Backyard bird feeders have become a favorite small investment in my surroundings. Feeding the birds serves the very practical purpose of helping out our feathered friends with a meal here and there. Whether it be non migratory birds with limited food sources in the winter or the migratory ones that arrive hungry and tired in early spring, they all are hungry.
I bought Scout a bird feeder for his first birthday back in 2020, just before the start of the pandemic. It hangs outside my home office window where he studies the activity like must see tv and where I also can sometimes catch a glimpse of them coming and going.
Since then I have added two more that are visible from other windows and that are a little quicker to access on a cold winter morning. Most years I take a break from feeding in the summer but I’m rethinking that this year.
Living in the country, my yard is ringed by trees. There are shrubs, flowers and weeds to provide habitat and food sources and I always thought that was enough. However, the bird population does naturally drop off when the feeders go away and I selfishly want to keep them hanging around.
I stepped outside yesterday morning, bird seed in hand, and discovered the yard was alive with the sound of music. Julie Andrews has nothing on me. There was a cacophony of birdsong from all around. When I looked closely, the yard was full of birds of many colors expressing their gratitude for the meal they were about to receive.
I drank it all in and decided it’s worth the extra effort to keep this going as long as possible.
Life is hard for the wild creatures of this world. From the small wasp we kill (despite their role eating flies and ticks) to the deer and squirrels that hunters slaughter, there is risk at every turn. If I can plant a few things and ignore some weeds here and there to assist the pollinators, that’s a small but mighty way to help out. Dropping a little food in the feeders is another.
I wish there was a photo to support what I witnessed yesterday but it’s only imprinted on my brain. Trust me. It was extraordinary.
If you want to celebrate the small things in this life, start with a bag of birdseed and a little feeder outside your window. It’s one of the best investments you can make.
Adventure season is near and that means more people are headed into state and national parks for a day of hiking. I am fortunate to live in Southern Ohio where I’m 20 – 45 minutes from several great hiking spots including the very popular Hocking Hills State Park.
The problem with a lot of vacation hikers we see in the Hocking Hills (and other places as well) is that they’re often not equipped for the weather, strenuous terrain or their own physical limitations. Truth is, I have witnessed people doing so many stupid and dangerous things that I frequently fear what I’m about to see next.
I’m not a super serious hiker. I like to go a couple of times a week from spring through the fall time change. However, I don’t have all the fancy outdoor gear people sometimes think they need and I typically just show up with a snack in my pocket, a bottle of water and really good shoes. If it’s a longer hike I’ll pack some essentials in a backpack, especially if it’s hot or I’m unfamiliar with the trail.
By no means am I an expert but I know enough to help a novice. Here are some hints to help you be safe on the trail.
Check The Weather – Will it rain? Will it be hot and humid? Here in Ohio, the temperature can start at 25 degrees and be 60 at noon. Knowledge is power.
Dress For The Weather – When in doubt, dress in layers. If it’s cold, I wear a base layer under thick yoga pants. On top, it’s often a long sleeved t-shirt and flannel underneath my good Northface jacket. Add a scarf, hat and gloves as needed.
There are two schools of thought for summer attire. The first is to cover up. Wear breathable long sleeved fabrics and a safari hat to cover your entire head. This protects from the sun, ticks and bug bites and it is a terrific way to go.
Personally, I go the other way because it’s humid here and I hate to be hot. Shorts with zippered pockets keep my keys, ID, phone and snack safe. A short sleeved or sleeveless top helps keep me cool. Sunscreen protects my skin and a little bug spray on my shoes usually takes care of the creepy crawly things. I often use Johnson’s baby creamy oil lotion in aloe and vitamin e. For some reason, bugs hate that stuff plus it softens the skin. I wear a hat of some kind because it protects from the sun and ticks.
Dressing appropriately will help keep you comfortable and protected from the elements.
Wear The Right Shoes– Tourists often wear light tennis shoes, sandals and flip flops. I have often seen boots with a heel too. Hiking shoes, hiking boots or trail runners are the best options and they don’t need to be expensive. Some really sturdy tennis shoes are fine on a lot of trails. My favorite shoes of all time have been New Balance trail runners because they have treads like a good boot but are light like a tennis shoe.
