Geology, Landscapes, and Nature
Devils Tower is a unique geological feature by any name
“Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” — Albert Einstein
The Black Hills of Western South Dakota and Eastern Wyoming feature rugged landscapes, dark pine forests, vibrant wildlife, and Mount Rushmore…
Statistics, Facts, Trivia, and Healthcare
Here are 15 categories of facts about the United States of America. Some figures may fascinate you. Others may shock you.
“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” — John Adams
The United States of America ranks as the fourth largest country by land area and the third by population. While…
Travel, Tourism, Texas, and History
Legends and history live on at the Alamo and four other missions in San Antonio, Texas
Before my wife and I planned a four-day trip to San Antonio, the only Spanish mission in the area that we knew of was the Alamo. But as we prepared for our journey, we learned that the U.S. …
Travel. Adventure. Wilderness. Nature Photography.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota features over 1,100 lakes to explore by canoe.
“A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” — Howard Zahniser
Birds, Wildlife, Nature, and Photography
With curved bills that can measure over 8 inches long, the long-billed curlew is a strange sight
“…and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?” — Vincent Willem van Gogh
My first sight of long-billed curlews stunned and surprised me. A pair of the tall shorebirds, with their long and downward-curved bills, marched slowly through the sparse…
Data Science, Data Analytics, Data Engineering, and Programming
There is a whole wide world of data to acquire, clean, transform, visualize, and analyze
The more I work with data, the more excited I become about the fields of data engineering, data analytics, and data science. There are so many techniques to learn, so much work to do, and so many ideas to share in writing. …
Birds, Wildlife, Nature, and Photography
Walk softly and carry a big lens
Introduction
On September 3, 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” speech at the Minnesota State Fair. Little did he know that two weeks later, an assassin would kill President William McKinley, thrusting him into the presidency at the age of 42.
In his…
Birds, Wildlife, Nature, and Photography
This large North American woodpecker prefers to feed on the ground
Unlike most woodpeckers in North America, the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus), also called the Common Flicker, feeds mainly on the ground. While I typically spot these birds perched in trees, I recently watched and photographed a pair of yellow-shafted males forage on the ground at Essex Park near home.
Coyotes, Wildlife, Nature, and Photography
Coyotes thrive in urban settings as well as wild environments
“We don’t own the planet Earth, we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife. “— Steve Irwin
The crafty coyote (Canis latrans) is an adaptable carnivore and canine whose habitats range from wilderness preserves to urban areas. …
Birds, Nature, and Photography
While birds were scarce in the Root River Valley, I was rewarded with the sight of an Eastern Wood-Peewee
I take most bird photos close to home. But each week, I try to roam further afield to experience different scenery and discover new species.
I visited the North Branch Root River Valley, about 15 miles (24 km) south of home yesterday, the first day of fall. The valley’s tree-topped…
