At this time of year, stalking through the forest with my camera in hand in search of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is one of my favorite activities. The crunching of leaves under my boots, the crisp cold air and the smell of the decomposing leaves are all part of the autumn whi…
Our family recently took a trip to visit a university. This was the kids’ first official college tour. It was a large university that had a sprawling campus and offered a variety of educational paths, housing options, and extracurricular activities.
Operant conditioning (behavior modification) is a metaphor for accountability. B.F. Skinner was an experimental psychologist at the University of Minnesota in the 1940s whose name and work came to be associated with operant conditioning and behavior modification. Skinner trained small animal…
Operant conditioning (behavior modification) is a metaphor for accountability. B.F. Skinner was an experimental psychologist at the University of Minnesota in the 1940s whose name and work came to be associated with operant conditioning and behavior modification. Skinner trained small animal…
It’s official: summer is over and fall has arrived. The days are shorter, the winds are cooler, and the trees are changing to their vibrant orange, red and gold. There are so many reasons to love autumn. On the top of my list is getting to enjoy all of the warm, comforting meals that find th…
Early fall brings an amazing insect to our flower gardens across the United States. It is the White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata), also called the Hawk Moth or Hummingbird Moth. No matter what name you use, this is a large nectar feeding moth that looks and acts just like a hummingbird.
Sitting at the edge of the nest, the young Osprey is calling out in a begging call, trying to be fed. His high-pitched screams echo across the lake and, unfortunately go unanswered. His parents are not around. He is all alone and, worse yet, he is hungry.
What you see is not always what you think it is. This could be my mantra for nature.
I spend the entire month of June on a boat watching the sunrise and sunset. I do this because I am leading wildlife photography tours, to capture images of Loons. I am so fortunate to be outside, surrounded by nature for such a sustained amount of time. I see and hear so many cool birds and …
Last week, while leading a wildlife photography workshop to capture images of American black bears (Ursus americanus), we experienced a cuteness overload. Over three and half days, we saw many mother bears with spring cubs.
Recently I have been spending some time photographing a pair of trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) with six little cygnets. This swan family is not in a wilderness setting, but a suburban backyard pond.
The key to “seeing” nature is to stop and look. I know that seems rather obvious but it’s true. The simple act of stopping and looking is really all it takes to start to see more nature. This is something I learned a long time ago, but it seems that I need to stop and remember it every now a…
Not everything in nature appears the way you see it! I’ve said it over and over again in various ways. We see the natural world through the lens of a human and all of the things that go into being a human.
Tralfamadore is an alien world that appears in the novels of Kurt Vonnegut.
As we near the close of the 2021-22 school year, I have been reflecting not only on this year, but also on my seven-year career at Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools (PLSAS) that has been filled with meaningful relationships, wonderful accomplishments and complex challenges. Throughout it all, I…
It’s Mother’s Day weekend. A time to thank the moms out there for all that they do. As a mom, I definitely enjoy the acknowledgment and pampering that often comes with the special day. My only problem is that I have a tough time answering the question, “What do you want for Mother’s Day?”
This past weekend I did something I haven’t done in a long time. After a couple of years off, I felt like I was starting from scratch and had to relearn so many important skills. It took a lot of preparation and it wasn’t easy, but I made it through it just fine. In fact, I actually enjoyed myself!
Looking up into the dark Wyoming night sky, all the stars in the Milky Way were shining so brightly it looked like white paint had been splashed across the sky from horizon to horizon.
The other day, I spent several frantic moments searching the entire house for my phone. I eventually found it on the arm of a chair I’d been sitting in just minutes earlier. Whew, what a relief!
It seems like there are as many different strategies employed for a bird’s survival as there are species of bird.
I am fascinated by the diversity of mother nature. And this was abundantly clear to me the other day while I sat in a tiny chair blind, in the dark, waiting for the sun to come up and for a ruffed grouse to enter the habitat that lay before me.
Recently, I found myself back in a familiar place. One that I’d rather not have to visit so often. I was once again in the greeting card aisle, looking for a sympathy card.
Recently while leading a photo tour throughout Florida to photograph birds, it occurred to me how much things have changed. I don’t mean how much things have become worse, or crowded, but rather how much several species have increased in population.
A while ago, there was some discussion about how old is too old to shovel snow. One article said 45 years old was the time to stop. Another said that those over 55 should definitely find someone else to move the white stuff.
Last week while leading a photo workshop in warm and sunny Florida, I was walking down a long stretch of beach with my group of photographers in tow.
