Antoine Etienne and the flora of Etienne Creek

Register now for Don Schaechtel’s ZOOM talk for the Wenatchee Valley Chapter, Washington Native Plant Society on Feb. 2, 2022, at 7pm. The society’s mission is to promote the appreciation and conservation of Washington’s native plants and their habitats through study, education, and advocacy. The Wenatchee Valley Chapter invites the public to attend as a kick-off for Black History Month. Continue Reading →

Movie Night Ideas

This week’s bitter cold makes staying inside inviting, especially once the sun dips behind the ridge. Winter is a good time for armchair adventuring from the comfort of your own home. The recent Wenatchee Naturalist eNews included this list of sure-to-please films.
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Forest Masqueraders

For this next series of photos, I invite you to use the blog’s comment feature and tell me the name of the animal that pops into your mind for the next series of images. I invite you to submit your thoughts as a blog comment. Later this week, I’ll compile and add all nominations to the post, sharing the animal species you identify. Continue Reading →

Admiring Aspen

Most of us come home from an outing in the Wenatchee Watershed with new questions that begin with “Why?” Recently, my “Why” was preceded by “Wow,” in response to seeing the golden beauty of an aspen grove, encountered amidst the rich greens of conifer-clad mountainsides, on a bluebird mid-October day. I wondered, why are some aspen leaves tinged with a pinky-red, yet most are a vivid gold? Continue Reading →

Forest Foragers of Whitebark Pine Seeds

September is peak conifer cone ripeness throughout the western U.S for dozens of species of pines, firs, and spruces. Locally, in the upper reaches of the Icicle River watershed, whitebark pinecones project from the tops of trees. The cones are deep red and covered in resin so they glisten in the sun. The seeds are large and desirable food sources for a variety of native wildlife. Continue Reading →

Milkweed Mindfulness

Today’s guest bloggers have both been inspirated by showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), a native wildflower that grows in abundance along the Horan Natural Area trails. These encounters independently inspired Wenatchee writer Glen Carlson and photographer Bruce McCammon to create art generously shared and paired here. Continue Reading →

Ideas for Beating the Heat

The extreme heat forecast for the coming week might provide an opportunity to stay inside and do some armchair natural history adventuring. This is National Pollinator Week , so you might want to learn a bit about our Pacific Northwest pollinators. Continue Reading →