WriterByNature.com

Nature’s Show at the Clearwater Festival

JJ Murphy — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:24:02 +0000

I have to give my fellow festival attendees credit for stopping to watch this mocking bird and several other smaller birds all taking turns dive-bombing the hawk for several minutes until the hawk...

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Cicadas and Mushrooms on Staten Island

JJ Murphy — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 01:37:16 +0000

On every New York Mycological Society walk I meet new and interesting people, get to know people I’ve met before a bit better and explore parts of New York City I’ve never seen, even...

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A Forager’s Late Spring Day: Wild Harvest Dinner

JJ Murphy — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:12:14 +0000

This has been an interesting spring. An early drought followed by heavy rain, then several dry days, which seemed to make the forest floor crunchy again. This is what was on the trail Saturday, just...

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Traveling the Shared River of Life on the Hudson River

JJ Murphy — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:20:14 +0000

Many of the places sacred to me have been irreparably damaged during my lifetime. US policies are appalling. New York State is better than many, but as long as fracking is a possibility, I'm...

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Abundant Rain and Fungal Finds

JJ Murphy — Sat, 11 May 2013 23:27:07 +0000

Now that the much-needed rain has arrived, so have the mushrooms. There’s something to be said for delay of gratification. I am truly grateful to have found several species of choice edible...

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Watching Nature Unfold

JJ Murphy — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:00:05 +0000

This is not a perfect photo – but the fact that I have an image of any of the action is good enough for me. The smaller bird was driving the hawk away from its territory. I saw the movement...

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Chilling on Earth Day 2013

JJ Murphy — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:25:39 +0000

I’m sitting above a mini-waterfall. The delicate sounds of flowing water are calming. I can finally hear the water now that the gusting wind has died down. It’s sunny, but brisk and cold....

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Finding Evidence of Spring in Southern New York State

JJ Murphy — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:33:07 +0000

On one of my favorite hiking trails the trees that hosted Velvetfoot (Flammulina velutipes) have been cut down. When I see that mushroom I know spring has sprung. They may have fallen victim to...

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Occupy Wall Street Library: A Tiny Bit of Justice

JJ Murphy — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:22:17 +0000

I have been grieving the destruction of the OWS Library books since the pogrom of November 15, 2011. They call it an eviction. In my value system it was worse than that. When you are evicted,...

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Legacy Ridge: State Park instead of McMansions

JJ Murphy — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:02:51 +0000

The 702 acres that was zoned and approved for building 287 homes is not going to happen, thanks to the pooled efforts of local environmental organizations and activists. This is in the Orange County...

[[Go to my website to read the entire article.]]