Snacks – Last year, we encountered a woman who was at least two miles away from her car or a visitors center vending machine and she was asking for food. Her blood sugar was low and she needed a snack. Even if I’m just going on an easy two mile trail after work I always make sure to have a snack in my pocket and something more substantial in the car for later.
Granola bars, trail mix and nuts are great options you can slide in your pocket. If you have a pack, an apple, boiled eggs, peanut butter sandwich, a single serve tuna packet, or cheese crackers are great too. You can Google hiking snacks to find ideas that will work for you.
Water – You have to hydrate. Even in the winter and absolutely in the summer you need to drink water. The longer you hike and the hotter it is, the more you need to bring. This is non negotiable and I really don’t know what to tell you other than drink your water.
Stay On The Trail – I was tempted to make this number one on the list because it’s the worst thing I see in the Hocking Hills. Stay on the trail. It’s not hard to do in Ohio because they mark trails really well. Go out west to some of the national parks and you’ll find that only the strong survive on some of those trails because there’s not always a lot of signs.
People think the signs are for other people. They want to see something off the beaten path. They want an Instagram shot. They want to do what they want to do. People get hurt this way. They break legs falling on slippery rocks at a beautiful waterfall while standing next to a sign that says no wading or diving. They fall off cliffs and spend a lifetime in a wheelchair because they wanted to look over the edge. One woman died when some teenagers tossed a small log over the edge and hit her on the head. ODNR has done what they can to make things safe but accidents still happen to the best of us and rules don’t help when people ignore them.
I once heard a guy tell his ten year old son that the signs are for other people who don’t know what they’re doing. Don’t be that guy.
Know Your Limitations– If you’re not in the best of health, make sure you understand your own physical limits. Know what to expect on the trail by researching online or talking to a ranger. Pushing yourself to achieve a goal is one thing but needing to be airlifted out during a heart attack is another. The photo above is from Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan when an elderly couple made it about a mile in before needing help. A natural resources officer, two paramedics and a firefighter pulling an ATV on a trailer had to respond to secure the patient, assess his condition and drive him out of the woods. That’s a lot of personnel and way too much risk to life and limb. I think about that couple all the time and badly hope they are ok.
Leave The Wildlife Alone – If you encounter wildlife, give them space. Leave the area if you can. Certainly don’t approach. I have been in areas with bison, bears and elk and they are freaking intimidating to see in real life. Here in southern Ohio there are sometimes reports of black bears and bobcats but I worry more about wild boar and wild dogs. I once abandoned a hike about a half mile in because there was a skunk hanging out on the trail. Literally. It just sat there and waited me out till I went away. It simply wasn’t worth it.
Don’t Rely On Technology – Assume that you won’t have cell service. That means you need to either download your trail maps to your phone or carry a print map. That also means you may not be able to call for help if you get hurt so make sure someone knows where you’re going.
Pack Supplies – When in doubt, take a pack outfitted with things you might need. Don’t weigh it down with a lot of extras but do consider your true needs. Extra water, snacks and a map are logical needs. A very small first aid kit, extra socks, tissues, sunscreen, a compass, and knife are also good things for a day hike.
Hiking is an amazing pastime. It’s good for your physical and mental health. It costs nothing other than a safe pair of shoes and the gas to get to a trailhead. Give it a try but be smart and use some common sense so you can stay safe and live to hike another day.
Also, be sure to have fun too. It’s supposed to be fun! Go fast for aerobic exercise or slow if you want to observe the wildflowers, birds and tall trees. Take pictures. Breathe it all in. Listen!
Don’t play loud music or wear ear buds when the forest provides its own soundtrack of running water, birdsong, frogs and wind. These things are more magnificent than anything you can play on your phone.The sounds and sights of nature are restorative. They’re good for your soul. Stay safe, be well and allow your hike to make you stronger.
Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve is in my regular rotation of great places to hike but I had a particularly memorable hike there over the weekend. We awoke to fog on Saturday and there was a fine, misty rain in the air on the way. Luckily, it cleared up before we arrived at our trailhead.
While a snowless winter can be a lackluster time in Ohio, this place was positively gorgeous at every turn.
