Monitoring the life cycle of this iconic butterfly has kept me busy for over twenty summers. This year turns out to be no different. — A few weeks ago, I spotted my first monarch flying down the road. It is always a thrill for me to spot the first monarch butterfly of the season, but this was early. It was only mid-May. We can still have frosts in northern Wisconsin in mid-May! Phenology and Nature’s Rhythms

This is the second time I’ve noticed this, and it’s not good! — There is something I noticed on my Medium settings that is bothering me. I am writing about it because I want to know if any of you have experienced it or if I’m misunderstanding the article publication process for the MPP. …

A “found object” poem — I write poetry on Fridays for an online group called Poetry Friday. The participants write poetry for children which takes many forms. Debris Peonies, a doorknob, a pump Found amongst the debris These remnants tell of your life here, Alone, in the woods, a simple way to be. We saw the…

It was tough to narrow down the letter J to just a few things so I tried to pick my favorites. — Jack the Pumpkin

My passion is teaching and I’ve been able to do it in a variety of settings. Teaching college students as an adjunct instructor demands a great deal of time for little pay. — In the last month, I’ve had more conversations about being an adjunct college instructor than in the last twenty years of living in Wisconsin. I’m sure some of my friends don’t even realize I taught nursing at two different universities. …

A visit to see the famed corpse flower in bloom yields so much more than a smelly plant! — The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens are a cultural staple in Western New York. Housed in beautiful glass-domed conservatories, plants from around the world flourish under the careful supervision of their experts. The buildings at this complex are as spectacular as the plants. …

The world of poetry can be challenging. — Today is Poetry Friday. If you want to know what that is and join in, check out this post by children’s author Renee La Tulippe. Our host for this week’s round-up is Patricia Franz, at her blog, Reading, Writing, Wondering. …

My husband and I have experienced successful transitions from work to retirement. It was done in our mid-fifties. But we stopped offering advice on how and when to retire because everyone has to figure this out for themselves. — My husband has offered his advice on retiring to colleagues and friends. In all cases, the advice was asked for either directly or in the course of a casual conversation.

Traveling the United States leads to some beautiful sites; waterfalls are part of the beauty of this land. — Shared Gorge Niagara Falls is one of those places you just never forget. The roar of the water, the mist floating through the air, and of course, the tourists! My husband and I both grew up in Western New York. After college, and living in the Mid-Atlantic region for several years, we…