Observing nature in Ohio USA; other topics occasionally.
My name is Tracy, and I live in central Ohio. I now have the time to pay attention to the natural world, like I once did when I was young, growing up in small-town Ohio in a farming county. I hope you enjoy this site!
I’m an amateur (as in learning-as-I-go) when it comes to photography. When I’m not carrying a sizable camera, I usually have a little pocket-model point and shoot handy- and if I don’t, I often regret it. You can only take a picture if you have a camera on you, and if that means a pocket model sometimes, so be it. Apart from that little pocket camera, here’s my current gear:
Updated in 2016: Canon EOS Rebel T6 with a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens (for when I’m in a serious photography mood)
Updated in 2017: Canon PowerShot SX60 HS (for when a lighter camera is desired, and for wide-angle lens shots)
Spring 2020: I’ve moved from Columbus Ohio out to the Springfield area of west-central Ohio. Getting to know the area better so that I can post about it!
2022:
New posting schedule for Seasons Flow AND Ohio History and Travel:
January 1st
April 1st
July 1st
October 1st
If you don’t see a post here, check out the other blog.
Seasons Flow 
Hello,
Got a note that you stopped by my blog BREVITY, so I decided to check your site out.
Wonderful.
Hi there!
Thanks for popping in to visit my blog and leave a comment. Just returned from beautiful northern Michigan. I am playing catch up, but wanted to pay you a visit. Quite a blog you have here. Wow! All things pertaining to nature which is right up my alley. I adore birds and you clearly do too. There is a plethora of information included in your posts. I will be back when I have time to take it all in.
Thank you for visiting “Poems From Oostburg, WI,” and for your kind comments. All the best!
Thanks for visiting, everyone!
What a nice blog! I will be back. Thanks for stopping by gardenpath.
You stopped by my blog so I wanted to come check your out, too. What a great place! Even better, because I, too, live in central Ohio. I love the simple beauty we have here and I appreciate the insight you add to what I’ve seen around me all my life. Thanks again – I’ll be back!
Thank you for stopping by! Beautiful site…I love nature myself and enjoyed the photos.
What is your first name if you don’t mind me asking?
Thanks for the comments! My name is Tracy- I’ve added it to the About page here for future reference 🙂
Yay, so glad you did!
hey, got a message that you liked my post today…thanks! love yours about the nesting robins too 🙂
peggy
Hello Tracy!
Again, I’m so glad you found my blog and that I followed you home. 🙂 I love your site. I’m still working on mine, trying to figure out how to best organize it. I’m wondering what type of camera you’re using? It’s great to have found someone who appreciates and enjoys nature as much as I do.
Robin
Thanks for stopping by!
I’m enjoying the photos at http://rollinglens.wordpress.com/
I’ve updated this page to include what equipment I use- though I am learning photography as I go along 🙂
I’m also getting a feel for what I want my blog to be like- I figure that it’ll gradually turn into a more coherent place…
Hi Tracy, I’m looking forward to exploring your beautiful nature blog, and I’m so happy you found mine! I enjoy seeing what the natural world looks like in places I’ve never been…
Thank you Barbara- I enjoy your blog 🙂
Thanks for visiting. Love the marsh photos!
Hi Tracy, thanks for visiting my blog, I, too, enjoyed yours. I am originally from the mid-west, meaning Michigan, so I like to see the nature happening from around there.
Hi Tracy, I saw that you visited my blog, and I thought I’d check out yours. Very nice! Excellent photos. I’ll have to follow it from now on.
Thanks everyone for stopping by with the kind words!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to look at pictures I’ve taken.
Much obliged.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I appreciate your vote for one of my painting .
Your photographs are stunning , really beautiful .
Thank you for visiting, Arzki and Mario!
I really like your blog! Informative!
A belated thanks, Cindy! 🙂
I track the seasons over in the UK but not via a camera, just observing and then blogging my thoughts. Nature never stands still for a moment and if you look hard enough, each year differs from one year to the next.
Best Wishes
Tony Powell
Very true, Tony!
Congratulations on your recent nomination by Island Traveler for the Hope Unites Globally HUG Award. To accept the award and learn how to share it with others, please read the Guidelines at http://ahopefortoday.com/2012/01/14/hope-unites-globally-hug-award-guidelines/. Blessings, Connie at A Hope for Today
Many thanks Connie and Island Traveler! 🙂
It’s my pleasure to pass on a Reader Appreciation Award to you!
http://randomactsofwriting.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/reader-appreciation-award/
Many thanks, Jen! I somehow missed this up until now! 🙂
Hi Tracy! Huge fan of your blog! Thought you might be interested in The Ohio Nature Conservancy’s new initiative to get Buckeye residents outdoors this summer! http://www.nature.org/allhands/naturaltreasuresohio/index.htm
A belated thanks, Kate!
