lsmock1

Children do not need a grand expedition to fall in love with nature. Sometimes they need a story, a curious question, a walk outside, or a character who helps them notice what was there all along. That is the heart of why Linda Smock’s podcast conversation is worth your time. The episode, centered on her work as a Nature for Kids author, her new book, upcoming events, and the world of Little Benny, offers more than a simple author interview. It feels like an invitation to look again at birds,...

American beautyberry is a deciduous shrub native to much of the southeastern United States. It commonly grows along woodland edges, in open forests, and in disturbed areas where it receives partial or full sunlight. Small pink or lavender flowers appear during the warmer months. By late summer, they develop into dense rings of magenta-purple fruit. Although commonly called berries, the fruits are botanically drupes, fleshy fruits containing hard, seed-bearing structures. The genus name...

As summer will soon begis to fade, goldenrod will brighten roadsides, meadows and gardens with sprays of tiny yellow flowers. Sometimes dismissed as a common weed, this hardy native wildflower has a long history of helping people and wildlife. Goldenrod belongs to the genus Solidago, a name derived from a Latin word meaning “to make whole” or “to heal.” North America is home to many species, each adapted to particular conditions. Some prefer dry fields, while others thrive in woodlands,...