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An example of the Japanese principle of wabi-sabi, which reminds us that we are all transient beings—that our bodies, as well as the material world around us, are in the process of returning to dust, as illustrated by nature’s cycles of birth, growth and decline. “Through wabi-sabi, we learn to embrace both the glory and the melancholy found in these marks of passing time,” writes Robyn Griggs Lawrence in the UTNE Reader.

Ways of seeing

Readers of this column know me to be a longtime advocate for attentive awareness of the endless wonders of nature. Engagement with the illuminating insights that can be experienced in the natural … more

By SANDY LONG | 2/19/20

Wayne County Ag Day

Part of living out here means if you aren’t a farmer, then you know at least five people who are. Part of the appeal to living in this area is the closeness to agriculture that we all get to … more

By HUNTER HILL | 2/19/20

Lightly tied flies, left, versus commercially tied dry flies.

Artificial versus natural flies

Whether you call them patterns or (in the new vernacular) recipes, things change with fly fishing and fly-tying nomenclature over time—only the natural flies and trout stay the same. One of the … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 2/13/20

After an hour of perching and seeing no fish, this adult eagle decided to move further up the Lackawaxen River. Aside from its raised wings, the eagle is flattening itself and preparing to extend its legs to get as much speed as possible.

Into the wild blue yonder

When we see wild animals in their habitats, we might see them display some behavior like chasing prey or demonstrating courtship behavior. Then, in the blink of an eye, it’s all over … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 2/13/20

Opt outside and cure cabin fever while exploring the winter landscape of the Sawkill Creek.

Curing cabin fever

Are you starting to feel the constraints of cabin fever as we enter the inward days that define February in the Upper Delaware River region? If so, there’s action you can take to alleviate what … more

By SANDY LONG | 2/5/20

My son and I enjoying the annual Wild Game Dinner at Calkins Baptist Church.

Mid-winter merriment

Every year, the Calkins Baptist Church in Wayne County hosts an annual Wild Game Dinner. At the event, dozens of folks bring savory samplings of their recent quarry from the fall hunting season. Over … more

By HUNTER HILL | 2/5/20

This is another male deer in summer displaying its summer coat. The reddish coat is thinner, allowing deer to better cope with summer heat. This image was captured in August; the antlers are well developed, though still velvet.

Winter Coats

This winter has been on the mild side. The rivers and lakes in the area have seen less ice than normal. So far, there has not been one night where the temperature has dropped below zero degrees. Most … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 1/29/20

Quiet pools are the best places for fishing blind.

Fly fishing blind

Sound like a strange title? Perhaps, yet it is the very method that fly fishers should adopt if they wish to maximize angling opportunities when fishing small flies, dun colored flies, or when … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 1/29/20

Trees are temporarily transformed into artful abstractions following winter snowstorms. Take a walk, and take delight in this fleeting visual gift.

The terrific-ness of trees

To me, trees are truly miraculous. As a child, I spent happy hours climbing into their arms, resting there, held in their embrace and swaying ever so slightly when the wind joined in, enhancing my … more

By SANDY LONG | 1/22/20

The deer who dared race with my car certainly wasn’t the winner, but then again neither was my car.

Oh deer...

The way out here isn’t all good things. Neither is it the thriller-inspiring dark woods that so many urban folks think it is. What I mean to say, in this dichotomy of pros and cons of living in … more

By HUNTER HILL | 1/22/20

A muskrat enjoys dinner at sunset on an ice shelf at Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. Muskrats are herbivores and usually have no problem in finding enough food during the winter months in or near the water.

Winter wildlife viewing opportunities

Winter is the time to see eagles in or around the region. Not only are there lots of migrant eagles from Canada wintering here, but the ice formation on area waterways from cold weather forces the … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 1/15/20

An angler fishing across and downstream.

The across and downstream drift

A long time ago, when I started to fly fish and began the process of weaning off worms, Mepps Spinners, assorted lures and baits, I adopted the standard up-and-across-stream practice of casting my … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 1/15/20

The wild way

A parent’s gifts come in many forms. Some of the finest given to me by my mother, Dorothy, and father, Ormond, have been an appreciation for the natural world, for music, for art and for words. … more

1/8/20

Here you see the primal cuts of our hog, separated and ready for further processing.

New year, new meat

A new year is upon us, and that means a couple of things out here in the sticks. Folks are staying indoors, ambitious gardeners are perusing the seed catalogues and, if you’re like me, the … more

By HUNTER HILL | 1/8/20

This adult eagle, seen on the Delaware near the Lackawaxen River confluence, is either a resident eagle or a migrant from Canada. This area stays somewhat ice-free during the winter and attracts eagles to congregate there. Areas such as these are targeted during the mid-winter bald eagle survey.

Mid-winter eagle survey

The first part of January is the time for the annual mid-winter bald eagle survey. The survey is coordinated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Most … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 12/31/19

Fly-fishing the Pepacton Reservoir

One could legitimately ask, why would fly fishers want to fish a reservoir? But yes, the title is correct. This piece is about the Pepacton Reservoir and the possibilities it offers fly … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 12/31/19

One of the projects funded by Pennsylvania’s Environmental Stewardship Fund resulted in a study of the impact of non-point-source pollution on water quality. The study utilized hands-on testing and sampling that compared the pristine Lake Lacawac at Lacawac Sanctuary with the massive man-made Lake Wallenpaupack, pictured here.

Celebrating conservation

It’s exciting to note that as we enter 2020, we celebrate 20 years since Pennsylvania’s Environmental Stewardship Fund (ESF)—also known as Growing Greener—was established to … more

By SANDY LONG | 12/23/19

Here sits our perfect Rorick-sized Christmas tree in all of its two-foot glory.

The perfect Christmas tree

The snow has fallen and most folks have already completed their Christmas decorating and shopping. Families are wrapping presents and putting the final touches on the tree. Many flock to events like … more

By HUNTER HILL | 12/23/19

Eastern hemlock saplings are flexible and can collect enough snow and ice to bend over double. Hemlocks get stouter as they grow, but a tree more apt to cause problems with power lines is the white birch; they can get tall enough and retain enough flexibility to interfere with power lines.

December roars in

The first day of December started out well enough; it was overcast with no precipitation at 7 a.m., with a temperature of 21 degrees in Shohola, PA. At about 8 a.m., the first hint on what was to … more

By SCOTT RANDO | 12/18/19

Trout on the move

One day several years ago, when the afternoon light was exactly right, I saw a trout rise and then swim swiftly 20 feet away. Boy, was I surprised! Granted, it was in a flat, low gradient pool, so … more

By TONY BONAVIST | 12/18/19

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Currently viewing stories posted within the past year.
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