- Action Network
- All Creatures
- Alpenzoo Innsbruck
- American Hiking Society
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- Anheuser-Busch Conservation Fund
- Animal Planet
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums
- Butchart Gardens
- Christian Vegetarian Association
- Cincinnati Parks
- Cincinnati Zoo
- Civic Garden Center of Cincinnati
- ConservAmerica
- Conservation Action Network
- The Conservation Fund
- Costa Rica Conservation System
- Cool Vegan
- Dave's Garden
- Desert Museum
- Discover the Forest
- Environmental Defense Fund
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Farm Sanctuary
- Georgia Aquarium
- Hamilton County Park District
- Hillwood Museum & Gardens
- Humane Society of the United States
- Institute for Plant Based Nutrition
- International Vegetarian Union
- JesusVeg
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Krohn Conservancy
- Leafy Greens Council
- Leather Substitutes
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- National Aquarium (Baltimore)
- National Aquarium (D.C.)
- National Arboretum
- National Forest Service
- National Geographic Society
- National Park Service
- National Parks Conservation Association
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- The Nature Conservancy
- Newport Aquarium
- Niagara Parks Commision
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- Oregon Zoo
- Pigs
- Project Puffin
- Republicans for Environmental Protection
- Robyn's Pond Page
- Saint Louis Zoo
- San Diego Zoo
- Seattle Aquarium
- Seattle Woodland Park Zoo
- Shedd Aquarium
- Shopper's Guide to Leather Alternatives
- Smithsonian National Zoo
- Tomorrow's World
- United States Botanic Garden
- Veg Family
- Veg 4 Lent
- Veg News
- Veg Web
- Vegetarian Channel
- Vegetarian Life Tips
- Vegetarian Resource Group
- Vegetarian Site
- Vegetarian Times
- Vegetarianism and Vegetarian Nutrition
- Veggie Global
- Wildlife Conservation Society
- World Wildlife Fund
- Zoological Society of London
AtomNature
O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.Monday, May 13, A.D. 2013
Bannick’s Owls
Christ is risen!
Nature photographer Paul Bannick has a wondrous eye for the world’s beauty—and great skill with a camera.
I discovered Bannick through a piece on N.P.R., “Owls So Cute, Who Cares If They’re Wise?,” where we learn that Bannick does not use flash photopgraphy with owls or digitally alter his pictures. You may see Bannick’s incredible owl shots on his site.
on Monday, May 13, Anno Domini 2013
Thursday, May 9, A.D. 2013
I.S.S. Tracker
01000011 01101000 01110010 01101001 01110011 01110100 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01110010 01101001 01110011 01100101 01101110 00100001
There is a web site that tracks the route of the International Space Station: I.S.S. Tracker. The site moreover features a tool whereby you may find the location of the station at any point in time since its launch in A.D. 1998. Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 3, A.D. 2013
Medieval Cats
Happy birthday to my mother, who inculcated in me a love of God’s creatures.
Last month, I came upon a charming story about medieval cats and their mischief: “Paws, Pee and Mice: Cats among Medieval Manuscripts.”
The article is instructive in many ways. I learnt, for instance, a useful curse:
Pessime mus, sepius me provocas ad iram; ut te deus perdat. [Most wretched mouse, often you provoke me to anger. May God destroy you!]
I’ll have to try that for the voles who nibble my bulbs. I cannot find the vernacular Latin for vole, but the genus name is microtus. Equidem pessime microtus.
Monday, April 1, A.D. 2013
Where the Flowers Grow
Bonne journée du Poisson! Do not do anything stupid!
And happy Bright Week to our Western brethren.
It is also now April, which is a lovely month of rain and flowers.
Given the day, I offer you a joyful little story from Dave’s Garden, “Where the Flowers Grow.”
Enjoy the day, the month, and the season.
Friday, March 22, A.D. 2013
Glorious Handiwork
We should be grateful at all times, but Lent seems to remind us more emphatically of God’s goodness and provision. One constant source of wonder and delight is the beauty of creation. Each year, the Nature Conservancy sponsors a photography contest and then publishes the winners and the honorable mentions. I have written of past years’ pictures in “A Glimpse of Pan” and “Mundus Pulcher.” The photographs offered in the contest are stunning to behold, as they are doxologies on celluloid. You may look at last year’s winning selection.
I remarked to a few friends that the penultimate photograph by Terry Ogden of the oak woodland in the Sierra Nevada foothills actually made me laugh when I first saw it, as there isn’t even any subtlety to it. It is simply a visual capture of a heavenly “Hello there.” Instead of a bush, we get some trees. I am more than content with that. Thank you, Lord.
Wednesday, March 20, A.D. 2013
An Ode to the Challenged Gardener
Lent continues, but today marks the spring equinox this year—thanks be to God! Appropriate for the day is this short testimonial by Angela Carson on Dave’s Garden: “Why Not Give Up? Gardening Despite the Challenges.” Carson rejoices in the “process” of gardening. We tillers of the soil understand; gardening is a joyful gift.
Wednesday, March 6, A.D. 2013
Your Dog Really Does Understand You
Last month, The Daily Mail published “Your dog really does understand you . . . They’re more likely to steal food if they think you can’t see, research reveals.” Uh, yeah! I guess that this is another one of those “dog bites man” studies that reveal what everyone already knew to be true. Still, I enjoy learning about the testing methods.
Tuesday, January 29, A.D. 2013
Profecto Fido
A few weeks ago, The Telegraph published a story about a faithful dog who goes daily to the parish where his recently deceased mistress attended mass: “Dog turns up to dead owner’s church every day.” I discovered the story on Fr. Z.‘s blog, where his readers mentioned several similar cases and other interesting bits. I did not know about “dog whippers” before. That Wikipedia article was a gateway to an encyclopedic orgy that ended hours later after I had learnt about Greyfriar’s Bobby, therianthropy, the faoladh, and dozens of other fascinating elements in our marvelous world. I must be careful of indulging in such intoxicants. Anyway, cheers to man’s best friend!
Friday, January 4, A.D. 2013
CNN’s Critters
Contrary to what you might expect from the title, this post does not concern Candy Crowley, Soledad O’Brien, or other specimens from Turner’s menagerie. Rather, I wish to celebrate my brother Adam’s birthday by offering CNN’s delightful “distractions.”
Duck family plays Frogger:
Hometown cheetah and dog play (Cincinnati Zoo):
Mother cat comforts her dreaming kitten:
Dog versus grasshopper:
Chihuahua versus tiger cub:
Budding Canadian biologists:
Slow loris eats rice:
Seal and diver:
Gato del clima:
Monday, December 31, A.D. 2012
Beautiful Pollinators
It is the last day of A.D. 2012. Let us hope that we find A.D. 2013 better! Still, we should be grateful for life and for all God’s blessings.
Although it is winter, I offer the following video as a sign of my gratitude to the Lord for the world’s great wonders. Here is “The Hidden Beauty of Pollination” by Louie Schwartzberg. The beginning is Schwartzberg’s lecture, but stay tuned for some incredible footage of bees, birds, bats, and butterflies.
Deo gratias!
