Our Lives in Nature

The May 14 program is on amphibians - frogs, toads, and salamanders in our part of Texas.

The second in the series of presentations, "The Wild Lives of Texas' Reptiles and Amphibians" is scheduled a week from tomorrow (May 14). It's a free program starting at 7pm via Zoom - see the event listing below (or at www.friendsofscnp.org on the "events") page.

Photo shows a pickerel frog.

The article series has the aim of exploring why nature kids are important and what we are doing to nurture them. Here's the second of three...

WHAT SHOULD WE TEACH KIDS ABOUT NATURE? | Green Source Texas This is the second article in a three-part series on Nature Education.

I wrote about this weekend's City Nature Challenge at the Friends of Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve blog, and then brought it to Our Lives in Nature...

The City Nature Challenge Party (Reprinted, with light edits, from my post at the Friends of Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve blog) A cricket frog previously seen at the preserve Around Earth Day, iNaturalist throws a party, and th…

A walk at Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve is always full of wonder, new life, and sanctuary.

Journal Entry – Full of Life – Friends of Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve Journal Entry – Full of LifeBy Michael Smith / April 14, 2026 April 14, 2026 – 1:15-2:15pm; overcast, humid, temperature in the mid-70s It was just an hour, but there was so much to see and hear during that hour. Everything that grows has made the best use of the rain we have received, and flowe...

Coming soon: five-part series of free presentations on the reptiles and amphibians of north-central Texas, via Zoom. All that's needed is serious interest, not a lot of prior experience or training.

I've written or co-authored a couple of books in the subject and taught h**petological natural history to incoming Master Naturalists in several chapters. In those classes I always wanted to include more. So I've created a series of presentations with lots of photos and graphics. What I need to know is what kind of interest there would be - so if you are interested, please let me know! (see below)

We'll cover basic skills in the field and discuss finding and observing vs. capturing, and safety where venomous snakes may be around. I'll cover amphibians, the frogs, toads, and salamanders of our area. We'll listen to some frog calls. We'll also cover alligators and the turtles of our area, then lizards and snakes, and finally h**p conservation issues. Venomous snakes and snake bite will be part of the presentation on lizards and snakes.

The idea is to offer them without charge, in conjunction with Friends of Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve (https://www.friendsofscnp.org/) where registration will be set up. But first I need to know how many people might be interested, so for more information, please email [email protected]. Thank you!

I wrote about nature kids, the benefits of nature and the need to re-connect the kids with wild places and wildlife. I hope you'll have a look...
https://www.greensourcetexas.org/articles/kids-need-nature-cope-modern-life-say-experts

A letter to nature kids about how we can use our attention when out somewhere in nature...

A Letter About Attention and Mindfulness The latest of the “Letters to Nature Kids” is about how I like to use my attention when taking a walk in nature. It describes noticing your breathing and then imagining that your attent…

Two days before the end of winter, and the birds, lizards, and flowers are saying spring is here.

Journal: Canyon Ridge 18 March 2026 – Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge 12:10-2:16pm Along the Canyon Ridge Trail, Lone Point and the surrounding area is a favorite. The rocky remains of the old CCC structure …

The trees bending and dancing on what I suppose could be called a "blustery day."

Journal: Wind and Sky 15 March 2026 – Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve 1:55-3:10pm. A quick walk on a windy day, as the mid-80s warmth prepared to tumble back into winter for brief reminder that winter has a few mor…

https://livesinnature.com/2026/03/14/a-spring-journal-entry-from-sheri-capehart-nature-preserve/

A Spring Journal Entry from Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve Yesterday I spent an hour and a half at Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve on a spring afternoon full of wonderful things. I wrote the following at the Friends of Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve blog, a…

You may recall that I write periodically to "nature kids." It's a free pdf download from https://livesinnature.com, written for older kids and teens who are drawn to wild places and the things that live there.

This time I included a bit about why I write these letters. Some of it is about sharing places and experiences that may encourage young people to go see preserves, parks, and such places themselves. As an example, I talked about Ruthann's and my trip to Palmetto State Park in 2022.https://livesinnature.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ltrnatkid-march2026.pdf

livesinnature.wordpress.com