Ohio Outdoors: Deck the halls with...
- I bet you finished that line. During a Portage County winter, most of our trees and herbaceous plant life slumber until the arrival of spring.
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Ohio Outdoors: “T” is for turkey
-Julie Watson
It’s November, the month of Thanksgiving. Here, in America, no other animal is more closely associated with November than the turkey. According to the US Poultry and Egg Association 46 million turkeys will give their lives to the holiday this year.
Ohio’s Bats: Blood-suckers, or benevolent?
-Julie Watson
It’s autumn, time for bonfires, Friday night football, and trick-or-treat. In October we celebrate all things spooky and frightening.
Ohio Outdoors: Mum’s the word
-Julie Watson
It’s mum season, also known as fall or autumn. Chrysanthemums can be found gracing walkways and front porches all over Portage County.
Ohio Outdoors: Canada Geese are officially a nuisance (but don’t hurt them)
-Julie Watson
The geese flocks are growing. Go to any open grassy space or harvested field and you’ll witness this phenomenon. They can also be seen flying in formation. Are they migrating already? Isn’t this early? If they are leaving, why do their numbers keep growing?
Ohio Outdoors: Summer’s symphony
-Julie Watson
July is a busy month. We celebrate our country’s birthday, county fairs are getting underway, bald eagle chicks are fledging (able to fly and leave the nest), and then there are the summer concerts. Many cities and towns across the Buckeye State offer free outdoor concerts on special afternoons or evenings throughout the summer. There is another type of concert that is also free, available to everyone, everywhere, and plays all summer long. I’m talking about the musical productions of nature.
Ohio Outdoors: Remarkable reptiles
-Julie Watson
In last month’s column (April Showers bring Vernal Pools) I talked a lot about Ohio’s native amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders). This month I want to talk about Ohio’s native reptiles, more than half of which can be found in Portage County. Reptiles are cold-blooded (the scientific term is ectothermic), breathe air, and are covered with scales.
Ohio Outdoor: April showers bring vernal pools
-Julie Watson
Spring is here! The school year is winding up, the days are getting warmer, and rain is falling. Spring rain is essential. It waters all the new plant growth, pulls pollen out of the air, and boosts water table and wetland levels.
Ohio Outdoors: Protect your local pollinators
-Julie Watson
Save the Bees. I’m sure you’ve heard or seen such slogans increasingly over the past couple of decades. Of course, I’m all for saving any species, but some of the claims of activist groups on bee decline are a bit frightening. In trying to research the topic of bees and their necessity to humanity’s survival, I found varied and often contradictory reports. Sifting through the data, a few undeniable truths emerged.
Watson: Staying safe in unpredictable weather
-Julie Watson
Portage County weather. Everyone jokes about it: Wait five minutes and the weather will change; you can experience all four seasons in the span of a few hours; Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind.
Ohio Outdoors: Winging into spring
-Julie Watson
It’s March, and spring is in the air, literally. No matter if the month came in like a lion or a lamb, look and listen to the skies for vernal evidence. Harbingers of spring are winging their way north as you read this. And no, I’m not talking about robins. Robins don’t actually migrate; they stay in Portage County year-round. So that ‘first robin of spring’ sighting isn’t something to get all worked up about.
Ohio Outdoors: Skunk love
-Julie Watson
If you’ve been noticing a foul odor in the air recently, you’re not alone. Unpleasant as it may be there is a natural cause for your nose to be offended. In Ohio, February is breeding season for skunks.
Ohio Outdoors: Get naturally healthy in 2025
-Julie Watson
Just over half of us make New Year’s resolutions. The most common ones revolve around physical and mental wellbeing. Topics like exercise, fitness, and losing weight weigh heavy on our minds. Just as important are issues such as socializing, de-stressing, finding life’s balance, inner peace and others that fall under the mantle of mental health.
Ohio Outdoors: Your guide to buying real Christmas trees
-Julie Watson
It’s that time of year when people are decorating for the holidays. It’s estimated that only around 23% of homes displaying Christmas trees will choose the real thing.