There is something about the solstice that captures my imagination. The winter solstice is the longest night of the year and the official beginning of winter and generally occurs on or around Dec. 21. From that day forward, the days will get longer and the nights shorter. Even as winter is ...

It was the night before Christmas, 1993. Nora was barely 10 years old, and Emma would not start kindergarten for another eight months. We had just gotten home from an early Christmas Eve church service. About two inches of snow had fallen the day before, and it was about 25 degrees, so a ...

Years ago, I had one of those spineless cacti that once a year splash colorful flowers out the ends of their flat, arching stems. Such plants are usually named for when they are supposed to bloom: Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter cactii. I just call them “holiday” cacti because they ...

‘Tis the season of death, or at least a long rest, in nature. The trees are bare, the grass has stopped growing, and the stems of plants brown, shriveled, and lifeless. Many in New York state find the season dreary and mundane. Yet we are all guilty of not realizing how important this time ...

The holidays can be a fun and joyful time, but for many, they can also be a hectic and stressful time. If you find yourself needing a break from the chaos this season, bundle up, get outside and let nature give you a reprieve. Although hiking might not be your first thought when the snow ...

My wife and I adopted our first pet while still in college. Herman, a tabby cat, lived for almost 20 years. When we moved to West Virginia, Linda visited an animal shelter and came home with Jenny, a two-year old lab/spaniel mutt. It was a sad day when we put her down 15 years later. Daisy, ...