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Walk Softly – Things are not okay
by Geoffrey Carpentier At this time of year my mind is pre-occupied with birds and other wild things, for a variety of reasons - personal...

Geoff Carpentier
Jun 193 min read


Walk Softly - Should I mow my lawn?
by Geoffrey Carpentier People spend a lot of time and money trying to keep their lawns perfectly weed-free. I could not determine how...

Geoff Carpentier
Jun 123 min read


Walk Softly – Bracket Fungus
by Geoffrey Carpentier Fungi is not a word which leaps to mind when we think I want to know more about that one! Most people know little...

Geoff Carpentier
May 303 min read


Walk Softly: Foraging for Wild Leeks
by Geoffrey Carpentier I don’t personally consider myself a forager, but maybe I am?!?! As a refresher, originally foragers were referred...

Geoff Carpentier
May 163 min read


Walk Softly – Dandelions
by Geoffrey Carpentier Finally, it’s spring, and look at all those lovely yellow flowers in my lawn. Oh wait, dandelions, yippee! We see...

Geoff Carpentier
Apr 163 min read


Walk Softly – 14 Words You Will Never Say
by Geoffrey Carpentier As I wait for spring, my mind sometimes wanders, and I think about strange words I’ve encountered over the years....

Geoff Carpentier
Apr 33 min read


Walk Softly – The Conclusion of a Chilly Tale
by Geoffrey Carpentier We are nearing the end of our discussion on how animals deal with winter’s cold and snow: having dealt with birds,...

Geoff Carpentier
Mar 193 min read


Walk Softly – Cozying up for the winter
by Geoffrey Carpentier ‘Wish I had a fur coat – oh wait – I do’ says the fox! Well, mammals are furry to be sure, so let’s continue our...

Geoff Carpentier
Mar 53 min read


Walk Softly - Sleeping the night away
by Geoffrey Carpentier In my recent columns, we’ve been exploring how birds deal with bitter-cold weather. Let’s next look at how some...

Geoff Carpentier
Feb 193 min read


Walk Softly - Great Horned Owl
by Geoffrey Carpentier If you ask anyone what sound an owl makes, they will likely respond “hoo-hoo” in a deep, resonant voice. However,...

Geoff Carpentier
Feb 53 min read


Walk Softly – Dealing with the Cold
by Geoffrey Carpentier Last time we explored how some small birds (i.e. chickadees) dealt with extreme temperatures. Now, I’d like to...

Geoff Carpentier
Jan 233 min read


Walk Softly: Baby It’s Cold Out there!
by Geoffrey Carpentier Well, we seem to be in a bit of a deep freeze at the moment. I know I don’t like waking up to these temperatures...

Geoff Carpentier
Jan 93 min read


Those Mysterious Owls
I’ve said it before, and likely will say it again, who doesn’t like those fascinating owls? Owls rely on sight and sound to locate prey....

Geoff Carpentier
Dec 19, 20243 min read


Walk Softly – Striped Skunk
by Geoffrey Carpentier Many of us over the past few years have been experiencing an incredible increase in the number of Japanese Beetles...

Geoff Carpentier
Dec 4, 20243 min read


Walk Softly – Climate – How are we doing?
by Geoffrey Carpentier I had the good fortune to tour Italy and several eastern European countries recently, on an actual holiday, not a...

Geoff Carpentier
Nov 27, 20243 min read


Walk Softly – Strange Things Animals Do
by Geoffrey Carpentier I just returned from an adventure in Australia and Indonesia, and it got me thinking about strange creatures and...

Geoff Carpentier
Nov 14, 20243 min read


Geoff Carpenter speaking at the North Durham Nature Club this month
JAY THIBERT, NDN NORTH DURHAM: This month North Durham Nature (NDN) Club is hosting Geoff Carpentier, at 7 p.m., in Port Perry, at the...

The Standard
Nov 14, 20241 min read


Walk Softly: Heading Home
by Geoffrey Carpentier Well let’s see – the days are gorgeous, the nights longer and colder, the winds come from the north more and more...

Geoff Carpentier
Oct 31, 20243 min read


Geoff Carpentier recognized for lifetime environmental achievement at a recent ceremony
DAN CEARNS The Standard SCUGOG: Local resident and columnist with The Standard, Geoff Carpentier has been recognized with a lifetime...

Dan Cearns
Oct 17, 20242 min read


Walk Softly - An Introduction to Our Local Snakes
by Geoffrey Carpentier On September 5th I wrote generally about snakes and how they developed over time to become a major component of...

Geoff Carpentier
Oct 17, 20243 min read
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