Life is a State of Mind » Nature http://blog.scottnolan.org ideas, thoughts, rants Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:14:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Pretty Sky Last Night http://blog.scottnolan.org/2010/07/31/pretty-sky-last-night/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2010/07/31/pretty-sky-last-night/#comments Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:37:48 +0000 snolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/?p=1850 Sunset Sky Gallery

]]> http://blog.scottnolan.org/2010/07/31/pretty-sky-last-night/feed/ 0 Autumn Leaves 2008 http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/10/27/autumn-leaves-2008/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/10/27/autumn-leaves-2008/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:56:28 +0000 snolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/?p=895 A friend who has to be in California asked for photos of the foliage this season, so I have been snapping a few shots with the silly camera in my new iPhone.

Gallery

Most were shot on or around my house over the past week.

Sample from the gallery:
bloodgood maple off our front steps

]]> http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/10/27/autumn-leaves-2008/feed/ 0 Gorgeous Sunrise over Bull Run Park http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/10/21/gorgeous-sunrise-over-bull-run-park/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/10/21/gorgeous-sunrise-over-bull-run-park/#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:25:37 +0000 snolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/?p=888 On my way to get Erci‘s car serviced, I captured this image with my iPhone. We are very fortunate to be surrounded by so much beauty.

photo of sunrise over Bull Run Park I was very fortunate to be out all weekend with La Belle Compagnie at Colonial Plantation in beautiful Ridley Creek State Park between Philadelphia and West Chester. The sycamore trees at the park were in full Autumn colors and they are huge and provided beautiful dappled shade and sunlight for our living history event. There are pictures of the camp at Thatpotteryguy‘s journal.

We’ve been seeing more foxes, falcons, cooper’s hawks, and deer lately; and that is lots of fun. I am concerned about seeing more cats around our property lately, two have collars, but some do not.

]]> http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/10/21/gorgeous-sunrise-over-bull-run-park/feed/ 0 Blind Spots and the Perception of Reality http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/09/29/blind-spots-and-the-perception-of-reality/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/09/29/blind-spots-and-the-perception-of-reality/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:33:42 +0000 snolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/?p=814 Wow, a co-worker forwarded this link about the Blind Spot each of our eyes has and it got me to thinking a little.

If Chris Davis (the author of that link) is correct, and this means that our brains are not seeing what is reality, but only our own perception of reality, partially fabricated to fill in missing data; then we are seeing the world we want to see, or perhaps think we ought to see. It brings into question some very interesting debate about what exactly is real.

Makes the quote from Myth-busters even more interesting:

“I substitute your reality with my own.”

]]> http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/09/29/blind-spots-and-the-perception-of-reality/feed/ 1 Pause to wonder at the power of nature http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/09/06/pause-to-wonder-at-the-power-of-nature/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/09/06/pause-to-wonder-at-the-power-of-nature/#comments Sat, 06 Sep 2008 12:36:12 +0000 snolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/?p=649 We’ve been getting heavy rain for several hours now, generated from a storm that is still over 300 miles away. That’s pretty impressive when you stop to think about it. Look at the map below, and rain is already hitting people all along Long Island Sound; I am just impressed.

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200808_sat.html

Update: Bailey, our Maine coon/tabby cat, is sitting on the back step watching and listening to the rain. He whined and begged to be let out, and did not want to hear me explain that it was raining, so I opened the door and he is just sitting on the step under the roof that covers the door. Very cute.

]]> http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/09/06/pause-to-wonder-at-the-power-of-nature/feed/ 0 Sakura ga suki desu http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/04/15/sakura-ga-suki-desu/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/04/15/sakura-ga-suki-desu/#comments Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:10:27 +0000 snolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/?p=467 While I was laid up with the nasty coughing flu, the seasons delivered great beauty to our back yard.

Cherry Tree in Back Yard

Only the last five photos are from this past weekend, others are from earlier this season.

]]> http://blog.scottnolan.org/2008/04/15/sakura-ga-suki-desu/feed/ 1 Eating Locally Produced Food http://blog.scottnolan.org/2007/10/21/eating-locally-produced-food/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2007/10/21/eating-locally-produced-food/#comments Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:49:32 +0000 snolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/2007/10/21/eating-locally-produced-food/ Waldo has been encouraging us to eat locally for some time, for both health and reduced carbon footprint, and liberalrage has shared an incredibly useful link for making that easier, no matter where you live.

http://www.localharvest.org

We’ve found that many local foods taste better, because rather than being selected for ease of transportation, they can be selected for flavor; and rather than being picked way too soon and allowed to ripen in the truck or on the shelf, they can be picked when ripe.

An unexpected benefit, many local growers have excellent weather sense, as growers do the world over… but enthusiastic local growers also blog about conditions as a way of communicating with their buyers and/or share owners. Those weather blogs are the keenest sense of what is happening locally that I’ve been able to fine. Support your local growers. You’ll meet new people, and you may even be invited to a local pumpkin fest or harvest party.

]]> http://blog.scottnolan.org/2007/10/21/eating-locally-produced-food/feed/ 0 Monarch Butterfly Migration http://blog.scottnolan.org/2006/10/06/monarch-butterfly-migration/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2006/10/06/monarch-butterfly-migration/#comments Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:34:59 +0000 snolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/2006/10/06/monarch-butterfly-migration/ The Monarch Butterfly Migration this year is supposed to be one of the most dramatic in living memory. I am not sure what factors go into making more Monarchs, but it is lovely to behold. I can’t get out to Cape May, NJ this weekend, but if you can you should try to. The sight is supposed to be spectacular and awe-inspiring.

This brief moment of nature appreciation brought to you by the letter S and the number 4; but mostly by WAMU’s (88.5) story about Monarch Butterfly Migrations that I heard yesterday on the radio.

]]> http://blog.scottnolan.org/2006/10/06/monarch-butterfly-migration/feed/ 0 Falconry and Hawking http://blog.scottnolan.org/2003/10/05/106540686474302698/ http://blog.scottnolan.org/2003/10/05/106540686474302698/#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2003 03:21:00 +0000 Scott Nolan http://blog.scottnolan.org/2003/10/05/106540686474302698/ I just found out that my cousin Kyle has trapped a Red Tailed Hawk he is calling Red October and he hopes to hunt with her this Autumn. I am somewhat envious of Kyle, in a good way. I have been fascinated by falcons, owls, and hawks as far back as I can remember. That fascination was honed when I first read Phillip Glasier’s beautiful book “As the Falcon her Bells” (which covers forty years of the author’s experiences with raptors of all kinds). I never got involved in hawking myself, and I am fascinated that Kyle (many years younger than I) is doing what he wants to do. Go for it Kyle! I am very much looking forward to seeing Red October fly this Thanksgiving when Erci and I head out to Arizona to visit family.

Speaking of Red Tailed Hawks, one visited my workplace on September 26th and I was fortunate enough to have a camera in my office. There are several pictures of our visitor here, and to the right is the best of them for your enjoyment.

photo of hawk

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