My family has just made it through our busiest months of the year. Between November and January, we celebrate our four birthdays as well as the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. This not only means calendars that are full of family gatherings and special celebrations, it also means that m…
Once again, I found myself sitting outside in my small photo blind trying to capture a handful of images of birds in a winter/snowy setting. The temperatures were a balmy 5 below zero and I was starting to feel the cold penetrate my many layers of clothing.
Technology and technological change remind me of a dog chasing its tail. We apply technology to solve one problem only to create other problems that require more technology to solve the problems the new technology creates.
Our daily lives are confused and unsettled. If cold weather and the latest COVID variant has you boxed in at home, you may be ready for some bold and invigorating action.
Like other school districts and industries, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools continues to experience staffing shortages unlike any the district has seen in its history.
Today, as I opened my Facebook app, I received a notification that I had “memories” to review. This is actually one of my favorite parts of Facebook — the ability to read my posts from years ago.
Having just returned from three weeks in Yellowstone leading photo tours and workshops, I am tempted to write more about the several encounters I had with the large charismatic predator, the gray wolf. However, this time I think I will write about a small, rather un-charismatic predator. A p…
The Met Council and Metro Transit have two problems; both interrelated and neither easily solved. One is the Southwest Light Rail line; four years behind schedule, $450 million over budget and, already, the most expensive public works project in Minnesota’s history.
I genuinely believe that every single person has the capacity to change the world for better or for worse. We live in a time where so many Americans are hurting in many ways with the pandemic crisis, increased competition for jobs and economic security, and the pressure to simply survive is …
The complexity of nature is often hard to understand and even harder to witness. Sure, we learn about it in school, read about it in a book, or watch it on a TV nature documentary, but it isn’t until you see it firsthand that you start to understand and appreciate the complexity of nature. I…
The planet 51 Pegasi b is a long way from Prior Lake, 48 light years (several billion miles) to be exact. It orbits a fifth magnitude star, similar to our Sun, in the constellation Pegasus. It was discovered in 1995 and is the first exoplanet found orbiting a star outside our solar system.
I am no stranger to winter weather. After all, I do live in the frozen northland. So, I really didn’t think much about it when I went out the other day to photograph some owls.
My kids recently got their drivers licenses. They completed over a year of preparation that included 30 hours of class time, six hours of professional driving lessons and over 50 hours of practice time behind the wheel — each!
Each year on the third Monday of January, our nation observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day to learn about and reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. King. This year’s observance takes on extra special meaning as our district hosts Prior Lake Rotary’s first annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Brea…
Years ago, Marcia and I gathered with a group of friends on New Year’s Eve for dinner and a game of Trivial Pursuit. I enjoyed Trivial Pursuit, but if I won too many games, they’d ignore me and turn to a discussion of current events.
Nothing in nature ever stays the same. It is a mantra that I find myself telling people more and more. We expect nature to always be the same.
As the sun went down on Christmas Eve, I was not feeling very joyful. The sight of our garage and everything in it burned to the ground with me feeling responsible, left a sickening feeling. In spite of the fact that most of our family was together for a Christmas Eve celebration later, I wa…
Inconspicuous events are footnotes in this difficult year. I’ve despaired all of 2021: the pandemic, the violence, climate change, the political chaos, Donald Trump, the tragedy of Jan. 6, the erosion of voting rights and with it the diminution of democratic governance in a country I’ve know…
Winter can be a challenging time for wildlife, especially when deep snow blankets the land and the wind blows bitterly cold. Birds fluff up their feathers and search high and low for anything to eat. Squirrels are extra plump and fuzzy and dig down through the snow in hopes of finding a forg…
The countdown has begun — there’s one week until Christmas! One of my favorite parts of our family’s holiday tradition is decorating the Christmas tree. Like most things, putting up the Christmas tree has its pros and cons.
My column’s been missing. Here’s what happened.
My professional purpose has always been to provide life chances for all students. As Superintendent of Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools this means I am committed to ensuring all students have what they need to be successful; each student feels a sense of belonging and all students and staff ar…
Each year, the property tax levy sets the city’s annual operations budget for police and fire services, snow plowing, park maintenance and more.
We are in the middle of the season of hustle and bustle. So much to do, so much to see, so many things to do in preparation for the holidays. Add in the office parties, dinners with friends, plus family gatherings and you’ve got yourself a calendar that’s jammed packed with fun. That is, if …
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, (for those too young for this reference, it refers to vinyl records that would skip and repeat the same thing over and over again and were considered broken) I love unique or unusual critters.
