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How the pandemic turned me into an urban gardener
Seedlings in pots layed out on the veggie bed (Photo by Christine Beevis Trickett/NCC staff)
It’s amazing how slowing down and staying put in a place helps you connect with the life around you. I used to have quite a busy travel schedule, moving back and forth across the country several times a year to visit family or for work...
Remembering his cedar canoe
My grandfather's canoe, his pride and joy. Our neighbours out for a paddle in the canoe (Photo courtesy of Asha Swann/NCC intern)
The cedar canoe hanging from my grandparents’ garage roof stands out for good reason. A dusty photo album in the basement with “1993” scrawled in my grandmother’s cursive tells me that this canoe is older than I am, though...
A case of mistaken identity: Goldenrod and ragweed
Monarch butterfly on Canada goldenrod (Photo by Peter Jessen, CC BY-NC 4.0)
I count myself fortunate when the change of seasons doesn’t bring about a runny nose, itchy eyes, headache and coughing, among other symptoms brought about by pollen (a fine powder produced by plants for sexual reproduction). Some pollen is...
An introduction to Ontario's snakes
Blue racer (Photo by Joe Crowley)
Here in Ontario, the most common snake I’ve come across is eastern gartersnake, quite often in my own backyard. Around two weeks ago, I went hiking with a friend and saw two small gartersnakes slither near the trail. While my friend...
The importance of being a flower
Western red lily has one of the largest flowers in Manitoba. (Photo courtesy of Manitoba Museum)
Like many of you, I enjoy walking through my neighbourhood and smelling the sweet fragrances of the summer flowers. Unfortunately, like many things, flowers are ephemeral. When I see a flower, I am always reminded of the Robert Herrick poem urging...
One weekend in nature across Canada
Dark-eyed junco at Shaw Wilderness Park (Photo by Katie Diespecker)
Every summer, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) hires student interns to work in a variety of areas across the organization. This year’s communications interns, Asha Swann and Katie Diepspecker, lived in different parts of the country:...
