Bat Week

Just in time for Halloween - Bat Week wraps up October 31st. Bat Week provides an opportunity to educate and celebrate bats and their benefits. Sixteen partners contribute to Bat Week including the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Bat Conservation International, USGS and Parks Canada.  

There are over 1,100 species of bats on earth, with the United States National Park Service providing habitat for fifty species. But, populations are threatened, with the fungal disease White-nose Syndrome (WNS) and other threats such as loss of habitat and fatalities from wind turbines.

Why be care about bats?

• Bats help control pests - including those that transmit disease and those that can destroy agricultural crops. A single little brown bat can consumer up to 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour, and it is estimated that in the United States, bats save farmers annually $3.7 million in reduced crop damage and pesticide use. 
• Bats are valuable pollinators - bats consume nectar and are essential pollinators for certain species such as the giant cacti and agave. 
• Bats promote seed propagation - fruit eating bats cover large distances, dispersing seeds in flight. 
• Bats are cool. Would the superhero world be the same without Batman and would anyone remember Bram Stoker without Dracula?

So this Halloween, take extra notice to those trick-or-treaters dressed in black with pointed ears and give thanks to those winged creatures that will be flying overhead at night.

Sources: Bat Conservation International,  www.batcon.org
               Defenders of Wildlife, www.defenders.org

Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash, Tomatoes and Kale

Fall days are definitely upon us - and winter won't be far behind. It's time to bring on the comfort food and this vegetable filled mac and cheese definitely fits the bill.


Ingredients:
2 cups dried penne
1/2 butternut squash peeled and diced
1 cup sharp cheddar
3 tomatoes diced
2 scallions chopped
1 zucchini diced
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 cup kale chopped
1 1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Microwave squash in glass bowl with about 1/2 cup of water 8 minutes or until soft. Over stove simmer milk with half of cheese, add tomatoes, scallions, yogurt, kale, salt, pepper and cooked squash. Drain pasta. Add to milk and cheese mixture.  Pour into greased 9" x 12" pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until bubbly,  about 25 minutes.

Before the Flood to Air Sunday October 30th

Watch Before the Flood, a Documentary on Climate Change with Leonardo DiCaprio, on the National Geographic channel and free worldwide on most internet stations, including YouTube, Hulu, Facebook and Twitter.

Vegan Skillet Cornbread

In order to eat healthier and in consideration of the environment, I prepare vegetarian meals about fifty percent of the time. However, I love all things dairy so will probably never go vegan. However, when we had a guest visit the other day who is vegan, I was able to experiment with baking without dairy. I made a vegetarian chili and then found this cornbread recipe. I did not have to buy any special ingredients, except for the soy milk. It is easy to prepare and the final product was much moister than other cornbread recipes I have made that contain eggs.




Ingredients
    1 1/2 cups soy milk
    2 tsp lemon juice
    1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
    1 cup cornmeal
    1 Tablespoon baking powder
    1/2 tsp salt
    1 cup corn kernels, cooked slightly if frozen
    1/2 cup vegetable oil
    1/2 cup maple syrup
    1 tablespoon margarine
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
   Yield: 8 servings

Preparation
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Place pan in the oven while you prepare the recipe.
In a small bowl, stir together the soy milk and lemon juice.
In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
With an immersion blender puree the corn, vegetable oil and maple syrup until smooth and well combined. Add to the mixture the soymilk and lemon juice. Slowly stir in the flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and set on top of stove. Add the tablespoon of margarine which will melt quickly. Tilt the pan to cover the sides. Pour in the batter, the pan will be almost full. Carefully return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Do not overcook. Best served warm

Fall Colors in Vermont

Fall Colors Reflected in Unknown Pond, Bethlehem, New Hampshire

The Autumn colors seemed to take a while to materialize this year, perhaps due to the drought and the mild weather. But when they did change, they were a burst of brilliance. I was able to appreciate them last week with a long-time friend, who came from Texas, along with her cousin from Wisconsin, to experience New England in the fall. They couldn't have picked a better week and the weather and the colors were near perfect.