Eastern hemlocks, ferns and mosses provided color and texture. Bits of life like small buds and the tiniest signs of green made us think that spring really is on the way. We stopped to listen to a conversation between two owls. We also heard a chorus of small frogs known as Spring Peepers or, in my family, as March Peepers. The air smelled of fresh earth and decomposing wood, a rich aroma that will always, always, always make me stop and sniff the air.
It was almost magical.
If you search this blog for Lake Katharine, you will find more stories and pictures. Visit Make The Journey Fun on Facebook to view more pictures from the hike. If you’re in southern Ohio, consider stopping by for a literal breath of fresh air that hasn’t been ruined by the tourists you find at a lot of our state parks.
Lake Katherine is a state nature preserve so you’ll have to leave your pets at home and there are no trash cans so plan to carry out whatever you carry in. There is a port-a-john but I would not recommend relying on that. There are some fast food restaurants and stores in Jackson that are much better options for a potty break.
Lake Katharine is located at 1703 Lake Katharine Road, Jackson, Ohio.
This season of life I’m in isn’t the best. There’s no need for worry. I don’t need counseling or a spa day. No need for a major life shake-up either. The phrase “it is what it is” comes to mind a lot more than normal and I’m the kind of tired that can’t be cured by a good night’s sleep.
It is what it is.
But it’s a season of life rather than the way it will always be. So it’s ok.
I’m starting to allow my mind to wander into adventure season. Oh, the places I might go! I’m currently craving outdoor time and a road trip. The thought of throwing open the windows, getting rid of most everything I own and scrubbing clean what’s left is sounding more appealing by the day.
Again, don’t worry. This happens every year at this time and I solemnly promise not to pitch my couch and my entire wardrobe out into the front yard!
Even if it is tempting.
For now, I’m settling for short bursts of outdoor time because fresh air is good for the mind, body and spirit. On Tuesday night I went to Lake Alma State Park for a walk on the busy bike path. It wasn’t quite the outdoor fun I had planned but it at least was some fresh air and exercise
I marveled at the water. Look how glassy and still it is! The trees remain bare as it isn’t white time for the spring bloomers. The sky was a brilliant blue we typically don’t see this time of year.
Calm water. Still water. It’s what I needed on that day and at that time. If only everything else could be so easy as beautiful nature reflected in calm water!
Mother Nature is currently having a nervous breakdown here in southern Ohio. While I’m missing my winter snow and cold, it was nice to slip outside for a walk at Lake Alma last night.
It was 53 degrees and sunny – warm enough that my jacket seemed a little too much. The light was golden and the reflection off the lake so bright it was practically blinding.
Of course, it has been so gray of late that any sign of the sun seems bright!
Fresh air in my lungs, movement in my muscles and beautiful trees and water as far as the eye could see were exactly what I needed.
Plus, knowing that I was walking after work meant that I had something to look forward to all day long. As far as I’m concerned, having something to look forward to every day is one of the keys to happiness. Spending time in nature is another. How fortunate when the two work together!!
We get a finite number of days in our lives. Why not find a way to enjoy each of them? Why not take advantage of these pretty days to do something truly good for ourselves?
Whatever you enjoy, find a way to enjoy it and have a fantastic day!
Many longtime followers will recall that I frequently photograph the big elm tree in my front yard. Sadly, it had fallen ill in recent years and was slowly dying.
This mighty elm that I grew up with, that provided shelter and shade to me and countless critters here on the ridge, was felled last month while I was in my blogging hiatus.
He was in bad shape and I had been in denial for some time. Still, he put up a good fight as he harbored a secret- a long ago forgotten piece of metal, embedded deep inside his trunk. That metal bit back at the logger’s saw.
I was proud of him right up until the end.
And so, my favorite tree is now a log and a pile of limbs in my front yard. Soon, I will begin working on a replacement that will give my view new perspective and will someday carry on the tradition of providing shelter to all who gather beneath its branches.
Perhaps it’s silly to mourn a tree in this way. If that’s the case, I don’t really care. That tree was a good friend, an object of beauty and an important part of my ecosystem. I have missed it every day and wonder if I’ll ever get used to the new view.
It is said that one who plants trees knowing they will never sit in their shade has begun to understand the meaning of life. Here’s hoping I live long enough to sit in the shade of whatever I plant here. Still, I like knowing that it will outlive me and will grow tall and beautiful for future generations of critters to enjoy.
