Indian Well State Park offers a relatively short, yet moderate hike along a section of the blue-blazed Paugussett Trail. Beginning at the northernmost trailhead in the park, the (roughly) two-mile out-and-back route offers a gratifying view of the valley below, lots of varied terrain, interesting geological deposits, and well maintained trails.

Disembarking from the trailhead, we headed upwards and south toward the vista for a snack. It was a sweet and satisfying view, and nice primer to get the girls excited about the rest of our little journey. Of course, the big payout is hiking around to the waterfall. The western part of the loop, which is close to the vista and brings you directly to the falls, was closed, so we ventured east and down toward the road where we could cross the river and approach the falls from the other direction. The dissent was steep and added some unexpected mileage, but we persevered.

Indian Well Falls is “a slender 15-foot plunge that dumps into an attractive pool almost completely enclosed within a circular gorge” (NewEnglandWaterfalls.com). We couldn’t kick off our shoes fast enough, eager to scramble around the rocks and dip our toes in the cool (freezing cold) water. This was Cassidy’s first real waterfall experience (that she can remember). She told me it was “magical.” Of course, she was right. We played around the rocks and watched the water for a while before turning back, heading this time down the road to our car at the northern trailhead.

The Travel & Nature section of the website has been updated with images from Yellowstone National Park. Otherworldly landscapes and close encounters with wildlife made for an unforgettable driving tour of the park. I can’t wait to get back (maybe without three small children) and hike it.

Fifty years ago the United States made history when the Apollo 11 lunar module set two men atop the moon, and our ideas around the capability of human kind grew in giant steps.

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iPhone image through a Newtonian Reflector telescope fitted with a 50mm lens.

I am so excited to announce this solo show! Now through October 31, 2017 there are fourteen pieces on display at the Fairfield University Bookstore - Downtown.

 Since 1873, when John Muir penned “the mountains are calling, and I must go…” in a letter to his sister, the phrase has been repurposed by expert adventurers and daydreamers alike to express the undeniable pull and majesty of the outdoors. But Muir’s words were more than a response to a siren song. He felt great responsibility to observe, understand, and preserve our natural world.

In May 2017 I visited Glacier National Park and, while I grew uphiking and skiing around White Mountains and the Appalachians, the enormity of the Rocky Mountains was like nothing I had ever witnessed. The scale alone made it easy for me to find deeper appreciation for Muir’s experience - we hardly dipped a toe into the park and I felt a deep compulsion to see more, to learn more, to understand more, and to do more.

This summer, Glacier National Park was scorched by wildfires, including a twenty-square-mile blaze that claimed wildlife, acreage, and historic structures within the park - a harsh reminder of the fragility and impermanence of our natural resources.

The experience led to a shift in how I perceived the world around me, and I paid closer attention not only when I visited Lake Winnipesaukee later that summer, but also in my own backyard. In the quintessential suburb we call home, there is a small park that I visit with my daughter. In the park is a small, polluted pond that, despite being slicked with runoff, is home to ducks and geese that my daughter loves to visit. On one visit in early June, I saw a bird we hadn’t seen before - a green heron. We saw another, and quickly realized that the pair had nested and were sitting on eggs. It’s rare to see a pair of green heron in this area, especially in such a populated and busy park. We watched the heron family grow all summer, picking up the garbage we found in the park, telling curious passers-by about the birds, and feeling same sense of appreciation that we found in Glacier. And so, yes, the mountains are calling and I must go. But also, I must go to the lakes to our north and the sound to our south, and to the little park in our neighborhood - to observe, to learn, and to preserve the world around us.

We dipped our toes into Glacier National Park, and I returned conspiring ways to see more of it. Could I lead photo tours for a year? Host camp weekend excursions? Just... camp? It is expansive, diverse, and breathtaking in ways you can't be prepared for. Our short visit included Trail of the Cedars, a boat ride on Lake McDonald, a secluded hike up to Fish Lake, and a more popular hike up to Avalanche Lake. Nights were spent in an Airbnb in Bigfork, MT. I could have spent several days photographing each of the trails we walked, and then months on the trails we didn't.

The Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT is hands-down one of my favorite places. I can't believe I took photos of these sea critters eight years ago today! I remember it being a beautiful day - just look at that Stellar Sea Lion basking in the sun.

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There's something special about the Goodwill Plantation in Vacherie, LA.

Banding purple martin chicks at the Connecticut Audubon Society
Coastal Center at Milford Point.

An excerpt of copy (collaborative) and photography from a project for the Connecticut Audubon Society.

- HISTORY -

Since its founding in 1898, the Connecticut Audubon Society has sought to conserve the environment through science-based education and advocacy focused on the state’s bird populations and their habitats. The physical setting for that lofty goal is Birdcraft Sanctuary and Museum, established in 1914 by Mabel Osgood Wright - Connecticut Audubon Society’s founder and a seminal figure in 20th century conservation. Through her writing, leadership, vision, and teaching, Mabel established Birdcraft as the region’s foremost center for conservation education.

With a sanctuary for birds to rest, feed, and nest, and a museum to place Connecticut’s birds and their habitats in the wider context of conservation, Birdcraft has served as a regional gateway to natural history for four generations of children, parents, teachers, and enthusiasts. The museum’s collection of mounted specimens depicting regional bird populations has inspired some of the state’s most influential natural history artists and conservationists.

The nation’s first privately held songbird sanctuary, Birdcraft is a recognized National Historic Landmark. The lovely six-acre woodland and wetland sanctuary contains the original caretaker’s homestead (now Connecticut Audubon Society’s headquarters), the historic museum, and a scenic network of gardens and trails.

-Connecticut Audubon Society, 2015