Last month, I wrote about grasses while spending all my days at home during the spring of the Covid-19 viral outbreak. Since then, between lawn mowing sessions and working from home, I awaited the return of my perrenial hosta plants from underground, which create a leafy landscape in the shady areas of my backyard. Now … Continue reading Hello, hostas: More moments from a pandemic spring at home
nature
Watching the grass grow—a pandemic spring at home
A lot has happened since I last wrote a blog entry. I haven't really had time to indulge in the pleasure of writing for a couple of months. In a nutshell, a pandemic viral outbreak has happened, of course, and I—like so many people around the world—have retreated as much as I can into my … Continue reading Watching the grass grow—a pandemic spring at home
Summer’s coneflowers
Purple coneflowers. ©Erin Gerecke (own photo) Many years ago, when I was pondering what kinds of flowering plants to put in my first yard, my mother suggested coneflowers, one of her favorites. I was less impressed with them at the time. I thought coneflowers looked spindly and awkward, a gangly, dry sort of plant that … Continue reading Summer’s coneflowers
Science on vacation
Following the end of my academic year back in May, I was fortunate to be able to take a couple of family vacations. In traditional American style, we first loaded up our most fuel-efficient family car and drove a whole day across the country to find an ocean. A few weeks later, we drove in … Continue reading Science on vacation
Phenology and the arrival of spring
I haven't written anything on this blog for awhile. I got busy with work. I had bronchitis. I was also playing music and enjoying some downtime. My priority was completing (and even enjoying?) the many end-of-the-year academic tasks and celebrations that are part of my job and the rhythms of family life. And in the … Continue reading Phenology and the arrival of spring
February science connections
Photos Public Domain [Public domain] February is the shortest month, but to me it often feels like one of the longest. Although the daylight hours start to lengthen, the persistence of the last of winter weather (gray, damp, and cold) leaves me feeling tired rather than energized. February also seems to be one of those … Continue reading February science connections
Goodnight, night lights?
A couple of weeks ago, I was looking for some sort of newsy tidbit about circadian rhythms—the daily cycles that drive much of the physiology and behavior of living things—to share with my class of undergraduate students. My pick was a recent opinion piece by Kevin Gaston—an ecologist and conservation biologist in the UK—called "Lighting … Continue reading Goodnight, night lights?
When plants make headlines
It's been a while since my last blog post. I've had a busy month: launching a new semester with students, learning about a new sport with one of my kids, enjoying the last of the warm days outdoors, finding some local apples... and discovering the world of competitive baking on TV. But I've kept my … Continue reading When plants make headlines
Insects of summer
Insect adventures A couple of days ago, my son spotted an insect riding along on our car's windshield shortly after I had started driving. A very pretty green grasshopper had found its way aboard while I was parked near some grass and trees. I hoped it would be alarmed enough by the wind to jump … Continue reading Insects of summer
Tiny science update: Clouds and microbes
In one of my very first blog posts on this site ("Raindrops keep falling on our heads…and on the microbes") I shared some science news I had seen about microorganisms and clouds. Scientists across different disciplines are trying to learn about the relationship between the planet's water cycles and the growth of tiny organisms (such … Continue reading Tiny science update: Clouds and microbes
Mulled Science 