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In the wetland below the cliffs, observed through the remains of the snow and ice, the burgundy-rimmed horns, scattered about, signal the change of season. The curved mottled spathe provides a hood for the rounded spadix peeping from within, which bears indistinct petal-less flowers with both stamens and pistils.

Looking up into a bright blue sky on a January day brings tears to my eyes; the brightness stings just as much as the cold does.  I scan the sky and surrounding area with my binoculars over the confluence of the Hudson and the Croton Rivers.  It is low tide, and many waterfowl are gathered in Croton Bay to rest and search for food.

As we approach the fourth season of this pandemic, I wonder if the groundhog may have it right. Pass on the winter by burrowing down in a soft nest below ground when the autumn leaves fall and foraging becomes a chore. Emerge when green shoots are bringing promise and the world is brightening

The outdoors have been a popular escape for many during the COVID-19 pandemic. The desire to travel, get some sun, and enjoy a semblance of normal life has generated peak interest in outdoor activity.

Fall is a time for harvesting and tidying up our gardens, but fall is also a time to plant. We typically think of prepping and planting our gardens in the spring, however fall is just as good a time! Planting perennial flowers, trees and shrubs in the fall can bring you great rewards with a little time and effort.

Fall is a time for harvesting and tidying up our gardens, but fall is also a time to plant. We typically think of prepping and planting our gardens in the spring, however fall is just as good a time! Planting perennial flowers, trees and shrubs in the fall can bring you great rewards with a little time and effort.

Monarchs appear in Teatown’s fields to lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. The caterpillars remain there, busily munching away until they crawl off to undergo pupation inside a gold-speckled chrysalis. Hence, no milkweed, no monarchs! Life is rough for an organism whose life cycle is so tied to one plant for its survival. As the sole host plant for monarch caterpillars, the relationship between milkweed and monarchs is crucial.

We are now past the Summer Solstice which means summer is in full swing!  Looking around me as I drive to my hiking destination, I see a sea of green.  It is such a glorious color and it comes in a vast variety of shades!

If you think back to your childhood years, one of your memories may be of carefree summer days spent playing in the mud. Perhaps you made a mud pie fit for a king, an epic castle or just enjoyed the satisfying squelch of mud between your fingers and toes. International Mud Day on June 29 is a chance to reconnect with those childhood memories and introduce a whole new generation to the joys of messy play.

The idea is simple: No community should be forced to deal with more pollution because of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. 

Teatown’s mission is “To Inspire our Community to Lifelong Environmental Stewardship.” It is an important mission to be sure, but it has no value if that community excludes anyone.