Sleep is gaining new respect among human health researchers. They've observed correlations between 6-7 hours of quality shut-eye and longevity, improved mood and memory, as well as restoration of immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems. But getting enough sleep is a challenge in the modern era of artificial lighting and smart devices that PING! their... Continue Reading →
All the Feels
"You're so sensitive!" That statement is rarely intended as a compliment. I don't get too worked up when it's flung in my direction, though. For one thing, by responding with nonchalance I'm contradicting the unsolicited appraisal. Secondly, I know the assessment can't be all that accurate because compared to a Star-Nosed Mole (Condylura cristata) I'm... Continue Reading →
Three’s Company
Gray skies dripping precip have been the order of day lately, but under cover of darkness last night the clouds finally sloshed off to rain on someone else’s parade, leaving a bright blue wake overhead and a light, steady breeze at ground level, soft as down against my arms and face as Dash and I... Continue Reading →
Tickbait
7 Weird Tricks for Preventing Tick Bites You Can't Afford to Ignore! 4 Dirty Secrets Borrelia spp. Bacteria Hope You Never Learn! 10 Sneaky Signs of Lyme Disease (#9 Will Blow Your Mind)! If only Peromyscus mice could read, maybe they could click through a few helpful infotainment articles to learn how to end all... Continue Reading →
Rideshare
My wire fox terrier and I were walking along a favorite path on a cool autumn morning. Stopping to investigate a patch of tall plants clinging to the steep sides of a ridge that used to carry Virginia Anthracite Coal and Rail Company trains, I leaned in to get a closer look at the bright... Continue Reading →
Night Shift
Does living in the city make it easier to be nocturnal? Natural-born early birds may never learn to love the nightlife, and owls might not ever welcome dawn's early light but bobcats (Lynx rufus) have shown themselves to be as adept at changing their circadian time signature as a jazz combo. Territorial and mostly solitary,... Continue Reading →
Watchdogs
I heard sharp calls piercing the air, even before I noticed the compound of earthen dwellings, and knew that sentinels had spotted me and my canine companion. Last autumn, I spent some time in New Mexico. I lived there, between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, for nearly a decade about 10 years ago, and I'd been... Continue Reading →
Treehuggers
I've been called a treehugger more than once in my life, and while I know the comments weren't intended as such, I always take them as compliments. As a sobriquet it's both true and false: true, because I do spontaneously hug exceptionally handsome or venerable trees; and false, because compared to the practiced professionals who... Continue Reading →