Hello. I have nominated you for the Sunshine Award. Feel free to accept or decline. No pressure, no worries.
Many thanks, onesweetiepea! I appreciate it!
Thank you for this wonderful place. As a fellow Buckeye/Hoosier, the Amish and Covered bridges were so appreciated. Am very new to Word Press, and just getting things started for my passion, Endangered Wildlife.
Thank you Gator Woman, and best of luck here at WordPress 🙂
How these things happen Tracy is a wonder to me, but I hadn’t been getting your blog for some time along with a few other favorites…..computers, I’ll never quite understand them, but I’m happy to say I’m reconnected now and look forward to your new posts!
Great news, Joleen- you took some fantastic photos this past spring!
I am pleased to nominate you for the Versatile Blogger Award. The rules are here: http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/vba-rules/ Congratulations! — Jen
Many thanks for the nomination, Jen!
hi Tracy! Looking at the weeds/wildflowers here in my neck of the woods (Virginia). Your site is very helpful in IDing some. Thanks a lot!
You’re welcome, Sienna- I know how difficult it can be when starting out- glad to help!
Thank you SO much for this site. I was having a heck of a time identifying a beautiful wildflower that came up in the garden (moth mullein) but I found it right away on your site here! Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Phyllis! Glad to be of help! 🙂
I’ve just recently noticed Moth Mullein blooming this month as well.
Nice site – I am an avid wildflower photographer and constantly trying to ID flowers – your site helps a lot! Thanks
Thanks Thomas! I started this blog in part as a way to figure out what I was seeing around me here in Ohio. I use Wildflowers of Ohio 2nd ed. by Robert L Henn as my primary flower ID source, it’s a handy guide.
Hello,You have a wonderful site! I have a native plant nursery, Natives In Harmony, near Marengo Ohio, and am working on a presentation on Spring Ephemerals. I would love to use some of your photos in my presentation. Will you give me permission to use some of your images as long as I credit you as the source?
Gale E. Martin
Certainly, Gale! Just link to my site, you can use all the pictures you want. Make sure you link your site to a comment here too!
Your blog is lovely. great to meet another “watcher” and glad you liked my blog Walkingwithtrees….I do not have internet where I live, so it is challenging for me to follow blogs and work on my own..but I will do my best with yours!
Thanks, Walking! 🙂
Dear Tracy,
I love your photos of the yellow sweetclover! Would it be possible to get permission (and high resolution versions) to use in an educational exhibit? I work at The Arboretum at Flagstaff in Flagstaff, AZ. Thanks for considering! -Kris
Sure, Kris! What photos are you interested in? Not sure if I can find the originals if they are years old, though.
Hi Tracy,
Great photos. I’m doing a web page on birds eating aphids for our ecology/aphid website InfluentialPoints.com. I’d love to use a couple of your photos on birds eating woolly beech aphids.
Thanks, Dr. Dransfield! Sure, you can use whatever photos you like, just credit this site or link to it. Glad to help!
Thanks Tracy,
Could you drop me an email if you get any more photos of birds eating aphids?
Hope you like our site.
Best wishes
Bob
Will do!
Hi Tracy,
I work for a pest control company in Savannah, Georgia and came across your blog when looking for information about insects hibernating through the winter. I’d love to use a photo of yours with an insect in the snow to go along with our “fun fact” about glycerol and supercooling. I’d be glad to link back to your site so our readers can find out more information.
Thanks!
Katie
Sure, Katie- be my guest! Just link back to where the picture came from- glad to be of help!
Wonderful, thanks so much! 🙂
Hey, Tracy. Continuing to whip a propertty I bought for the sole sake of naturalizing into shape for the next year, including many transplants and introduction of some new but native plants-weeds, and really love what I’ve found here from you. Though I’m a transplant from California myself, I am fairly determined to fill this 7 acre area with as many Native Ohio/regional plants as possible. Have checked some nurseries out, but wondered if you had thoughts about who might have a real passion for cultivating local plants. Love the Heraclitus quote. Best, Eric.
Thanks, Eric!
That’s a tough one, I can’t think of any place right off the bat…you might try the Columbus Metropolitan Parks system, they make use of native wildflower beds in their many parks- they also are re-creating central Ohio tallgrass prairie in some of their parks as well.
http://www.metroparks.net/
I hope they can help! Best of luck and let me know how your adventure goes!