On our fist day in Vermont we took a bike ride in the afternoon around Lake Memphremagog and then  watched the sunset over the lake from downtown Newport.

As a hiker, I am always looking for a new mountain to climb. For this trip, I selected Wheeler Mountain, near Lake Willoughby. When we have guests visiting, we frequently take them to Mount Pisgah on the East side of Lake Willoughby, but I was interested in exploring the trails on the opposite side. The Wheeler Mountain trail was described as having some of the finest and most varied views in the area. Since I had an older hiking book and map, I did not know that the parking area and the beginning of the trail had been rerouted earlier this year with assistance from the Northwoods Stewardship Center.This was a bit confusing since the trail did not follow the description in the book and at one point after continuing on a long descent, we thought that we may have made a wrong turn. Fortunately, we did not turn around and were able to experience the tremendous views for which this trail is known.

The trail begins at the new parking area, then crosses Wheeler Mountain Road before continuing into the woods.   

Beginning of Wheeler Mountain Trail

A white birch is a beautiful contrast to the changing foliage colors

After going down hill, the trail passes the former trail which is marked as closed. The trail then turns left and continues up the side of the mountain. Shortly after the sign, the trail begins to climb again

View on Wheeler Mountain Overlooking Peak Fall Colors 

and then breaks out of the woods and expansive views. Large open ledges provided plenty of opportunity for photos.

View as the trail continues upward toward Eagle Rock

Standing on Eagle Rock with Lake Willoughby in the background.

From the first ledges to the Eagle Rock outlook, the trail continues to climb, becoming steep in sections, but new views around every turn keep you going. Upon reaching the high point, known as Eagle Rock, there is a sign-in book to record your impressions. Although this is a popular trail, we only encountered a handful of other hikers, including a young couple who had just become engaged on Eagle Rock, a testament to the beauty and uniqueness of this place.

Bees and Wasps

I was stung twice this summer. In neither instance did I actually see the culprit. The first time I was in the garden and brushed up against a plant that was being enjoyed by numerous bees. This I figured was my fault as I should have been more cautious and given the bees some more room. I am typically of the mindset that if you don't bother bees, they won't bother you. I love to hear and watch them in the garden and always feel good knowing that my garden and the bees are benefiting each other. I know now that I also need to respect their space.

Bumble bee covered in pollen from squash flower

The second incident occurred in late summer. I was stung a couple times with no warning while I was filling up the bird bath. I never saw the attacker(s), but suspect I probably disturbed some wasps which can be quite aggressive. Perhaps because of the drought we have been experiencing, they were drawn to the water in the bird bath. Being stung hurts, and I typically experience pain and swelling for several days afterwards. I didn't see a swarm so I will just need to be more aware of my surroundings. Since both the bees and wasps are beneficial either as a pollinator or a predator of garden pests, I want to share our yard with them.   

Have you ever seen a large pear shaped object hanging from a tree and wondered what it was? If it looked like the photo below, it was a nest made by baldfaced hornets.The nest below was clearly visible during mid-summer, but you can more easily spot them in the fall after the leaves are gone. .

There is no need to be concerned if you have a nest in your yard as they again provide a valuable role by consuming pests, even other wasps. A new nest is made each year with the help of the colony of several hundred. The wasp mixes its saliva with dead plants, wood or paper to form the nesting material. The nests can reach a size of two feet by the end of summer. As the temperature drops, most of the colony will die, except for fertilized queens which will find protected areas, such as an old tree stump, to spend the winter. 

During the winter, you may find nests on the ground, like this one below.

A look at the cells on the inside of this baldfaced hornet's nest

Some people even collect them to use as decorations. I chose to just admire them from a distance.

Are We Entering Into a Sixth Mass Extinction?

Stanford University paleontologist Jon Payne explains in a 5-minute video what people mean when they say we’re on the brink of a sixth mass extinction.



If you enjoyed this video, check out Stanford University's Podcast Generation Anthropocene, Stories about Planetary Change.