s Last Hurrah?
It was hazy, hot and humid here in Northeastern Pennsylvania today, it is still August, for one more day anyway, and it sure felt like Summer. But I found plenty of signs Fall is near during my hike in the PPL River and Wetlands this morning. As some of you know the Wetlands and Riverlands…
Read MorePPL River And Wetlands. Summer's Last Hurrah?
Not As Exciting As Bears But Bees And Wasp Are Cool Too.
It was another perfect late Summer day here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Cloudless deep blue skies and warm temperature. Still no rain so I didn’t even bother to go out looking for mushrooms. Instead, I took a short hike in the woods near my home with my macro lens. I love walking in the woods and…
Read MoreMid September And Summer Is In No Hurry To Leave This Year.
It was another sunny and hot day here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I did not even bother to look for mushrooms, which most years are abundant this time of year, because of the lack of rain. Instead I hiked out to the local railroad tracks and ponds near my house. And I found out just…
Read MoreBetter Late Than Never: Mushrooms Are Growing In Northeastern Pennsylvania.
We got plenty of much needed rain here in Northeastern Pennsylvania this past week and, although it is very late in the season, it has brought out some of the edible mushroom species. Yesterday, a cool and overcast day, I hiked in the aspen/birch/ pine woods looking for the bolete species that my dad taught…
Read MoreNot Many Mushrooms Today, But Lot Of Color, And Some Wasps, Bees and Spiders.
It was another nice Fall day here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The leaves continue to get more color everyday now and should soon be at their peak. I have been finding quite a few mushrooms since we got some rain last week. This is a photograph of some he of the woods mushrooms(we call them ramsheads…
Read MoreLeaves And Some Other Fall Things.
The colorful Fall foliage is nearing it’s peak here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. And today was a perfect day to enjoy it. Cool refreshing Canadian air filtered into our area overnight and we had plenty of sunshine for most of the day. Of course, I headed out into the woods looking for edible wild mushrooms. I…
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